Fishbone's Norwood Fisher on Brainwashing, Breakups, Ska-Punk, and Loving Life

In nearly 35 years, they've done it for major labels, in Disney movies, at the Playboy mansion, and on the stages of shitty clubs. They've played with No Doubt, Alice in Chains, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Ice T. You might have even spotted Norwood and Fishbone with Outkast in the 2006 movie Idlewild, guest starring in a 1985 Eurythmics video, or on a prominently displayed t-shirt in raunchy 2010 comedy Hot Tub Time Machine.

"We've had the privilege of stepping on some really cool things in our career," Fisher admits. But the experiences that he still cherishes the most are those that led to his life in music. Like the time when he was eight years old and got a weight set for Christmas.

"My cousin came over and said, 'You ain't gon' lift them weights,'" Norwood remembers, snickering. "He said, 'I'll trade you my bass, my amp, and I'll throw in this collection of rock records I ain't gon' listen to no more.' And it had Jimi Hendrix, Jefferson Airplane, Mountain, Chicago, the first Funkadelic, and a bunch more.



"For a long time, I hadn't seen that cousin. But a couple years ago, we had Thanksgiving at his house, and he said, 'I guess you put that bass to good use.' And I was like, 'Thanks for giving me my life man. I love my life.'"

Swamp Stomp 2013. With Fishbone, Sister Sparrow & the Dirty Birds, and others. Saturday, February 16. Tobacco Road, 626 S. Miami Ave., Miami. The show starts at 4 p.m. and tickets cost $15 plus fees via tickets.completeticketsolutions.com. Visit swampstompmusicfestival.com.


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