It’s three o’clock Friday arvo, and I’ve just got off the phone with the voice of the eleven strong, live dub band ‘The Red Eyes’. The call caught El Witeri taking some time out before the big drive from Melbourne to Adelaide for the last show of their current Australian tour. Performing a live platter of dub and reggae, laced with a little funk and d’n’b, these boys have a rich authentic island sound, and a spirit true to genre’s Caribbean roots. No wonder it’s been stirring up rooms all over the country!
Based in Melbourne, El refers to the band as ‘family’ and that closeness is there in the music. They’re a mixed family too, with the guys coming from both sides of the Tasman Sea. El and King Charlie (the band’s producer and manager) have been best mates since 1992, reaching back to Auckland, while Aussie members hail from as far north as Byron, south to Tasmania. Something I get from El very quickly is his love and respects for his ‘bros,’ and the music they so masterfully produce. They’re all in it for the love of it, but if the single ‘Prolific / My Kingdom’ takes off, followed by their debut album due next year, then they’ll all be aboard for the ride.
So far the ride has been fuelled in part by fellow muso John Butler’s generosity. His artist grant program provided the band with $4000 that according to El, went a long way in recording time and tour airfares. These boys are no strangers to touring, with most of the Red Eyes working in other bands, supporting themselves as professional musicians. At the moment, some are compromised by non-musical day-jobs, but if the quality of their ‘Prolific / My Kingdom’ disc is anything to go by, that shouldn’t last long. King Charlie is the band’s devoted and loving patriarch, and is currently mixing the rest of the album, which I for one can’t wait to hear.
While the band’s deep dub grooves move rooms full of smiling dancers, it’s not always a party behind the curtain. El describes the logistics of rehearsals as ‘a nightmare’ and has me chuckling at the thought of eight of the boys crammed into the van for the 800-kilometre road-trip to Adelaide. No room for the trombonist this time! They won’t have much opportunity to stretch their legs either, before squeezing onto the Crown & Sceptre stage. It’s less than ideal for a band who like some room to ‘rock out!’
Reflecting on the tour so far, El is aglow. The shows have been met with ‘awesome’ responses to his spiritually and politically charged vocals and the group’s deeply organic dub vibrations. For someone who grew up sharing and respecting the music and messages of Caribbean reggae and dub, he’s happy to be hitting punters with new expressions of timeless ideas. It’s all about freedom and spirit, and positive connection. Should El really be surprised when the formula moves bodies and stimulates minds gig after gig?
With Triple J picking up the new disc, and a live-to-air set planned for PBS very soon, ‘The Red Eyes’ will continue to make waves in 2005. They’ve already grown tall from seeds cast three years ago during jam sessions at The Laundry. If you love seasoned dub with depth and authenticity, check out The Red Eyes’ EP ‘Prolific / My Kingdom’ ...it’s the bomb.
The Red Eyes complete their national tour in Adelaide, at the Crown & Sceptre, Saturday October 1.
Their CD ‘Prolific / My Kingdom’ is out now on Echo Foxtrot / MGM… read the review for more details.
