Read Blue Marble Beat's bio

Buck Aflague (saxophone, percussion) left the navy in 1993, deciding he could be anyone he wanted to be. We're happy he wants to be the saxophonist in Blue Marble Beat. If Buck looks familiar to you it's because he's Bodhi's long lost cousin.

Derek "dB" Brinson (vox, guitar, keys, programming, video) is an affable and engaging musician, part frontman, part court jester and all bad-ass. He's been indicted but never convicted. dB's your Simon and Simon says dance!

Donald "Fammon" McDonald (trumpet, vox, percussion) learned his chops as a member of an elite military musical unit. We could tell you more about that, but then Fammon'd have to kill you. Think of him as your own personal piper. Follow.

Éamonn Shanahan (guitar, vox) traveled across the Atlantic Ocean to play with Blue Marble Beat. Well, he traveled across the Atlantic Ocean and then played with Blue Marble Beat. We're not going to split hairs. Why should you?

Thomas "Ski" Szypulski (bass, keys, programming) reached No. 4 on the French Pop charts in 1998 and garnered airplay on six of the seven continents without spilling a drop of beer. Ski's likely recalling his most recent visit to Jamaica. Yeah, mon.

Dewey "D-Dubz" Walsh (drums, percussion, vox, programming) is Blue Marble Beat's producer wunderkind and has an edge behind the boards and on stage that no one else in NC can touch. D-dubz is the anchor of the Blue Marble Beat sound. Your booty-shaking pleasure is his own.

dB and Ski first discussed a musical collaboration in 1998 while involved in Power Pop trios The Estranged and Leaning Owen. In 2000, Ski co-founded the Reggae party band Dread34. dB soon joined on keys and vocals, with Donald on trumpet and Buck's second cousin twice removed, Saxa, on saxophone. Throughout the lifetime of Dread34 and into the early days of Blue Marble Beat, dB played with his Acoustic Soul collective cleverly masquerading as a band, the-nerve. And it seems like we've been playing with Dewey and Éamonn forever. Through the years we've endured identity crises, economic and legal crises, wars, plague, famine and pestilence to become locally renowned performers, scenesters, in the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill Triangle. All of our influences and experiences meld into Blue Marble Beat's unique vibe.

We sweat. You sweat. That's the deal.

Photos by Kurt Schlatzer, Rich Cox, Andy Garber, Ravi Lalka, Dan Stahl and Jill McDonald