FIVE ALARM FUNK is experiencing a landmark year in their 15+ year career. Following a nod at the 2018 JUNO Awards for their full-length album Sweat, the Vancouver-based eclectic eight-piece is celebrating the release of their latest single, "We Play The Funk," featuring legendary funk icon Bootsy Collins with the debut of the official music video.
Check out the video for "We Play The Funk" now on Billboard here.
"The video is jammin' from beginning to the start of something fresh and new," Bootsy shares with Billboard. "For me it trips down memory lane with a bunch of musical freedom fighters going gung-ho just for the funk of it. All we ask in return is for you to have just as much fun as we do. This is not just a music video, this is a Groovement that will sweep one nation at a time. Soon we all will be onto first responders to Five Alarm Funk!"
"Bootsy's the captain of funk, so for us to hop on board with him, man, it's such a pleasure and such an honor and an inspiration," FIVE ALARM FUNK drummer/vocalist Tayo Branston shares.
The project came about as Bootsy heard FIVE ALARM's original song "Capital City," off their 2017 album Sweat (nominated for Instrumental Album of the Year at this year's JUNOs), and was inspired to re-work the track with his own flair. "We Play The Funk" ft. Bootsy Collins first premiered with Relix magazine, who called the band "explosive," and is included on a mini EP titled Boots & Wheels, available now both digitally and via 7" Flexi disc.
"When I first heard Five Alarm Funk it felt very familiar and something I could embrace, so it was a no brainer for us to do something together," Bootsy shares. "They sent me this track and I felt it was fresh food for funk, so I wrote some funked up lyrics to it."
FIVE ALARM FUNK is also gearing up for a very busy summer and fall out on the road, including making several festival appearances across Canada and the U.S., as well as their first-ever New York City show: September 18 at Brooklyn Bowl. The live experience is where the band really shines--hot, sweaty dance floors with feet stomping and everybody moving.
Over a decade into creating music, FIVE ALARM FUNK--Tayo Branston (drums/vocals), Gabe Boothroyd (guitar), Oliver Gibson (guitar), Jason Smith (bass), Thomas Towers (congas), Ricki Valentine (timbales), Eli Bennett (saxophone) and Kent Wallace (trumpet)--remains as impossible as ever to put into a box. Although they are rooted in the style that gives the outfit its name, the group thrives on being able to transcend genre by seamlessly mixing in elements of gypsy rock, Afro-funk, Latin, ska, punk and even at times prog-metal. Check out their latest album Sweat here.
