The band is fronted by co-founder, DJ and producer Jamie Appleby (aka James Ash), and lead singer Natalie Bassingthwaighte. Drummer Cameron McGlinchey and guitarist Tim Henwood (of The Androids & Palace of the King) complete the live line-up of the band.
Co-founder Steve Davis and Ash's wife, Melinda Appleby, often contribute to the songwriting process but choose to stay out of the spotlight. Appleby also provided lead vocals on some pre-Bassingthwaighte materiel, including the 2002 single Give Into Me.
Ash and Davis first met in London in 1989. Before forming Rogue Traders in 2002, the duo worked together on various projects, most notably dance act Union State.
In 2003, they released their debut album as Rogue Traders, titled We Know What You're Up To. Singles Give In To Me and Stay? (the latter featuring Ash on vocals) were both minor top 100 chart tracks in Australia. However their re-working of INXS' Need You Tonight, One Of My Kind, managed to achieve considerable success, peaking at #10 in the ARIA charts and scoring them an ARIA award.
After the success of One Of My Kind, Ash and Davis decided to form a fully-fledged band and returned in 2005 with their sophomore album Here Come The Drums featuring vocalist Natalie Bassingthwaighte. Bassingthwaighte had previously risen to fame in Australia as an actress on the television show Neighbours, and her roles in critically acclaimed stage musicals such as Grease, Rent and Chicago. Davis began working solely as a songwriter for the band and hid away from the spotlight.
The band went on to have major success in Australia, becoming of the biggest pop groups in the country with a string of consecutive hit singles and tours. In 2007 they released their third album, Better In The Dark. After embarking on a sold-out tour in 2008 in support of the album, Bassingthwaighte and McGlinchey, who had met in the band and been dating for quite some time, announced they would be parting ways with the group. Bassingthwaighte went on to pursue a successful solo career and married McGlinchey in 2011.
In 2009, indie pop singer/songwriter Melinda Jackson (nicknamed Mindi, so not to be confused with Ash's wife Melinda Appleby) joined the group as their new frontwoman along with Peter Marin replacing McGlinchey on drums. They released one album, Night Of The Living Drums, but failed to meet the success of previous efforts despite receiving positive reviews and the band were subsequently dropped from the label and went on an indefinite hiatus.
In 2015, it was announced that Bassingthwaighte and McGlinchey would be returning to the band for the 10th anniversary of Here Come The Drums. The band have since been performing live at various events around Australia.
In March 2017, Bassingthwaighte revealed they were writing new music, and in early April the band hit the studio for their first recording sessions. They have since performed 3 new songs live: "To The Disco", "Love Drunk" and "We Can Move Closer".
Their first new single in 12 years, "To The Disco", was released in Feburary 2023 which interpolates "On Your Way To The Disco" from their album "Better In The Dark" with the Skatt Bros 1979 cult classic "Walk The Night". "On Your Way To The Disco" was meant to be the 4th and final single from "Better In The Dark" back in 2008, but was scrapped when Bassingthwaighte left the band.
The band have confirmed "We Can Move Closer" will be released in 2024.
Watching You
Rogue Traders Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's where the people rock
Three hundred sixty-five ?
'Cause we never stop
Take me downtown
'Cause people's runnin' wild
See how we kick it
Take me downtown
It's where I wanna go
Everyone I know
Is going to my show
Take me downtown
Where the city hums
Then get your head numb
To the beat of the drums, 'cause
[Chorus]
I see you watching me watching you
And now you see just where you gotta be
I see you watching me watching you
And now you see just where you gotta be
Take me downtown
'Cause baby wants to rock
I need a little edge
With my electro (?) pop
Take me downtown
So everybody sees
I know my moves
Like by A-B-C's
Take me downtown
It's time we made it right
This show ain't going nowhere
We'll just party all night
Take me downtown
Where the city hums
Then get your head numb
To the beat of the drums
[Chorus]
Baby rock, never stop
Round and round the clock
Lover's rock, give it up
Never, never stop
Baby rock, get on top
Take it, take it all
I'm not the kind of girl
Who's scared of you at all, 'cause
I see you watching me watching you
I see you watching me watching ? Rock!
