Biography
Drawing inspiration from fellow Californians Sublime, the Huntington Beach outfit Dirty Heads blends hip-hop, reggae, and rock infused with an easygoing Southern California vibe. Since debuting in 2008 via Any Port in a Storm, they have consistently appeared on Billboard's rock and alternative listings through well-received releases such as Sound of Change (2014), Swim Team (2017), and Super Moon (2019). Their eighth studio album, Midnight Control, came out in 2022.
Dirty Heads originated in 2003 after punk rocker Dustin Bushnell, performing as Duddy B, recruited rapper Jared Watson, known as Dirty J, to launch a project centered on uplifting energy and catchy rhythms. Watson expanded his abilities to include vocals, and together with percussionist Jon Olazabal they started as an acoustic trio, performing live and cultivating fans.
They connected with producer Rob Cavallo to cut their Warner Bros. debut, yet label disagreements prompted a shift in direction. The group kept the bulk of the recordings, which featured drummer Josh Freese and included keyboard contributions from the late Billy Preston among his final sessions. The resulting Any Port in a Storm surfaced in 2008, followed by a deluxe edition in 2010.
That expanded edition contained "Lay Me Down" featuring Rome Ramirez of Sublime with Rome, which reached the top of Billboard's Alternative Songs chart shortly before summer 2010.
Two years afterward they issued Cabin by the Sea, later releasing an acoustic take of the title track that spurred the full acoustic set Home: Phantoms of Summer in 2013. Sound of Change marked a commercial breakthrough upon its May 2014 arrival, entering the Billboard Top 200 at number eight while leading both the Independent and Alternative Albums charts.
Capitalizing on that momentum, Dirty Heads brought in multiple prominent producers for their self-titled 2016 album, which again performed strongly on the Billboard Top 200 due to its broad appeal. Their sixth studio effort, Swim Team, arrived in 2017 and included the singles "Vacation" and "Staloney" along with "So Glad You Made It" featuring 311's Nick Hexum.
Early 2019 brought the single "Listen to Me," later featured on the Dave Cobb-produced Super Moon, their seventh album that charted on Billboard; Dirty J characterized it as a "70s sci-fi kung fu Western car chase soundtrack." In 2021 the band released the greatest-hits collection The Best of Dirty Heads, adding fresh collaborations with Travis Barker of blink-182 and Aimee Allen of the Interrupters. The Common Kings-assisted "Heavy Water" preceded their eighth full-length, Midnight Control, which appeared in August 2022.
Dirty Heads originated in 2003 after punk rocker Dustin Bushnell, performing as Duddy B, recruited rapper Jared Watson, known as Dirty J, to launch a project centered on uplifting energy and catchy rhythms. Watson expanded his abilities to include vocals, and together with percussionist Jon Olazabal they started as an acoustic trio, performing live and cultivating fans.
They connected with producer Rob Cavallo to cut their Warner Bros. debut, yet label disagreements prompted a shift in direction. The group kept the bulk of the recordings, which featured drummer Josh Freese and included keyboard contributions from the late Billy Preston among his final sessions. The resulting Any Port in a Storm surfaced in 2008, followed by a deluxe edition in 2010.
That expanded edition contained "Lay Me Down" featuring Rome Ramirez of Sublime with Rome, which reached the top of Billboard's Alternative Songs chart shortly before summer 2010.
Two years afterward they issued Cabin by the Sea, later releasing an acoustic take of the title track that spurred the full acoustic set Home: Phantoms of Summer in 2013. Sound of Change marked a commercial breakthrough upon its May 2014 arrival, entering the Billboard Top 200 at number eight while leading both the Independent and Alternative Albums charts.
Capitalizing on that momentum, Dirty Heads brought in multiple prominent producers for their self-titled 2016 album, which again performed strongly on the Billboard Top 200 due to its broad appeal. Their sixth studio effort, Swim Team, arrived in 2017 and included the singles "Vacation" and "Staloney" along with "So Glad You Made It" featuring 311's Nick Hexum.
Early 2019 brought the single "Listen to Me," later featured on the Dave Cobb-produced Super Moon, their seventh album that charted on Billboard; Dirty J characterized it as a "70s sci-fi kung fu Western car chase soundtrack." In 2021 the band released the greatest-hits collection The Best of Dirty Heads, adding fresh collaborations with Travis Barker of blink-182 and Aimee Allen of the Interrupters. The Common Kings-assisted "Heavy Water" preceded their eighth full-length, Midnight Control, which appeared in August 2022.