Contents. History Katchafire formed in Hamilton in 2000, originally as a Bob Marley tribute band. They have released five albums: (2003), which featured the highest-selling New Zealand single of 2002 'Giddy Up', (2005) (2007), (2010), and the compilation Best So Far (2013). The band has toured Australia, the, the United States, New Caledonia and Brazil and have played on the same bills as The Wailers, The Marleys, Fiji, and. Band members The band's original line-up consisted of Grenville Bell (guitar) and his two sons Logan (vocal) and Jordan (drums/vocals). The lineup expanded to include eight members, including Jerry (lead vocals, lead guitar), Thompson Hohepa (lead vocals), Hani Totorewa (keyboards, vocals), and Tere Ngarua (bass). Due to work and schooling commitments Tere Ngarua was replaced by Travis Te Hau, and Hani Totorewa was replaced by James Ferguson.
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As a result of commitments with other bands, family and religion, lead singer Jerry and bass player Travis Te Hau left Katchafire and the band reformed as a five-piece band with Logan becoming the band's new lead singer, with Thompson Hohepa taking over on guitar and lead vocals, Jordan Bell on drums, John Kennedy on bass (later replaced by Shane Maraki), James Ferguson on vocals, keyboards, saxophone and guitar, under the management of Grenville Bell. The addition of Ara Adams Tamatea on bass/band management and Leon Davey on percussion/backing vocals and reunion with the now qualified high school teacher Hani Totorewa on keyboards allowed Grenville Bell to step out of the management role and into his present role as lead guitarist and the brand 'Katchafire Enterprise LTD' was realized. Ara stepped down from his role as manager/bass player, with original bass player Tere Ngarua returning and Logan taking over the band management and leadership.
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The current lineup consists of Logan Bell (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Jordan Bell (drums, vocals), Grenville Bell (lead guitar), Tere Ngarua (bass), Hani Totorewa (keyboards, vocals), James Ferguson (keyboards, saxophone, vocals), and Leon Davey (percussion, vocals). Discography Albums Year Album Label Peak chart positions 2003 Revival Shock/BMG 5 2005 Slow Burning Mai/Shock 12 2007 5 2010 On the Road Again EMI/Lion House Records 3 2013 Best So Far (compilation) / 3 Featured appearances Katchafire have appeared on a number of compilations since 2002 in New Zealand. The following is a list of these albums that have featured tracks by Katchafire. Release Album Label Track 2002 Simply the Best Reggae Album 'Bounce' 2003 The Reggae Collection 'Collie Herb Man' and 'Giddy Up' Off the Hook 3 'Get Away' (Remix) 2004 'Get Away' 2005 Capitol Music 'Frisk Me Down' 2006 'Giddy Up' 2007 Conscious Roots 4 'This World' Singles Year Single Peak chart positions Album 2002 'Giddy Up' 4 Revival 'Get Away' 8 'Who You With' 10 2003 'Colour Me Life' — 'Bounce' — 'Seriously' — 2004 'Rude Girl' — Slow Burning 2005 'Hey Girl' — 2006 'Frisk Me Down' — 2007 'Say What You're Thinking' — 2008 'Love Letter' — 2009 'Working' — 2010 'Slow Down' feat.
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Rebel Souljahz — Bring Back The Days 'Just You & Me' feat. Na Wai — Non-album single 'On The Road Again' — On The Road Again 'Groove Again' — 2016 'Burn it Down' — References.
Katchafire Youtube
Reggae is one of the bloodlines of New Zealand music — which accounts for the extraordinary success of Hamilton’s Katchafire who, two years ago, emerged as the hardest working band in the country. Their astonishing debut album, the prophetically named Revival, sold in excess of 30,000 copies (double platinum) and they scored massive hits with songs like Giddy Up, the biggest selling single of 2002. Katchafire had tapped into that bloodline of New Zealand and people, being reacquainted with what they had lost, loved it all over again. Katchafire’s music was uplifting and celebratory, and their gigs were joyous singalong affairs where people of all cultures and affiliations were welcomed. Their audiences are still the most cross-cultural, cross-generational in the country. Katchafire were, and remain, unique in New Zealand music. They are a viable, touring eight-piece band which can work the length of the country without exhausting the place.
They can return to a venue they played just a few months before and pack it out all over again. That is rare for any band. The success of the band was evident in album sales, opening shows for the likes of Michael Franti and Spearhead, gigs all across the country (three in one day on Waitangi Day 2004, in Hamilton, Manukau and Nelson), three tours to Australia and New Caledonia, and most recently a stadium-filling headlining show in Fiji. And now they are stepping up again with a cracking new album Slow-Burning which shows them reaching a new level. From the terrific cover slip — a cheeky homage to the classic Bob Marley album sleeve from which the band took its name — to the eleven diverse tracks within Slow-Burning is a leap forward, both musically and lyrically. The title is again appropriate; you will feel the fire from this for a long time to come.
Produced by Chris Macro (of Dubious Brothers) and with international guests, this is a new level of consciousness music from Katchafire which moves effortlessly from classic JA-sounding roots-reggae to material which could be located nowhere else other than in Aotearoa: when they say “don’t frisk me down because of my brown skin” they also bring dignity to bear, “we must hold our head up high”. The deeply felt and fiery I And I stands proudly in the local lineage of politicised reggae that was kick-started by Herbs. More than on their debut they pull in threads of dub and toasting, there are musical references to the sound of classic Trojan records (Close Your Eyes, Hey Girl Version) but, courtesy of the French horn section Mister Gang whom they met in New Caledonia, you can also hear echoes of DD Smash-styled pop. And on Rude Girl, with toasting by Tuff Enchant, the band open with a tricky rhythm and a nod to the music of Cuba.
Katchafire Burn It Down
However Katchafire haven’t sacrificed their pop sensibilities and songs like Hey Girl, I Got Ya Back and Close Your Eyes should be all over radio this, and every, summer. With Slow-Burning, Katchafire have fulfilled the promise of their debut that here was a band schooled in roots reggae, which has honed its professionalism on the road, and has within its ranks songwriters who can take their place alongside the best Aotearoa has had to offer. Katchafire shows are always celebratory affairs and with Slow-Burning the band have even more to be joyous to be about.
Katchafire Down With You![]()
Be prepared to celebrate with them.
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