Interview: Seth Wallis, Drummer for Chainska Brassika
Seth Wallis and his seven other Chainska Brassika bandmates are world reggae champions creating their own ska sound, touring, and doing what they can to rule the world. What COVID19, right? They optimistically released a music video in March 2020.
You won a contest to record in Jamaica. Why does it make a difference where one records music?
Recording in Jamaica was an absolute privilege and we would like to thank Ostroda Reggae Festival (Poland), Macken the Festival Organiser and Tiger Lily for getting us there. We would also like to thank Sam Clayton our Producer and Judge for helping us to create what we think is an amazing body of work. Given the times Chainska Brassika would like to send our condolences to Sam Clayton's family due to his battle with COVID-19.
Jamaica was an amazing experience musically and culturally, which is why it's so good to record away from the norm! When recording in different locations, wherever in the world, you can’t help but feel inspired by the environment around you, which inevitably influences the music.
When you record with producers who often want to change things and make it all their direction, what do you try to get your way with creatively?
HA! A tricky one to answer. In all honesty, there are 8 of us in the band and we are usually very diplomatic when it comes to decisions. Having a Producer with an 'outside ear' and knowledge usually works in our favour because they have experience, which we would be silly not to listen too. If the Producer wants us to do something we are not sure about, HELL YEAH we will give it a go and see how it sounds and feels. Sometimes absolute gold and other times not so good but at the end of the day at least we tried. LET’S VOTE AND SEE!
You were on schedule to perform at SXSW 2020. What have you been doing instead with recording and other changes of plans due to COVID-19?
YUP, after 2 failed attempts surely it's 3rd time lucky? NOPE COVID-19 hits and hits hard closing borders and everything else with it. Due to coronavirus we have been trying to keep ourselves and our fans busy with videos and tracks we recorded during lockdown and getting the fans involved with filming and dancing: 'Shmanny Ska’ video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MtK2XpuogtQ. Also, with COVID-19 all of our gigs this year have been postponed so we are in uncharted waters, with some being cancelled. We are keen to push our boundaries musically and creatively to keep our fans excited and on their toes as to what we will be releasing this year…
With eight band members, outside of musical duties, how do you work together as a team? Who does promotions? Social media? Tour chores? And so on? It must be like operating a small business, but it is a band.
Thankfully, most of us work within other creative fields as well as musically. Our drummer, Seth, does most of our branding, visuals, merchandise and music videos. Rory, one of our saxophonists and his buddy on Trombone, Lucas, have keens ears, love Logic Pro and Chainska Brassika so don't mind editing, recording, mixing, mastering tracks when needed. Another one of our Saxophonists, Tom, for many years was our all round go to man anything gigs, tours related. Tom booked most of our shows up until we got a booking agent, Tom you did a KILLA job. Henry, our guitarist is a Chef and a bloody good one! So he mainly feeds us on tour and keeps us away from our fast foods…Sometimes!! Ash, as well as being a talented singer is also a lifeguard so we are always safe when swimming although he is very sticky on the rules…
It's kinda crazy listing off all the other skills we have, it seems like the start of our own creative agency instead of a band...
It’s almost a cliche by now that the more band members a band has, the more likely they are to break up over tiny “creative differences.” Thankfully, you haven’t! Why are you succeeding at work and still getting along?
Ultimately, I think we are just all really, really close friends. We spent 8 years at school with each other so we have probably got our bullying and name calling out the way! Creatively, it’s always diplomatic, like I mentioned before, and now thankfully our manager has the 9th vote so we always get an answer. Still getting along? Probably, just about, with so many members if there are any lovers tiffs there are another 7 members to mingle and chill with by which time it's all forgotten and back to bants.
Ska had its big pop culture moment in the USA in the 90’s. It went away maybe 2001, and it has sort of come back with people finding independent musicians easily on Spotify. What has your experience across the pond been with the ska genre and working in it?
Well, after the SXSW postponement this year our invasion of the USA has been postponed until 2021, when we will be performing at SXSW and more depending on the current situation. We know the USA is falling back in love with Ska and Reggae music due to mates of ours and other bands we have gigged with getting bookings within the USA and our time is near.
How do you think touring will change for artists, and audiences too, after the Coronavirus is over?
WOW, who knows ultimately. I think shows and venues will be restricted to only hold 500 capacity events and maybe some distance between fans. Ultimately we hope that this time has shown that we need to appreciate everything a lot more and enjoy the 'simple things'. So maybe there will be a rise in gigs and attendance due to people appreciating it more. That would be pretty AWESOME!
