Exeter-based five-piece rock band Reckless were one of the first bands I had the pleasure of working with back in 2016. Their shows are always lively and energetic which in my experience, never fails to reflect in the crowd. Recently the band released a cover of the much-loved Band-Aid track Do They Know It’s Christmas? in aid of Exeter Foodbank. Having already been seen by over 23.5K people, watched over 10.5k times and raised almost £500 you’d never believe the single has only been out since December 21st!
“We may not be able to feed the world, but let's try and help feed our local cities.”
- Richard Elgar, Reckless
With the single being so popular, it was a challenging feat to cover it as successfully as the band have. Sticking close and paying tribute to the original 1984 version of the song, Reckless has added their own twist to make this version distinctly theirs. Made up of Paul on sax, Rich’s vocals, Jamie’s drums and Steve’s guitar, aided by John on guitar and keys and Jack on bass, the band’s upbeat and high-energy sound is highly recognisable in the South West music scene. Spinning the Christmas song slightly more towards the rock genre allowed them to keep this up and made the track a lot more individual.
“Reckless’ John Pill was the mastermind behind the mechanics of the making, doing the editing and soundtrack final mixing of the production” and did a great job! The quality of the single is amazing and sits beautifully alongside the video. A compilation of individual recordings aids the footage of lead singer Richard Elgar walking through the festively decorated Exeter town centre in the pouring rain with nobody else around. The weather and lack of shoppers only added to the atmosphere and reason behind the single. The aim was to bring attention to this incredible charity, Exeter Foodbank which is helping a lot of people during these difficult times and I think Reckless have one hundred per cent achieved that.
"We as a group, are so happy with the turnout. We thank everyone that helped and donated to the charity."
- Richard Elgar, Reckless
Calling in the help of other local musicians to be a part of their own choir towards the end of the song provided viewers from different areas with a familiar face to connect to. This proved effective in helping to get their message out there and raise awareness for Exeter Foodbank. Reckless has done an extraordinary job of promoting their video and has definitely made the most of using the platform they have in a great way!
The single shows off each member of the band’s natural talent and love of music in a fun and festive way while still promoting a hugely important message and supporting an incredible cause. It’s good to see bands using their platforms to benefit others at this time and even better to hear them say "would we do it again? Yes, we will."
To donate to this amazing charity, visit Reckless’ Facebook page or click here!
Words by Chloe Pollard.