Nattai
Genre:Reggae
Latest clip on YouTube:
Nattai performing "Without You"
UPCOMING GIGS:
Tues 26 Jan -free show at Moana Community Reserve on Australia Day from 2pm - 6pm (corner of Nashwauk Crescent and The Esplanade) Nattai in it's current line up is a trio. Trish is the keyboard player and vocalist, Michael is the bass player and Billy Fenton is the lead vocalist and harmonica player. Using backing tracks, the band perform a range of original reggae, soul and blues songs, with a smattering of classic covers. Billy and Trish are the founder members of Nattai and have been performing together in a number of different bands and line ups for the past 20 years. Trish (born in London) and Billy (born in Cardiff) met in Torquay in the UK, where they created a unique sound in music and started performing live at many seaside venues around the South Hams. They won the first ever English Riviera Song Competition in 1987 and had the opportunity to do some major support gigs with the likes of the 3 Degrees, Burning Spear, comedians Jim Davidson, Cannon & Ball and UK Squeeze. They had what seemed to be a blossoming and promising career ahead of them. In October 1988 due to a family illness Trish & Billy were encouraged to move to Australia. They arrived in Adelaide and quickly set about playing in as many venues as possible in duo, trio and eventually full band set ups. Starting as Karubra, then the Idea Factory, then the Jack Daniels Trio which evolved into the Jack Daniels Band it was soon a fervent wish to tour. In 1990 the Jack Daniels Band headed for Sydney. During the transition from Adelaide to Sydney Swift & Moore encouraged the band to change their name which they did!!!!! A new name and a new line up created Tiger Bay. This tight 5 piece rocked the reggae far more than the JD band ever did and they soon became favourites in the South and also on the North shore playing many gigs at Palm Beach, Coasters and off shore on the ferry boats. Tiger Bay toured through NSW and apart from the larger gigs chose to play in a lot of the smaller venues building quite a following. In 1992 the line up changed again and The Liquidators was born. This was a fusion of hard rock, reggae and soul and as the reggae was more rootsie and the rock was fierce, it caught the attention of Teddy Vassel who ran the Reggae shows and night clubs in Sydney. Local black reggae artists - Kalabash & Na-Oum raced for the position of support to the Liquidators and soon The Liquidators were given the supports for overseas visiting artists such as Tippa Iri, Peter Hunningale, General Saint, Sylvia Tella and Don Campbell. Internal conflict caused the band to fold and in 1993 Billy & Trish were approached to join an existing band called the Riot Squad. Over the next 12 months of performing the disillusioned founder members of this cover band Lindsay and Rob Askew, convinced that B & T had more to offer with their original music, encouraged the ending of Riot Squad and the beginning of Nattai. Comfortable in this new band Billy & Trish were given the opportunity to expand their original repertoire and soon were in the Studio. Over the next 5 years 4 CD's were independantly released, 2 of which were released in Malaysia via Valentine Sound Productions and hundreds of venues were played across Australasia and back in the UK. In 1998 Billy & Trish moved back to Adelaide to follow an opportunity to diversify and form part of an international record label. In 2000 B & T built their own Studio in Glenelg East and began to create the Studiophonix stable of artists. Ill health struck and the studio closed. This year has seen a re-emergence of Nattai in it's new millenium line up, introducing Michael Ellerbeck, a steadfast solid player who is truly supportive and understanding of the history and depth of Billy & Tricia's journey with music. Playing simply and purely for the fun and for the people, Nattai are really enjoying their vintage music and as a result so too are the audiences.
