The Cat Empire is a six-piece alternative band from Melbourne, Australia. Their … Read Full Bio ↴The Cat Empire is a six-piece alternative band from Melbourne, Australia. Their sound has been described as a fusion of jazz, funk, and rock with heavy Latin / Salsa influences (not to mention reggae, ska and dub). Currently, the Cat Empire consists of Ollie McGill (keyboard and backing vocals), Ryan Monro (bass and backing vocals), Felix Riebl (percussion and vocals), Harry James Angus (trumpet and vocals), Will Hull-Brown (drums), and Jamshid "Jumps" Khadiwhala (decks, percussion). A strong, recurrent theme of their music is the rejection of materialism, war, and intolerance and an enthusiastic embrace of cultural diversity and the simple, carefree life.

The Cat Empire began as a trio with McGill, Riebl, and Monro in late 1999, and started playing a wide variety of gigs in Melbourne. The band soon expanded in 2001, adding Angus, Hull-Brown, and Khadiwala.

THE Cat Empire's message, on stage and in the studio, has always been about breaking down borders: musical, geographic, lingual. But they have never done it so powerfully as they do on their new album, Cinema. The album serves up a set which captures the inexorable force - and sheer joy - of their live performances, delivered in a format perfect for lounge-rooms, backyards, BBQ’s, cafes, road trips and parties all over the world.

Cinema, the band's fourth studio album, is a dazzling statement of a band at a peak of its powers, music designed to move the body and the mind. Right from the opening track, Waiting, this is music that leaps from the speakers.

All the elements that people love about The Cat Empire are there but the result is brighter, bolder. And yes, more cinematic. What grabs the ear immediately is that this is not a band playing with genres. In the past, The Cat Empire dived in to any musical style which took their fancy, from reggae to salsa, Latin to hip-hop. Cinema reveals a band that has developed an emphatic voice that is all their own.

``That's a sound that has emerged out of nearly 10 years of playing on stage together,'' says singer and percussionist Felix Riebl. ”The result is an album that's much more integrated than anything we've done before, with a Cat Empire sound that runs consistently through it. The lyrics are perhaps darker, but they are accompanied by music that is uplifting which gives it a strange but powerful feeling.''

Riebl adds: “At times the album is thoughtful, at times it makes you just forget and dance. But it is an album that has more sonic depth than we've ever had before, experimental in parts but with really direct choruses. It's going to be a great album to play live, especially on big stages and at festivals.''

Of course, the stage is never far from the thoughts of this band. In an age when so much of selling music seems to be about celebrity and fashion, The Cat Empire have risen to be one of Australia and indeed the worlds favourite live acts through sheer musicality and the power of their interaction on stage. The band - Riebl, Vocalist and trumpeter Harry Angus, keys player Ollie McGill, bassist Ryan Monro, drummer Will Hull-Brown and Jamshid Khadiwala (aka ‘Jumps’) on decks - played their 700th show in Amsterdam last year, and will hit the 800 mark in 2010. While it is not well known in Australia, The Cat Empire are one of the country's most successful musical exports, doubling their audience numbers at every return stop.

They have headlined some of the world's biggest music festivals, including Summersonic (Japan), Rock am Ring (Germany) and V Fest (UK), playing Bonnaroo (US) as well as to an audience of 300,000 at the Montreal Jazz Festival. They have also played on some of world's highest rating entertainment shows, including Dave Letterman and Jay Leno. This year their worldwide tour in support of the international release of Cinema will see them return to Canada, US, Europe, Japan and the UK, where they will play to a full house at London's Brixton Academy.

The knowledge that they would be playing songs from the new album on so many big stages focused the song writing sessions for Cinema. The album was recorded close to home at Sing Sing studios in Melbourne with producer Steve Schram, and he encouraged them to make an album that was their most collaborative song writing effort yet.

``That was a deliberate decision from all of us,'' says the lion of the live show - Vocalist and Trumpeter Harry Angus. ``With six people in the band sometimes there will be a song on an album that not everyone wants to play live. This album certainly gets around that problem. And I think that after so many years playing together the guys are much more confident about contributing to the writing. Steve encouraged us to do that. That's been great for us.''

Of working with The Cat Empire, Schram says “it was the perfect studio scenario; amazing players open to trying anything and willing to take a back seat when required. Egos were left at the door.” He adds “In terms of musicianship, it's no secret that they don't come much better than The Cat Empire. Yet Cinema shows that simplicity and one well placed note packs more of a punch and serves the song far more than musical chops alone. We set out to explore in depth the mood and character of each song while maintaining a focus on performance rather than studio trickery. “

After taking their longest break from studio recording after the release of 2007's So Many Nights, the band reconvened feeling refreshed. ``In 2008 we took a break from touring for 8 months. Then in 2009 we released our (live album) Live on Earth” Riebl says. ``When we came back to the band, and then into the studio we all rediscovered what we loved about The Cat Empire in the first place; that it is a band that can do the unexpected, that we have great energy and make music that is always a lot of fun to play on stage. The feeling right now is just like when we were starting out. We're all very excited about that.''

