I had the pleasure of watching an amazing performance at the Masquerade by The Dirty Heads. If you haven’t heard of this band I highly suggest going out and buying their album, “Any Port in a Storm.” The band, founded by Jarod “Dirty J” Watson and Dustin “Duddy B” Bushnell, got their start in their hometown of Huntington Beach, CA in a sound proof garage. Following the styles of some of their greatest inspirations, such as Sublime, The Beastie Boys, Horace Andy, and Bob Marley, these rock stars combine the melodic styles of reggae and hip hop. The Dirty Heads started their serious music career 9 years ago, but have been playing all their life, and have signed with the record label, Eleven Seven. Even though they have reached popular status, signing agreements for some of their songs to be featured in movies, video games, and T.V. shows, The Dirty Heads still remain humble, chill, and laid back, never taking their fame to their heads.

When asked what they would be doing if they weren’t rocking on stage they simply replied, “Playing video games, and not having jobs,” followed by extreme laughter. Before coming to Atlanta, The Dirty Heads played a show at Deluna Fest in Pensacola, FL, telling me, “A show on the beach with all you can eat crab, and hot chicks in bikinis, what more can you ask for?” Proving that these guys of course love a good time.And their favorite part of Atlanta, Waffle House, a dining experience not very well-known to the West Coast. The band will continue touring to finish up the 2011 year, then head home to put the finishing touches on their new album, due to be released in the spring of 2012, then head back out on tour again, giving you the chance to catch one of their awesome, high-octane shows. For their fans looking to get into the music business, The Dirty Heads offered a few words of encouragement, “Stick with it. It may suck in the beginning, driving all over the country in a van for shows that don’t pay much, but the more you go along, the more fun it gets. The more you keep up with what you love, the more satisfaction you’ll get.”

 Photos by Geoff Millwood