Blue King Brown
Words: Rob Lyon
The countdown to WOMAD 2012 is well and truly underway. For four days, Botanic Park will come alive to the sounds of world music. There is no festival quite like WOMAD and this year is the twentieth anniversary. Given the state of play for festivals, this is something to be celebrated. The line up boasts a plethora of talent including Australia’s own Blue King Brown.
The band continue their rise and are emerging as another band to keep an eye out for as they plan the release of their third album sometime this year. Blue King Brown are no strangers to WOMAD and lead singer Natalie Pa‘apa’a talks to Caught In The Mosh about their upcoming appearance at the festival.
Each year seems to be getting bigger and even better for Blue King Brown what are the main priorities for 2012?
“Well, at the moment we’re hard at work on our third album. That’s a pretty big project, which we’re really excited about as well as continuing to get out there on the live scene internationally and in club shows around Australia, whilst not forgetting some of the great festivals over the summer. There will be a big focus in the US to support our album but this year will be more of the same, more touring and live performances.”
Tackling the United States seems to be the plum prize for a lot of bands is that something Blue King Brown will be chasing this year?
“We’ve been visiting the States for the past four years and since the last time we were there we’ve secured a record label, so that’s really good. As far as things we wanted to do, we wanted to be able to play over there and ground a label that can release Blue King Brown’s music, which hasn’t been released there officially before. That’s happening now so we’ll be touring there later this year.”
Is touring more of a lifestyle now that you do so much of it?
“I think so, I think it is more of a lifestyle particularly over the last three or four years. I think you can get used to three months on the road, then a month off - I like it. It definitely can be gruelling and they don’t call it the hard yards for nothing, but it is so rewarding being able to travel, tour and do that with music in such a positive platform connecting with other people. We’re really in to it.”
Will you be touring the US in your own right or supporting other bands?
“Usually what we do is a bit of a mixture playing some festivals and then a few supports, maybe trying to squeeze in a few of our own shows. It usually depends on the best situation you can put together given America is such a massive territory. It is really expensive for Australian bands to get there so our management team try and piece together the best opportunities that come up.”
The band continue their rise and are emerging as another band to keep an eye out for as they plan the release of their third album sometime this year. Blue King Brown are no strangers to WOMAD and lead singer Natalie Pa‘apa’a talks to Caught In The Mosh about their upcoming appearance at the festival.
Each year seems to be getting bigger and even better for Blue King Brown what are the main priorities for 2012?
“Well, at the moment we’re hard at work on our third album. That’s a pretty big project, which we’re really excited about as well as continuing to get out there on the live scene internationally and in club shows around Australia, whilst not forgetting some of the great festivals over the summer. There will be a big focus in the US to support our album but this year will be more of the same, more touring and live performances.”
Tackling the United States seems to be the plum prize for a lot of bands is that something Blue King Brown will be chasing this year?
“We’ve been visiting the States for the past four years and since the last time we were there we’ve secured a record label, so that’s really good. As far as things we wanted to do, we wanted to be able to play over there and ground a label that can release Blue King Brown’s music, which hasn’t been released there officially before. That’s happening now so we’ll be touring there later this year.”
Is touring more of a lifestyle now that you do so much of it?
“I think so, I think it is more of a lifestyle particularly over the last three or four years. I think you can get used to three months on the road, then a month off - I like it. It definitely can be gruelling and they don’t call it the hard yards for nothing, but it is so rewarding being able to travel, tour and do that with music in such a positive platform connecting with other people. We’re really in to it.”
Will you be touring the US in your own right or supporting other bands?
“Usually what we do is a bit of a mixture playing some festivals and then a few supports, maybe trying to squeeze in a few of our own shows. It usually depends on the best situation you can put together given America is such a massive territory. It is really expensive for Australian bands to get there so our management team try and piece together the best opportunities that come up.”
Do you think album number three will be just as challenging as the other two in terms of keeping the momentum going and keeping it fresh, to not repeat what has been done previously?
“I don’t know, it feels like we’re coming right off the back of Worldwize Part 1, the momentum has just kept flowing into this new release. It’s very similar in that we’re learning new ways to write songs, using programs and spending more time on post production in the box on the computer. Learning more about electronically generated sounds has become a new method in the song writing process plus it’s really portable and something we can do on tour. It doesn’t feel tedious or laborious.”
Will the political message be just as strong on this album and are there any particular causes that are important to the band this time round?
“Definitely, Blue King Brown’s music has always carried a message in it and we’ll continue to do that with this album. We’re really inspired by what is happening on our planet such as Arab Spring, the Occupy Movement and there’s been a lot of action in that space, which has been really inspiring to me. Those two things alone have inspired lyrical content but there are some other causes which have got my attention like Free West Papua.”
The Occupy Movement has created headlines around the globe, do you think they were successful in what they were trying to achieve?
