Herbs (band)

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Herbs
Background information
Origin New Zealand
Genre(s) Reggae
Years active 1979-1995
Former members
Dilworth Karaka
Carl Perkins
Toni Fonoti
Spencer Fusimalohi

Herbs is a New Zealand reggae vocal group formed in 1979 until 1995.

Contents

[edit] History

Since 1979, the Herbs have produced a stream of affable reggae hits with some of the country's top talent. Between 1986 and 1987, Slice of Heaven with Dave Dobbyn reached #1 on both the New Zealand and Australian charts. In 1989, Tim Finn joined them for Parihaka and in 1992, Annie Crummer fronted the huge hit See What Love Can Do.

Herbs have also worked alongside UB40, Taj Mahal, Tina Turner, Neil Young and Stevie Wonder.

In the 1980s and the first half of the 90s, The Herbs were considered to be the Kings of the South Pacific with ten Top 20 singles hits.

Though infectiously upbeat, the Herbs' music has always been forthcoming in its messages. Their 1980 hit French Letter, which spent 11 weeks on the charts, came to express New Zealand's anti-nuclear stance, 14 years later it was re-recorded to garner support for the prevention of nuclear testing at Mururoa. Similarly, No Nukes, Nuclear Waste and Light Of The Pacific did much of the same.

Herbs are considered pioneers of the pacific reggae sound, having paved the way for contemporary New Zealand reggae groups such as Fat Freddy's Drop, Katchafire and Trinity Roots.

[edit] Band Members

  • Dilworth Karaka
  • Carl Perkins
  • Toni Fonoti
  • Spencer Fusimalohi

[edit] Discography

[edit] Albums

Cover Date of Release Title Label Charted Country Catalog Number
1982 What's Be Happen - -
1983 Lights Of The Pacific - -
1984 Long Ago - -
1995 13 Years (Best Of) - -
2002 Listen: The Very Best Of - -

[edit] Singles

Year Single Album Charted Certification
1982 "French Letter" #11 (NZ) -
1982 "Jah's Son" #15 (NZ) -
1984 "Long Ago" #22 (NZ) -
1985 "Nuclear Waste" #32 (NZ) -
1986 "Slice of Heaven"
(with Dave Dobbyn)
Footrot Flats: The Dog's Tale #1 (NZ)
#1 (AUS)
-
1987 "Sensitive To A Smile" #9 (NZ) -
1987 "Rust In Dust" #11 (NZ) -
1988 "Listen" #7 (NZ) -
1989 "No Nukes (The Second Letter)" #48 (NZ) -
1989 "Parihaka"
(with Tim Finn)
#6 (NZ) -
1991 "Homegrown" #41 (NZ) -
1992 "See What Love Can Do"
(with Annie Crummer)
#3 (NZ) -
1993 "Til We Kissed"
(with Ray Columbus)
#46 (NZ) -
1994 "Good For Life" #50 (NZ) -
1995 "French Letter '95" #9 (NZ) -