Things have taken off in a big way for Rebelution and in a relatively short period of time. This is large in part to the band’s strong work ethic and that the Santa Barbara four-piece possesses that hard to define x-factor, where its music appeals to the masses and demands to be re-heard - Safe and Sound anyone?
The band’s sophomore album Bright Side of Life is about to drop to a large and hungry fan-base and today excited to chat about this latest release, the entire band has taken the time to revisit The Pier. All four members taking part in this interview is a unified demonstration of how close the guys are and how important it is to them to be all representing Rebelution. They care.
The Pier: The single Safe and Sound was an amazing success for you, including getting some serious airplay on KROQ and 91X, do you remember hearing yourself on the radio for the first time and what that was like?
Eric Rachmany (vocals/guitar): Actually the first place we ever heard our music on the radio was Hawaii. We had made that five song EP basically for our friends, but it got heard in Hawaii and this kid we knew sent it to a radio station over there and all of a sudden it blew up. So once we went there, that was the first time we heard it on the radio.
Wes Finley (drums): One of the first moments was when we had just stepped off the airplane and we were being picked-up by Marley’s (bass) godmother. So we were still in the airport and she had just given us leis, so it was a cool moment already being in Hawaii as a group for the first time and seeing someone we knew and then the next thing we hear is our song being played in the airport. That was the coolest.
The Pier: Wow, sounds like it was almost pre-coordinated (haha)?
Wes: Yeah it felt like we were in a MTV sketch or something. We were waiting for the cameras to come out or something (haha).
The Pier: After the huge success of Courage to Grow, did you feel any pressure to go and make a follow-up album?
Rory Carey (keys): Not any real pressure to do it. We are going to keep making music anyway, regardless whether Courage to Grow was successful or not. Some of the songs on this album were even written before Courage to Grow was even released. Though there was definite motivation there that we have fans and people who want to hear more and have been hitting us up for a long time with, “When are you going to record this song or this song?” So for that reason it was cool to get this album done.
The Pier: Bright Side Of Life was recorded in your hometown of Santa Barbara. Did you ever consider recording anywhere else?
Marley D. Williams: I think we considered recording a lot of different places. Though having a great studio in Santa Barbara Sound Design, is really nice and there has been a lot of great artists go through there recently. Depeche Mode just recorded there. Plus being just down the street, you get to sleep in your own bed and I think it makes the recording come out a lot better, as everyone is a little more relaxed. So that was nice and fun.
The Pier: Do you write much material in the studio or is it pretty much prepared before you go in?
Marley D. Williams: We definitely have everything organized before we go in, as studio time is obviously expensive. We set out with a budget and a certain number of days and after recording our first album in Northern California, we had a better idea of how the process was going to go and how to get as much done in a 12 hour day.
We had a good time, we used the same engineer (Gene Cornelius) as last time and getting to go home every night instead of some random place, we were really stoked about it.
The Pier: How have you seen the evolution of your music from Courage to Grow to this album?
Eric Rachmany: I think there has been a lot. There has been a real progression in our songwriting and the arrangement, which all put in our two cents. We had a lot more time with this album to think about it and I think the message is kind of a continuation from Courage to Grow. We want people to feel an encouragement and we are in a position to be role models in society. So we feel it is our duty to put out positivity through our music. Bright Side of Life is a continuation of that feeling of motivation.
I also think the songs are a lot more developed and we added a lot more different genres into this album too. We have a pop song. a roots reggae song, hip hop and straight rock, though the foundation is reggae. We like to mix it up with all the different styles.
The Pier: You have got some sweet horn lines on almost half the songs on the album. Did you write songs for this album with having horns on them in mind?
Eric Rachmany: For the most part yeah and for a couple it was very last minute where we thought it might be cool and it turned out that way. We all love horns and reggae music with a horn section sounds pretty awesome.
The Pier: You rerecorded Change the System. What was the decision behind that?
Wes Finley: I think the main decision is that we wanted to serve it full justice. The first five song demo EP was done for a thousand dollars or less and in a home studio - which was fine for the time. We had redone Attention Span and Safe and Sound, so we really thought Change the System need to be recorded again. This time we used a lot of horns and that song has a very strong horn-line, so it was pretty critical in re-doing it and revamping the sound. I think it ended up being one of the strongest songs on the new album and brings momentum to the end of it.
The Pier: The album is coming out on your own label 87 Music, where is the name from and what was with the inspiration to create your own label?
Marley D. Williams: It derives from an address we lived at, at different points in our college careers in Isla Vista right next to UCSB. 6587 was the address, but we always called it the 8-7 and so when we were trying to think of a label we wanted to keep it real and that was the realest thing we could have come up with because it is where we played our first show. We were mainly doing cover songs and maybe one or two originals, but that’s where it all started and we all lived there.
