COMMENTARY
Enduring bad boys of reggae head 'Superstars' tour

By Derek Paiva
Advertiser Entertainment Writer

Reggae favorite Inner Circle, from left, Roger Lewis, Lancelot Hall, Kris Bentley, Touter Harvey and Ian Lewis, is part of the "Superstars of Reggae Tour," which includes Ky-mani Marley, beginning today on O'ahu. The band was awarded a Grammy for Reggae Album of the Year in 1993 for "Bad Boys." Superstars of Reggae Tour 2003 with Inner Circle and Ky-mani Marley On O'ahu: 6:30 p.m. today Waikiki Shell $18-$30 526-4400, 591-2211 In Hilo: 6:30 p.m. Saturday Edith Kanaka'ole Stadium $25-$30 (808) 961-0651 On Kaua'i: 5 p.m. Sunday Kukui Grove Park $30 general, $25 in advance (808) 245-9527

The debate might seem foolish in light of far worse offenders of Top 40 radio like Los Del Rio's "Macarena" and Las Ketchup's "The Ketchup Song," but the fact is, I simply never liked "Sweat." Yes, it has an irresistibly catchy beat. Yes, its true complexity is probably further unearthed by deeper lyrical study. But the same could probably be said about "Joe Millionaire."

For me (as for most, I assume), Inner Circle's true legacy will forever be tied to the numbingly catchy rude boy-lite anthem "Bad Boys." As long as "Cops" is on the air, anyway. People, after all, still seem to treasure the song almost as much as they still treasure watching police units across the nation busting into crack dens after sunset. Count me in on both of the above.

Still haven't decided "whathugonnado" this weekend?

Inner Circle and Ky-mani Marley — the latter yet another of Bob Marley's seemingly endless parade of talented offspring — will headline Budweiser True Music's three-island Superstars of Reggae Tour 2003.

Inner Circle is almost as old as I am. Formed as a quintet in 1968 by brothers Ian and Roger Lewis, Inner Circle has survived the departure of band members (three of 'em formed Third World in 1973; "Bad Boys"

vocalist Carlton Coffie went solo in 1994) and the death of vocalist Jacob Miller in a 1980 traffic accident. A 1993 Grammy for Reggae Album of the Year was rightfully awarded

Inner Circle for "Bad Boys," and the band earned another nod the next year for its 1994 album "Reggae Dancer."

Though it hasn't been able to obtain so much as an arrest warrant on the pop charts since, Inner Circle remains a touring favorite with reggae fans worldwide. The band was last here in 2000, when it opened for (oh, the irony!) Third World.

Ky-mani Marley's roots-rock style won him a 2001 Reggae Album of the Year Grammy nomination for "Many More Roads." He lost to half-brother Damian "Junior Gong" Marley's "Halfway Tree."

Fellow nominees Beres Hammond, Luciano and all of the musicians on Hawai'i's own Hobo House On The Hill compilation "Island Warriors" were not related to Papa Bob. We think.