Soul shakers Fat Freddy’s Drop are gearing up to head back to Perth for a stellar show at the Red Hill Auditorium. Graeme Watson chatted to saxophonist Chopper Reedz ahead of their WA performance.
How was the recording of your latest album ‘Bays’ different to previous records?
Well, we recorded it in the same place as the previous record, Blackbird – at our studio which is called, coincidentally, Bays. But we’ve really got a handle on how to get the best from that room now; we’ve moved a few things around and have changed where the vocals and horn booths are. We’ve got a few more toys – in terms of some new synths and other assorted vintage musical oddities. But the main difference was that we committed 9 months solid to writing, recording and producing the record – with no breaks for touring during that time.
Fat Freddy’s Drop aren’t afraid of a long tune – is it frustrating that many radio stations still only play 3 minute long pop hits?
If commercial radio was the only way to connect with our audience, yes it’d be a huge frustration. But in some ways the digital age is almost purpose built for a band like FFD. Our music sits more comfortably in the blogs, independent internet radio shows, streamed mixtapes and fan-to-fan recommendations that the internet has made possible; places where track quality, rather than brevity, is the key issue.
Who are your saxophone heroes?
The first guy I can really remember hearing and starting to recognise as a player was David Sanborn. He delivered some god-awful smooth jazz in the 80s & 90s, but before that he was one of the go-to session guys in NYC. He’s all over the records I heard my mother playing; Joni Mitchell, Stevie Wonder, David Bowie. After that I was drawn to jazz greats Cannonball Adderly, Ornette Coleman & Joe Henderson, and then Maceo Parker – who was James Brown’s secret weapon on some classic funk jams – and Eric Leeds, who played with Prince. These days I tend to listen to horn sections rather than individuals.
How many shows has FFD played now? I heard it was getting close to 1000 – has it ticked over yet – which have been the most memorable?
It must be very close to 1000, if not just over that number now. They’re all memorable for one reason or another; we played to 10,000 people at Alexander Palace in London last year. That was memorable as our biggest ever headline show. I remember the first time I played with FFD (after original saxophonist Fulla Flash failed to make the show) – on a hastily borrowed saxophone, that was pretty horrible. We played Perth beach last year with the most amazing sunset as the back drop. And our show last weekend at Black Barn will be memorable because my guitar-playing 8-year old boy was side of stage watching transfixed as Jetlag Johnson kicked into an amazing solo on Roady.
How has it been taking these songs created in the studio out on the road, do they stay the same as the recorded version or break free of some constraints?
The recorded versions tend to be the starting point for these songs. From here, they just keep getting developed and tweaked and added to. Sometimes it’s a subtle refinement and sometimes it’s like giving the song a complete reboot – that’s why coming to a live show is the best way to experience the band.
Is there a song that FFD have to play at every show?
At the moment we seem to have a few. Blackbird and Shiverman never seem to lose their place in the setlist. That said, I make no promises that we’ll actually play either next time out….
Catch Fat Freddy’s Drop at Red Hill Auditorium on Saturday 13th February. Tickets available from Ticketmaster.
Graeme Watson
