GROUNDATION

GROUNDATION

A conversation with a musician so intellectually and morally driven is a hard thing to come by. In a world of fleeting YouTube fame and digital domination Harrison Stafford, leading man of reggae troupe Groundation, is refreshingly real.

“Today music is like a product and it’s sold like McDonalds,” Stafford states from his home in Los Angeles. “But we want to inspire other musicians to continue the whole evolution of music by using tools, using voices and using creativity. That’s our goal as Groundation.”

Despite the late hour, Stafford is surprisingly enthusiastic. His band’s highly anticipated return to Australian shores will bring new members and the possibility of some new tunes that encapsulate their signature sound. With a new album slated for release in October, Stafford believes that their travels are a pivotal part of their creative process.

“We have been [to Australia] a couple of times but we don’t know that much about the country,” he admits. “We do get more of the people and the energy of Australian life, which we carry with us and which helps us create our music.”

Social unification is one of the core values that drive Groundation. Through their Rastafarian influences, Stafford is more than forthcoming with ideas on human beings in our current climate.

“There are two timelines going on, one is about evolving with our intelligence and becoming closer to equal rights and justice for all people. This is inevitable. But there is the other path, the well being of the planet, using energy and fossil fuels. All of these things could harm our life,” he says.

“So our last album Building an Arc is raising that question of ‘Are we going to get serious about things that we know will preserve life or are we going to continue in the direction that we know is the wrong way?’”

Stafford is adamant that music is a key and once listeners enter the world of Groundation, their perceived outlook on life may just change.

“Our goal is always to focus on the music and keep trying to create the most original music that we can,” he says. “We want to create music that is going to challenge people.”

“As people, we get strength through togetherness you know?” he adds. “One person in one life is a very difficult thing but together, we all shine.” (CD)

Feb 7, Sydney Hi-Fi, Entertainment Quarter, Moore Park, $45.50, thehifi.com.au

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