Editing Steel Pulse (section)

==History==
[[File:SteelPulse14.jpg|thumb|Frontman David Hinds of Steel Pulse in concert in [[Antwerp]], 2022.]]
[[Basil Gabbidon]] and [[David Hinds]] became inspired to form Steel Pulse after listening to [[Bob Marley and the Wailers|Bob Marley and The Wailers']] ''[[Catch a Fire]]''.<ref name=":0" /> The band formed in 1975; their debut single release "Kibudu, Mansetta And Abuku" arrived on the small independent label Dip, and linked the plight of urban black youth with the image of a greater African homeland. They followed it with "Nyah Luv" for Anchor. They were initially refused live dates in [[Caribbean]] venues in [[Birmingham]] due to their [[Rastafari movement|Rastafarian]] beliefs. During the popularization of [[punk rock]] in the mid-[[1970s in music|1970's]], Steel Pulse began to play punk venues such as the [[Hope and Anchor, Islington|Hope and Anchor]] in London and The Electric Circus in [[Manchester]] in 1976.<ref name=":0" />

Aligning themselves closely with the [[Rock Against Racism]] organization and featuring in its first music festival in early 1978, they chose to tour with sympathetic elements of the punk movement,<ref name=":0" /> including the [[Stranglers]] and [[XTC]]. Eventually they found a more natural home in support slots for [[Burning Spear]], which brought them to the attention of [[Island Records]].

=== Island Records era (1977–1980) ===
Their first release for Island was the "Ku Klux Klan" [[Single (music)|single]], about the evils of racism, and one often accompanied by a visual parody of the sect on stage; the song was ranked the 460th-greatest song of all time in ''[[Rolling Stone]]''<nowiki/>'s 2020 edition of the [[Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time|500 Greatest Songs of All Time]]. By this time, their ranks had swelled to include Selwyn Brown (keyboards), [[Steve Nisbett|Steve "Grizzly" Nisbett]] (drums), [[Alphonso Martin]] (vocals, percussion) and Mykaell Riley (vocals). Their debut album, ''[[Handsworth Revolution]]'' (recorded in 1977 and released in early 1978), was part the evolution of [[roots reggae]] outside Jamaica. However, despite critical and moderate commercial success over three albums, the relationship with Island Records had soured by the advent of their third album, ''[[Caught You]]'' (released in the US as ''Reggae Fever'').

The band made their US concert debut at the [[Mudd Club]] in New York in 1980.

[[Tom Terrell (journalist)|Tom Terrell]], who would later serve as their manager, was instrumental in masterminding a Steel Pulse concert on the night of [[Bob Marley]]'s funeral, which was broadcast live around the world from the [[9:30 Club]], 930 F Street, N.W., Washington, D.C., on 21 May 1981.

=== Wise Man Doctrine and Elektra era (1982–1985) ===
In 1982 Steel Pulse formed their own label Wise Man Doctrine Records.<ref name=RbFeb82>{{cite news |title=Steel Pulse Launches Own Label|editor-last=Lewis|editor-first=Sarah |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-UK/Music/Archive-Record-Business-IDX/IDX/80s/Record-Business-1982-02-15-S-OCR-IDX-8.pdf|location=London|page=8 |volume=Four|number=46|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240917215656/https://www.worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-UK/Music/Archive-Record-Business-IDX/IDX/80s/Record-Business-1982-02-15-S-OCR-IDX-8.pdf|archive-date=17 September 2024|url-status=live|work=[[Record Business]] |publisher=Record Business Pubs. |date=15 February 1982}}</ref> They also reached a distribution deal with [[Elektra Records]] for the US market.<ref name=":0" /> They released ''[[True Democracy (album)|True Democracy]]'', distinguished by the [[Marcus Garvey|Garvey]]-eulogizing 'Rally Round' cut.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=https://api.discogs.com/artists/169498|title=Steel Pulse|website=Discogs|language=en|access-date=19 May 2019}}</ref> A further definitive set arrived in ''Earth Crisis'' in 1984. However, [[Elektra Records|Elektra]] chose to take a leaf out of [[Island Records|Island's]] book in trying to coerce Steel Pulse into a more mainstream vein, asking them to emulate the pop-reggae stance of [[Eddy Grant]].<ref name=":2"/> ''Babylon the Bandit'' was consequently weakened, but did contain "Not King James Version".

