Katchafire - Logan Bell
Words: Jo Taylor
Eight piece Reggae band Katchafire, one of the hardest working and most respected collectives to come out of New Zealand, return to Australia this September. Their 16 date Irie National Tour is in support of their fourth studio album On The Road Again, which was nominated for Best Roots Album at the 2011 New Zealand Music Awards.
Formed in 1997, the band have released four albums and toured the world. Caught in the Mosh spoke to lead singer Logan Bell about crazed fans in the USA, filming a documentary in Brazil and why the song latest single Irie is one of his favourite to perform live.
You guys recently completed a massive 25 date headline tour around the USA. How was that experience?
The U.S has been going off for the boys lately. Over the past three or four years we’ve been making a conscious effort to campaign out there at least two months of the year and we’re starting to see the fruits of that. The shows are getting bigger. Some of the venues are pretty iconic.
Yeah, you have been involved in some big shows over there like The House of Blues and Sierra Nevada Festival. Any standout moments on or off stage?
Yeah, it was fun getting to tour with J Boog and couple of the other bands. The fans are so fanatical in America. It’s like no other country. The girls stalked the boys and ended up graffitiing over our van ‘I love Leon’ (the percussionist) and ‘I want to marry Jordan’ (the drummer). Gave some undergarments as souvenirs. I don’t know why? It just popped into my bag!
There was a documentary filmed when you recently toured Brazil too. What’s the focus of the doco?
Yes. We knew it would be a great opportunity to film and let people see what it’s like for a band to tour a totally new country. A country we never expected to have fans in! And one as culturally rich as South America and Brazil. It’s 200 million people, just brimming with people and life. It was a great experience. The boys did six shows, I think. Average attendance each given night was about 4000 which is huge in any other place in the world. We’ve never sold a CD in Brazil; it’s all from You Tube and the internet. It was just a gob smacking surprise to have a following there. The people there are so amazingly warm and we were just buzzing out. They’ve got some very poor places in Brazil and never seen poverty like it before. Some of the kids that were there, were just so happy! They had a kite between ten of them and having a ball and sharing it evenly amongst themselves. Or something like a soccer ball would just keep kids going for hours. It wasn’t so much about money or what you drive and all that. It was more about experiencing the fruits of life! A real eye opener. It was very moving. So yeah, I think it will be something that people will enjoy seeing.
Formed in 1997, the band have released four albums and toured the world. Caught in the Mosh spoke to lead singer Logan Bell about crazed fans in the USA, filming a documentary in Brazil and why the song latest single Irie is one of his favourite to perform live.
You guys recently completed a massive 25 date headline tour around the USA. How was that experience?
The U.S has been going off for the boys lately. Over the past three or four years we’ve been making a conscious effort to campaign out there at least two months of the year and we’re starting to see the fruits of that. The shows are getting bigger. Some of the venues are pretty iconic.
Yeah, you have been involved in some big shows over there like The House of Blues and Sierra Nevada Festival. Any standout moments on or off stage?
Yeah, it was fun getting to tour with J Boog and couple of the other bands. The fans are so fanatical in America. It’s like no other country. The girls stalked the boys and ended up graffitiing over our van ‘I love Leon’ (the percussionist) and ‘I want to marry Jordan’ (the drummer). Gave some undergarments as souvenirs. I don’t know why? It just popped into my bag!
There was a documentary filmed when you recently toured Brazil too. What’s the focus of the doco?
Yes. We knew it would be a great opportunity to film and let people see what it’s like for a band to tour a totally new country. A country we never expected to have fans in! And one as culturally rich as South America and Brazil. It’s 200 million people, just brimming with people and life. It was a great experience. The boys did six shows, I think. Average attendance each given night was about 4000 which is huge in any other place in the world. We’ve never sold a CD in Brazil; it’s all from You Tube and the internet. It was just a gob smacking surprise to have a following there. The people there are so amazingly warm and we were just buzzing out. They’ve got some very poor places in Brazil and never seen poverty like it before. Some of the kids that were there, were just so happy! They had a kite between ten of them and having a ball and sharing it evenly amongst themselves. Or something like a soccer ball would just keep kids going for hours. It wasn’t so much about money or what you drive and all that. It was more about experiencing the fruits of life! A real eye opener. It was very moving. So yeah, I think it will be something that people will enjoy seeing.
You have been on the road much non-stop recently. Are there plans to return to the studio?
