Revolution Rabbit Deluxe - Our Band

Revolution Rabbit Deluxe - Our Band

How did the band start?

Rev Rabb: The band began as a solo project but when I realised that I'd need a band to perform the songs live, I recruited friends from a music community based on those of us with social issues (such as Autism or Aspergers) or Mental Health issues (Anxiety etc). I literally formed the band in a morning by going around asking the members of the group, who I'd cherry-picked, to join. Luckily no one said no.

Who were the first members?

Rev Rabb: The first members were Dan on lead guitar, Ben on vocals and bass, with Nicky on drums. I took rhythm guitar and vocals. In the latest iteration of the band we have Tim on bass, Lee on drums and Max on Lead Guitar and vocals.

How did you all meet?

Rev Rabb: The first iteration met at a mental health music group as noted above. The new line-up was more involved. I rescued Max from a inflatable that had drifted far from shore. She was forlornly singing "Where is my Mind?" by the Pixies at the time, so I begged her to learn lead guitar just to fit into the band. Next, we found Lee trying to hitchhike to 1940s London (long story) and finally Tim, we picked up on an eBay auction. I'm still waiting for my refund.

Max: I was looking for my mate Wilson (sadly lost to the ocean waves).

What was the first practice like?

Rev Rabb: The very first practice with the founding members was held in my living room. Unplugged guitars and a kit covered in towels to muffle the sound. It was both rewarding and frustrating as we couldn't let it rip.

Max: My first practice with RRD was sometime around the beginning of 2023, I was brought in by their drummer at the time who I knew from a previous band we were both in years before. As I was the drummer in most of the previous bands I was in I mainly remember feeling like I was incredibly rusty with my guitar playing as it had been a very long time since I’d played.

Where was your first gig and how did it go?

Rev Rabb: The very first gig was in 2019, at a church coffee shop run by people we knew. We had to tone it down a lot so very little distortion and anger. It went well, we had a free coffee and a walnut cake slice so it must have been a blast.

Max: My first gig with these guys was in the Newbridge Memo which was an interesting and fun night, I’d never been there before so was good to play somewhere new to me and also to get back into gigging after years of being out of the game.

What was it like the first time you recorded a single/EP/album?

Rev Rabb: The very first time was in my home studio, The Warren. It went well, but back then I liked to control the whole process, a leftover from my solo days. So it felt very much like a solo effort. However, the first time with the latest line-up was a totally different beast. We went to a studio run by Jeff Rose of Skindred fame. This time the arrangements were all band derived. Rather than me telling people what to play, I trusted them enough to let them loose on the songs with free rein. And thank heaven I did that. The results were amazing. The songs soared higher than my individual imagination and its now the favourite thing we've ever done: angry and sensitive, angsty and powerful, impulsive and yet reflective. So proud of it.

Max: My first contributions to recording with RRD were on the Control Freaks album, which had already mostly been recorded so was just a process of recording my guitar parts at home by myself which were then added into the mix later on. Recording the Rise album in the studio was a much more fun and creative experience for me (I’ve done studio recording before so already knew what to expect of the general process) as all four of us worked together to put together the song structures, and as I’ve contributed two songs of my own it was really cool to be able to revamp these and apply a completely different character to how they originally sounded, with the additional creative ideas from the guys making them sound so much bigger than the sum of their original parts.

What has been the biggest and best moments of the band?

Rev Rabb: Playing at the legendary Clwb Ifor Bach in Cardiff was a great moment. The people we have met and the bands we call friends (Dropping Like Flies and Critter Cabal to name just two.) Releasing Control Freaks was a great time as was recording the new album, RISE. The process of recording RISE, for me, represents the very best parts and experiences of being in a band. The camaraderie, the facing of obstacles and overcoming them together, the laughs over dinners spent at McDonalds so that Lee could redeem our spends as vouchers :D

Max: Getting to play some of the local independent/community festivals has been interesting and fun as I’ve never had the opportunity to get involved with these before. Although at one local festival we played at last year a massive storm kicked in and the stage unfortunately got flooded as the band immediately after us were playing which resulted in everyone being forced to evacuate in a hurry! Getting to meet and play alongside loads of other awesome bands and make friends with fellow musicians within the local community where we’ve all been able to encourage and support each other. Getting radio airplay and/or getting included on compilation playlists. Having the opportunity to record an actual studio album, and getting to work with Jeff was a good laugh, can’t fault his encouragement and expertise and he kept us entertained with stories of touring shenanigans. Not being quick enough to save an entire pizza from being instantaneously demolished by one of Rev Rabb’s dogs during a songwriting session at his house.

