Straight from Florida’s Space Coast is Dub-321, bringing us their “reggae ska-punk/funk acoustic rap-rock” sound as they prepare to make their comeback in 2018.
Their single “F.L.A.” humorously describes Dub-321’s lead Miles Galli and his struggles before his paradigm shift. Friends have described our state as “Come on vacation, leave on probation.” From a local’s perspective, “F.L.A.” couldn’t be more accurate!
Miles recently took some time off his busy schedule to chat with us about his life, musical journey, and upcoming goals.
What is the history of your band?
Miles Galli (Dub-321): I came up with the concept for Dub-321 in 2006 and started writing songs and recording them. By early 2007 I’d found some musicians to jump on board. The original members were Brian Roberts on bass, R.J. Klodnicki on drums, and myself on guitar and vocals, sometimes we’d have Ras AJ on keys or Ras Trent on sax as well.
Things started out slow at first. We played at a lot of empty bars and house parties. But by 2008 we had started to really mold our sound and get a small following. We played Surfing Magazine’s International Surfing Day event in front of hundreds of people which was the biggest show we’d done at that time. Then we went on to open for acts like Afroman, Eek-A-Mouse, and The Supervillains playing up and down both of Florida’s coasts. Anyway, things were taking off and the future looked promising.
In 2009 I had to have a surgery done and became addicted to opiate pain medication as a result. Shortly after I’d recovered from my surgery RJ left the band and moved back to Bradenton, FL for personal reasons and Brian followed suit not wanting to continue without R.J. Since I’d always done all he writing for the band I saw no reason not to continue on with the Dub-321 moniker.
I played with a few different backing bands from 2010-2012 but couldn’t find anyone really committed to a vision at the level I was. It was frustrating me incredibly and by this time my addiction had progressed quite a bit… I couldn’t hold it together and fell off the map to be blunt. I ended up hitting a severe rock bottom when I was arrested in March 2014. Three days after I was arrested I finally gave up. I opened up my mind to the possibility of God for the first time, said a prayer, and asked Him for help as I wept and had an intense spiritual experience that has forever altered the course of my life.
I ended up being sentenced to 55 months in prison. About 18 months into my sentence, in August 2015, I met Alex Ruff who is from Cocoa. Alex is a guitarist/singer/songwriter as well and we hit it off from the start. We started writing songs while we were still in prison with the old P.O.S. acoustic guitar they had in the rec yard there. We made a decision to join forces and make something special happen. Having another songwriter and singer brought into the mix really changes everything. It brings the music to a whole new level and adds so much dynamic to the product.
The prison was a positive experience for both me and Alex. We both had a lot of time to better ourselves and to really think about where we wanted to go with this music thing and how we were to go about it. We’re currently in the process of regrouping and working on getting the right songs together for a planned 2018 release of a new album. I’m so excited about what the future holds for Dub-321.
The music we’ve written is going to draw attention and turn heads because it’s something special and the message is real. We aren’t making an official full-fledged return until early next year but in the meantime, we have been doing some warm-up/teaser shows at the Applebee’s in Merritt Island on the tiki deck every few weeks on Friday nights.
What inspired the name of your band?
Miles Galli (Dub-321): That’s a pretty simple one actually. A lot of the music we write has a reggae vibe at its root. That’s the common denominator for our sound. Reggae was initially called rub-a-dub and then there’s what’s known today as dub reggae. That’s where the Dub in our name comes from and the 321 is because the band is out of Brevard county which has a 321 area code lol. The reason being I wanted to have the name linked to our roots in some way in that aspect.. plus Dub-321 totally just looks and sounds really cool!!!
What led you on the path to music?
Miles Galli (Dub-321): I’ve loved music as far back as I can remember. I was introduced to grunge rock in the mid-nineties when I was about 12-13 years old and I fell in love with it, especially Nirvana. My older brother got a bass guitar and I learned a couple of simple riffs and begged my parents to get me an electric guitar. I think it was Christmas 1995 when finally I got it. I was off to the races from then on. Music has always been my passion and purpose. It just took me a while to discover my own personal niche where I would fit.
Did you grow up around music?
Miles Galli (Dub-321): Other than my older brother’s short stint at trying to learn the bass, I am the only musically inclined member of my family that I know of.
What is the greatest drive on your journey?
Miles Galli (Dub-321): I’d say my greatest drive now is to spread a positive message to the masses. It’s not about fame or recognition or lots of money for me. I just want to be real with people and communicate the experiences I’ve had throughout my life journey. My struggles, my hangups, and my addiction to drugs. But I also want to tell them there is a way out, that there is hope. I want to encourage people to live their lives to the fullest and never give up on themselves.
Who are your greatest musical inspirations?
Miles Galli (Dub-321): I get inspiration from so many artists that I’ve listened to over the years. Some I intentionally draw from and some subconsciously and then I don’t realize or recognize until after I’ve written a song. But if I had to name 5 of my biggest musical inspirations of all time it would be Kurt Cobain, Bradley Nowell, Bob Marley, Eminem, and Jim Morrison (in no particular order).
Do you have a message for your fans and followers?
Miles Galli (Dub-321): Believe in yourself. Follow your dreams. Stay away from negative people and don’t listen to the naysayers. You can do anything you set your mind to and have so much more potential than you may realize! It’s never too late!! Life is a gift and time is precious. Plant a tree, spend time with loved ones, and help the less fortunate. There is a whole wide world out there that God created for us to experience and enjoy! Don’t waste your life trapped by your own demons or limiting yourself due to your fears! Take a leap and live! One Love.
Dub-321 is Miles Galli and Alex Ruff.
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