ReeToxA’s Jason McKee discusses his band name, early influences and why music came to him later in life.
Jason McKee, frontman of ReeToxA, missed his rehearsal this morning – but, curiously, this isn’t a cause for alarm. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. McKee’s reason is one of those rare moments in life that’s almost worth a postponed commitment: the night before, he found himself at Cyndi Lauper’s Melbourne show.
“She’s apparently on her last tour, so I had to be there. Plus, she was on fire,” he says, a grin spreading across his face. “My friend and I had a drink afterwards. But, I’ll admit, I’m a bit dusty today.”
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Lauper’s performance, electric and unforgettable, echoes the kind of energy that’s shaped McKee’s music – along with the greats like The Kinks, The Rolling Stones and The Beatles. These were the sounds that filled his childhood, setting the stage for the rhythm of his own soul to awaken.
“I was obsessed with my dad’s record collection. I’d tape his albums, then walk around with my Walkman, lost in the music. Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band – that one got me every time. And when Nirvana hit, I was swept up in alternative music. I was a teenager at the perfect time. My brain was all Pearl Jam and Queens of the Stone Age.”
It wasn’t long before McKee, like so many teenagers with an interest in music, formed a band. “I started writing songs when I was 15. I had a best mate who played guitar. We’d jam together, but we couldn’t find any other musicians. I grew up in Frankston and there was no one around who played bass or drums. Then, as it always does, life got in the way.”
As life unfolded, McKee’s friendship with his bandmate unravelled and the group dissolved. “I got pretty disgruntled, so I joined the navy. I spent nine years there. I got married too, but she wasn’t really supportive of my music.”
But even amid the struggles and detours, McKee never entirely let go of the spark that had been lit in his youth. Music was always there, quietly burning in the pocket of his life. “I just kept writing songs. Eventually, the compulsion became overwhelming and I had to release something.”
But before he could share his creations with the world, McKee needed a name for the project, something to ground the music in a tangible identity.
“It’s a long story, but about seven years ago, I was going to AA,” McKee explains, his voice dropping slightly in recollection. “One of the guys handed me a booklet and said, ‘You’ll never go to the meeting—you’re a Reetoxa.’ I found it amusing, so I decided to call the band that. And just so you know, I drink responsibly now,” he adds with a chuckle.
With the name settled, McKee set about laying the foundation to finally release his music into the world. “Just before COVID, I decided to record the album myself. I took a two-day course at RMIT on how to use Pro Tools.”
It was there, on the second day of the course, that McKee met Simon Moro – someone who would change the course of his music. Realising he wasn’t going to master the technical intricacies on his own, McKee enlisted Moro to help. Together, they began recording McKee’s debut album, a project he’d been dreaming of for decades. He called it Pines Salad.
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“The recording process was incredible,” McKee says. “I’ve written thousands of songs, so narrowing it down to fourteen was nearly impossible. But Simon helped me figure it out. He gave me solid advice on which ones to choose.”
Some of McKee’s songs had been written in the ’90s, others were more recent, but all were pieces of his life, notes from a journey that spanned years. After much deliberation, he arrived at the final tracklist.
Now, with a sense of purpose that he hadn’t felt before, McKee is fully committed to his music. “I’ve already written my second and third albums. I’m in this for the long haul,” he says with quiet determination.
He’s even started performing live. “My singing teacher holds student concerts, so I’ve been singing my songs there. The next step is to form a band, then tour the album and play local gigs.”
McKee’s story is one of quiet perseverance, a reminder that it’s never too late to follow the call of your heart. It’s a testament to the fact that dreams don’t have expiration dates and the road back to what we love is never too far, no matter how long we stray.
ReeToxA’s debut album Pines Salad was released on 31 March 2025. It can be streamed here.
This article was made in partnership with ReeToxA.
