Respect and friendship was always the vibe when we formed the band and despite little issues, I really think that’s stayed. – Daniel Weetman
Infectious Afro beats, funk, smooth soul and reggae. The Black Seeds vibe is so feel good it makes you want to jump to your feet and gyrate your bee-hind.
Forming in Wellington, New Zealand, The Black Seeds fuse dub, funk and soul with a reggae base and have had crowds all around the globe shaking their groove thing since 1997.
Now coming up to recording their fourth studio album, the New Zealand boys will be putting the new stuff to the test in an exclusive three show only Aussie tour.
“Australian fans can expect a whole lotta new sounds. We have just played two small gigs in Wellington to gauge the public reaction to our new tracks. We only charged five dollars, really what more could you want for that price,” says Daniel Weetman.
The Black Seeds have been working on their new album since November 2007 and when it’s released later this year, the band plan to head back to Europe, where their fans are still in a tizz from the last album, Into the Dojo.
In addition to worldwide interest, The Black Seeds shook things up the most at home, where the album sat comfortably in the number one position for six weeks on the New Zealand charts.
With global distribution sealed for the next album, The Black Seeds are currently sorting through 40 new tracks and eight heads worth of ideas.
“The new album is going to be different to Into the Dojo, it’s still us, but the sound has evolved. I can’t say too much, but what we do have are some really great tracks. We are searching for a progression I guess.”
This eight-piece truly excel on the live front and have been gigging it hard since 1997. Last year proved to be the biggest year for the guys yet, with a massive eighteen-show European tour seeing them play at a string of festivals and sideshows throughout July and August.
“We did a gig at the Lowlands Festival in Holland, and there were about 70,000 people there. It was the last gig in four weeks of touring, so it was an awesome way to finish that leg of the tour.”
Having been Black Seeds for more than a decade, the guys have managed to maintain a relationship that Weetman puts plain and simply as ‘friendship.’
“We all travel really well together. We don’t hang out all the time, but when we do, we always have a laugh. It’s a great vibe.”
Eight charismatic musicians? Surely there has been the occasional tiff on the road?
“We take the piss out of each other a lot. It’s a massive thing for us, and some people can be a little bit nasty. We go there sometimes, it’s not like we’re fuckin’ angels.”
With more love than loathe for his fellow seeds, Weetman describes vocalist Barnaby as the confident one, Andrew as sharp, Jabin as stealth, Tim as phat, Nigel as the wizard and Mike as the brains.
“Respect and friendship was always the vibe when we formed the band and despite little issues, I really think that’s stayed.”
Despite the chaotic touring lifestyle that The Black Seeds have endured for the past 12 months, only one complaint springs to mind for Weetman.
“Small, uncomfortable vans. I hate spending hours in a cramped van and then having to get up and perform a gig. It sucks, especially if you have drunk a little bit too much the night before!”
Get your afro beat on and catch the new tunes at Gaelic Theatre in Sydney on Thursday, 28th February and at the Prince of Wales in Melblourne on Friday, 29th February.
The Black Seeds will also be joining Midnight Juggernauts, Ash Grunwald, Lior, Band of Frequencies and more at Duranbah Beach for the Quiksilver Pro-show, Gold Coast on Saturday 1st March.
