The time has been kind to our friends at F.O.O.D. With ages ranging from 48 to 63, this time-experienced, multicultural band definitely still knows how to rock. And, perhaps, in contrast to most of the younger bands in this festival, they do it all in the name of their saviour, Jesus Christ. Now they are dedicated to playing their hearts out in hopes of winning over some of the Emergenza audience at their round-one show on the 30th at X&Y. Before the show, they sit down with Emergenza to ask a few of our questions.

CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT HOW YOU GOT TOGETHER?
It all started in August 2010 after doing a solo gig at a spiritual convention that my long time friend, and present-day drummer of the band, put on in the city that year. The gig was a success and all the songs were originals of mine. I then started to advertise for the sort of musicians I wanted to make the sort of band the drummer I agreed would be Forged Out Of Dust (F.O.O.D), in the fusion genre. We advertised by various means on musicians’ alliances websites the then Rage Magazine in music shops and word of mouth and in some Christian Churches. All of the five members of F.O.O.D, including myself, are Spirit Led Christians (not man-made, religious, institutionalised Christians).

WHAT ARE YOUR MUSICAL AND NON-MUSICAL INSPIRATIONS?
Our musical inspiration come from the likes of Blood Sweat & Tears, George Benson, Chicago, Santana, Pink Floyd, Chic Korea, Herbie Hancock, James Brown, Jimi Hendrix, CCWR, Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Focus, The Allman Brothers Band, Canned Heat, John Lee Hooker, B.B. King, Curtis Mayfield, Tarsh Mahar , Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, Animals, Janice Joplin, Carol King, Aretha Franklin, Billy Holiday, Christ a Fari, Eli, Joan Armatrading, Status QuQ, 3 Crosses, Eagles, Super Tamp, Billy Thorpe, The Kinks, The Who, The Bee Gee's, Earth Wind and Fire, Hot Chocolate, KC & the Sunshine Band, U2, Little River Band, 10 cc, Police, B 52's, Sherbit, Sky Hooks, just to name a few.

Our non-musical interests include: fishing, movies, camping, reading books, surfing (board and wind or sail, and boogie boad), the sea, the ocean, snorkelling and scuba diving, the bush, the country side, fauna and flora, TV Documentaries and other shows, going out eating all sorts of wonderful world variety of authentic meals, sweets, going to festivals, live theatre, sleeping in, getting to know Jesus, The Father, The Spirit Wind, and learning about the instruction book of life and love that is The Bible.

WHAT IS YOUR REHEARSAL SPACE LIKE?
Our rehearsal space is the drummer’s garage under his house. The acoustics and the sound are fine and clear, and we are not a loud band. We have our set up as well as our rehearsals there, for when we play a gigs somewhere. We have been rehearsing there nearly 3 years now.

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR MUSIC TO THOSE WHO HAVEN'T HEARD YOU BEFORE?
Our genre is known as fusion, which mostly is in the songs that I write, compose, and produce. Fusion means no two songs are the same and that some genres may overlap in several songs. But to make it easy, some have described our music as acid jazz, jazz rock, hard rock, latin rock fusion, psychedelic, rock, blues, funk, reggae, ska, new wave, folk, semi country rock, soul, motown, just to name a few.

WHERE HAVE YOU PLAYED SO FAR AND WHAT WOULD YOUR DREAM GIG BE?
We’ve had a range of different style gigs, from faith meetings and churches to cafes and sports bars, charity events, music festivals and big venues like the HiFi in Brisbane, and the list goes on. Since our first gig as a band in December 2010, we’ve played almost 40 shows all around the Brisbane area. We don't have a dream gig because what we play and sing is for people who are searching for truth that they can identify with and dance to. I suppose if I were looking for that dream gig, it would be to play and sing my songs with the band in front of thousands of people, so that they may find something of God in our songs and music, as well as a bit of faith, hope and love.

WHAT ARE YOUR ASPIRATIONS AS A BAND?
One of our major aspirations is to expand our current line-up from a 5 piece to a 9 to 11 person big band in the vein of Blood Sweat & Tears or Santana.

WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE TO SIGN UP FOR EMERGENZA AND WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO THE MOST?
Signing up with Emergenza is not so much about competing with the next band, but is more about being recognised for being a people’s band with a positive and challenging message of peace, love, and hope, which we put in all of our songs. We say “food” for thought. We say “food” for your spirit and soul!!