Keep the fires burnin'

Dylan’s Dharma does indeed keep the fires burnin’ with that long-time Helltown Sound from up Butte Creek Canyon that’s beem thrumming since the 1970s. For three of the band members, canyon music was born and bred into them through legendary Chico parents Michael Cannon, Phil LaRocca, and John Seid. The fourth member of Dylan’s Dharma? We’ll get to him later as he fortuitously fell out of the universe and landed in Chico later down the line.

Founded in 2005 from “the back streets of Chapman Town to Helltown,” DD began as a rock/jam band who played danceable music. The Chico members of the group, who all write music, came up listening to their dads in groups like the Butte Creek Band and Spark ‘n Cinder. It’s not often you find a group with this much local pedigree. The members are Dharma LaRocca, percussion and vocals; Kopavi Cannon, guitar, keyboards, vocals; and Dylan Seid, guitar and lead vocals. The fourth member of the group, Grammy-nominated King Hopeton, guitar, bass, keyboards, vocals, music engineer and producer extraordinaire, came from Jamaica. He has given an added element to the group with his long reggae history.

As Kopavi Cannon said, “Dylan’s Dharma is roots and rock with an emphasis on the raggae sound.”

Dylan Seid added, “Raggae is getting bigger and bigger, and Bob Marley is now bigger than ever.” Dharma LaRocca said, “We originally played danceable music where families could hang out, and we like to carry on the family tradition.” That tradition began with their parents, and their current drummer righteously adds to the mix. Jimmy Fay is an original Spark ‘n Cinder member who used to play with Michael, Phil, and John.

Bringing the real raggae beat to Dylan’s Dharma is King Hopeton, who also plays with Black Uhuru. He is also the engineer and producer for Law Records with a studio in Helltown. DD collaborated with Black Uhuru on the album New Day, which celebrated Uhuru’s Duckie Simpson’s 50 years with the group. The album release party was at the Tackle Box in Chico where DD just played in May. After this article is published, they will have played Lambstock in Chico along with Blu Egyptian and others.

A huge event will take place on August 9th, when Dylan’s Dharma opens up for legendary Eek-a-Mouse at The Tackle Box.

A third album is in the works as well, the first being Helltown Road, and a world tour with Black Uhuru will kick off in Hawaii. Also coming out is a music video that Hopeton filmed, edited, and produced.

One thing is certain–Dylan’s Dharma has kept the fires burnin’ and stoked the energy of the Helltown Sound since 2005. Let’s hope we’re dancing to their beat in 2035.