7 years ago today, the reggae world lost a legendary soul. Josh Fischel was a Long Beach, CA based singer songwriter who spent nine years with the band Bargain Music. Together they toured the country and released out seven albums under the Bargain Music name. A multi-talented musician and a scene mainstay, Josh’s musical history reads like a 1990s top forty chart, with touring and performing credits with legends like: Los Lobos, Dr. Dog, Run-D.M.C., Lee “Scratch” Perry, Norwood Fisher (Fishbone), Jack Irons (Pearl Jam), Black Eyed Peas, Weezer, Rancid, N’Dea Davenport (Brand New Heavies), Buju Banton, Mike Watt, Monsieur Leroc, Stephen Perkins (Jane’s Addiction), Spearhead, Abstract Rude, Bud Gaugh and Eric Wilson from Sublime, Murs, The High Strung, Ikey Owens (The Mars Volta), Pepper, 2Mex, Awol one, Slightly Stoopid, Angus Gunn, Muvril & The Ravignes and many others.
He was a creative at heart and directed the first ever Sublime Documentary called “Sublime: Stories, Tales, Lies & Exaggerations.” Made with the participation of the full band, prior to Bradley’s passing, it uniquely documents their lives on and off stage.
At the end of his life, and with very few close friends in the know of his rapidly progressing disease, Fischel produced the Music Tastes Good Festival in 2016. It included popular acts such as: The Specials, Iron and Wine, Slyvan Esso, Squeeze, De La Soul, Dr. Dog, Warpaint, Twin Peaks, Vintage Trouble, Girpool, and many more. Josh passed away a few days after the event on September 29, 2016 from liver disease at the age of 47.
In 2016 when the Music Tastes Good Festival was announced, The Pier’s editor Mike Patti was invited for an exclusive interview with Fischel. They talked about his musical career, his film career, and his newly founded festival. Check out the full interview below.
Read the full interview with Josh Fischel from 2016 here.
Interview by Mike Patti
Article by Kailee Maguire
