Blue King Brown Urban Roots at its best!

BKB backed up their first EP release with a tough debut album titled ‘STAND UP’, independently released in October 2006 through their own label, ROOTS LEVEL RECORDS and in Japan through VILLAGE AGAIN/SIDEOUT. The album has received mass critical acclaim with ‘come and check your head’, the first single off the album hitting hard!

Dedicated to the movement, Hard hitting lyrics and groove, socially aware and active, Blue King Brown is a band that walks their talk on many social issues and are known for actively speaking out.

Natalie Paapaa answered the questions on behalf of the whole band.

AlternativeInformant: How long have you been involved in the music industry?

Blue King Brown: Since the release of our first e.p which was in 2005. So 3 years ish.

AlternativeInformant: What would you describe your genre of music as?

Blue King Brown: Urban Roots

AlternativeInformant: When and how did you all meet and create Blue King Brown?

Blue King Brown: Carlo (bass player/ manager/ co-founder and writer) and I met and began to play percussion together. We toured a lot around the world as percussionists and street performers. We had always imagined starting a band with melody and vocals, as we both had been guitarists before we picked up percussion. We moved to Melbourne where we scouted out some hip musicians and started up Blue King Brown.

AlternativeInformant: Are there any artists that influence your music?

Blue King Brown: Definitely, there always is...from Fela Kuti, Cheik Lo, Ernest Ranglin, Bob, Stephen and Damian Marley, to Led Zeppelin, Santana, Aretha, Hendrix, Joplin, Jah Mason, Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles..and countless others.

AlternativeInformant: Are there any artists or groups that you aspire to be like?

Blue King Brown: I think one of the defining things about Blue King Brown is our sound. Our mix of heavy percussive grooves with melodic riffs and message based lyrics. In this sense we are striving to be original, but still true to the music and sounds we love.

AlternativeInformant: Is there a large fan-base for your type of music in Australia?

Blue King Brown: The roots music scene is Australia grows every year, and the spread of its music is reaching more and more people and crossing over more genres. So yes there is definitely an already big fan base for our style of music in Oz and we look forward to seeing more roots and conscious artists emerge in the years to come.

AlternativeInformant: Your song “Come and check yourself” is an amazing mix of talent, soul and rhythm does this song have a message?

Blue King Brown: Yes this song was written around a time in recent Australian history when our government undertook a huge armed forces recruitment drive. this was approximately 2 years after our government had whole heartedly threw its citizens into the fire of the “war on terror”, to which many, many thousands of Australians were and still are opposed to.
I found it appalling that our government would target young adults and try to convince them that going to war for their country was a just and heroic path to choose. Well I disagree with that level of thinking and aim to inspire my generation to truly think about what it is they’d really be fighting for, to think with an open mind and with the strength to see the truth for what it is and be mindful of the future they choose for themselves and their communities.

AlternativeInformant: What do you hope to do with your music? Do you want to spread a message, start a movement?

Blue King Brown: We hope to help inspire people to take up their individual responsibility to making positive change on our earth.
The world has gone through some very tough and eye opening times recently, and the global community are more than ever seeking peaceful resolutions instead of conflict. Those of us who are lucky enough to live in countries where we don’t worry about whether or not our homes will be bombed at any moment, are starting to use our privileges to help sustain and expand NGO’s and groups who are on the ground in many areas where war is a daily reality.
There is a shift in the consciousness across the world, which we notice everywhere we go. I’m not saying there’s not a long way to go before we can see a true unity between all nations for peace, but this movement has already begun, and we are at a defining point in its journey forward. It is in our hands and we are more and more aware of that, especially with the climate crisis finally reaching main stream media and proving that people are good and willing to make personal changes when they’re given the whole truth of any situation. And those who refuse to move on these issues and see the light, are usually those with something to gain from the ongoing destruction of the earth. and quite often leaders, politicians and corporate big wigs of the western world. We like to remind people that they are not alone in their struggle for a better world. That we and many others are here standing up against the injustices of today, with them.

AlternativeInformant: What do you find the most enjoyable thing about recording your music or doing shows?

Blue King Brown: We are a live show type of band. We love to play live whether it’s at our own shows or festivals. Personally I really enjoy the energy exchange between crowd and band in a live situation. In the studio we get to put down all the ideas and instruments that we’ve wanted to hear on our tracks but haven’t been able to afford the 20 piece touring band.

AlternativeInformant: Do you think that there should be more artists out there who should be spreading a message with their music rather than just using it to make money?

Blue King Brown: I think that artists should be artists and stay true to whatever it is that inspires and drives them to create, whether that includes a message or not.

AlternativeInformant: What does the future hold for Blue King Brown?

Blue King Brown: We are currently working our asses off on a new album, which is exciting. We are touring in Australia over the next 2 months then hitting the studio to get down to business. And after that, more touring and expanding our reach across the globe..!!

http://www.myspace.com/bluekingbrown

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