Indie Folk with a twist of Rock and a side of Pop
As well as pursuing his solo career in Indie Folk, Ben is the lead singer, songwriter and 'Don' of Funk, Soul and Ska outfit with a Mob complex, East Row Rabble.
'Hit' the contact page if you wanna 'contract' the Rabble! Join the ranks below.
East Row Rabble is a smooth-operating crew dealing in funk, ska, blues and soul, moving hot horn lines like contraband and keeping dance floors under their control.
Front man Benny "Bootlegs" Drysdale runs the mouth, delivering songs that interrogate life’s messier dealings with honesty, hope, a wink, and serious groove.
Built for festivals and late-night takeovers, the Rabble has already pulled jobs at the National Folk Festival, Cobargo Folk Festival, St Albans Festival and Kangaroo Valley Festival and they’re ready to add your 'organsiation' to the family ledger.
East Row Rabble made their first move in June 2018, dropping a self-titled EP to a sold-out room at the Polish Club — a proper debut operation. From there, the family took it up the East Coast, packing out joints like Lazybones Lounge (Marrickville), Sol Bar (Maroochydore), The Chambers (Wollongong), and pulling off a hometown job at The Basement (Canberra) alongside Tijuana Cartel. The records started circulating too — spins on Triple J Roots n All, heavy rotation across community radio nationwide, and whispers of the Rabble’s work reaching the US and UK underground.
“East Row Rabble is a classic styled big band that would’ve fit right into the 30s and 40s in America, as we tried to dance our way out of the Great Depression.” – Caleb Alexander, The B-Side Guys (US)
The Word
On The Streets
“It’s catchy but still has an edge to it, and it’s great to hear a band producing this type of music” – Jane Howkins, York Calling (UK)
“The EP features impressive songwriting, with catchy tunes, solid choruses and appealing lyrics. All songs project an upbeat mood, with most having danceable rhythms.” – BMA Magazine
“A beautiful mix of grandeur and reality, and I can easily see why it worked as a proposal. We know we’d say yes.” - Review of Good For Me by The B-Side Guys (US)
“I have never heard sci-fi & soul together like this. Brings a smile to my day” – Review of Aliens in my Brain by Nkechie Anele – Triple J Roots n All
“Aliens In My Brain’ carries instant appeal in its soulful tide. Drysdale’s smooth vocals are mated with a funky guitar core and brilliant brass instrumentation which really makes the song glow. There is a strong brass riff throughout the track, with a standout trumpet solo at the bridge.” – BMA Magazine
“The lyrics are sheer genius (two listens in and I'm still hearing new gems) and the seriously funky tunes have me wanting to break out into dance. Plus that sax solo at 2:56 is a killer!” - Triple J Unearthed review of Strawberries & Cream by unearthed super reviewer Delia Bartle
