Journal

03-Aug-06
Rhubarb are going to call it a day and move on to other projects either individually or together. The basic reason is that although we love the music making and playing, we haven’t got the enthusiasm to keep spending our time and money on what is essentially a pretty self-serving venture.

We all have felt that the momentum was starting to slow for some time and with the latest record going well but not great, the writing is on the wall. We would much rather actually call it a day and celebrate the fun we have had and anything we may have achieved than to hang on for that elusive lucky break and in the process fade away.

Being in a band is for the fun of it initially and should always remain that way. We definitely still enjoy it all and will continue to make music individually and maybe together in different formats.

We have had more opportunities than most people who form a band and we are very grateful to everyone who has helped us along the way. We are especially thankful to the people who have enjoyed the music and have been any part of the shows.

We may keep this site going for a while and let people know what we are are doing musically … more soon.


25-Oct-05
All quite lately but much is happening. You can hear Dave and Caleb talking to Robbie Buck on Home and Hosed by clicking here

The new single will start to wind its way out to you all via the airwaves next week. After much deliberation, we have decided to go for Self Control since that seems to be a regular favourite among all of you emailing in.

D.


08-Oct-05
hello everyone… well, things are starting to get pretty busy for all of us again. we have just finished the first run of shows around the country and we are planning another for late nov/early dec so keep your eyes out for upcoming dates in your area.

I am trying to get something happening for the next film clip with my partner in crime, Daniel Graetz, which should hopefully get off the ranks soon. A big thanks to everyone who came out to the shows – it was great to meet you all… anyway, back to the script writing and favour-asking… see you all in a couple of months.

Caleb.


03-Oct-05
We had a guitar broken on the flight from Melbourne to Adelaide on Saturday and at the show in Adwelaide someone took the headstock meaning it can’t be repaired … if you know how to get it back to us, please email us via the contact page on this site or call management on 07 3480 5372…


27-Sep-05
Last night was a big show @ the Uni games. 1 hour prior to our set there were less than 50 people there and so we delayed the show slightly…in the end the crowd was in the thousands.


Sea FM are profiling the album which is a great boost. Caleb and Steve will complete all the B-sides for the next single whilst in Melbourne Thurs and Fri this week for the shows at the Evelyn and in Adelaide…
18-Sep-05
Just back from Sydney and Bulli launches. Developed a love/hate relationship with Krispy Kreme Doughnuts … Love the first one, hate the 10th. The Heritage Hotel is possibly the nicest venue in the country and one we shall have to re-visit soon.


11-Sep-05
Thanks to everyone who came out to the Brisbane launch. You certainly helped make it the best so far … The lighting was apparently very good and thanks to MIchael Hughes for getting that all together and operating. All I saw was smoke but I am assured it looked very nice 🙂


09-Sep-05
On our way to Toowoomba for the launch. Brisbane will be a rockin tomorrow. Tshirts arrived today… nothing like a tight deadline.

Show went really well … driving home now. Huge curries opposite the venue are taking their revenge ..


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05-Sep-05
Heaps of people have been emailine about the lyrics page which is being re-vamped. Until it arrives back, here are the lyrics for the single…Start Again.

Start Again

You are loved, but you don’t love in return
You can fight but you still might be alone
And all the ragtime battles going on inside of your head
Tell me let’s just start again
Baby let’s just start again
Baby let’s just start again
Baby let’s just start again

You were right, we don’t always get things wrong
We can leave but we always wind up home
And all the ragtime battles going on inside of your head
Tell me let’s just start again
Baby let’s just start again
Baby let’s just start again
Baby let’s just start again

But it seems so far away
Yeah it seems so far away
Tell me how it’s going to be
Tell me how I need to be

Cause I wanted you to know
Still wanting you to know
Tell me let’s just again
Baby let’s just start again
Baby let’s just start again
Baby let’s just start again
Baby let’s just start again
Baby let’s just start again

Every time we run
Every wall we see
Every word we speak
All the lies believed
Everything we are
Everything will be
We don’t need no-one
Let this light go long


04-Sep-05
Here are some notes about how the tunes on the new record came to be:

Accident:
This song, as well as ‘Self Control’ and ‘The City Life’ were based on simple guitar riffs that Caleb had been working on in his studio leading up to rehearsals. They were basically starting points that needed plenty of work from the whole band to make into strong and effective songs. Dave hit on the chorus one afternoon with the band while trying to work something out and the song came to life. It is deceptively simple but stands up to repeated listens. It has become one of the bands favourite songs on the record. The guitar solo on the album version was actually done with Caleb’s voice through a vintage keyboard and some guitar pedals. He could not get the sound he was after on the guitar so tried recording a version with his mouth and it ended being exactly what was needed.

Self Control:
This was one of the quicker songs to come together for the record. The intro riff was something Caleb has been fiddling with in his studio but hadn’t pursued any further. When it was played with the band, the song came together over the course of about 2 hours. Apart from being tightened up a little, the format has basically remained unchanged from that day. The main chorus lyric also arrived that day too. The verse melody was originally far more monotone and regularly spaced. The band hit on what they were searching for months later when Steve was bashing out some phrasing ideas in the studio. The verse had been the hardest thing to write but is now completely at home in the song.

The City Life:
Again, this was a guitar riff that Caleb had pounding around in his head was reluctantly showed the band (thinking it was too rock). It was initially just jammed on a few times without too much progression and had a different and inferior chorus to the final album version. The true chorus came from trying to find something that worked around starting on a D major chord, which had always sounded strong. As is often the case, after trying complicated versions that didn’t work, a simple chorus appeared that was perfect for the song. It has become one of the highlights of the live set.