[Chorus]
The lyrics to Rogue Traders' song "Watching You" are all about living in the moment and having a good time, with a focus on partying down in the city with like-minded individuals. The main message in the song is that sometimes you just have to let loose and enjoy yourself, and the chorus emphasizes how the singer sees someone watching them and inviting them to join in on the celebration.
The lyrics take on a celebratory and uplifting tone, with the singer addressing those around them and inviting them to come along for the ride. The fun, catchy beat and driving rhythm of the music add to the overall party atmosphere, making it impossible not to want to dance along. The lyrics also highlight the importance of confidence and self-esteem, with lines like "I'm not the kind of girl who's scared of you at all." Overall, the song is a celebration of life and living in the moment and is sure to get people out on the dance floor and having a great time.
Line by Line Meaning
Take me downtown
Asks to be taken to the downtown where lively and fun people hang out
It's where the people rock
Describes the type of people in downtown that the singer wants to hang out with
Three hundred sixty-five ?
Expresses the idea that the party never stops, not even for one day or year
'Cause we never stop
Explains why the party keeps going on for the people who hang out in the downtown
'Cause people's runnin' wild
Suggests that the people who hang out in the downtown are free-spirited and live life to the fullest
See how we kick it In a brand new style
Describes how stylishly and stylishly the people in the downtown have fun
It's where I wanna go
Expresses the desire of the singer to be in the downtown, where the people are fun and cool
Everyone I know Is going to my show
Shares how excited the singer is to perform his/her music in the downtown and his/her fans are eagerly waiting
Where the city hums
Describes the lively atmosphere in the downtown with lots of people and activities
Then get your head numb To the beat of the drums, 'cause
Suggests the idea of getting lost in the rhythm of the drums played in the downtown's music scene
I see you watching me watching you
The singer has noticed someone who is looking back at him/her, who probably enjoys his/her music performance
And now you see just where you gotta be
The singer encourages the listener to come to the downtown and experience the excitement and fun firsthand
Baby wants to rock
The singer is urging someone special to come and join him/her to have fun and showcase his/her dance moves
I need a little edge With my electro (?) pop
The singer wants his/her music to stand out and be unique, combining different music genres and styles
So everybody sees I know my moves Like by A-B-C's
The singer is confident in his/her talented dance moves and will grace the stage with ease and perfection like it's second nature
It's time we made it right
The singer is referring to the idea of having fun together and living life to the fullest
This show ain't going nowhere We'll just party all night
Emphasizes the idea that the downtown's music scene never stops, and people will continue to have fun and celebrate the good times
Round and round the clock
Suggests the idea that the loud and lively sound of the drums never stops and keeps the party going all night long
Lover's rock, give it up Never, never stop
Refers to the popular Jamaican reggae music genre called lovers rock, encouraging its fans never to let the music stops
Baby rock, get on top Take it, take it all
Encourages the listener to dance along and have fun without holding back, and seize every moment of excitement
I'm not the kind of girl Who's scared of you at all, 'cause
The singer declares is not intimidated by anyone and is confident in his/her talents and abilities to entertain the crowd with great music
I see you watching me watching ? Rock!
The singer observes someone in the crow enjoying his/her performance, and throws an exciting dance party by performing his/her music
Lyrics ยฉ MUSIC SALES CORPORATION, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: EMILE HAYNIE, JEFFREY BHASKER, NATALIA NOEMI CAPPUCCINI, TEDDY NATALIA NOEMI SINCLAIR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@CorridorOfMirrorsRemixes
God, I was OBSESSED with this band growing up as a kid in primary school and early high school. Thank you guys for inspiring me to become a music producer. โค๏ธ๐
@user-rz4tm7fu6y
You're welcome ๐
@user-rz4tm7fu6y
Oh I know you weren't thanking me
You should have tho
๐
@user-rz4tm7fu6y
Obsessed is definitely the word tho
You got that right
โพ๏ธ
@user-rz4tm7fu6y
I don't like your energy
Get it outta my face
๐ซ
@Eastopatra
This song literally one of my favs, I keep thinking of it and returning to it Omg after all these years
@rodneybailey3833
This song takes me back to when I was 10 and first bought this album with the old sanity vouchers hahaha. I remember listening to the album over and over.
@lucienneireland8156
no okay i did this
@riteasrain
They were such a clever band. Pity they stopped, really shows her quirky side more than her solo stuff.
@sethrose3444
Who cares they got $$$