Portland's Finest Is World's Finest [Interview][
Reggae-dub beats with bluegrass, soul & a whole lot more
Monday, April 3, 2017
By Matt Bryant
While I admittedly love Bluegrass, it’s always a treat to hear a group of talented musicians add their own twist to what can be very a traditional and dare I say “typical” style of music. When I first came across a soundcheck of Portland, Oregon’s World’s Finest the day before their Cervantes' Masterpiece Ballroom show, I got very excited. Right off the bat, this sound was different.
Rest assured, these boys are anything but typical. After touring and playing with some of the biggest acts in the game including Fruition, Leftover Salmon and others, World’s Finest can duel with the heavy hitters and are anxious to get their sounds out to the masses. They’re unique, they’re talented and they bring a killer sound to the stage.
What influenced me the most about this group of fine young men was not just their music, but what is behind the music. There is a lot of love in that green room and it’s something I felt right away. It's love for the music, love for the scene and love for their fans. These guys are selfless and want nothing more than for you to have the best damn time you’ve ever had. They write tunes meant to influence, inspire and to spread good faith and endless smiles in general.
I had the privilege of being able to sit down and chat with the boys about the band and life on the road for a few minutes prior to their Thursday show (3/30/2017 @ Cervantes' Other Side).
COjam: You guys have a super unique sound. It’s not everyday that you hear about a Bluegrass/Reggae/Dub/Ska band. How did you guys get to where you are musically, today?
WF: “We came from a bunch of different backgrounds, and all of these sounds were kind of like an accident, simply stumbling into each other. You’ll notice some very unique aspects to our style. For instance, He doesn’t play his banjo like a banjo, he plays it more like an electric guitar.”
COjam: How does the Colorado music scene differentiate from what you’re used to in Portland? What are the pros and cons of touring in Colorado?
WF: “I think the biggest con about Colorado is that it’s 18 hours away. Other then than, it’s a lot of positives. This is where this kind of music is being played right now. What we do is what Colorado is known for, and hopefully it’s slowly what is happening in Portland as well, because it where we’re from. The goal has always been to do well in Colorado and once we’re established here hopefully it’s our ticket to go further East. I feel like I’m coming home every time we cross over the Colorado border. We sort of have a collective sigh of relief whenever we’re coming from the West and we cross into the state. We love it here!”
COjam: In today’s world, we hear a lot more about people suffering, human atrocities, social indifferences, political volatility and other issues we’re not necessarily used to facing or having to deal with. Reggae music was based around political strife, how does that influence your writing?
WF: “In a volatile and divisive world there is nothing more powerful than music and a romping dance floor to help bring people back together. We try to stay out of the political side of things. We counter that by writing light hearted and fun tunes meant for people to forget about that shit for awhile. Our music is about things that bring us together. When you leave you’ll hear about those problems. But, when you’re here, in this space, it’s all love.”
COjam: Last question for you guys. In a very competitive and seemingly endless list of good bluegrass acts, what are people going to be talking about tomorrow that brings them back to see you again the next time you’re in town?
WF: “Well 1st off, we do a lot of backflips. Pretend you didn’t hear that and act surprised when you see it! I think we bring a different type of energy then your standard bluegrass band. We’ve got electric bass and drums. We run thru pedal setups and get psychedelic with it. Our drummer spent 4 years playing in an electronica band and when things get nitty gritty in the middle of the night, a lot of down tempo and funky break beats come out. If people come into the show expecting a bluegrass band, I want them to walk away the same way they would have felt if they were expecting a reggae band, or a folk band or a jam band. They say “yeah they scratched the itch I was going for, but they were so much more than that.” I think if you come in expecting something along those lines you’ll walk away satisfied. Its interesting to see all of the different styles we have mold together. We’ve definitely got a strong vibe that we’re trying to broadcast.”
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At the end of the day in Colorado, we’ve got our fair share of choices when it comes down to seeing live music. Let's face it, we’re a little spoiled with the abundance of quality live music touring through the area. World’s Finest is a prime example of the music we are spoiled with. The future for this band is bright. They are highly talented individuals, each a master of their own craft. They bring the heat and they do so with love, passion and style. I wouldn’t be surprised to see these boys grace some of our larger venues in the future (Winter Wondergrass, anyone?).