Yes, we’ve already started on our fifth studio album. It’s early days. We’ve just started six tracks, kinda the bones of the songs, drum and bass and we’re tracking well at the moment. Hopefully, we’re looking to release at the end of the year or early next year. So fifth studio album coming soon guys, we’re working on it!
It’s been nearly 10 years since your first album Revival was released. Does the writing and recording process get easier as time goes?
I don’t think it gets easier, the pressure to go one better makes it harder. But in terms of refining your process and learning new stuff, I think the boys have evolved in our studio techniques. You can kinda hear it over the albums. I love recording though, I prefer it over playing live. Just the creation of music I’m drawn to.
Reggae definitely has elements of unity and knowing your roots. With all the touring you have done and places you have been, do you still try to incorporate Maori elements into you music?
Yeah, definitely! We’ll never forget who we are and our heritage. All the boys are very proud of it. Some of the boys in the band do speak the language. So we use that whenever we want. But the guys are all from different tribes around New Zealand. So it’s a great thing that we all kind of come together and make a family unit. I think the way we harmonize and the way we chose the different intervals that lend itself to our culture. We basically believe that you should treat people how you would want to be treated.
Who have been your favourite musicians to collaborate or tour with?
A young producer from Hawaii named Imau Garza who is responsible for recording Rebel Soljahz, he just totally blows me away in the studio. He’s got some next level techniques going on and his energy is just great to be around. I can’t wait to do some more work with him. The Little River Band! I’ve been having a revival of them lately!
Yes, we’ve already started on our fifth studio album. It’s early days. We’ve just started six tracks, kinda the bones of the songs, drum and bass and we’re tracking well at the moment. Hopefully, we’re looking to release at the end of the year or early next year. So fifth studio album coming soon guys, we’re working on it!
It’s been nearly 10 years since your first album Revival was released. Does the writing and recording process get easier as time goes?
I don’t think it gets easier, the pressure to go one better makes it harder. But in terms of refining your process and learning new stuff, I think the boys have evolved in our studio techniques. You can kinda hear it over the albums. I love recording though, I prefer it over playing live. Just the creation of music I’m drawn to.
Reggae definitely has elements of unity and knowing your roots. With all the touring you have done and places you have been, do you still try to incorporate Maori elements into you music?
Yeah, definitely! We’ll never forget who we are and our heritage. All the boys are very proud of it. Some of the boys in the band do speak the language. So we use that whenever we want. But the guys are all from different tribes around New Zealand. So it’s a great thing that we all kind of come together and make a family unit. I think the way we harmonize and the way we chose the different intervals that lend itself to our culture. We basically believe that you should treat people how you would want to be treated.
Who have been your favourite musicians to collaborate or tour with?
A young producer from Hawaii named Imau Garza who is responsible for recording Rebel Soljahz, he just totally blows me away in the studio. He’s got some next level techniques going on and his energy is just great to be around. I can’t wait to do some more work with him. The Little River Band! I’ve been having a revival of them lately!
You are about to undertake a 16 date tour of Australia. What can people expect from this tour?
We’re stoked to be back in our side of the hemisphere and stoked to be coming back to Australia. The vibe has been growing out there. We’ve enjoyed great success in Australia, but we’re seeing more actual Australians come to the show. We’re also getting into more rural Australia, the smaller towns in-between, which is great. The boys have got a special show together for Australia. We’re definitely coming to give a 150% and give it all on stage for the people over there.
Someone once said "Write what you would want to perform over and over". With that in mind, what song do you love to perform the most?
Whoa! I’m loving performing the song Irie at the moment actually. It’s the latest single out, off the latest album. I guess it holds special meaning to me. It’s about the love and the spiritual connection that one gets from having a partner to mutually love and then having kids. Having a family, it’s the greatest source of happiness you can find on this earth. It was kind of an impromptu song. When we recorded it, we didn’t have anything to record that day and it just kinda fell together. I almost want to say, it wrote itself. I don’t usually write like that, in the studio, off the cuff. I normally go in well prepared and everyone knowing their part. But this one was different, it came out nice.
And finally, What has been the biggest challenge for you, or the band, so far in your career?
I guess the biggest challenge for any band is keeping a tight unit. Talking to friends in other bands, and hearing bands breaking up for all different reasons. You know, clashes and all things that aren’t as important as the music their putting out. We’re always overcoming obstacles together, as a family. Just like a family, you fight, then you kiss and make up and get on with it. You’re together, for better or for worse! It’s one of the things I’m most proud of.
