But it’s not all sun, sea, sand (and jealousy) for Katchafire’s Logan Bell; it’s a productive endeavour to create the roots-reggae outfit’s fifth studio album.
“One, two, one, two,” Bell tests the tropical nation’s dodgy internet connection, before he offers up some reflection on the group’s fortune over the last 20 years.
“I don’t think we thought about [these opportunities] too much in the beginning,” Bell begins, chill as can be. “We’ve kind of just been adjusting the goals. When we get to that point and achieve that goal, we reach for another goal.”
“It’s been going really well, especially in places around the Pacific and bordering the Pacific Ocean, they seem to really pick up our vibe.”
Despite his one-day-at-a-time and only-raising-the-bar-when-necessary mantras, Bell has had one overriding mission since Katchafire’s official inception in 2000.
“We’ve always wanted to take our music and our message to the world. That’s always been our goal. But I’m thinking more about small goals, like going platinum or going gold or whatever, and big goals to like, one day playing Wembley Stadium.”
“We are pretty ambitious but yeah, we plod along,” he says.
In terms of hitting goals, there are of course subliminal ones Katchafire haven’t actively set out for. In the few days since it was premiered across the groups social media, the video for their latest single ‘100’ has received a lot of love and a lot of airplay. The reception to the video has been, even this far into his career, an unexpected achievement for Bell.
“I flew out here on the day it was released and it has been one of my favourites from the album. It’s surprisingly not the most reggae song of ours, but it’s really been heading into some really iconic notes with people.
“People are really starting to embrace it and the message. I’ve been hearing a lot of feedback from Kiwis and people overseas, away from where they were born. I think it’s touching notes with people there, the strong family connection we all have, with our number ones, with our people we love one hundred per cent. I’m amazed; I’m humbled by how it’s been received.”
Bell’s right; ‘100’ isn’t your typical Katchafire song and yet it’s resonated well because of its message. Where music is usually about people getting into the sound, the feel, the vibe, people these days are listening more and more to what’s being sung about.
“The message is a very strong one,” he says, “I think the message comes through and the music, it is a little bit different, but it reassures me with my writing in terms of just leading with my heart and not worrying too much about if it’ll be a little bit left-field for Katchafire.
“We trust in our creative abilities and our senses in the studio. I’m stoked at how it came out, and the video really came together nicely as well.”
‘Unity’ is the word that resonates for Bell across the audio and visual experience of this track. “I wanted to show the grind of the road, away from home and missing our families and that kind of thing. Then the coming home, and being reunited with the family.
“We did some shooting around Washington, Seattle, right up close to Canada, and then home at my house, a gathering we had for my fortieth [birthday]; the family celebration when we got home.”
Speaking of family, Katchafire are about to embark on their Legacy Love Today Tour. Australia may not be home for Katchafire, but we are neighbours, and we’re privileged to have them undertaking such a massive run of shows on our shores.
While there’s new music that’s been getting the tropical treatment in the studio, Bell says that it’s sadly a little too early for this material to see Aussie stages. “The boys are just getting happy with perfecting the album songs, so we’re bringing a gang load of hits for you guys.
“We’ve just set a goal for ourselves to release three or four albums in the next seven years, so we’ve gotta keep things moving, you know?”