Start Again:
Along with Puertorican B and Let You Down, this was one of the songs written in the first creative sessions for the record. This song was based off a verse guitar riff that had no chorus or additional parts. The band worked through multiple choruses until they settled on one of the simpler ideas and now it is hard to picture anything else being there. The final chorus is based around a simple, repeated vocal line and a jarring melodic guitar line, the latter coming into reality only towards the end of recording.

Breakdown:
This is based around an idea that Dave brought to a song-writing session. He had the basic chorus idea and came up with the pre-chorus. Over a few hours working with the band, most of the basic ideas were formed. Caleb started hearing a guitar line in his head and once that was worked out, the main intro riff had been born. The crazy outtro was a result of Caleb and Dave trying to take the song somewhere completely different and the ‘na nas’ were an instinctive idea that enhanced the final album version.

Hey Girl:
Hey Girl started as two guitar chords with a few repeated lyrics. Dave and Caleb finished the bulk of this song over a few acoustic song-writing sessions and the format came really naturally. The verse was so simple that most chorus ideas that were written just didn’t work – they either sounded out of place with the feel of the verse, or they were bland. Something more unusual was needed and that arrived after revisiting the song a few times.

Let You Down:
On ‘Slow Motion’, the band made a conscious decision to take their foot off the accelerator. It was a measured and highly layered sound. This album, the direction was a conscious decision again, but in a back to basics way. The album was going to be a straight up guitar rock record with parts the band can play completely live. This is the only song on the album that heavily includes external players. The brass is pumped way out into the front of the mix to add excitement and energy. It has become a real feature of the song and really brought the groove breakdown sections to life.

Peurtorican B:
This was really the first track off the ranks for the band. It is by far the oldest track on the album, originally coming into life around 2 years ago. The main riff came about during a break in a rehearsal. Dave started playing the bass line that introduces the song and Caleb jumped in over the top with the guitar line. Both those parts have remained unchanged in the final version. The chorus has been basically left as it was too. The bridge sections were added much later as work for the new record started getting underway.

Feet On The Ground:
Feet On The Ground was another song that started as a really strong verse without any other parts. Again it was only after multiple attempts at a chorus that the final version appeared. It was built around a bass line that Dave started playing and when the guitar chords were played over the top, the song clicked.

Far To Go:
This was the only song song that was completely written before the band got to play it. It was also written for Caleb’s voice and as a result, sounded better with Caleb singing the final version. The song was basically fleshed out during a song-writing session and has remained pretty similar to its’ original arrangement. The brass in the bridge was added to support the anthemic and epic feeling of the song.

02-Sep-05
First show tonight … looking forward to finally getting all the new songs out of the bubble wrap and playing with them.

The hold ups are over and we will finally have a copy of the finished album ourselves today. And all those people buying them online should get them by Monday too if they live in Australia that is.

A friend of ours has started an official myspace page for rhubarb and you can listen to and download the remix of start again from there is you want. Leave a comment if you want 🙂

check out www.myspace.com/rhubarbia


30-Aug-05
We bunkered down yesterday for a rehearsal for the upcoming tour. The new songs are coming together well live and I think this tour should be great fun. We’re looking forward to getting out around the country to visit all you guys.

The Music Video for Start Again is being serviced to all major music televsion programs today so we should find out over the next week what is happening in terms of rotation with the clip. Keep your eyes open for it on the tele soon. See you all at a gig soon…

Caleb.


25-Aug-05
Spent most of the day today doing interviews for the upcoming tour – kind of fun for the first 3 but you end up answering a lot of the same questions.

The rest of the day was devoted to learning how to play our own songs again. I thought it was quite funny that I needed to search the net and download the guitar tabs for a song off our first album. – Thanks Gareth – Whoever you are?

Now I just have to learn the lyrics…


23-Aug-05
The Gear have confirmed for the Melbourne album launch @ The Evelyn after just winning the Victorian Coke Live’n’Local unsigned band competition.


20-Aug-05
I have just sent the Video Clip for ‘Start Again’ off for duplication and it will be sent off to all the relevant stations and shows first thing next week. Thanks to Sam and Randal from Jugglers Cafe for the chance to use their awesome location. It is a real feature of the video and it wouldn’t have been as cool without their support. A good friend of ours, Cam Gunning designed and organised the lighting set-up (he has been a consistent member of my top 5 aussie blokes list for years now). thanks must go to Allan for operating the camera and my partner in crime, Daniel Graetz, for co-directing with me.

Keep a look out for it in the next month somewhere on the tele. Steve has put in a stellar performance on this one. We are gearing up for a solid 6 months of shows & promotion and hope to see you all out at the gigs.

Caleb.


19-Aug-05
Promo for this tour is almost done and it’s time to start rehearsing the tunes. Apart from the original rough ideas, most of the songs are written as we record them which means we have to sit down at the end and work out how they go.

It is so much easier to have 3 albums worth of material to draw from. I remember playing lots of gigs where we played every song we had ever written and still couldn’t fill a set. This time we will need to leave out songs that we really should play.

Email us your fav’s and we will try and work them into the set. Hopefully this time around we will get Caleb singing a few more so that I can go off for a rest mid way.

Cheers Steve


17-Aug-05
The Start Again remix has been causing quite a buzz … much to Caleb’s delight some radio stations are playing it more than the actual single …

Finally will have finished albums early next week and will let the mailing list know first so they can get their hands on an album a week or so before they hit the stores …. T-shirts also on the way today …

Finally, I am digging this band called Elevator Division … check them out … 5 Mp3’s to listen to…

 


 

Other projects rhubarbians are involved in:

Toupee Records

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