Katchafire


In June 1997 an unnamed Bob Marley tribute band performed at the Te Ao Marama Festival on Raglan’s Poihakena Marae. Earlier in the year the five-piece group of young reggae lovers had started jamming Marley songs in the Hamilton garage of the Bell family. For future gigs they would fashion the title of a Marley album, Catch A Fire, as their moniker. Katchafire was born.

The original line-up was the Bell brothers, Logan (guitar, lead vocals) and Jordan (drums), plus Thompson Hohepa (guitar, vocals), Tere Ngarua (bass), and Haani Totorewa (keyboards, vocals). As a 13-year-old in 1979, Hohepa had witnessed Bob Marley perform at Western Springs. He saw gang members stride through the crowd to take up a position in front of the stage. Marley told them to put down their flags and banners, and get into the spirit of the music. Hohepa never forgot the moment; he had found a lifetime role model. 

Katchafire, newcomers to the Mai Music label, at the 10 year celebration concert for Mai FM (Marae, 2002)
Katchafire among the cacti. 
Katchafire - Irie (2012)
Katchafire - Way Beyond single cover, December 2017. 
Katchafire - Love Letter (I Am TV final episode, 2008)
Katchafire, May 2018.
Katchafire - Down With You (2014)
Katchafire cover Bob Marley's Punky Reggae Party on RNZ, December 2016
Katchafire - Giddy Up (2002)
Katchafire, April 2018.
Katchafire, 2017.
Bay of Islands Festival, 2018.
Reggae on the Mountain festival, 2017
Katchafire - Love Today (RNZ live session, 2018)
Katchafire's 2016 meal and drinks rider for New Zealand festivals. 
Katchafire - Way Beyond
Katchafire - Get Away (2003)
Katchafire, Whaingaroa Soundsplash festival, January 2019.
Katchafire - Addicted single cover, September 2017. 
Katchafire - Rude Girl (2004, directed by Ivan Slavov)
Reggae on the Mountain festival, Topanga Canyon, LA, 2017.
Katchafire - Love Today (2018)
Katchafire, US tour poster 2018.
Lake Tahoe, May 2016.
Katchafire - 100 (from Legacy album, 2018)
Katchafire - Legacy album cover, 2018. 
Katchafire huddle, August 2015.
Katchafire Australian tour 2018.
Katchafire - Addicted
Katchafire - short documentary
RNZ: Alex Behan interviews Katchafire, December 2016
Katchafire, Love Today cover, February 2018. 
Katchafire's Aotearoa television debut on Mai Time, Māori Television (final episode, 2007)
Katchafire, May 2018.
Katchafire's Slow-Burning album came out on Mai/Shock in 2005. 
Members:

Logan Bell - vocals, guitar, bass

Jordan Bell - vocals, drums

Grenville Bell - guitar, vocals

Thompson Hohepa - guitar, vocals

Tere Ngarua - bass, guitar

Jamey Ferguson - saxophone

Leon Davey - percussion, vocals

Ara Adams-Tamatea - bass

Haani Totorewa - keyboards, vocals

Wiremu Barraball - guitar, talkbox

Labels:

Mai Music


Zojak World Wide


Katchafire Enterprises LTD.


Universal


EMI

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