Concocting an inimitable blend of influences from 1970s Nigerian Afrobeat to the deepest of street funk, The Seven Ups are Melbourne’s favourite party band, delivering blistering solos of unkempt horns over an unbeatable rhythm section.
The band’s energetic stage performances have been them opening for the likes of Charles Bradley, The Budos Band, Babylon Circus, and The Bamboos, as well as embarking on a series of much talked-about residencies at numerous Melbourne venues.
The band dropped their debut, self-titled album on limited edition yellow vinyl earlier this year and they’re currently gearing up for a performance as part of AWME 2015. We recently caught up with the band to get their history and what fans can expect at AWME.
The Seven Ups will showcase at Max Watts on Thursday November 12 with Mojo Juju, Emma Donovan & the PutBacks and Quarter Street. Get more info here.
Genesis
It was about four or five years ago, sitting in my car at a railway crossing listening to PBS FM that I first heard Fela Kuti. I was into anything 70s funk but I’d never heard of Afrobeat. As soon as it came on the radio I was hooked, it was like nothing else I’d ever heard.
I didn’t catch his name, so I went home and Googled Afrobeat and the only thing that came up was Fela Kuti. Next day I decided that I had to start an Afrobeat band and it’s spiralled from there. What The Seven Ups has become is a bit of a diversion from straight-up Afrobeat, but it’s still a massive influence on us.
Early Beginnings
Most of us had been studying in some capacity at the various music schools in Melbourne. Myself, I’d been playing in a few funk/soul cover bands, as well as playing in rock bands and struggling through a few jazz groups.
Influences
Outside of Fela, we draw heavy influence from The Funkees (an awesome 70s Nigerian band), along with artists like James Brown, Sly Stone, The Meters, and contemporary acts like Budos Band and Antibalas.
I’m also a big blues fan and there’s a nice kinda cross over between Blues and West African music with the Dessert Blues from artists like Ali Farka Toure, Bombino and Tinariwen.
The Charles Bradley Experience
I never imagined that I’d have the opportunity to open for one of my idols, it was a dream come true. Standing side of stage after our set and watching Charles and his band perform was a surreal experience.
Looking To AWME
We’ve been put on a pretty sweet lineup and we haven’t played Max Watts before, so the gig itself should be a lot of fun. We’re also looking to branch out on a national and international level, so it will be great to make some connections with the delegates.
Looking To The Future
We’re working towards our next album which will hopefully be out mid next year. Most of the music is written and we’ve added a lot of it to our live show, it’s just a matter of getting into the studio to lay it down. We’re also managing to get around the country a bit more starting with a handful of festivals up the east coast this summer.
Keeping An Ear Out
There’s heaps! On the groove scene you’ve got groups like Public Opinion Afro Orchestra, Shaolin Afronauts, Cactus Channel, Up Up Away and Echo Drama. And Emma Donovan and The Putbacks is such a great pairing! Everyone in our band has pretty diverse tastes too, personally I’ve got a soft spot for rock, I really dig acts like Chris Russell’s Chickenwalk, Child and The Floors.
Highlights
Earlier this year we got to open for The Budos Band, who are one of my all time favourite bands. Those guys put on a crazy live show and getting in front of their audience was a great gig for us. Meeting them and hanging out afterwards was pretty wild too.
