John Brown's Body accepts the invite

HEADING THIS WAY: John Brown's Body were lured to New Zealand by the Black Seeds.

When the Black Seeds met some kindred spirits on tour in the United States, they did the Kiwi thing and invited them back here for a visit. Naomi Arnold reports.

When interviewing an American musician about to embark on a tour of New Zealand, there's an inevitable answer to the question about what he might already know about the country. And Tommy Benedetti apologises for it in advance.

"The Lord of the Rings!" he laughs. "Sorry!"

But all is forgiven – New Zealand probably hasn't heard of him, either. Benedetti is the drummer for Boston/New York-based reggae fusion band John Brown's Body and their upcoming spring tour with the Black Seeds means Kiwis will become familiar with them soon.

The first performance of their 11-show tour was last night in Invercargill. The two bands hit Nelson's Phat Club on Sunday.

They've formed a unique bond. Benedetti says his band first came across the Black Seeds at a party in the US, and straight away became huge fans. Management worked out a way to collaborate and the Seeds joined JBB for an autumn tour in September. It worked out well, says Benedetti. Although musically different, the bands have a lot in common: sincerity and a "really deep family vibe".

"There's no pretentiousness, posturing, fake nonsense – it's all just a real organic sincere vibe that I think both bands get across," he says.

"They go more for the funk soul kind of vibe and we're a little darker, a little dubbier, a little heavier but somewhere it meets in the middle."

Though the result is different both bands take a similar approach to making music, he says; filtering Jamaican, soul and roots through their own experience. That chemistry made for an "incredible" show in the US. "People that saw the bill, that had never seen the Black Seeds before, were completely blown away by them and by the calibre of the whole show, so I'm really looking forward to re-creating the whole experience [in New Zealand]."

The Black Seeds return the compliment both musically and personally, says Seeds vocalist and percussionist Daniel Weetman.

The bands are both chilled-out, laid-back, and with more than 20 years' experience between them can handle those "little blow outs" on the road.

"What makes being on the road easier is everyone respecting each other. If one person is having a hard time the ripple effects works really fast with people throwing their weight around," he says.

"Just make it relaxed, keep it in perspective, be professional and appreciate the position you're in, that makes it easier for everybody. And [JBB] have that."

As well as promoting the Seeds' new album, a 12-track trip back through their live recordings, Weetman is looking forward to getting some New Zealand exposure for the American band and showing them around – taking them for a hangi, a Queenstown bungy jump and four-wheel driving. Benedetti's looking forward to being a tourist too.

But Benedetti says not knowing much about the country is one of the good things about coming here.

"Everybody that talks about New Zealand is just like `prepare to get your mind blown'. So we're really coming at it with open minds and open arms."

• The Black Seeds and John Brown's Body at the Phat Club, Sunday, November 1, 7:30pm. R18. Tickets $37 from Everyman Records or eventfinder.co.nz