Steel Pulse released ''[[Babylon The Bandit]]'' in 1985, for which the band won a [[Grammy Award|Grammy award]].<ref name=":0" />

=== MCA Records era (1988–1997) ===
Their next move was to [[Music Corporation of America|MCA]] for ''State of Emergency'' (1988), which retained some of the synthesized dance elements of its predecessor.<ref name=":1" />

''Rastafari'' ''Centennial,'' Steel Pulse's first live record, was recorded live at the [[Elysee Montmartre]] in Paris, over three nights in January 1992, and dedicated to the hundred-year anniversary of the birth of [[Haile Selassie]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/Steel-Pulse-Rastafari-Centennial-Live-In-Paris-Elysee-Montmartre/master/137668|title=Steel Pulse - Rastafari Centennial (Live In Paris - Elysee Montmartre)|website=Discogs|date=18 September 1993 |language=en|access-date=19 May 2019}}</ref> It was the first recording since the defection of [[Alphonso Martin]], leaving the trio of Hinds, Nisbett and Selwyn. While they still faced criticism at the hands of [[British reggae]] fans, in the United States their reputation was growing, becoming the first ever reggae band to appear on the [[The Tonight Show|''Tonight'']] television show. Their profile was raised further when, in 1992, Hinds challenged the [[Taxicabs of the United States#New York City Taxi & Limousine Commission|New York City Taxi & Limousine Commission]] in the [[Supreme Court of the United States|Supreme Court]], asserting that their cab drivers discriminated against black people in general and Rastafarians in particular. The lawsuit was later dropped by Steel Pulse.

In 1989 the group contributed ''I Can't Stand it'' to the soundtrack of [[Spike Lee]]'s film ''[[Do The Right Thing]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/Various-Music-From-Do-The-Right-Thing/master/137674|title=Various - (Music From) Do The Right Thing|website=Discogs|date=18 September 1989 |language=en|access-date=19 May 2019}}</ref>
 
In 1994 the group headlined some of the world's biggest [[reggae]] festivals including Reggae Sunsplash USA, Jamaican [[Reggae Sunsplash|Sunsplash]], Japan Splash and Northern California annual [[Reggae on the River]] Festival. In 1986, Steel Pulse contributed a version of "Franklin's Tower" on Pow Wow Records' ''Fire on the Mountain: Reggae Celebrates the [[Grateful Dead]]'' compilation. They recorded [[The Police]]'s "Can't Stand Losing You" for a reggae compilation of Police tunes that appeared on the Ark 21 label. ''Rastanthology'', a 17-song collection of Steel Pulse classics, was released on the band's own Wise Man Doctrine label in 1996.

=== Later years (1997–present) ===
[[File:Ruhr Reggae Summer 2017 MH Steel Pulse 05.jpg|thumb|Frontman David Hinds in 2017]]
In 1997 the band released ''Rage and Fury''.<ref name=":1" />

Until February 2001 it had been many years since Pulse had performed in their hometown of Birmingham. They decided to perform at the [[Ray Watts (Beshara band)|Ray Watts]] memorial concert, which was held at the Irish Centre. Pulse shared the stage with Watts' band, [[Beshara (band)|Beshara]], along with other artists from Birmingham.<ref name="Enterprise">"Ray Watts Memorial", ''Enterprise'', February 2001, p. 4.</ref>

In 2004 Steel Pulse returned to their militant roots with ''[[African Holocaust (album)|African Holocaust]]'' – their eleventh studio album. With guest appearances by [[Damian Marley]], [[Capleton]], and [[Tiken Jah Fakoly]] (on the track African Holocaust),<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.steelpulse.com/africanholocaust.shtml |title=African Holocaust (2004) |publisher=Steel Pulse |access-date=29 June 2014 |archive-date=11 July 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140711103354/http://www.steelpulse.com/africanholocaust.shtml |url-status=dead }}</ref> the album is a collection of protest and spiritual songs, including "Global Warning" (a dire warning about [[climate change]]), "Tyrant", a protest song against political corruption, and "No More Weapons", an anti-war song. Also featured on the album is a cover of the [[Bob Dylan]] song, "[[George Jackson (song)|George Jackson]]".

