Bad Seeds Bearing Good Fruit

[JenRene Siren]

With the release of a new album, national recognition, and consistent back-to-back tours, Tomorrows Bad Seeds is surely being kept on their toes. Right now, TBS are wrapping up their Great Escape tour (in support of their 3rd studio album of the same name) with fellow roots reggae band, Through The Roots. Though still on the road I was able to speak with Andre Davis, the bassist and one of the 5 Bad Seeds, while him and rest of the guys were recovering from a late night debacle. (Read on...)

SavantSiren: "I understand you are on tour right now so I truly appreciate the spare moment you have to speak with me, where are you about currently and how has The Great Escape Tour been running so far? What’s this tour like compared to your previous endeavor with Vans Warped Tour this past summer?"

Andre Davis: "Currently we're in Scottsdale, AZ chillin’ in the heat. The tour has been running smoothly aside from bassist, B-Jax [Bryan Jackson] from Through The Roots being taken to the hospital last night for surgery on his hand (booze, an ironing board, and a staircase don't mix). But overall, this tour has been a hell of a lot easier than Warped Tour considering we're not in the dirt all day and we have actual bathrooms with showers."

SS: "Oh man, that sounds like an insanely good time though I really hope the TTR family is safe and B-Jax has a quick recovery. On the upside, I’ve been listening to the songs off the new album and I must say the band's music style is quite eclectic. Who takes part in the song writing process and how do you incorporate all those musical influences into one song? What's different about The Great Escape album?"

Andre: "Our music style is diverse because of all the musical backgrounds each member of the band comes from. We all take part in the song writing process one way or another. As far as the music goes, someone will come up with an idea, may it be a guitar line a bass line, or whatever. Then we jam with it for a while and mess around with different tempos and styles to see what fits. Other times someone will write a whole song on an acoustic and we’ll rock it like that. Matt [TBS Keyboards, Guitarist and Dj], Sean [TBS Guitarist], and Moi [TBS lead vocalist] write the majority of the lyrics, but on our new album there is a lot more input from everyone. This album in comparison to our earlier ones definitely carries a different sound but in the same Bad Seeds manner. Much like before, we didn’t limit ourselves to a genre. It is also the first time Patrick [TBS drummer] and I have written and recorded on a full album."

SS: "Congratulations on the collaboration! How crucial is the connection between the drums and bass? And just out of curiosity what sort of bass do you play?"

Andre: "Thank you. I play a Tobias 5 string that was passed down from my father who is a bass player as well. When it comes to reggae music, drums and bass are the backbone. I live with, eat with, party with, and play music with our drummer Pat. I think it’s important for bass players and drummers to have that kind of connection to keep the vibes rolling apart from their presence on stage."

SS: "I'm sure most could agree with that. How long have you been apart of the Tomorrows Bad Seeds family?"

Andre: "I first met TBS while on a national tour with my previous band, 3rd Alley. A few months later I got a call to do a tour with TBS. After that tour took off, it just worked out for me to be in the band full time. Pat came into the picture about a year later when we we're looking for a new drummer. Pat was my neighbor as well as a fellow student with me at the Musicians Institute in Hollywood. We became good friends so I kept him in mind while we we're doing auditions. He flew out a couple days later and killed it. Now we are the official Tomorrows Bad Seeds members."

SS: "The last Great Escape stop is in Hollywood, Ca. Would you consider this the band's home show?

Andre: "Yea, we've been really looking forward to this Hollywood show. I grew up in San Diego while Pat grew up in New Jersey but now that we're all in the South Bay, LA feels like home."

SS: "I think it's great that you all have come together from all over through friendly connections sparked by impressive talents. What are some destinations a few of you would like to play in and with whom?"

Andre (Bass): "I would like to play the moon with Enter Shikari because they're one of my favorite bands and also because I really want to go to the moon.
Sean (Guitar): "I would want to play with Incubus in Spain so I can then run with the bulls after the show."
Pat (Drums): "I want to play with Bruce Springsteen at Madison Square Garden because he's the boss."

SS: "I'm loving the spontaneity! Asides from playing shows and planting seeds, what does it take to be a Bad Seed?"

Andre: "You're be born a bad seed."