RSB Band

RSB is another great musical secret Northlanders have kept to themselves for long enough.
The four-man Whangarei-based outfit is releasing a new album, claiming its place in a long line of great Northland artists that includes the likes of Peter Posa, The Quindells, Face, Mark Williams, Willy Hona, The Hi Marks, Classic Affair, Billy T. James, Eddie Hemara, Reggie Ruka, Sonny Day, Hammond Gamble and many more.
RSB (first word Rip, last word Bust) has direct connections with several of those artists. Most notably lead guitarist Mack Tane was bass player in Face, the band that also gave us singer Mark Williams and self-taught Hokianga guitar supremo Willy Hona, who went on to become a major part of Pacific reggae heroes Herbs. Face is the band many remember from school dances, community hall socials and later clubs around Auckland and Northland in the 1970s and 80s.
In 2008 Mack, 53, finds himself the father figure and figurehead of a tight, four-man band that revels in performing live and delivers a tight, crisp sound doing other people’s songs. In the new album the boys present their own creations.
The members of RSB are:
Mack Tane – A Dargaville native, he counts among his musical influences Jimi Hendrix, The Beatles, Steppenwolf, Humble Pie, The Small Faces, Uriah Heep, Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple. Over the years he has performed with many of New Zealand’s great entertainers, such as Ray Columbus, Lew Pryme, Bunny Walters, Suzanne Lynch, Ray Woolf and a band called The Rumour, at a time when that band’s keyboard player was someone named Sharon O’Neill. Mack says he is “still enjoying creating noise”.
Beau (Eric) Adams – Raised in Kerikeri and Auckland, Beau says he became RSB’s lead singer “by default” after the original vocalist, his sister Kate Bell, pulled out. RSB is the only band he has ever been part of and since he favoured in his younger years listening to radio talkshow host George Balani more than music he feels he has few strong musical influences. Except for B.J. Thomas. He recalls taping Thomas singing so he could teach himself to sing.
Henry Beattie – Drummer-percussionist-harmonica player Henry, 35, grew up in the mid-Northland freezing works town of Moerewa. His father, one of his strongest musical influences, was a drummer, guitarist and singer and he remembers being spellbound by local show bands like The Turntables. He has been enjoying “getting the groove” with his drumming for RSB’s new album.
Dylan Stewart – At 20 Dylan is the youngest member of RSB and is the band’s bass player. But his juniority presents no problems. “Music sort of bridges the gap. In music we all speak the same language,” he says. He also plays in a reggae band called Sons of Zion and his role in RSB allows him freedom to play something different, “not stuck in the same thing”. His major musical influences are “classic guys” such as Stevie Wonder, Bob Marley, James Brown, Keb Mo and Van Morrison.

Event listed by Tripodmusic Management

View their other events or contact promoter