Introducing Donkey Box
Introducing DonkeyBox
Words by Mariana Ricci / Photo by Liza Arbeiter
Even if we take DonkeyBox’s main influences (Metallica, Green Day and The Killers) it is difficult to give a fair description of these guys’ sound. It is rock, it is heavy, it is DonkeyBox. The band describes their music as a rock cocktail, or should I say a rocktail.
They have been on the scene since 2003, the fruits of studying in the same university in London and being passionate about rock n’ roll. From student bar gigs, to pubs all followed, DonkeyBox have gone from strength to strength, now frequently performing in venues in London and beyond. The band’s first demo ‘Backstage Pass’ is a powerful sample of DonkeyBox’s sound and made the band’s name by being given away at gigs for free. Following the success of the demo, Backstage Pass went on sale on the internet and has been turning heads in the UK and abroad ever since. The reason behind this is the varied background and influences the members have to offer– a classically trained drummer, a guitarist fan of heavy metal, a vocalist with an ear for catchy lyrics and a bassist who was part of a blues and soul band.
Then they hit the road. Over the last couple of years they have been on a diet of rehearsing and gigging. Those who went to see them live over the last year had a taste of their new songs. They show a band with more maturity, stronger compositions and a unique identity. The repertoire is more varied and complex than what was first recorded as the Backstage Pass, with different sections and tempos. The ballad ‘Deep Blue Sea’ goes from ethereal to heavy rock on the course of its 5 minutes, ‘The Moment’ has a kick of Spanish guitar all lead by an amazing bass line. Another great song is ‘Pointless’, with a simple and catchy rhythm that gives space to the lyrics “These complications that arise they’re just pointless/You can’t do with do or die it’s just pointless”.
These will soon be recorded in a new album the guys are currently working on, due to be out in June 2010. To make the whole thing more intriguing they’ll have Niraj Chag, an artist and producer in his own right having produced scores for mainstream BBC TV programmes.
So now you’ve finished reading this, go and check their website www.donkeybox.co.uk to see when their next gig is and you will understand what I am trying to say. If you are in another corner of the world, check their myspace and last.fm profiles for a flavour. And don’t forget: rocktail rules!
March 3rd, 2010
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