The Movement

The Movement is a reggae rock group from Columbia, South Carolina, United States, active since 2003. The band plays reggae and reggae rock, and its early material also draws on rock, punk, hip hop and ska influences.

Formation and early releases

The original lineup consists of Josh Swain, Jordan Miller and Jon Ruff, also known as DJ Riggles. The band forms in Columbia in 2004 and releases its first studio album, On Your Feet, in March 2004. The album is recorded and mixed in 24 studio hours at Pat Casey’s Modern Music Studios in Columbia. It becomes a long-standing release in the reggae rock field and appears at number nine on ThePier.org’s list of 10 Essential Reggae Rock Albums.

Touring and lineup changes

The Movement builds its following through extensive touring across the south-eastern United States and supports a range of acts including Steel Pulse, Blues Traveler, Slightly Stoopid, The Wailers, Ludacris, G. Love & Special Sauce, Common, Long Beach Shortbus, Wu-Tang Clan and 311. After DJ Riggles leaves, Swain and Miller continue as a duo and move to Philadelphia to record new material at Philadelphonic Studios with producer Chris DiBeneditto of Philadelphonic Records.

DiBeneditto uses his experience with G. Love & Special Sauce, Slightly Stoopid and The Expendables on the group’s second studio album, Set Sail, released in 2008. To complete the line-up, he brings in drummer Gary Jackson, who then introduces guitarist Jay Schmidt on bass. The quartet becomes the settled line-up at that point.

Later changes and releases

In late 2010, Swain leaves the band and Miller takes over lead vocals. Miller brings in keyboard player John Bowling, also known as Johnny Keys, and the band records One More Night in the autumn of 2011. The album is released in 2012. In April 2012, the band breaks up and cancels the rest of its tour, but in May 2012 Swain returns to the group and resumes lead vocals. Bowling has already left by then, and the group continues as a trio of Swain, Jackson and Schmidt.

Style and influences

The Movement’s sound is rooted in reggae rock and also incorporates punk, ska and hip hop elements. The name is shared by several other acts, including a Copenhagen-based mod-rock trio with ska influences, but the Columbia, South Carolina group is the one associated with the reggae rock releases On Your Feet, Set Sail and One More Night.