Fresh off the release of their new track Dreaming, Lachy John and The Red Bellies are set to bring their indie-folk and bluesy rock sound to the spotlight
As the dust settles from the chaos of Christmas, Lachy John and The Red Bellies are gearing up for one of their biggest milestones yet—the launch of Dreaming, the bands debut full-band single, at Mojos in Fremantle.
For Lachy John, the Nyoongar musician at the heart of the band, the track is more than music; it’s a heartfelt ode to the landscapes that shaped him, from Esperance’s windswept beaches to the Pilbara’s red dust.
Rooted in indie-folk-pop with a vibrant edge, Dreaming sets the stage for the bands upcoming EP.
We caught up with Lachy John to chat about the track’s evolution, the camaraderie of WA’s music scene, and how this release is just the beginning of an exciting year ahead for the band.
HAPPY: What are you up to today?
LACHY JOHN: Pretty standard Boxing Day here… just hang out and watch a bit of cricket, few beers maybe… hair of the dog as they say.
The single launch is only two days away though so still pushing on the socials and what-not. That’ll probably take up a lot of my time today!
HAPPY: Tell us a little bit about where you are from, what do you love about it?
LACHY JOHN: This is a great question because it relates directly to the new single.
I originally grew up on a farm out east of Esperance on the south coast of WA. We practically grew up on the beach.
Fishing, surfing, camping, loved it!
The coastline there is unreal, though we never really understood how lucky we were until years later.
Just before my 12th birthday, we moved to the desert mining town of Newman, 14 hours north of Espy (and 12 hours north east of Perth). It was like we had moved to Mars.
Nothing but red dirt and the the closest beach was over 400 kms away. This adjustment took a while and is what I drew the inspiration for ‘Dreaming’ from.
After four years there we moved to Hedland, another four hours north. By this point, I had learnt to love the Pilbara.
Getting out into the bush and exploring that desert country was magic and some of the waterholes and sacred places we visited were truly special.
My family are back in Esperance now so, because they’re there, in a way that’s home again. But the Pilbara is also my home, I’m still connected to it.
That red dust up there gets everywhere, into everything. It gets in your veins, it becomes part of you.
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HAPPY: Your release party for Dreaming on December 28th is just around the corner. What’s the atmosphere like in the lead-up to such a big event?
LACHY JOHN: A lot to feel at the moment! It’s always stressful putting on a headline show and up until recently I have been completely self-managed, and even with a manager on board now, I’m still doing a lot of the work when it comes to promo and PR.
Mostly, it’s excitement though. After four years of this project, this is our first full band release!
We are absolutely stoked to have it out and looking forward to celebrating it. And it’s the perfect time of year for celebration.
HAPPY: What has the response been like to Dreaming so far, and how are you feeling about sharing it with the world?
LACHY JOHN: A lot of the feedback we’ve received so far is that the sound is refreshing and energising, and we feel the same.
‘Dreaming’ is a pretty unique tune with a sort of Indi-Folk-Pop vibe, though there’s definitely some Blues and Roots in there as well. It’s upbeat yet grounding and I guess a fresh take on the Indi Rock/Indi Pop genre.
It’s also very danceable so a Summer release was the only way. Aside from the excitement associated with it being our debut full band release, we’re really proud of the end product and hope it becomes a bit of a Summer anthem for our listeners.
Personally, I’m really grateful to be able to share another piece of my story and hope it connects with the audience.
HAPPY: The launch party features some incredible artists like Ricky Neil Jr., Stacey Ann, and Charlie Youngson Trio. What drew you to collaborate with them for this event?
LACHY JOHN: We are absolutely stoked with the lineup we’ve put together for this launch, I think they’re all going to complement each-other and the night really well.
Stacey Ann is a soulful Indi Pop artist and, whilst we’ve been on a few festival lineups together, we’re stoked to finally be sharing the stage in a venue gig setting – even more so after hearing her new EP! Stacey will be opening the show in duo mode.
Charlie Youngson Trio will bring a unique style of Indi Folk fused with an upbeat and dynamic live energy. Having Charlie on the lineup is a bit of a full circle moment.
In 2022 I was asked to be the patron of the Fairbridge Quest, which is a songwriting competition put on by the Fairbridge Festival every year and something I have continued to be involved with since I won the ‘Song Craft’ category when I was 17.
Charlie won the Quest that first year I was patron and has been kicking goals ever since, and I’m stoked to be sharing the stage with him again.
Ricky Neil Jr have an eclectic Indi Rock sound, embellished with elements of disco, soul and rock and roll. Fellow First Nations frontman, Jarrad Inman brings all the spirit and vigour, expertly followed by his band.