I think we are really a reflection of that environment and people around us from there have motivated us to take it to where it is today. I think the label name is a tribute to that. The logo is a mail box and symbolizes material inside and hopefully we can keep on growing and eventually sign bands and release some cool projects under this label.
The Pier: You have some fantastic bands opening for you on your upcoming tour: Iration, Tribal Seeds, GPGDS and Outlaw Nation. Did you hand pick these bands yourselves?
Rory Carey: For the majority we did definitely. Iration is a local band from Santa Barbara that we are good friends with. So it was logical to tour with them and we have talked about it for a long time. We have played with Giant Panda before and Tribal Seeds, so we are all good friends and it is good music. We are definitely involved with picking which bands we take with us on the road. We are not going to just pick any band because they will bring people, we want to it to be a good show too.
The Pier: It must be really cool to be in a position where you can take some very wicked bands on the road with you?
Rory Carey: This is the first time we are doing national headlining tour, so this was the first time we really got to pick the bands to open for us and be part of this experience with us. We are really pumped for the start of the tour.
The Pier: You have had the chance to play on some very cool shows and tours this past couple of years, do you have any personal highlights?
Wes Finley: When we got started definitely some of the best memory makers were playing here in Isla Vista because mostly because in part they were free shows and were enjoying hearing the music. So that was cool it was not motivated by money at all. We have so many cool memories from those shows like, with power outages and having to pick up all our instruments and move down the street or having the cops called on us for making too much noise.
Also some of the festivals we have got to play on in the summer, especially this year, Rothbury was fun and so was Reggae Rising last year. I know Marley had a great time.
Marley D. Williams: Adding to what Wes said, we had the chance to tour with two other bands under Silverback management that showed us about touring and what it is all about and the comrade - The Expendables and Slightly Stoopid. They are like family to us and all the bands under Silverback are like that. It is cool for them to go out with you and have the attitude that everything is ours is yours. Hopefully we can pass that attitude on to other bands.
The Pier: First Pier fan question. How did you like going to college at UCSB?
Eric Rachmany: We all had an amazing college experience. Santa Barbara in general, we had a really good time. You get to meet a lot of different people in that college environment and it’s a surrounding that is quite motivating to be an artist. People ask, “What’s the best way to make it in the music business?” A lot of people go to LA, but I tell them to go to Isla Vista and play for the people out in the streets. That’s what we did and worked hard at it. As far as the actual education goes, that was pretty amazing too, we all graduated with different degrees and I think it helped us out as artists. All of us finishing four years of intense studying showed us if dedicated we can accomplish anything.
The Pier: Here is another Pier fan question. Do you have any favorite sports teams?
Marley D. Williams: San Francisco Giants - straight up!
Eric Rachmany: Golden State Warriors. Rory and Wes aren’t so much into sports as me and Marley, but lately we have been into playing croquet.
Marley D. Williams: Niners and Giants for life!
The Pier: Haha. Another fan question, is there anyone special you want to record with (producer/artist)?
Eric Rachmany: There are a lot of great reggae roots artists I grew up listening to that got me into reggae in the first place: Don Carlos or Michael Rose, the Black Uhuru crew (that would be pretty cool). Also a lot of dancehall artists I would like to work with like Collie Buddz, Damian Marley and Sizzla.
Wes Finley: Man, you are naming them all. I would also take Chali 2na from Jurassic 5. He is such a great vocalist, with such a distinct voice. He is also open to working with other artists, so I’d like to see him do some more reggae.
Rory Carey: Yeah pretty much everything on Eric’s list. Any of the Marley Brothers would be very cool.
Marley D. Williams: One dude that mixes it up all the way around and he even guest appeared on a reggae pop band song from Germany called Seed, is Cee-lo, also known as Gnarls Barkley. That guy is everywhere and he nails it just every time.
The Pier: Last fan question. Do you feel like Reggae Rock is growing and what are some of the changes you have seen since you started Rebelution?
Rory Carey: I think the term Reggae Rock is a new term that has come up in the last decade. You would never hear a band describe themselves as a reggae rock band before that. I think it is growing and is starting to become cool. With reggae at the moment there is a push to bring it back with Damian Marley and Matisyahu. Bringing this music back with different influences and making it fun and fresh again is really important to me and something I want to see.
For us, to even watch us grow and have more fans it seems like the genre is growing and there are tons of new bands starting all the time. It is a really exciting time. We got Obama on our side now. Hopefully we will get some good stuff going - Rebelution in the Whitehouse!
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