History

The band began in 2004 as a three-piece act formed by Patu Colbert and his sons Shaun and Jimmy. Five other members joined the band over the next five years as the original members felt they needed more musicians to produce the sound they wanted. The band's current lead singer is Darren Katene.

The name 1814 was taken from the year the that missionary Samuel Marsden

Samuel Marsden

Samuel Marsden was an English born Anglican cleric and a prominent member of the Church Missionary Society, believed to have introduced Christianity to New Zealand...

 held the first sermon in the Bay of Islands

Bay of Islands

The Bay of Islands is an area in the Northland Region of the North Island of New Zealand. Located 60 km north-west of Whangarei, it is close to the northern tip of the country....

. The band have appeared alongside several other bands including Ardijah

Ardijah

-History:Ardijah formed in 1979 and spent the early part of the Eighties playing the Auckland Pub and Club scene honing their skills as a covers band. They released their first single in 1986, Give Me Your Number which was followed in 1987 with Your Love Is Blind...

, Katchafire

Katchafire

Katchafire is a New Zealand roots reggae band from Hamilton, New Zealand.Katchafire formed in 1997 as a Bob Marley tribute band and later began writing and performing their own songs...

, House of Shem

House of Shem

House of Shem is a New Zealand Reggae band from Wanganui, New Zealand.House of Shem have had songs featured on the Conscious Roots compilations. In May 2008, their debut album, “Keep Rising” was released throughout New Zealand. It was released again in April 2009 throughout Australia and...

, Cornerstone Roots

Cornerstone Roots

Cornerstone Roots are a successful contemporary New Zealand reggae band from Raglan/Whaingaroa in the Waikato.Formed in 2001 after a session at the infamous local Raglan Musicians Club, the original three-piece outfit singer/songwriter/guitarist Brian and drummer Turongo Dixon and bassist Naomi...

, Unity Pacific, Che Fu

Che Fu

Che Fu MNZM is a New Zealand Hip hop/R&B and Reggae recording artist and producer. Originally one part of the band Supergroove, as a solo artist he has gone on to sell thousands of albums both in New Zealand and internationally, including in Australia and the UK.-History:Fu is one of New Zealand's...

 and Moana and the Tribe.

Their first album, Jah Rydem, was released in 2008. It was produced by Wiremu Karaitiana and recorded at the Muscle Music Studios in the north of New Zealand. It received some positive reviews.