Katchafire's Australian tour starts in Brisbane, Friday 31st of August. Tickets are on sale now...
Fri 31st August - Brisbane, the Hifi - tickets from Moshtix
Sat 1st September - Cairns, Reggaetown - tickets from Reggaetown
Sun 2nd September - Townsville, The Venue - tickets from Moshtix
Wed 5th September - Mackay, Mackay Entertainment Centre - tickets from Mackay Tix
Thu 6th September - Caloundra, Kings Beach Tavern - tickets from Kings Beach Tavern
Fri 7th September - Southport, Southport RSL -tickets from Southport RSL
Sat 8th September - Coffs Harbour, The Hoey Moey - tickets from Offbeatoperations
Sun 9th September - Byron Bay, the Northern - tickets from Oztix
Thu 13th September - Adelaide, the Gov - tickets from Moshtix
Fri 14th September - Perth, the Astor - tickets from BOCS Ticketing
Sat 15th September - Margaret River, the Margaret River Tavern - tickets from Oztix
Sun 16th September - Bunbury, Prince Of Wales Hotel - tickets from Oztix
Thu 20th September - Ferntree Gully, Ferntree Gully Hotel - tickets from Ticketmaster
Fri 21st September - Melbourne, The Forum - tickets from Ticketmaster
Sat 22nd September - Sydney, the Enmore Theatre - tickets from Ticketek
Sun 23rd September - Newcastle, Cambridge Hotel - tickets from Moshtix
We’re stoked to be back in our side of the hemisphere and stoked to be coming back to Australia. The vibe has been growing out there. We’ve enjoyed great success in Australia, but we’re seeing more actual Australians come to the show. We’re also getting into more rural Australia, the smaller towns in-between, which is great. The boys have got a special show together for Australia. We’re definitely coming to give a 150% and give it all on stage for the people over there.
Someone once said "Write what you would want to perform over and over". With that in mind, what song do you love to perform the most?
Whoa! I’m loving performing the song Irie at the moment actually. It’s the latest single out, off the latest album. I guess it holds special meaning to me. It’s about the love and the spiritual connection that one gets from having a partner to mutually love and then having kids. Having a family, it’s the greatest source of happiness you can find on this earth. It was kind of an impromptu song. When we recorded it, we didn’t have anything to record that day and it just kinda fell together. I almost want to say, it wrote itself. I don’t usually write like that, in the studio, off the cuff. I normally go in well prepared and everyone knowing their part. But this one was different, it came out nice.
And finally, What has been the biggest challenge for you, or the band, so far in your career?
I guess the biggest challenge for any band is keeping a tight unit. Talking to friends in other bands, and hearing bands breaking up for all different reasons. You know, clashes and all things that aren’t as important as the music their putting out. We’re always overcoming obstacles together, as a family. Just like a family, you fight, then you kiss and make up and get on with it. You’re together, for better or for worse! It’s one of the things I’m most proud of.
Katchafire's Australian tour starts in Brisbane, Friday 31st of August. Tickets are on sale now...
Fri 31st August - Brisbane, the Hifi - tickets from Moshtix
Sat 1st September - Cairns, Reggaetown - tickets from Reggaetown
Sun 2nd September - Townsville, The Venue - tickets from Moshtix
Wed 5th September - Mackay, Mackay Entertainment Centre - tickets from Mackay Tix
Thu 6th September - Caloundra, Kings Beach Tavern - tickets from Kings Beach Tavern
Fri 7th September - Southport, Southport RSL -tickets from Southport RSL
Sat 8th September - Coffs Harbour, The Hoey Moey - tickets from Offbeatoperations
Sun 9th September - Byron Bay, the Northern - tickets from Oztix
Thu 13th September - Adelaide, the Gov - tickets from Moshtix
Fri 14th September - Perth, the Astor - tickets from BOCS Ticketing
Sat 15th September - Margaret River, the Margaret River Tavern - tickets from Oztix
Sun 16th September - Bunbury, Prince Of Wales Hotel - tickets from Oztix
Thu 20th September - Ferntree Gully, Ferntree Gully Hotel - tickets from Ticketmaster
Fri 21st September - Melbourne, The Forum - tickets from Ticketmaster
Sat 22nd September - Sydney, the Enmore Theatre - tickets from Ticketek
Sun 23rd September - Newcastle, Cambridge Hotel - tickets from Moshtix
