The Aggrolites came together purely by accident–just
five guys having fun in the studio, backing Jamaica
ska singer Derrick Morgan. Enjoying the music they
created together, they decided to book some shows.
They’ve since opened sets for the likes of Madness,
Rancid, Floggin’ Molly, The Selecter and Ozomatli.

The band took its name from the 1960s British slang
“aggro” which was a term used to describe the tough
raggae sound getting more and more popular in the UK.
“The Aggrolites collective goal,” vocalist Jesse
Wagner explains, “is to increase awareness of raggae
music–to show American’s especially that there’s a
whole lot more to Jamaican music than Bob Marley,
ganja and growing dreadlocks. We’d love to put it more
on the map.”

With an old-school raw underproduced sound, The
Aggrolites reflect their deep love for roccksteady,
ska and reggae through their music. The self titled
album is dynamic–no songs sound the same, from songs
ranging from pure fun, to serious tones on poverty.

The Aggrolites is a 19-track mix of sing-a-longs and
instrumentals that sounds straight out of 1967
Kingston. Their music can be compared to The
Ethopians, Toots and The Maytals, Mittoo and the early
Wailers. Prince Buster provided a powerful testament
to the Aggrolites’ authenticity, saying: “It reminded
me of the old days, I can’t believe that this young
band from America could play my music just as good as
the day it was recoded.” These are guys who are
genuinely interested in reviving the sounds of classic
raggae.