Along with being stoked to have another Indigenous artist on our lineup, I couldn’t think of a better band in the scene to get the crowd amped up, which is why they’re our main supports on the night.
HAPPY: This event marks a key milestone for the band. How are you planning to celebrate the night itself, and what’s the vibe you’re hoping to create for the crowd?
LACHY JOHN: We want to create a feeling of togetherness and community. The songs I write all come from deep and vulnerable places and I share them because people seem to appreciate and connect with them.
So we want to create a space of love and interconnection. Then we want to rock their socks off.
I don’t think anyone else is doing what we’re doing in the scene at the moment and a lot of people seem to think we’re still playing stripped-back folk rock—but we are a rock band now—it’s the perfect time of year for a boogie and our venue, Mojos, has just finished putting in some wicked upgrades.
It’s going to be a lot of fun, and we’ll certainly be celebrating.
HAPPY: Can you tell us about any memorable moments or surprises during the making of Dreaming that you’re excited to share with your fans?
LACHY JOHN: Dreaming’ was actually saved by this band. It was in the scrap pile for ages and I had moved on but one day, the guys asked if I had anything new… I didn’t, so I pulled this one out.
I re-worked the chorus a little bit and we started incorporating it into our set.
What started out as a mellow folk song turned into this poppy, bluesy Indi tune that we decided would make a great debut release.
Another memorable moment was the last minute addition of bongos on our last tracking day.
I feel it really lifts the energy and adds to the Summery vibe.
HAPPY: Your upcoming EP is on the horizon—how does Dreaming fit into the bigger picture of your sound and the direction you’re taking as a band?
LACHY JOHN: ‘Dreaming’ is a bit of a cornerstone of our music. It contains many of the elements that are imperative to our sound.
When you look closer, you’ll hear the sentimental lyrics, which hold deep personal value to me, and the Yidaki (didgeridoo), a throw to my Indigenous heritage.
It has the folky remnants of our past and the blues and rock vibes of where we’re going. And it’s all wrapped into this fun yet earnest tune.
Of the five songs in the EP, it sits right in the middle, splitting the more easy going songs from the rockier stuff.
For this body of work, we wanted to showcase our diverse and dynamic musical range, which is one of the things I love most about this project and these songs.
HAPPY: After the release party, what’s next for Lachy John and The Red Bellies in terms of new music and performances?
LACHY JOHN: Our next big show is for the Birak Survival Day Concert on January 26.
It’s a protest concert held after the Survival Day march every year and one I’ve had my eye on for a long time.
As a proud Nyoongar man, I am honoured to be jumping on that stage and we can’t wait to let rip on some of our own protest songs at this event.
Our debut EP is also inbound and we’re hoping for a March/April release.
We recorded most of the EP about a year ago so we’re all very eager to have it out for everyone to hear.
There’s a lot in the works at the moment that I can’t talk about yet but we’re thinking a tour may be on the cards… stay tuned.
HAPPY: How do you feel about the current state of the Australian music scene? Are there any emerging artists or trends you’re particularly excited about?
LACHY JOHN: This is a tough one. As a band who aren’t making a majorly popular style of music, I feel I’m probably a little biased but I think our scene can forget that there are artists with different vibes and styles that will still fit very well on their playlists and lineups.
On the flip side of this, I am so in love with how genuine and supportive everyone seems to be in the Aussie scene, especially here in WA.
I guess one thing I’m concerned about is how many small venues I see closing their doors for good.
If you’re reading this and you love music, go see upcoming artists in smaller venues.
Without us, there is no wider scene. And buy your tickets in advance!
It’s almost always cheaper and it gives the artist and venue valuable piece of mind in these crazy stressful times.
As for who I’m excited about…
Finn Alexander and the Forever Party are well up there. Their debut album was beautiful and dark and gritty and is one of my favourite releases of this year.
If you’re into something heavier, check out the punk rock legends from Geraldton – RATSALAD.
Their debut album was also released this year and it PUMPS. They are also some of the most genuine and kind people I know.
Joan & The Giants are another one to keep an eye on… killing it with their ethereal Indi Pop Rock sound.
They’re one of the first bands I got to know when I moved to Fremantle in 2020 and have become good friends.
They’re moving to Naarm next year (damn it) to continue following their dreams, so if you live in Vic and you’re reading this, go catch a show.
HAPPY: What makes you happy?
LACHY JOHN: Playing music and feeling connected to people makes me happy.
Summertime makes me happy. Being on the ocean or in the bush makes me happy.
Spending quality time with my loved ones and having genuine and deep conversations makes me happy.
Honestly, it’s not very hard to make me happy!
Check out the latest single here, and head to here for tickets to their single launch.
