DIATRIBE

Rip It Up, 15 December 1983, Page 10

DIATRIBE

Russell Brown

PACIFIC FUSION

After Diatribe had played i to a less than enthusiastic audience at an Auckland pub this year the hotel manager f told them he wasn't surprised at the lack of response. . "You're a university band," he explained. What he meant was that Diatribe are one of those groups who don't fit into this country's pub-orientated live scene. They don't* have a big, bright stage act and fancy lightshow. They don't play drinking music..

But as things stand, it's either play the pubs or don't play but the band is investigating other avenues for. performing. 1

"We're trying to get on the PIPS scheme," explains saxophonist Rafer Rautjoki. "And we've done some busking as well. That was fun."

Things may change with the release of the band's debut EP, Too Lazy, which was recorded at Mascot Studios with Phil Yule. The four songs include 'Gift of

Cruelty', which was part of the soundtrack music they contributed to Merata Mita's acclaimed [film Patu.

The soundtrack was recorded not long after the band had formed, on bassist John Berkley's four-track recorder. The band worked with Mita again on a video clip for Too Lazy. Director Geoff Murphy also lent a hand with the filming. Diatribe's onstage approach is low-key and this has led to

suggestions that there's a lack of presence when the play. "That's our greatest criticism, the lack of stage presence,"

Rautjoki admits. "Because we're all from diverse backgrounds we don't present one single image, which I think is good, but some people don't. "Anyway, this might sound selfish but my main interest is the music. That's the reason for being in a band."

That doesn't mean the problem

hasn't been discussed. It has at length, but no one has managed to come up with any bright ideas to pep up the stage act. Diatribe grew out of a loose gathering of musicians which included Herbs' Spencer Fusimalohi. The group would jam and write songs all good experience for Rautjoki and fellow sax player Ross France, who had'only been playing a short time. This ensemble came up with a soundtrack to Gerd Pohlman's film on the Mangere Bridge dispute and recorded a track for Radio Hauraki's last Home Grown album under the name Fofo'anga. Eventually, however, the group drifted apart and France, Rautjoki and bassist John Berkley were left wanting a more concrete lineup. Drummer Chris Whyte and singer/guitarist Peter Kirkbride completed the present lineup about 18 months ago.

Much of Diatribe's work since then has been politically orientated.

Is a political context important to the. band? .

"It's reasonably important but we didn't set out just to do that? It's just that political considerations play a fairly big part in our lives so. it naturally infiltrates through into the music. Some of us are more politically motivated than others," Rautjoki explains. "We're 'just basically writing about things we've experienced and what people we know have experienced." ' jHBHIIPI

At a time when there is much talk of indigenous music and Pacific culture Diatribe is a band paying those ideas more than lip service. In a manner akin but not identical to that of Herbs, they have worked in a true Pacific element to their fusion of reggae and jazz. Their lyrics reflect a genuine feeling and concern for this country. Diatribe probably won't ever be huge but they 11 have mattered.