It's been a convoluted and challenging process, but this Friday's debut CD launch for One Gener8ion will be well worth it.
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So says Bega Valley musician Ricky Bloomfield, who along with wife Chelsy Atkins and renowned singer-songwriter Corinne Gibbons, founded the trio just over two years ago...before the COVID-19 pandemic scuttled the live music industry.
Now after two years of cancelled gigs, border closures and city lockdowns, One Gener8ion will be launching a limited edition live EP - The Rhythm of Life - at a special performance in Bega's Ayres Walkway this Friday, 9am.
The open-air gig will be broadcast live on ABC South East radio and include a CD signing for fans keen to get their hands on one of only 150 copies of the five-track EP.
Bloomfield spoke with the Bega District News this week ahead of the launch, excited - and relieved - they have a record ready to release.
"We've been working towards recording a full length album for almost two years now, and we've all contributed money towards deposits for studio and producer fees, expecting to raise the rest required with gigs," he said.
"But production has stalled. So to keep going we decided to use some of that studio time to record a live EP.
"But then the whole project almost fell through again as we couldn't get to the studio in Sydney [when Sydney went into COVID lockdown]."
While that loss hurt, Bloomfield, Atkins and Gibbons persevered, heading instead to Richard Cooke's Tilba studio Sanctuary Sound to record their tracks before sending them through to the Sydney studio for mixing.
Scoring one of the new albums will be those who pre-ordered during a live concert One Gener8ion streamed online in July as an alternative fundraising source than the now-hard-to-come-by live gigs - "See how ya go cancelling that one COVID" the band posted on its Facebook promo.
"We had people all over the world tuning in," Bloomfield said.
"And we raised enough with it to print the CDs.
"They're getting printed this week. We're only getting 150 done to raise a bit more money and also to use for grants and funding applications," he added.
Bloomfield said One Gener8ion is founded on three key pillars - Indigenous voices, social change, and environmental awareness.
"We speak to all of those through our lyrics - and we sing in language on some tracks as well," he said.
Atkins hails from the Yamatji people of Western Australia and the trio weave her language through several tracks.
"It's been a learning curve for sure. It's taken a lot of practice to get to the stage where we can deliver it effectively," Bloomfield said.
"But when we have three-part harmonies in language...it's magical."
Hear tracks from The Rhythm of Life as well as the story behind One Gener8ion this Friday, August 13, from 9am in Ayres Walkway Bega.
One Gener8ion is also playing at Millford Acres Farm at Tanja accompanied by a long table gourmet lunch and Q&A session as part of Art Month Sapphire Coast. Tickets available here.
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Ben Smyth
I have worked as a journalist since 2005 and am now Editor of Australian Community Media mastheads in Bega, Merimbula and Eden
I have worked as a journalist since 2005 and am now Editor of Australian Community Media mastheads in Bega, Merimbula and Eden
