The Wrath of RAGG

| 05 March 2009

Such a strong name aptly frames Ragg’s music, as they combine elements of multiple styles to create their own blend of hard-hitting tunes. Haunting vocals complement heavy riffs, along with solid bass lines, captivating leads, and a tone that’s all their own. Besides Bolin on guitar, RAGG consists of: Debi Redd on vocals, bassist Leni X, Monique Grajeda as an additional guitarist, and Moonstone Mike on the drums. Their style is unique and most assuredly interesting to watch, as they aren’t afraid to slow it down, speed it up, and perform with everything from punk’s attitude to rock’s melodies. One of the most interesting things about the band is that four out of five of them sing, creating very appealing vocal harmonies or simply adding extra power to the song’s lyrics.

Ragg’s lyrics carry positive themes, mixed with the passion of human emotion and the drive to remain sturdy through it all. “Be strong within yourself; look into yourself and come out ahead,” conveyed Redd. When asked about their message, Bolin expressed that “love is bigger than everything, and it’s a good idea to question authority.”

Hard-working and definitely busy, Ragg performs an average of three shows per month, and are always trying different ways to get their music out to the masses. In 2006, they sold a song to Target for use in a TV commercial, won the Rock City News’s Best Rock Band award in 2007 and 2008, and are even played on FM stations in India. All of those achievements didn’t come easy, however. Eleven years as a band and many members, genres and side projects later, this current lineup has been solid only for about six months. Bolin, nonetheless, seems content with his crew. “This [assembly] feels pretty much like what it’s going to be,” he said. You can listen to Ragg online at myspace.com/raggrocks.

Darien Lohof is a local music junkie, getting his fix from the variety of music in and around San Luis Obispo. If you have any suggestions regarding music, humor, or the arts in general, feel free to e-mail him at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it