Fat Freddy's Drop
Fat Freddy’s Drop are great. It’s sometimes difficult in life to be that definitive, but in the case of this collective, they really are. Although difficult to define their sound, the Freddy’s crew bring a great blend of reggae-infused soul unlike anyone else before them. Their debut album ‘Based on a True Story’, which came out in 2005, is arguably one of the most successful albums in New Zealand’s history, as well as a massive hit globally, even being touted as ‘Album of the Year’ by over 20,000 listeners of Gilles Peterson's BBC Radio 1 'Worldwide' show. The band is on the verge of releasing its follow-up ‘The Big BW album’. To tell us a little more about this Hi-Tek Soul sound, MC Slave reveals all about life with the Freddy’s camp…
You don’t really conform to any one genre, so I was wondering if you could describe your sound to anyone who hasn’t heard you before?Yeah, it’s true, I suppose it is kinda hard to define. I think at its core is Soul music, but Soul music encompasses a lot of different forms, such as Reggae, Funk and Dance elements. Even Hip Hop can come under that bracket. I think all those forms run through it. I think our sound has evolved over time and particularly within the live shows where it is always different and it does evolve in different directions from there, (laughs) - yeah you’re right, it is hard to define…
The Fat Freddy’s Drop crew were due to be in Europe in August, but this ended up getting cancelled - how come?That was a tough one for the band, ‘cause we really did want to make it. I mean, after all it was summer over there, right? It’s winter in New Zealand at that time of year, and it can get pretty cold in Wellington... No, really though, it was so we could continue to focus and work on the album. We’d built up a good head of steam, so we forfeited it for that really…
Is the new ‘Big BW’ album in a similar vein to ‘B.O.A.T’?It’s different. I mean, it’s got a lot of the classic Freddy’s elements within it, which I think the fans will definitely love. But the sound has evolved as well…
So what’s the idea behind the title ‘The Big BW’?The BIG BW is the name of the robot who works for Dr Boondigger. He abducted the Freddy’s and took them back to Dr Boondigger's laboratory where terrible experiments were carried out on the band. However, it still remains unclear as to what BW stands for.
It’s taken three years for this album to come to fruition - how come it’s taken so long? Probably down to the fact that ‘Based on a True Story’ was released in New Zealand before it came out in other parts of the world. This went on for two years with periodic releases all over and with that came touring and visiting those different places and all the other stuff which comes with releasing an album. So I think that was part of it. When you finish with all that, then you have to start getting back into the writing and catching up with what’s been going with everyone. That’s the difference now. Essentially, we are currently gearing up for a worldwide release which is a different beast for us. It’s good for the band though ‘cause it allows everyone to hear the new material at the same time. This way over the course of 2009 we’ll be able to take it everywhere rather than it stretching over a few years. With all the experience and learning that came with the first album, it’s taken three years for us to acclimatise to that, and what’s about to be the new album…
I’ve heard a new track called ‘The Camel’, which has a special guest appearance from soul diva Alice Russell - how did that come about?She was visiting New Zealand on tour and I think Mu (or super producer DJ Fitchie) managed to get her to our old studio and they basically recorded The Camel. She’s jammed with us before when we’ve played at the Astoria in London. She’s a friend of the band, although we don’t really get to see her that often...
Regarding another track I’ve been lucky enough to hear ‘Pull the Catch’, I’ve heard a really nice story regarding its conception. Is it true a few of the Freddy’s guys went out on a fishing trip early one morning and the song contains actual melodies and elements from the songs the fishermen were singing at the time? Yeah that’s right. It’s funny really ‘cause I also cut videos for the band. We’ve just pulled the clip for ‘Pull the Catch’ and it actually contains footage of the fishing trip. It was in a place called Rakautara which is in the South Islands off New Zealand and it was for crayfish. It was actually with Joe’s (Dukie) uncle and cousin. Basically yep, the lyrics to the track were all inspired by that trip. Even if you weren’t to know that, I think it’s got a good universal feel to it. I think it’s a great track…
I’d read there’s a real emphasis within the Freddy’s camp of the importance of food and hospitality, something you call Manaakitanga?It’s actually a multi-word. Food and eating have always been an important part of the Freddy’s working and living experience… but I think that’s true for everybody. It’s one of the most enjoyable things people can do at any time. It’s important for us to get together to feast and then talk over the ideas we all have. When you bring other people in, we find it’s always the best way to communicate and break down barriers… break bread as they say…
After the success of B.O.A.T, was it daunting going into the studio this time around?With the experience of the first album and with everything that entails - like the old saying goes, “you’ve got the whole of your life to work on your first album and then just a few years to work on your second”, which I think is the dilemma of many an artist.
Artwork seems an important thing for you guys. There’s always some great cartoon art that comes with your work, can you tell us a little about this?There are a few hands on deck with this one. A few of the drawings and the cartoons from the first album were all done by Joe – he’s a bit of an underground artist / cartoonist in his own right. He developed the Freddy’s characters. Since then he’s collaborated with a few locally based Wellington artists to develop these ideas. One of the artists was Simon Morse, who’s worked on a few international comic books. I can tell you that there’s definitely some majorly awesome artwork currently going down for the new album. It should be going up on the website sometime soon. You’ll get a sneak preview with the Pull the Catch single… some great styles to look forward to...
You are involved in a radio show called ‘WFFD’, tell us about this?Yep, it’s an online radio show. It’s a one and a half hour stream that we do on FatFreddysdrop.com; I try and do it every couple of weeks - yeah that’s my thing. It’s been our way over the last year or so to play new tracks, remixes and live stuff and sneak our friends’ tracks out. It’s just become like a forum; we do interviews with the boys and do shouts for other artists. Anything Freddy’s related really. I really like the idea that people can check into it whilst they are say looking through their e-mails or doing other stuff…
Finally you’ve put out ‘Live at the Matterhorn’, which as you have such a great reputation live, seemed like a great idea and in fairness has done really well. So I wondered what it would take to put out a ‘Live from Norwich UEA’ as it’s follow up?(laughs) Live from Norwich. I tell you what, we do actually record every gig. If Norwich is hype and happening and the band are on form it will definitely make the tapes… I can promise you that. Now I’m not sure if it’ll get its own album, but it will get a look in for sure… Fat Freddy’s Drop will be appearing at Norwich UEA on Wednesday 3rd of December. It’s one of only four UK dates so it’s going to be well worth getting up there to see them. For tickets go to www.ueaticketbookings.co.uk.
