Ben Drysdale
Indie FOlk with a twist of rock and A sIdE of POp
EAST ROW RABBLE
As well as pursuing his solo career in Indie Folk, Ben is the lead singer and songwriter of Funk, Soul and Reggae outfit East Row Rabble. Hit the contact page if you wanna get in touch about Rabble doing a show!
East Row Rabble delivers a slick mix of funk, ska, blues and soul with heavenly horn lines that will get your booty shaking and your feet shuffling. Addressing a mixture of world issues and daily curiosities, Ben Drysdale’s songs explore the many, varied, and often conflicting elements of any situation with honesty, hope, and a little cheekiness.
“East Row Rabble is a classic styled big band that would’ve fit right into the 30s and 40s in America, as we tried to dance our way out of the Great Depression.” – Caleb Alexander, The B-Side Guys (US)
“It’s catchy but still has an edge to it, and it’s great to hear a band producing this type of music” – Jane Howkins, York Calling (UK)
East Row Rabble released their debut self EP to a sold out house at the Polish Club in June 2018 before heading on the road for a run of gigs up the East Coast of Australia including packed houses at Lazybones Lounge (Marrickville), Sol Bar (Maroochydore), The Chambers (Wollongong) and a homecoming gig at the Basement (Canberra) where they supported Tijuana Cartel. Singles from the EP have been aired on Triple J Roots n All and community radio stations across VIC, NSW, QLD, SA and WA, as well as the US, and have been featured on blogs and podcasts in the UK.
Quotes
“The EP features impressive songwriting, with catchy tunes, solid choruses and appealing lyrics. All songs project an upbeat mood, with most having danceable rhythms.” – BMA Magazine
“A beautiful mix of grandeur and reality, and I can easily see why it worked as a proposal. We know we’d say yes.” - Review of Good For Me by The B-Side Guys (US)
“I have never heard sci-fi & soul together like this. Brings a smile to my day” – Review of Aliens in my Brain by Nkechie Anele – Triple J Roots n All
“Aliens In My Brain’ carries instant appeal in its soulful tide. Drysdale’s smooth vocals are mated with a funky guitar core and brilliant brass instrumentation which really makes the song glow. There is a strong brass riff throughout the track, with a standout trumpet solo at the bridge.” – BMA Magazine
“The lyrics are sheer genius (two listens in and I'm still hearing new gems) and the seriously funky tunes have me wanting to break out into dance. Plus that sax solo at 2:56 is a killer!” - Triple J Unearthed review of Strawberries & Cream by unearthed super reviewer Delia Bartle