Cinema will be released ...
JUNE 25, AUSTRALIA
JUNE 29, CANADA
JULY 6, USA
AUGUST 2010, EUROPE & JAPAN

See www.thecatempire.com for tours and information

Down At The 303
The Cat Empire Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I want some culture
Never mind the cheese
Just want to hear music
And originality

I want some culture
Never mind the TV
Just want to hear music

Down at the 303

This is a rhyme about how good music can be
How mean are its bass lines its melodies and beats
Now its good to have positivity
But you also must be able to crush adversaries because
We have terrorists in the music industry
Yes, terrorists trying to define what music be
We are modern medicine men - cure all ills with ill beats
But some people are making music sick
And stealing all the chi
You know who you are and yes judge not lest ye
Be judged I agree in front of my plasma screen but
While you're making a concert of convicts who
Stumbled through the contest I'm taking the
Concept of convex and putting it in a concave context
And if you were Rocksteady, Bebop and Shredder
I'd be Krang... doing that evil shit better
Music is for living yes music is essential
Music should take risks and be experimental

I want some culture
Never mind the cheese
Just want to hear music
And originality

I want some culture
Never mind the TV

Just want to hear music
Down at the 303

Overall Meaning

The Cat Empire's song "Down at the 303" is a tune about the importance of originality and culture in music. The lyrics talk about how the music industry is full of "terrorists" who try to define what music should be, and how it's up to us to ensure that music is free to take risks and be experimental. The band also sings about their desire to hear music that's both original and culturally enriching, rather than the generic and cheese-filled pop music that's often played on TV.

The lyrics emphasize the importance of individuality in music, not only in terms of the artist's sound but also in their message. The line "We are modern medicine men - cure all ills with ill beats" expresses the idea that music has the power to heal, but only if it's made with authenticity and not just as a commercial product. The chorus repeats the phrase "I want some culture, never mind the cheese, just want to hear music and originality" as a mantra for the band's desire to create something new and meaningful in the music industry.

Overall, the song's message is about staying true to oneself and creating music that's both authentic and creatively enriching. It encourages the listener not to judge but to strive towards creating something truly original.

Line by Line Meaning

I want some culture
The desire to experience something beyond mainstream culture.

Never mind the cheese
The singer is not concerned with cheesy or cliche aspects of culture.

Just want to hear music
The main focus and desire is to listen to music.

And originality
The preference is for something unique and innovative.

This is a rhyme about how good music can be
The song aims to highlight the power and potential of music.

How mean are its bass lines its melodies and beats
The bass lines, melodies, and beats in good music can be powerful and intense.

Now it's good to have positivity
While recognizing the power of music, it's important to maintain a positive mindset.

But you also must be able to crush adversaries because
There are people trying to control or limit music, and it's important to fight against them.

We have terrorists in the music industry
There are people within the music industry who are trying to manipulate or control it for their own interests.

Yes, terrorists trying to define what music be
These people are trying to impose their own definitions and limitations on what music should be.

We are modern medicine men - cure all ills with ill beats
Musicians have the power to heal and uplift people through their music.

But some people are making music sick
However, there are also people within the industry who are producing harmful or negative music.

And stealing all the chi
These people are taking away the positive energy and vitality that music should provide.

You know who you are and yes judge not lest ye
The singer is calling out those responsible for producing negative music, but also cautioning against jumping to judgement without understanding them.

Be judged I agree in front of my plasma screen but
The singer admits that they too may have a biased perspective, influenced by what they see and hear through media.

While you're making a concert of convicts who
Criticism is directed towards those who prioritize producing and promoting negative music.

Stumbled through the contest I'm taking the
The artist emphasizes the importance of originality and quality over simple popularity or contest results.

Concept of convex and putting it in a concave context
The need to take risks and explore new ideas in music in order to push boundaries and avoid stagnation.

And if you were Rocksteady, Bebop and Shredder
A reference to characters from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, implying that the singer sees themselves as a more powerful and effective villain in the music industry than those responsible for producing negative music.

I'd be Krang... doing that evil shit better
Another TMNT reference, reinforcing the idea that the artist has a better approach to producing music that is both powerful and original.

Music is for living yes music is essential
The importance of music for living a fulfilling and vibrant life.

Music should take risks and be experimental
Advocating for music that challenges conventions and takes creative risks.

Down at the 303
A reference to a specific location (possibly a nightclub or music venue) where the singer can find the kind of original and experimental music they seek.

Contributed by Jayce G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS