James Frey and Brandon Clark met each other on a cold Iowa night in the fall of 2000. Through this meeting an idea was put in motion and the Blue Island Tribe was born. They recruited John Schminke on guitar, Mike Schminke on Drums, Kelly Powers on rhythm guitar, and Garrett Thielking on saxophone. The group developed a reggae/rock sound that can only be described as their own and cultivated an energetic and entertaining live show which has taken them all over the United States. Despite the reggae sound they were all raised in Iowa and not one member has ever had dreadlocks. The band respects the heritage of the music they play without infringing it. “We don’t try to be anything we aren’t. We do what we do, and we have fun doing it,” said bass player Brandon Clark. This attitude has carried over to thousands of records sold, sold-out clubs, corporate sponsorship, and very loyal fans that travel hours to see the band perform live. The band loves performing and it shows. “Our crowds are just as much a part of the show as we are. We feed off of them and I know they feed off of us too. We work hard and put a lot of time into our live show and I think fans recognize that and respond by getting a little crazy. We wouldn’t want it any other way,” added lead singer James Frey. The Blue Island Tribe’s first album “The Road To Hana,” which was released independently in 2003, opened many doors for the band. A copy of the album found its way onto the desk of an executive at Quiksilver/Roxy Clothing which resulted in the company using the band’s music for numerous purposes including the MTV show “Surf Girls”, which the company was producing at the time. This national exposure helped the band expand their touring radius and place songs on many other TV shows and films. In 2004 the Blue Island Tribe started receiving attention from all over the music industry. Label showcases, conference calls, and hundreds of emails later the band remained unsigned but dedicated to achieving their goals no matter what the circumstances. They released their second album, “Ready and Waiting” which is now seen as a direct reply to the uncertainties and frustrations of the music industry. The band forged on and continued to play hundreds of shows a year at colleges, festivals, and clubs all over the U.S. while embracing their independent status. It has allowed them to do what they want, when they want. In May and June of 2008 the band will be visiting Japan, Korea, Guam, Kwajalein, Hawaii and others while entertaining U.S. Troops. The band is looking forward to seeing new sights while providing a small release for the amazing people fighting for our country. The Essentials, released in late 2007, is the band’s latest album. It is a collection of 18 recordings the band produced over the last 6 years and is available in fine retailers and Itunes. The majority of the album was recorded and produced by gold record winning producer Tom Tatman at Catamount Studios.