What has been the lowest and worst moments of the bands?

Rev Rabb: OH, grief, that's a hard one. For me, it was losing members along the way as I regarded them all as friends. The worst was having two members quit on the same day but as with all bad things that happen, you need to experience the bad to get to the good. That moment resulted in our current line-up so although it was a terrible moment, it led to this time.

Max: For me it would’ve been going through some really difficult times in my personal life over the last few years combined with considerable mental health struggles while trying to balance the challenges of being in a band, which has been hard at times. But being able to get back to doing the thing I’ve always loved doing the most – writing and playing music – has allowed me to channel a lot of that into a creative output that has been incredibly therapeutic. That, and also having wonderfully supportive and encouraging bandmates, has been a huge factor in me eventually getting to be able to get to a point where I can see the light at the end of what has been a very long, dark tunnel. I just really hope that light I can see isn’t a train coming in the opposite direction.

What is it like playing on a stage to fans?

Rev Rabb: You're asking the wrong person here lol. I have terrible stage fright and always leave the stage wishing I'd done so much better but then a perfectionist always does. It's also hard when I forget lines and have to quickly concoct gibberish on the fly. But overall, when it is over, there is a wave of relief and satisfaction that we did it well, especially if we carry the crowd with us. That is a great moment.

Max: It’s a great feeling being up on stage and getting to make a bit of noise. But as I’m also not necessarily the most naturally confident person, I can agree with Rev Rabb that it can be a little scary at times – despite this I’m always grateful for any opportunity to get to play, I always learn something new and it’s always encouraging when we get people coming up to talk to us afterwards as then it reaffirms we’re doing something worthwhile.

How does it feel when people tell you they are a fan of yours?

Rev Rabb: I feel incredibly humbled that my inner ramblings and musings have touched someone else. It means a lot, that sense of a mutual connection, especially when some of those thoughts can be incredibly personal. It is why I do this, to connect.

Max: I never really know what to say when people say they are a fan, it’s always great to hear although there is always a part of me that will internally say to myself “…but I’m just…me”. But when people commend us on a gig we played or airplay we received or music we’ve put out it boosts my confidence and reassures me that we’re moving in the right direction.

What is the process of writing new music?

Rev Rabb: Usually songs start as a riff or a vague la-la-la-ing to myself. These then become a vague idea for a song which I then either take to the band or I record a rough demo to send out to the others. Individual parts are left up to the others. I trust them to make the song something else with their input. It is scary but exciting to see a song take shape over a few practices and then finally make it onto the setlist.

Max: Sometimes Rev Rabb will bring a new idea for a song to us by either sending us a rough idea or bringing it into a practice and then we will add our thoughts and suggestions or jam it out in practice and take it from there. In my case, I tend to work on my song ideas on my own at home until I can cobble a rough demo together and then will do more or less the same thing – get some feedback from the guys and see where it goes. A lot of the time we won’t really know how a song will eventually sound until we’ve all been playing them in the same room over and over again in order to get them to sound their best.

Do you have a band ritual before you go on stage?

Rev Rabb: For me and Lee the drummer, we have a final run to the lav to get those last second nerves out. After that, I mask up and we're ready to go. I haven't noticed pre-gig rituals with Tim and Max. I'll have to ask them as its a good question.

Max: Grab myself a drink, plug in, tune up, rock out.

Other than the instruments you play, do each of you have specific jobs in the band? ie, who arranges gigs, who runs the social media profiles, who sorts merch, etc.

Rev Rabb: Max deals with the brunt of social media and hunts for gig leads. Lee organises practices. Tim excels at graphic design so he does everything that needs a visual input. I fill in the gaps, like behind the scenes organising (at which I excel at being rubbish) and interviews etc.