“What I like about it is that it came from the Occupy Wall Street Movement to protest against economic and social inequality. I think it started strongly in Australia and faded towards the end. I feel that it is something that isn’t going to go away with the movement built on a strong belief built on global sentiment that people have had enough of corporate influence over politics and the negative affects it has over our lives, the way we treat our planet and really fundamentally wrong things with the system we live in. I think a movement that is really passionate about that is a good thing because things need to change before it’s too late.”
They stuck it out for quite a while in Adelaide and other capital cities which is commendable isn’t it?
“Yeah, I like the fact that there are no leaders and that everyone has an opportunity to voice an opinion and taking the leadership role and passing it around the community. I love that! The Occupy camps seem like a real democracy that no one has seen before even though we live in a democracy. Anyway, I think there is a long way to go but it’s definitely taken its first steps, which is really important.”
“I don’t know, it feels like we’re coming right off the back of Worldwize Part 1, the momentum has just kept flowing into this new release. It’s very similar in that we’re learning new ways to write songs, using programs and spending more time on post production in the box on the computer. Learning more about electronically generated sounds has become a new method in the song writing process plus it’s really portable and something we can do on tour. It doesn’t feel tedious or laborious.”
Will the political message be just as strong on this album and are there any particular causes that are important to the band this time round?
“Definitely, Blue King Brown’s music has always carried a message in it and we’ll continue to do that with this album. We’re really inspired by what is happening on our planet such as Arab Spring, the Occupy Movement and there’s been a lot of action in that space, which has been really inspiring to me. Those two things alone have inspired lyrical content but there are some other causes which have got my attention like Free West Papua.”
The Occupy Movement has created headlines around the globe, do you think they were successful in what they were trying to achieve?
“What I like about it is that it came from the Occupy Wall Street Movement to protest against economic and social inequality. I think it started strongly in Australia and faded towards the end. I feel that it is something that isn’t going to go away with the movement built on a strong belief built on global sentiment that people have had enough of corporate influence over politics and the negative affects it has over our lives, the way we treat our planet and really fundamentally wrong things with the system we live in. I think a movement that is really passionate about that is a good thing because things need to change before it’s too late.”
They stuck it out for quite a while in Adelaide and other capital cities which is commendable isn’t it?
“Yeah, I like the fact that there are no leaders and that everyone has an opportunity to voice an opinion and taking the leadership role and passing it around the community. I love that! The Occupy camps seem like a real democracy that no one has seen before even though we live in a democracy. Anyway, I think there is a long way to go but it’s definitely taken its first steps, which is really important.”
Are you excited about coming back to Adelaide to play WOMAD?
“We love WOMAD! WOMAD is like in my top two festivals on the planet. I love it so much and it is a global party in a beautiful park, the vibe in Adelaide at that time of year with the crossover of the Fringe and the Adelaide Festival means the city is really pumping. The energy in the city is really good and I don’t think any other city has that at any stage. We look forward to being there and catching many world class musicians who are really inspiring to us.”
Is there anyone you are looking forward to catching?
“There are some bands I just have to see like Staff Benda Bilili from the Democratic Republic of Congo. They are an incredible group, they’re homeless and handicapped in wheelchairs, which they’ve made from motor bike parts. They’re older guys but they’ve got this incredible vocal and percussive music. I’ve only seen little clips as there was a movie about them and I’m looking forward to seeing them.”
That’s the best thing about WOMAD, isn’t it? Discovering something new that you wouldn’t ordinarily go and see.
“That’s right, it’s so good that way catching something new as most people wouldn’t know all the bands in that sense. It’s really educational and I always discover new bands at world music festivals. It’s nice to see people from your global community in your own town having a good time.”
Blue King Brown play WOMADelaide on Friday March 9th and Sunday March 11th.
For more information on WOMADelaide and tickets visit : http://www.womadelaide.com.au/
“We love WOMAD! WOMAD is like in my top two festivals on the planet. I love it so much and it is a global party in a beautiful park, the vibe in Adelaide at that time of year with the crossover of the Fringe and the Adelaide Festival means the city is really pumping. The energy in the city is really good and I don’t think any other city has that at any stage. We look forward to being there and catching many world class musicians who are really inspiring to us.”
Is there anyone you are looking forward to catching?
“There are some bands I just have to see like Staff Benda Bilili from the Democratic Republic of Congo. They are an incredible group, they’re homeless and handicapped in wheelchairs, which they’ve made from motor bike parts. They’re older guys but they’ve got this incredible vocal and percussive music. I’ve only seen little clips as there was a movie about them and I’m looking forward to seeing them.”
That’s the best thing about WOMAD, isn’t it? Discovering something new that you wouldn’t ordinarily go and see.
“That’s right, it’s so good that way catching something new as most people wouldn’t know all the bands in that sense. It’s really educational and I always discover new bands at world music festivals. It’s nice to see people from your global community in your own town having a good time.”
Blue King Brown play WOMADelaide on Friday March 9th and Sunday March 11th.
For more information on WOMADelaide and tickets visit : http://www.womadelaide.com.au/