Sounds of freedom from Fishbone

“The very first time Fishbone played the Belly Up,” recalls bassist Norwood Fisher, “our [former] guitarist Kendall Jones jumped up and cracked his cranium on the side of one of the hanging speakers during our show. It had to be 1983 or ’84.”

Fisher is looking forward to Fishbone’s return to the Belly Up on Thursday, December 22. “I was born in San Diego, so I have a natural affinity for my birth city. I’ve had nothing but great encounters with locals and, although I don’t drink or smoke now, I have a history of shit-hot after-show parties behind me in San Diego. It’s always been one of my most favorite places to play.... I’m a serial intermediate surfer, so I love paddling out and playing in the water.”

Fisher promises that you don’t have to be a devoted “FishHead” to enjoy the show. “If you’re not familiar with Fishbone, just imagine a vast melting pot of high powered, frenetic, danceable rhythms, topped off with an out-of-control madman of a lead singer.”

Less than a week later, on December 28, Fisher will bring a very different circus-like jam band to the Holding Company in Ocean Beach. “Trulio Disgracias began in 1986, kind of like a big joke. It was a way to get my musician friends into an Adrian Sherwood and Tackhead show at the Palace, now called the Avalon, in Hollywood.” Opening the bill, the initial 11-piece lineup featured Bob Forrest (Thelonious Monster), N’Dea Davenport (the Brand New Heavies), Stephen Perkins (Jane’s Addiction), and members of Fishbone jamming on funk tunes. Subsequent Trulio Disgracias appearances have featured Keith Morris (OFF!, the Circle Jerks), John Frusciante (Red Hot Chili Peppers), Dix Denney (the Weirdos, Thelonious Monster), and others.

“We drop some mean funk-inspired jams, there’s a lot of elastic improvisation throughout the Trulio Disgracias show. We make shit up on the spot, so no show is like any other show...we come to keep the dance floor hot and filled with the sounds of freedom.”