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Basehead is an Alternative Rock and Alternative Hip Hop group from Washington, D.C. usually comprised of Michael Ivey and whoever he can get to play with him. Ivey's 1992 release as Basehead, Play With Toys, was recorded by Ivey, who played the guitars, sung and contributed skit vocals on the album, and any musician friend that happened to drop by his house, contributing other instruments and DJ scratching. The album, whose lyrics focused on subjects ranging from drinking and pot smoking to heartbreak, politics and philosophy and sex, was critically acclaimed and a cult hit, and soon after, Basehead became a full-on band, which included DJ Clarence Greenwood, who would later switch his turntables for a guitar and found a successful solo career as Citizen Cope. The band's open-ended style gave them tours with bands like Beastie Boys, Stone Temple Pilots, and Ween.
After Not in Kansas Anymore, Ivey became a born-again Christian, and beginning with the album Faith, Basehead began transforming into a Christian Rock band, and the change was solidified with the release of In The Name Of Jesus in 1998. Over the years, however, the band has once again become a little more secular, although Christian themes still exist in Ivey's lyrics. Ivey himself was never too happy with the Christian music market, and had qualms with being termed a Christian himself, due to his disagreements with other Christians.
Not to be confused with the electronic musician Dan Gardopée, who is also known as Basehead.
- Play with Toys (1992)
- Not in Kansas Anymore (1993)
- Faith (1996)
- In The Name Of Jesus (1998)
- dc Basehead (2002)
- Rockalyptic Music (2007)
- Christian Rock: On and off since 1998. Critics argue, however, that Basehead is generally better than most Christian bands.
- Neoclassical Punk Zydeco Rockabilly: That Other Wiki lists numerous styles incorporated into Basehead's music, which include Blues, Funk, hip hop, pop, Psychedelic Rock and R&B.
- Not Christian Rock: Faith.
- Your Radio Hates You: Occurs in "Not Over You", where one of Michael Ivey's friends is trying to cheer him up after he breaks up with his girlfriend, by putting on the radio, which is playing nothing but love and breakup songs.