Babe Rainbow (band) explained

Babe Rainbow
Origin:Byron Bay, New South Wales, Australia
Years Active:2014–present

Babe Rainbow is an Australian psychedelic rock band from Byron Bay, New South Wales. The band has been characterised by their "throw-back" style of 1960s psychedelic rock along with their surf culture imagery. The band were conceived in 2014 in Rainbow Bay by Angus Dowling and Jack Crowther, who met during high school. Finding an interest in psychedelic music, they formed officially in 2015 along with Elliot O’Reilly, whom they met working as farmers in Duranbah, along with Venezuelan-born bass player Lu-Lu Felix Domingo.

The band collaborated with King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard on their debut album, The Babe Rainbow, being later signed to the Flightless and 30th Century Records labels. In 2018, Babe Rainbow's second studio album, Double Rainbow, debuted at no. 18 on the ARIA Albums Chart. Miles Myjavec joined as a drummer around this time. The band has also collaborated with American artist Jaden Smith. As of 2024, the band has released five full-length albums, along with three EPs. The band has also ventured more into soft rock with influences from Latin music.

History

Babe Rainbow was initially conceived in 2014 by Angus Dowling and Jack Crowther in the coastal surf town of Rainbow Bay.[1] Both met each other in high school in the coastal town of Byron Bay, New South Wales. Dowling's parents are from Byron, where Crowther's mother is from a neighbouring town in the same region.[2] Both Dowling and Crowther were students of English and enjoyed permaculture and surfing.[3] They found interest in 1960s psychedelic music such as The Incredible String Band and Swing Mademoiselle. The group was later formed in 2015 with Elliot O’Reilly alongside Venezuelan-born bass player Lu-Lu Felix Domingo,[4] who they met in the African quarter of Paris. The group worked as macadamia nut farmers for John Cuts near Tropical Fruit World in Duranbah.[5] [6]

Babe Rainbow wrote and recorded their first release in a second-hand bookstore in Murwillumbah.[7] The group came to the attention of Stu Mackenzie from the Australian psychedelic band King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard, who offered to produce their debut album. They collaborated with them for their self-titled debut album, The Babe Rainbow. They were signed to their label, Flightless. In 2017, they released their debut album produced by Mackenzie and ran support tours with King Gizzard, Allah-Las, Tomorrows Tulips, and French synth wave band La Femme internationally. Their debut album was signed to 30th Century Records, followed by Double Rainbow in 2018, which debuted at no. 18 on the ARIA Albums Chart,[8] along with Today in 2019. Wollongong surfer Miles Myjavec joined as a drummer around this time. Their 2021 album, Changing Colours, featured American artist Jaden Smith,[9] who connected with the band on Instagram after hearing a song from their 2019 album Today.[10] [11]

Artistry

Babe Rainbow is characterized by their "throw-back" 1960s style of psychedelic rock along with their surf culture imagery.[12] [13] [14] It has also been characterized of having influences of disco, surf, funk, jazz,[15] soul, garage and indie,[16] with neo-hippie and neo-psychedelia.[17] The band has also ventured into soft rock and latin music influences, since Domingo is from Venezuela.

Discography

Albums

List of albums, with selected details! Title! Details
The Babe Rainbow
  • Released: September 2017
  • Format: digital, CD, LP
  • Label: Eureka, Flightless (FLT-029)
Double Rainbow
  • Released: July 2018
  • Format: digital, CD, LP
  • Label: Eureka, Flightless (FLT-039)
Today
  • Released: September 2019
  • Format: digital, CD, LP
  • Label: Eureka, Flightless (FLT-055)
Changing Colours
  • Released: May 2021
  • Format: digital, LP
  • Label: Eureka, Flightless (FLT-079)
The Organic Band
  • Released: October 2022[18]
  • Format: digital
  • Label: Eureka, Flightless

Extended plays

List of EPs, with selected details! Title! Details
The Babe Rainbow
  • Released: 10 July 2015
  • Format: digital, LP
  • Label: Eureka, Flightless (FLT-018)
Fresh As a Head of Lettuce
  • Released: 23 June 2023
  • Format: digital, LP
  • Label: Eureka (EUREKA007)
Mushroom
  • Released: 22 September 2023
  • Format: digital, LP
  • Label: Eureka

Notes and References

  1. Web site: BWW News Desk . The Babe Rainbow Announces New LP DOUBLE RAINBOW Out Today . 2023-06-18 . BroadwayWorld.com . en.
  2. Web site: Brancatisano . Gloria . 2017-03-01 . The Babe Rainbow on Byron Bay and being a 'hippie' . 2023-06-18 . Beat Magazine . en-AU.
  3. Web site: Breznikar . Klemen . 2021-06-09 . The Babe Rainbow Interview New Album 'Changing Colours' . 2023-06-18 . It's Psychedelic Baby Magazine . en-US.
  4. Web site: Wagner . Jon . 2022-10-27 . Levitation Interviews: Babe Rainbow . 2023-06-18.
  5. Web site: Campbell . Miles . 2023-06-07 . Interview: Babe Rainbow's "Super Ego" Is a Summer Psychedelic Masterpiece . 2023-06-18 . Atwood Magazine . en-US.
  6. Web site: Helms . William . 2023-05-23 . New Video: Babe Rainbow Shares Breezy "Super Ego" . 2023-06-18 . The Joy of Violent Movement.
  7. Web site: Babe Rainbow schedules show in Boulder at The Fox Theatre . 2023-06-18 . Grateful Web . en.
  8. Web site: Venutti . Isabella . 2023-05-16 . Gear Rundown: The Babe Rainbow . 2023-06-18 . Mixdown Magazine . en-AU.
  9. Web site: Wyatt . Sophie . 2021-05-12 . Aussie surf-psych band Babe Rainbow on working with Jaden Smith and their upcoming album 'Changing Colours' . 2023-06-18 . Haste..
  10. Web site: Campbell . Caleb . Babe Rainbow Shares New Single "Your Imagination" Feat. Jaden Smith . 2023-06-18 . www.undertheradarmag.com . en.
  11. Web site: Postolache . Mira . 2021-06-19 . A conversation with BABE RAINBOW . 2023-06-18 . Fucking Young! . en-GB.
  12. Web site: September 2, 2019 . Interview | Babe Rainbow . Clunk Magazine.
  13. Web site: May 20, 2019 . The Babe Rainbow evoked a '60s fever dream when they came to The Croxton .
  14. Web site: Arts . 2019-11-16 . Sunshine and psychedelia: Babe Rainbow at the Fox Cabaret . 2023-06-18 . The Peak . en-CA.
  15. Web site: Lochrie . Conor . 2023-02-06 . Vintage Vibes adds San Cisco, Babe Rainbow & more to 2023 lineup . 2023-06-18 . Tone Deaf . en-AU.
  16. Web site: subic . meg . 2021-05-14 . Stream: Aussie psych-troupe Babe Rainbow release new album 'Changing Colours' . 2023-06-18 . Indie88 . en-US.
  17. Web site: Shelter . Carter Gray . 2022-10-24 . Australia's Babe Rainbow Mold Whimsicality With Pysch Weirdness at Bowery Ballroom (SHOW REVIEW) . 2023-06-18 . Glide Magazine . en-US.
  18. Web site: 2023-06-15 . IMT 20: Babe Rainbow Leans Groovy On Their Upcoming Psych-Rock EP . 2023-06-18 . UPROXX . en-US.