Rogue Traders
One of the most successful electro pop-rock bands in recent Australian music history, Rogue Traders, are reprising their hits for one night only at Skycity. Founding member James Ash spoke to Off The Leash.
After a few years of massive global success, things have been quiet from the Rogue Traders in recent years. What drew you all back together in 2015?
Well it was simply time, I think. It was something that people had talked about for a while, but the timing was never right. After reminiscing about how much fun it was we just thought, why not play again – let’s see if people still want to see us and hear those songs. It was a real spinout going back to our original rehearsal room and pulling up those songs again after so many years. We couldn’t help looking at each other and grinning as we started to play them. Our first gig back actually felt very similar to our first ever gig, at least to me.
Did you all click back together easily... or did it take a while to find your groove?
We all just started hanging out a bit together again and it was very natural. There wasn’t any pressure at all. None of us had left on bad terms so it was simply a case of finding our energy again – and that didn’t take long at all.
"I think we had all really missed playing together; the whole process has been smooth. We all have kids now, too – so it’s often a big family affair when we do gigs, which is actually pretty awesome. Our kids get to see us play, something I didn’t think would happen."
Have you been inspired to create new tunes over the last few years back together – or are you just loving playing the hits that were so successful for you first time round?
It’s both. We love playing our records out to people. The reaction is the same, the energy is the same – it’s amazing how time just crystallises when you’re onstage and all the years fall away. Having said that though, we are most definitely working on new material – but everyone agrees that we need to come up with something pretty special if we are going to release it. Anything new a band comes up with will be measured against its biggest achievements. Yes, that’s a good problem to have – but it still makes us wary.
Fri 29 Jun | 8pm | Skycity Darwin | See the event listing
