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Over the next six weeks Tracksmag.com will be taking a look at the great bands featured on the upcoming Contrasts DVD. First to be put under the microscope is Rogerthat. |
Over the next six weeks Tracksmag.com will be taking a look at the great bands featured on the upcoming Contrasts DVD. First to be put under the microscope is Rogerthat. The Gold Coast’s Rogerthat are a psychodelic looking bunch of dudes that have a strong affinity with the ocean, great rock harmonies and seem to live in an enviable time warp (think 70’s). Tracksmag.com caught up with the singer Jesse for a chat.
JESSE BAILEY (singer) Rogerthat
Can you tell us a bit about how you formed and got together as the band?
We met through friends. We all ended up going to Bluesfest together a few years back and started jamming outside the tents and it stemmed from there. Before we had a drummer I would beat box. Then Dan came along; we bought a van (the moon bus), welded two double beds in it before driving across the Nullabour, with a gas cooker and the gear in the back. Our song writing was trial and error. At first wasn’t a major issue. We would just jam for our friends and play whatever came to us. Then we started toying with different styles and textures, more lyrical ideas and structures. We all gained influence from listening to our dad’s records and things grew naturally from there.
What’s been happening with the band this year?
We just got home from our second tour abroad. We drove through Canada, Europe and the UK for 2 months. Through the Rockies to the Champs Elysees eating baguettes, sleeping on floors, going mental at every gig- from packed cobblestone alleyways to doing the laying down running man on an Irish pub floor, we gave it our all. Just before that we finished an Australian tour and laid down our first record in a shipping container in the hinterland. We grew massive beards, hid away for a bit and wrote songs.
Rogerthat in Haarlemmeerstraat Amsterdam 09
You have just released your debut album internationally, yes?
What was the writing and recording process for the album?
Yep we have released it internationally, I think these days you can get any record anywhere in the world. We were on the European tour last year and started planning the album while in transit. Our manager helped out with production ideas but other than that we completely wrote and recorded it ourselves in Jimmy (guitarists) shipping container with minimal gear over a couple of months. We basically moved into his parents’ house and shut away from anything that could distract us, including our friends. It was real cool to watch the songs grow along with our ability to know what sounded right, although every artist will tell you writing and recording an album is never easy.
The band has toured thru Canada, France, Holland the UK twice now – and just finished a tour in July this year, any highlights?
France this year for us was really bang on. The first gig there was in Le Touquet to a crowded street screaming like mad for what ended up being three encores. Lots of people on the tour saw us last year and had told their friends, which is essentially how we want it to be- a seed growing from the ground up. We travelled through Holland and Amsterdam and played a place called Timboktoe and saw the greatest sunset on earth. People were swinging from the rafters in the mosh cowboy style. A major highlight this year was Canada.
Video clip for Rogerthat’s song featured in Contrasts: 19
What are the plans for international touring?
We were planning to move to Canada next year for a few months basing in Vancouver, then travelling down the West coast of the states. Our promoters and the band we toured with there were super cool, we’ll be back to visit them for sure. The Canadian people to me were a lot like Australians except a lot more people generally seem go out and see bands. Kind of like it would have been here in the Eighties when Midnight Oil were busting onto the scene. Also the album has got a release in Europe and we’re building a good base and audience there, so no doubt we’ll be back ASAP.
What happens next?
We’ll we’re out on the road now, letting everybody know about the album and that we’re playing in their town. There’ll be a bit of work on new songs and we’ll be hitting the waves when we can – after going crazy not seeing the ocean enough. Tubular!
After this tour we will be knuckling back down writing songs at home, after travelling we’ve all had a fair bit of food for thought and some good songs are already coming out. After that I suppose the goal is to keep growing as a band and touring the world doing what we love and do best.
– Col B
Upcoming Live Shows
11 October 2009 @ 8pm, Fisho’s Marina Mirage, Queensland, Aus
23 October 2009 @ 8pm, The Zoo, Brisbane, Qld, Aus
25 October 2009 @ 8pm, Valley Fiesta – Valley Mall, Brisbane, Qld, Aus