In 2007 the band released a music video for the track "Door of No Return". The video was produced by Driftwood Pictures Ltd., and was shot on location in [[Senegal]] and New York City. The video was directed by Trishul Thejasvi and produced by Yoni Gal. The video had its world premier at the Times 51st [[BFI London Film Festival]] in October 2007.

In a 2013 interview with ''[[Midnight Raver]]'', David Hinds indicated that a new studio album and documentary, tentatively titled ''Steel Pulse: The Definitive Story'', would be released in 2014.<ref>{{cite web|title=Natty Dread Marches on Washington|url=http://midnightraverblog.com/2013/08/29/natty-dread-marches-on-washington/|website=Midnight Raver|access-date=13 September 2014}}</ref> However, on 10 July 2014 ''Midnight Raver'' reported that, according to Hinds, both the studio album and documentary will be delayed until at least 2015.<ref>{{cite news|title=Steel Pulse album, documentary pushed to 2015|url=http://midnightraverblog.com/2014/07/10/steel-pulse-album-documentary-pushed-to-2015/|website=Midnight Raver|date=10 July 2014 |access-date=13 September 2014}}</ref>

In anticipation of a new Steel Pulse album, the [[Roots Reggae Library]] has indexed two compilation albums of the latest Steel Pulse singles. The albums are called ''Positivity'' and ''Jah Way'', both named after tracks on the albums.<ref>{{Cite web|url = http://www.roots-reggae-library.com/2014/11/steel-pulse.html|title = Steel Pulse |date=November 2014 |access-date = 9 June 2024 |website = roots-reggae-library.com |author=<!--Not stated-->}}</ref>

In October 2018 Steel Pulse announced their new album, the first in 14 years, ''Mass Manipulation'', was released on Rootfire Cooperative<ref name="markets.post-gazette.com">{{Cite web|url=http://markets.post-gazette.com/postgazette/news/read/37076760/|title=Reggae "Shaman" David Hinds and the Legendary Steel Pulse Shine Light on Reggae's Future {{!}} Home - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette|website=markets.post-gazette.com|access-date=12 October 2018}}</ref> a non-traditional label which provides interest free loans and label services to independent musicians.<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/7356845/rootfire-cooperative-movement-reggae-loans|title=Rootfire Cooperative Helps The Movement, Other Reggae Acts With No-Interest Loans|magazine=Billboard|access-date=12 October 2018}}</ref> The single "Stop You Coming and Come" was released on 7 December. The album was nominated for the 2020 Grammy Awards.

On 22 March 2023 the Easy Star All-Stars released a cover of "Five Years" in collaboration with Steel Pulse, from their album ''Ziggy Stardub'', a reggae reimagining of [[David Bowie]]'s ''[[The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars]]''.  A music video, directed by Robert Bartolome, was released on the same day.<ref>{{Cite web|url = https://www.gratefulweb.com/articles/easy-star-all-stars-release-five-years-single-video-ft-steel-pulse|title = EASY STAR ALL-STARS RELEASE "FIVE YEARS" SINGLE + VIDEO FT. STEEL PULSE|website = Gratefulweb.com|year=2023}}</ref>

Former drummer Conrad Kelly died on 8 May 2024, at the age of 65.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Cullinane |first1=Alice |title=Tributes paid as former Steel Pulse drummer dies |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cxr3k53270zo |access-date=10 May 2024 |publisher=BBC News |date=10 May 2024}}</ref>