By: Justina Reinold
“Rock, Reggae & Hip Hop: Each if definable, recognizable, and at one familiar to people all over the world. But never have those three forms of musical expression been so effortlessly blended into one sound that is as indefinable as it is recognizable and familiar.” --The Movement
Garage Band
Joshua Swain and Jordan Miller started out jamming in various high school bands in their hometown of Columbia, S.C. Swain, a multi-talented musician, left for Full Sail University in Florida in 2001 and Miller stayed behind.
One year later, Swain returned home and his mind was made up. College was just not in his future, he dreamt of something different. This something was given a name: The Movement.
Swain and Miller reunited and began writing songs and mixing music in Swain’s garage. Then along came DJ Jon Ruff.
The trio combined their talent and created their first full length album, entitled On Your Feet. This album was recorded and mixed in a mere 24-hour period and released in March of 2004. On Your Feet was the just the beginning in the birth of a loyal fan base that would support the guys throughout the next 5 years.
The Movement toured the South East nonstop, building up recognition and getting out there any way they could and they had a number of opportunities to do so. The Movement opened for a variety of top artists over the years, including Blues Traveler, Slightly Stoopid, The Wailers, The Wu Tang Clan, 311 and Rebelution.
“We loved playing with Common and Ludacris in Alabama. That was such a great show,” Miller said, as he grabbed a few wild strands of his blonde dreadlocks and tucked them behind his ear.
Unfortunately the band wasn’t breaking any new ground. Things were good, but not great. The guys began to lose interest. DJ Ruff left the band in 2008 to pursue other aspirations and start a family of his own.
Born Again
It was time for something new. Producer Chris DiBeneditto was also in search of something new. He had a studio with no one to work with and The Movement had new songs and no where to mix them.
DiBeneditto saw them play a couple times in the past and decided collaborating would be best. The only issue, the guys would have to migrate up North to Philadelphia, P.a.
“This is what we needed so we jumped at the chance,” said Miller.
Swain and Miller packed light and followed their dreams up the East Coast. They met up with DiBeneditto at Philadelphonic Studio and got to work on their second album Set Sail.
Their passion and hard work was prevalent. They completed 18 songs in about a week’s time. Next was the search for the rest of the band.
Without a doubt, this is the most difficult part of putting together a band: the search for talent. Somehow, for The Movement, this caused them no trouble whatsoever.
Their producer suggested a local drummer by the name of Michael “Gary” Jackson. Miller, Swain and Jackson jammed once and they were sold.
Swain leaned back on the couch and said, "It just clicked."
Now all they needed was a bassist. Jackson told the others that he knew guy who would fit the vibe. Jay Schmidt a.k.a. “Smiles” was the final piece of the puzzle.
“I remember I called up my mom and said, “Mom, I’m a rock star!” Schmidt said, smiling from ear to ear. No longer do you question why his friends call him “Smiles.”
Since the release of Set Sail on Oct. 25, 2008, The Movement has been going nonstop. Set Sail has reached up to No. 7 on iTunes Top 100 reggae albums, alongside renowned artists Bob Marley, Matisyahu and SOJA.
This time around, The Movement expanded their tour locations far beyond the Southeast region of the U.S. From the Carolina’s to Baltimore, from Boston to New York, across the Midwest to California back to Kentucky and down to Florida. Die-hard fans welcome the guys wherever they go.
Home is on wheels. “The Van” is big, boxy and black. It gets the job done.
“That ol’ thing has broken down more times than I want to think about. Right here in High Point, actually,” said Miller, laughing.
“Ya know, of course things get tough,” said Schmidt about constantly being on the road.
The Movement rarely has any down time to visit with family. If, by chance, they find an opening in their schedule, they make sure to swing home for a quick hello, even if it’s just for one night.
Like any band just starting off, money is scarce. You eat only when you’re starving and your meals are small, whatever you need to get by. You drink a lot of beer—cheap beer and it’s strictly water for the morning after.
“I got 38 cents in my pocket right now, that is all I have to my name and I don’t give a [damn] because music is always going to be there for me and I want our music to be there for everyone else,” said Miller.
The Movement lives a very different lifestyle compared to the rest. Long drives, long nights and a long way from home.
Wake up around 11:00 a.m. and get back on the road. Where to next? Whose turn is it to drive? Who’s got the directions?
Arrive, unload, set up. It’s time for a drink.
Regular Guys
Not the stage not the fame, nothing gets between The Movement and the people they move. When dealing with professional musicians, that kind of dedication can be hard to find.
You have just witnessed an amazing show and you work up the courage to say hello. You find the guys leaning against the bar. You walk up and introduce yourself, gladly shaking hands with each of them.
Miller is tall and thin and with dreadlocks and glasses. The combination of dreads and glasses throws you off a bit. He leans in and listens ever-so-closely as you can’t help but ramble about the first time you heard his music. Not to mention, how it made you feel. Miller raises his bottle of Yuengling to meet yours, smiles and sincerely thanks you for coming out to the show.
After spending some time with the crowd, The Movement gather together and decide they should probably get going. Depending on tomorrow’s agenda, The Movement usually packs up some time after 2:00 a.m.
It’s either back on the road or off to find a place to sleep. The roof above their head is either the roof of “The Van” or a Motel 6. No matter which it is it’s important they rest because tomorrow, they’ll do it all over again.
“We have been doing some serious non-stop touring, from 2009 right through 2040,” said Miller.
Miller is always scribbling something on paper. New songs are always in the making. His bright yellow store-brand spiral notebook goes everywhere with him because you never know when that moment will hit.
The binding of the notebook shows some wear, but once you open up to the first page, you can see why. Inside are flat, crisp pages filled with surprisingly legible handwriting.
“I can speak for Josh as well saying there are no boundaries for this band,” said Miller.
The Movement continues to spread their unique sound from coast to coast. As 2009 comes to an end, this group of young men will close out the year back in South Carolina where it all began.
External Links:
The Movement Official Web site
The Movement MySpace
Set Sail Album Review
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