Ballyhoo!

Ballyhoo! is a reggae rock group from Aberdeen, United States. The band forms in 1995 and is active from then to the present. It is a USA-based reggae rock act with a sound that draws on reggae, ska, rock, surf and dub, while also blending punk and pop elements.

Style and line-up

The group develops its sound in Aberdeen, Maryland, where the members start playing together in high school. Its core line-up includes lead singer and guitarist Howi Spangler, drummer Donald “Big D” Spangler, bassist JR Gregory, and Scott Vandrey, also known as DJ Blaze, on turntables and keys. The band is also associated with Sebastian Tenorio-Vallejo as a member.

Recording and releases

Ballyhoo! releases Do It For The Money! in 2006, which helps broaden its reach in the underground scene. Its follow-up album, Cheers!, appears in 2009 and is produced with Scotch Ralston of 311. The band also records a version of “40 Oz. To Freedom” for the compilation Forever Free: A Tribute to Sublime. Other music appears on the Rock Band Network and in feature films. “The Front Porch” is issued as a single.

Touring and label work

The band builds its profile through constant touring across the United States and shares bills with reggae rock acts including 311, Authority Zero, Pepper and The Supervillains. In 2011 it signs to LAW Records, a Hawaii-based independent label, and continues to work with the label while recording and touring.

Position in the scene

Ballyhoo! is known for a party-oriented live reputation and for a hybrid style that combines rock, reggae, punk and pop into a single sound. Its sustained touring and releases help it develop a loyal following within the American reggae rock scene.