New Zealand's first-family of reggae, Katchafire have kept the good times rolling for two dubbed-out decades.
For vocalist and rhythm guitarist Logan Bell, the band's longevity and continued success comes down to the rare chemistry shared by its members and their commitment to the Katchafire worldview. “You gotta have passion, especially when you're doing this stuff for 20 years,” Logan says.
“Every night you've got to be able to pinch yourself; it doesn't matter if it's one thousand, a hundred or ten thousand people in front of you, you have to give it your all.”
“[We want to win] a Grammy [Award].”
It's a momentous milestone for a group that started as a family band and over the course of their career have become New Zealand's premier reggae ensemble, and Logan can't help but agree that it's a blessed life lived by he and his bandmates.
“It is and we're very humbled and lucky to be able to live this life, we don't take it lightly. Every opportunity we get is a blessing to us and we treat it like that,” he says.
“Twenty years is definitely one of my proudest achievements in my life so it's hard to pinpoint moments, but there's been so many amazing moments and memories, meeting awesome people and getting to do what we do.”
Formed in 1997 under the guidance of band patriarch and former lead guitarist Grenville Bell (Logan's father), Katchafire was birthed out of a family movement that has attained a global following. “There was no template when we started doing this,” Logan says, “there wasn't really many bands quitting their jobs to form a reggae band [and] we've definitely learnt our lessons the hardest.
“I think a lot of the young bands now have a lot of tools at their disposal these days we didn't have growing up; it's kind of like the iPad era versus the old-school era. We got out there on our bikes and fell off and got grazes and bumps and learnt from it,” he laughs.
{youtube}VgNPUFlp-8k{/youtube}
In celebration of 20 years together, Katchafire have been bringing their renowned good-vibes, reggae party to stages around the world and this September it's Australia's turn as the band make stops in both capital cities and regional centres. “This is a really nice time of the year for us to be getting back over there to our cuzzies, friends and family across the Ditch,” Logan says.
“We've got some amazing festivals lined up on this run, but we're really excited to be visiting all the main cities again. For us it's rekindling our friends and family, meeting awesome new people and having great vibes with our road family. We always have a ball in Oz, that's for sure.”
Australian audiences can look forward to an extended set from Katchafire featuring all their classic favourites as well as new songs from their forthcoming next studio album. “At the moment there's some really great new music about to be released, so we'll be chucking a few new songs into the set,” Logan says.
“We've got pretty much a best-of, we've honed our live set over the past 20 years so we think we know what the masses want and we're trying to cram it all into a two-hour set for the people.
“We're really excited to be bringing that and the show is really tight at the moment because we've just come off a six-week tour of the US. We'll have had a nice two or three-week break before we get to Oz, so we'll be vibing man.”
Katchafire's 20th anniversary 'Legacy' tour and the release of a their new album coincides with a return to form for the band that has seen them embrace a raft of changes and challenges, making them a stronger musical unit. “There's been a little bit of a hiatus finding our feet again,” Logan explains.
“We've changed a lot of the way we record music now because we're not home for long periods of time enough to make music, so we're making it on-the-go a lot these days, doing vocals in New Zealand and drums in Jamaica. I'm really excited.
{youtube}jH3TiUbeas0{/youtube}
“It's been a few years; the boys have been touring and it can be hard to get that momentum when you're not at home for that long... we are apologetic that it's taken longer but we are busier than most bands. This album I think will be our best; just lining things up and hearing them back, it's really coming together.”
With Katchafire back on track with a regular schedule of recording and touring, Logan says the band is well positioned for the next phase of their ongoing evolution whatever form it may take, and that they have a few key goals in their sights. “A Grammy [win] definitely,” he says.
“We're looking at continuing to make music. The boys have found a second wind, we had a few changes over 2013, '14 and '15, and I think the band has still got a lot to give and [we're] getting back to finding our feet again and that rhythm of putting out albums every two or three years, then touring till the wheels fall off, man,” he laughs.
Above all else, after two decades of writing, recording and extensive touring Logan is most proud of the fact that first and foremost, Katchafire is still very much a family affair and one that continues to expand. “It's the way things were set from the start,” Logan says.
“Me and my brother [Jordan, drums] are still in the band and are very much running things. Even my father is behind-the-scenes, the big chief. It's still very much run like a big family; we're brothers from other mothers so we treat each other how we'd like to be treated and that's our strength really.
“We have a few American session musos who join us when we're on that side of the world and you can see that they get it; they kind of slip into our family vibe and I think they like it. It's a special thing, a special bond, a brotherhood; and family taking on the world is a lot easier.”
Katchafire Shows
Thu 7 Sep - Magnums Hotel (Airlie Beach)Fri 8 Sep - Kirwin Tavern (Townsville)
Sat 9 Sep - The Billabong (Kuranda)
Sun 10 Sep - The Jack Hotel (Cairns)
Thu 14 Sep - Cambridge Hotel (Newcastle)
Fri 15 Sep - Max Watts (Sydney)
Sat 16 Sep - Rooty Hill RSL (Sydney)
Sun 17 Sep - The Rhythm Hut (Gosford)
Thu 21 Sep - Narrabeen RSL (Sydney)
Fri 22 Sep - 170 Russell (Melbourne)
Sat 23 Sep - Chelsea Heights Hotel (Mornington Peninsula)
Sun 24 Sep - Plaza Tavern (Melbourne)
Thu 28 Sep - Gosnells Hotel (Perth)
Fri 29 Sep – The Carine (Perth)
Sat 30 Sep - Metropolis (Fremantle)
Sun 1 Oct - Dunsborough Tavern
Thu 5 Oct - Beach Hotel (Byron Bay)
Fri 6 Oct - Parkwood Tavern (Gold Coast)
Sat 7 Oct - Max Watts (Brisbane)
Sun 8 Oct - Wharf Tavern (Sunshine Coast)
