{{Short description|Japanese reggae fusion band}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Audio Active | image = | caption = | image_size = | origin = Japan | genre = Reggae fusion, dub, experimental | years_active = 1987 – 2005 | label = Gyroscope, On-U Sound, Warner Music Group, Beat, Dream Machine | website = | current_members = | past_members = Masa<br />2DD<br />Shigemoto Nanao<br />Takeshi Akimoto<br />Kasai }} '''Audio Active''' were a Japanese reggae fusion band who released several albums between the early 1990s and the first decade of the 21st century.
==History== Audio Active were one of the most successful reggae fusion bands to come out of Japan, and were formed in 1987, originally being a solo project of singer Masa. It later stretched out to be a full band in 1991, when 2DD, Shigemoto Nanao and bassist Takeshi Akimoto all joined.<ref name="Bush">Bush, John "[{{Allmusic|class=artist|id=p169331|pure_url=yes}} Audio Active Biography]", ''Allmusic'', Macrovision Corporation</ref><ref name="onubio">"[http://www.skysaw.org/onu/artists/audioactive.html Audio Active Bio]", On-U Sound</ref> Masa had listened to reggae since he was a teenager, and had played (with 2DD) in the ska band Vital Connection, before taking his love of roots reggae and dub music and forming Audio Active, named after an album by Dennis Bovell.<ref name="onubio" /><ref name="Larkin">Larkin, Colin (1998) ''The Virgin Encyclopedia of Reggae'', Virgin Books, {{ISBN|0-7535-0242-9}}, p.16</ref> Adrian Sherwood began working with the band in 1992, and produced many of their recordings.<ref name="onubio" /> The band's debut album ''The Way Out is the Way In'', was recorded with zither player Laraaji,<ref name="Couture">Couture, Francoise "[{{Allmusic|class=album|id=r228840|pure_url=yes}} ''The Way Out is the Way In'' Review]", ''Allmusic'', Macrovision Corporation</ref> and Sherwood produced their ''Happy Shopper in Europe'' album, released on his On-U Sound label in 1995. Their 1997 album ''Apollo Choco'' was described by ''Allmusic'' as "an example of new and exciting dub, which shows Audio Active's true capabilities".<ref name="Whalley">Whalley, Matt "[{{Allmusic|class=album|id=r357556|pure_url=yes}} ''Apollo Choco'' Review]", ''Allmusic'', Macrovision Corporation</ref> Further albums followed on On-U Sound, Warner Music Group, and Gyroscope, the last, ''Back To The Stoned Age'', released in 2003. The band were strongly influenced by Lee "Scratch" Perry, with elements of hip hop.<ref name="Bush" />
Original member Akimoto left, to be replaced by Kasai. Akimoto, along with Nanao, formed the lovers-rock influenced band Dry & Heavy.<ref name="onubio" />
==Discography== ===Albums=== *''Audio Active'' (1993) Alfa *''We are Audio Active (Tokyo Space Cowboys)'' (1994) On-U Sound/Musidisc *''We are Experienced'' (1994) Beat *''Happy Happer'' (1995) On-U Sound *''More Tokyo Space Cowboys'' (1995) Beat *''The Way Out is the Way In'' (1995) Gyroscope/All Saints (Audio Active & Laraaji) *''Apollo Choco'' (1997) On-U Sound/Beat *''Apollo Choco Remixed'' (1997) On-U Sound *''Return of the Red I'' (1999) Warner Music/Dream Machine *''aLteRED I'' (1999) Warner Music/Dream Machine *''Spaced Dolls'' (2001) Dream Machine/Warner Music/East West/Beat *''Back To The Stoned Age'' (2003) Beat *''Sound Crash: Slash & Mix - Adrian Sherwood'' (2006) Beat
===Singles=== *"Free the Marijuana" (1994) On-U Sound (featuring Bim Sherman) *"Wanna-Na" (1994) Beat *"Electric Bombardment" (1995) On-U Sound *"Happy Shopper" (1995) On-U Sound *''Happy Shopper in Europe'' EP (1995) On-U Sound *''The Way Out/The Way In'' EP (1995) Gyroscope *"24 Hours Exploration" (1996) The Massive Recording Co. *''Startrec'' EP (1996) On-U Sound *''Audio Active'' EP (1997) Beat/Plus Minus *"Robot War" (1997) Beat *"Weed Specialist" (1997) Beat *''Spawn'' EP (1998) Polystar (Air & Audio Active) *"What's Inside Your Afro?" (1998) Green Tea (Audio Active/Universe Crew) *"Bag Filled With Emptiness" (1999) Dream Machine/Warner Music *"Idle Dragon" (1999) Beat *"Kick The Bong Around" (1999) Beat *"Psycho Buds" (1999) Beat *''Bong'' EP (2000) Birdman *''Happers'' EP (2000) Beat *"You're No Good" (2001) Dream Machine *''Melt 1'' EP (2002) Beat *"Frozen Head" (2003) Beat *''Stoned'' EP (2003) Beat *''Melt 2'' EP (2004) Beat
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Authority control}} Category:Japanese reggae musical groups Category:On-U Sound Records artists