‘Cave Rave’ is no metaphor but based on the true story of the band ending up in a literal cave after getting into trouble on the high seas. Turkey the Bird are the international trio of Swiss Andre Manella (guitar, bass, and percussion), Irish Adrian Whelan (guitar, bass and spoons), and Kiwi Sol Bear Coulton (Banjo) were sailing together in 2014 and got caught up in a storm which led their yacht being beached and they sought refuge with locals whose home was carved into the side of a cliff.

Despite the minimal arrangement this is a fully rounded song that lacks for nothing. Given the story that accompanies it I have no trouble imagining it taking shape on a white sand beach with a blazing campfire and only acoustic instruments to hand. The popped guitar chords and the happy plink of banjo flicker like flames over drowsy percussion with the gentle sizzle of a tambourine. ‘Cave Rave’ has the kind of sway in its hips that means your marshmallow would get an even toasting as you rock backwards and forwards. Serving on a sailing ship means being used to working as a tight unit and Turkey the Bird prove this in the lush, close-quarter 3-part harmony they make sound so easy. This is warm glow music that raises a smile and being beached with them wouldn’t be a bad thing. You might even let a few rescue ships go past to keep the cave rave going.

Andre from Turkey the Bird was kind enough to answer some questions for Joyzine:

A Swiss man, an Irish man and a Kiwi walk onto a yacht sounds like the start of a 70s joke. Was it music or sailing that first brought you together?

It most definitely sounds like the beginning of a 70’s joke especially if they walk into a bar instead which actually happened a few times before! 🙂 It’s definitely the music that brought us together. And the fact that we all live in Taranaki on the west coast of New Zealand. 

Why ‘Turkey the Bird’?
When we where looking for a suitable band name we thought our music is pretty quirky like some birds are rather quirky. We settled on the turkey and to clarify that we didn’t mean the country we called it Turkey The Bird. Maybe also a bit of an homage on the band name Portugal The Man. 🙂  

We are all metaphorical cave dwellers in COVID times so what music is keeping you sane at the moment?
One of my (Andre) main reasons why we started Turkey The Bird was hearing music by the band Bear’s Den which I still listen to sometimes. Sol is currently consuming a dangerous amount of Funk music and Adrian has recently been part of a musical which meant he needed to learn a lot of 70’s Rock n Roll songs. 

What’s coming up for you musically, is there an album release coming up

We have another single called ‘This and That’ coming out on the 5th March 2021 and our debut album drops on the 21st May 2021.We also play a couple of Festivals here in New Zealand and of course we will have a big launch gig to celebrate the release of the album. 

More music and videos are available on Turkey the Bird’s website:

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