Bio

Fat Freddy’s Drop is internationally regarded as one of the world’s finest live draws, captivating audiences with euphoric diaphragm-wrecking music.

Resolutely independent, Freddys formed in 1999, emerging from Wellington’s underground dance music scene into an 8-piece juggernaut whose influences have not only been formed by the band’s individual predilections, but also experiences on the road.

Fat Freddy’s appearance at Detroit’s Movement festival was a watershed moment for the band. The hi-tek soul movement stoked producer DJ Fitchie’s love of analog techno, balancing and fusing vocalist Joe Dukie’s adoration of soul and reggae with the band’s collective passion for Jazz, Rhythm & Blues, Rock, Disco, House, Post Punk and Balearic oddities.

The band’s toured UK/EU annually since 2003, morphing from small clubs to headlining the likes of the Roundhouse and Alexandra Palace in London, Zenith and L’Olympia in Paris and Waldbuhne and Zitadelle in Berlin alongside numerous iconic summer festival fixtures.

A pivotal Freddys album release is ‘Based On A True Story’ 2005. The studio album debuted at #1 and went Gold on release day in Aotearoa New Zealand, and won a raft of awards including Worldwide Album Of The Year at Radio 1 Gilles Peterson Worldwide Music Awards.

Fat Freddy’s Drop is:
DJ Fitchie aka Chris Faiumu – MPC, Live Mix, Producer
Joe Dukie aka Dallas Tamaira - Vocals & Guitar
Chopper Reeds aka Scott Towers - Saxophone
Tony Chang aka Toby Laing – Trumpet
Kuki Blaze aka Iain Gordon – Keyboard & Synths
Hopepa aka Joe Lindsay - Trombone, Tuba
C-Way Green aka Conway Jeune – Guitar
MC Slave aka Mark Williams – MC

Fat Freddy’s Drop Album Releases
‘Live at the Matterhorn’ E.P. (2001) – x1 Platinum
‘Based on a True Story’ (2005) – x18 Platinum
‘Dr. Boondigga & The Big BW’ (2009) - x2 Platinum
‘Live at Roundhouse’ (2010)
‘Blackbird’ (2013) - x2 Platinum
‘BAYS’ (2015) - x2 Platinum
Special Edition Part 1’ (2019)
‘LOCK-IN’ (2020)
‘WAIRUNGA’ (2021)
‘Blackbird Returns’ remix album (2023)
'SLO MO' (2024)

And a stash of limited edition vinyl singles and remixes including ‘Midnight Marauders’ 12” 2002, ‘HOPE’ 10” 2003 ‘Wandering Eye’ single 2005 - x6 Platinum and The Raft’ 7” single - 2010 x1 Gold, ‘HOPE’ remaster 12” 2017.

Fat Freddy’s Drop Milestones

Sold in excess of 500,000 albums

‘Based On A True Story’ spent 108 weeks consecutively in the Top 40, the most weeks in the NZ Album.

Based On A True Story, voted Gilles Peterson’s Worldwide Album of the Year (2005)

RIANZ New Zealand Music Awards;
Best Group, People’s Choice Award, Based on a True Story’ Album of the Year, Best Aotearoa Roots Album (2005)

People’s Choice Award (2006)
‘Based on a True Story’ Highest Selling NZ Album Award (2006)

Nominated Best Group, People’s Choice Award (2009)

‘Dr Boondigga & The Big BW’ Best Aotearoa Roots Album Award. Nominated Album of the Year, Best Cover (2009)

Nominated Design, Best Engineer, Best Producer (2009)

Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards;

‘Blackbird’ Best Aotearoa Roots Album Award, Best Cover Award. Nominated Album of the Year, Best Producer, Best Group (2013)

‘Blackbird’ - Deluxe Edition Nominated Highest-selling NZ Album (Top 5) (2014)

Nominated Best Group (2016)

‘BAYS’ (2016) Nominated Album of the Year, Highest-selling NZ Album (Top 5), Best Aotearoa Roots Album

International Achievement Award (2016)