Country: Japan
Dry & Heavy is a Japanese reggae and dub band formed in 1991 by drummer Shigemoto Nanao (Dry) and bassist Takeshi Akimoto (Heavy), with their name inspired by the Burning Spear album *Dry & Heavy*. The definitive lineup came together in 1995, adding Naoki Uchida on dub controls, Mitsuhiro Toike on keyboards, Kei Horiguchi on guitar, and vocalists Likkle Mai and Ao Inoue. Musically, the band draws heavily from classic 1970s Jamaican dub, particularly the work of pioneers like King Tubby and Lee “Scratch” Perry. In 2001, during Fuji Rock Festival, founding bassist Takeshi Akimoto announced his departure from the band, with Pata of Audio Active stepping in as his replacement. Both Akimoto and Nanao had previously been members of Audio Active, highlighting the deep roots Dry & Heavy have within Japan’s experimental reggae and dub scene. Despite the lineup change, the band maintained its signature heavy basslines and atmospheric dub sound. Dry & Heavy have performed at virtually every major rock and reggae festival in Japan and have also built a strong international reputation, headlining shows across the UK, France, and Switzerland. They have appeared at major festivals such as Reading, WOMAD, and Fuji Rock, and shared stages with artists including Asian Dub Foundation, Buju Banton, Primal Scream, and Adrian Sherwood. The band also founded their own Japanese dub festival, Echomaniacs, and continue to tour actively following the release of their 2015 studio album *In Time*.
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