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The Black Seeds

Reggae / Rock / Funk

Wellington, New Zealand

About

With massive success down under, and the excitement and reputation of the band now spreading throughout Europe and the globe, New Zealand 8-piece The Black Seeds have been winning over fans with their unique and original brand of reggae, dub, funk and soul since forming in 1997.
An institution in their part of the world, The Black Seeds are at the forefront of a South Pacific reggae/roots scene that is fast gaining international attention. They have carved out their reputation on the back of two doubleplatinum selling albums, and a masterful 8-piece live show regarded as one of the finest in Australasia.
After recently signing record deals with highly respected European labels Sonar Kollectiv and Rough Trade Netherlands, it is The Black Seeds' recent success in Europe that has well and truly established them as a band on the rise on the international scene. Having already spent 5 weeks at No 1 in the New Zealand album charts, The Black Seeds successfully released their latest album Into the Dojo in Europe in July 07 to critical acclaim and strong airplay (particularly in France and Germany). The release was followed by their third and most successful European tour in the summer 2007.

The Metro, Sidney (Australia)

The Black Seeds hail from Wellington, the coastal capital city of New Zealand. Fitting in with the laidback, outdoor Kiwi way of life, reggae music was warmly welcomed into the New Zealand culture in the 70's, sewing the seeds for a burgeoning roots scene that is becoming globally recognised for its distinctive, South Pacific flavour. (Fat Freddy's Drop etc)
Lead by the soulful vocals of Barnaby Weir and Daniel Weetman, The Black Seeds fuse dub, funk, and soul, with a classic reggae base. It is their unique and innovative moulding of these genres that has seen them develop a truly distinctive sound and style which has spread their music so effectively in New Zealand, and now throughout the globe. Great importance is put on maintaining their own original interpretations in their music and staying true to their own local culture and values - from urban Wellington to the natural landscapes of New Zealand and the South Pacific. Highly infectious and accessible, yet always credible and authentic, The Black Seeds' music is fresh, organic and uplifting.
It is their raw energy, good-time vibe and ability to connect with every audience that has seen their 8-piece live show become a quintessential part of Australasian summers. Their dynamic live performances effortlessly transcend from stonking reggae and heavy dub, to supremely danceable upbeat funk and afrobeat. Whether it's a summer event, festival, or an inside venue, The Black Seeds' legendary live show always hits the mark.

The Black Seeds headquarters is The Surgery in Newtown, Wellington. An old Karate Dojo and condemned building, The Black Seeds' sound engineer, Lee Prebble took advantage of the cheap rent in 2003 to set up the studio which has since become the practice room, recording studio, and general hangout space for the band, with all three of their albums jammed, written and produced there.
The band first started turning heads with the release of their debut album, Keep on Pushing (2001) through New Zealand indie label Loop Recordings. The album received widespread critical acclaim, reaching gold sales status despite its tiny marketing budget. Keep on Pushing was released in Australia through Shock Records and France, Belgium and Switzerland through Productions Speciales,
with the first single reaching No. 29 in France's 'Groove' charts and No. 100 in the overall French single charts.
The second studio album, 2004's On the Sun, added a heavy dose of funk and soul to the dub reggae sound that underpinned their debut. On the Sun debuted at No. 3 on the New Zealand album charts, achieving double platinum sales and solidifying The Black Seeds' status as one of the country's premier groups. The single So True was one of the most popular and highly played New Zealand songs of 2005, while singles Turn It Around and Fire received widespread airplay on student radio. In 2005 On the Sun was again released in Australia through Shock Records.

In July 2007, the band released their third album Into the Dojo in New Zealand. Spending five consecutive weeks at No. 1 in the album charts, the album reached double platinum sales. While still retaining the band's essential reggae/dub/funk roots, Into the Dojo showed a great deal of development in the group's sound. Song-writing duties were shared throughout the band this time round, with Daniel Weetman joining Barnaby Weir on lead vocal duties. Into the Dojo is The Black Seeds' most mature and accomplished album to date.
The album was successfully released in Australia through Remote Control Records in late 2006, followed by a successful album release tour. In December 2006 the band then performed standout shows at Australia's biggest New Year music festivals The Falls Festival and Southbound.

After signing the record deals with European labels Rough Trade Records (Benelux) and German label Sonar Kollektiv (rest of Europe/Japan), Into The Dojo was released in Europe and Japan from July 30th, 2007, supported by two 12'' EP's released through Best Seven/Sonar Kollecitv.
Receiving strong reviews and press, the album garnered huge support from prominent radio stations such as Radio Nova (France), and Radio Einz (Germany). The album sold well and established a loyal following for the band throughout Europe. Songs from the album have featured on a number of European compilations such as Best 7 Selections and Sunny Side Up.
To support the release, The Black Seeds completed their third, 18-show European tour in July/August 2007. The tour included sell-out shows at London's Koko and The Mean Fiddler venues, threeB sell-out performances at the Edinburgh Festival, standout performances at the legendary Lowlands Festival in Holland (70,000 strong), 2 sellout shows in Berlin, a live performance on the BBC's Craig Charles Funk and Soul Show, as well as strong attendances in venues across the UK, France, Germany and Holland.

After performing showcases in New York, Los Angeles and Philadelphia in late 2006, The Black Seeds will be announcing a US management deal in the very near future, followed by a US tour and album release in 2008.
In mid 2008, the band will release their anticipated fourth studio album, supported by a European album release
tour between late June - mid August, 2008.

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