When you listen to Babe Rainbow, it is as if you’ve suddenly gone back in time to the ‘60s and decided to get a little trippy dippy with friends.
Releasing their debut EP back in 2015 and debut album in 2017, the band has amassed over 550,000 monthly Spotify listeners with their most listened track ‘Peach Blossom Boogy’ coming in at well over 11 million streams.
I was lucky enough to get in contact with Angus Dowling, the lead singer of the band, via email through their manager Todd Wagstaff. Having just released their single “Zeitgeist” this past Monday, I was very eager to interview one of the members of one of my favorite bands.
Brian: The first time I heard you come up on my Spotify radio, I thought that I had suddenly switched over to my ‘60s psychedelic playlist. That being said, what would you say inspired your sound and more so why do you think it’s working in today’s pop and hip-hop dominated music climate?
Angus: Your ’60s playlist sounds awesome send it over here so I can suss it out. I reckon we inspired each other to make that sound, it’s a bit of a retro cocktail. Our songs always seem really boogie chillin and everyone needs a bit of boogie chill.
2020 has been such a strange year for many of us, how has Babe Rainbow handled it?
Yeah it was mysterioso. We worried about our friends in less fortunate places this year, and our friends the animals in the bushfire season in Australia. And all of our girlfriends had a baby this year too which was a pretty psychedelic experience for each of us.
New Single “Zeitgeist” is about catching dreams from the clouds and growing up. It’s about the international situation and it’s about chickens. Written and recorded in Topanga, California. – Zeitgeist Press Release
You all recently released “Zeitgeist”. What is the overall message you’re trying to tell us with this new release.
It’s just a moody jingle we called the zeitgeist and used to play to try to make it rain in the bushfires season.
Do you see any new element or particular direction that your music, and music “as a whole” is heading in?
I think we’re getting lighter on our feet every album and this one has a highway cruiser element that we picked up on the road in the USA in the last half of 2019.
Currently, Babe Rainbow is signed to Flightless Records — a label based in Melbourne, Australia that was started by former King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard member Eric Moore in 2012. Funnily enough, the band got involved and ultimately signed to Flightless when they met King Gizzard on the beach one day by chance while they were out surfing. The rest is history.
Brian: Is there something juicy or possibly naughty that you can tell us about King Gizzard?
Angus: They’re really religious.
What are some bands and artists that you think people are sleeping on?
La Femme from Paris and Jules Verne’s 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.
What can the fans expect from Babe Rainbow in the near future?
A kids album.
Lastly, what is your message to the world and the youth?
Feel yourself.
A big thank you to the Babe Rainbow team for being open to a round of questions, as well as their great response time! However, with the interview done there was still some lingering angst lying within me, I hadn’t gone deep enough, I just had to reach out again to ask one last question. I had to find out what Babe Rainbow thought about Kanye West and his recent run for President. The people had to know.
“I think people are less interested in Kayne’s opinion on politics since he played his hand in support of Trump. Kayne exposing the contradictions and corruption of major label record contracts and sculpturing change there is far much more interesting.” – Babe Rainbow HQ
Babe Rainbow, the Australian hippy rockers. Same sesame funk, new earth. Do yourself a favor and check them out!
Brian Mendez is .WAV’s interview coordinator, he wrote the article. Renee Kao is .WAV’s Creative Director, she created the graphic.
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