19 May 2013
UsernamePassword

Remember Me? | Join | Recover
Click here to sign in via social networking

Will Saunders Newsletter Interview

05 Mar 2012 // An interview by Shade
 

Thanks to Will for answering these questions for muzic.net.nz:

What can we expect to see from you over the next year?

As well as the live shows and promoting my debut album Curious Maladies, work has begun on the next release, probably an EP with perhaps a slightly different sound. More electric possibly... then there is my new band Bearhat who'll be playing live and releasing our debut EP this year.

What advice would you like to give to other aspiring musicians?

Make sure it's fun. Always press 'record'. Choose carefully the advise you take. Find out exactly What it is you want to do and Why. Forge ahead regardless of negative reactions and try not to compare yourself with others. Push up against rules and barriers and stretch yourself. Storm the Gates of the Mind.

Who are your favourite NZ musicians/bands, and why?

I have admiration for anyone creating music in New Zealand, as it's often not easy and has to have the motivating factor of doing it for the LOVE maaaan. My favorites are very many and varied, including - but never limited to - the likes of Chris Knox, The Mutton Birds, Finns Snr and Jnr, Shayne Carter, The Drab Doo Riffs, Ghost Wave, Dictaphone Blues, The Eversons, Opossum, UMO, The Vietnam War, The Cosbys, The Situations, The Twitch, Roy Irwin.... the list honestly goes on and on... would be easier to say the NZ bands I DON"T like... There's one or two.

What will your next release be?

Probably digital, but I would like to do a physical release with a small illustrated book.

How do you come up with your lyrics?

Usually it all comes in one big flood. I try not to edit or analyze what they mean or where they come from but usually after a few weeks or months I can see more of what I was thinking at the time. I like to think of them as postcards from the subconscious and I like a 50-50% break of storytelling and phonetic sentences that actually turn out meaning something. They're already there, I just have to get off my arse and broadcast them. Like a tattoo thats under the skin already and appears when the surface is broken or a swift fish. Crafty and slippery stuff.

Who would you most like to support live?

Ideally I would like to support myself and friends and familly to live a happy, healthy life.

How do you believe you fit into the NZ music industry?

Like a one eyed cat peeping in a seafood store.

What can you never leave home without?

Having a home to get back to.

How do you describe your music?

Odd Folk for odd folk, with a smattering of psychedelia encased in a rich layer of love and hope. All topped off with a glaze of inevitable mortality.

What is your favourite NZ venue?

Having mainly played in Auckland it's Kings Arms, Whammy Bar, Wine Cellar and Golden Dawn and Mighty Mighty in Welly.

What is the best part of being a musician?

Being given a free pass onstage and in recordings to project unfiltered thought, energy, melody and emotion. If you did this sorta thing in real life they'd lock you up.

What NZ musicians or bands would you like to see more of, and why?

Original, thoughtful and creative musicians and bands not bound by genre would be nice... we're doing pretty well so far, let's try and keep it up.

What is in your CD collection at home?

Lotta psychedelia, blues, old pop, punk, rock n roll, folk and jazz, organic human crafted stuff mainly. All containing Energy and Melody.

What is your most embarrassing on tour/gig moment?

Playing Wellington with my old band The Quick and the Dead, all the gear got stuck in snow in transit and we had to cobble together a very sub-par but working backline...just before we were to begin and an hour after we were meant to be playing everything turned up due to a kindly snow clearer and we lifted it all over the heads of a restless and party-keen packed out gig to play one of the wildest sets we ever did. Twas some skin-of-the-teeth funtimes.

What is your favourite place in NZ to be?

The beach in summer when not playing, onstage when playing, with everything working when recording.

What inspired you to start a band?

I just didn't know any better.

How did you come up with your name?

Initially I was recording on a 4-track cassette machine, so have many many hours of songs, covers and experiments on tape. The Lowest Fidelity seemed suitable when I supplied a track to the Cheese on Toast Michael Jackson tribute album released just after he died, and had no computer, and as when I was playing solo I wanted a separation between the whole "singer songwriter" tag...And then there is the thought of a tree falling in the woods with nobody around to hear it etc....and the low grumbling growl elephants emit to communicate and can percieve over vast distances, which is out of range for us humans to ever hear.

What is the best gig you have ever performed at, and why?

Suppoting Kitty Daisy and Lewis was fun, everyone was up for a good time, when thats the case it's pretty hard to screw it up. Every gig could always be the last though so it's important to give it everything each time I think.

How do you keep in contact with your fans?

Musically mainly. Live and recording. As I am so crap at social media and internet swings and roundabouts Youtube, Bandcamp and Facebook are the main outlets.

What rumour would you like to start about your band?

That there are definitley no external forces and spectres informing what myself and The Lowest Fidelity produce. Clear thinking and sensibility come with great ease. There is a 67% chance that I have two small electric eels spinning and thrashing in the fluid undernath either of my kneecaps. We own the copyright to both fire and wasps.

Share on MySpace  

About Will Saunders

Formerly of London 3-piece Siren and Auckland 3-piece band The Quick and the Dead, Will is now performing solo as Will Saunders & The Lowest Fidelity




Visit the muzic.net.nz Profile for Will Saunders

Releases

Curious Maladies
Year: 2011
Type: Album

Other Interviews By Shade

Bluebird Avenue Newsletter Interview
12 May 2013 // by Shade
  Bluebird Avenue is an alternative acoustic guitar-based act from Auckland. Their influences include Elliott Smith, Jackson Browne, Jeff Beck, Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds, and Miles Davis.
Read More...
The Hamma Newsletter Interview
12 May 2013 // by Shade
The Hamma is a dirty kick-ass four-piece rock band from Hawke's Bay who play original songs and classic covers. Their album Panzer Tank is out now.
Read More...
Little Lapin Newsletter Interview
28 Apr 2013 // by Shade
  Little Lapin is a Raglan based indie-pop singer/songwriter. To date, Little Lapin has independently filmed 4 music videos, recorded an EP and her vocals have featured on a theme song for a prime time TV1 programme in NZ.
Read More...
Prowler Newsletter Interview
01 Apr 2013 // by Shade
Greg answered the following questions for muzic.net.
Read More...
Killing Bear Newsletter Interview
18 Feb 2013 // by Shade
Killing Bear is a two piece band from Pukerua Bay, Wellington. They formed in 2010 and have produced two studio albums and an EP in their basement, toured the North Island and played live on bFM, Kiwi FM.
Read More...
The Adventures of Mikejoffa Newsletter Interview
18 Feb 2013 // by Shade
  The Adventures of Mikejoffa has recently finished tracking, mixing and mastering their up and coming album 'Miss Fortunes' which they will release in May 2013. Artwork is in process for the CD design and fundraising for the production.
Read More...
Paper City Newsletter Interview
09 Jan 2013 // by Shade
  Paper City are a young female fronted three piece Rock band. They are a tight and full sounding three piece and who play energetic pop rock that gets the crowd moving.
Read More...
The New Brides Newsletter Interview
24 Nov 2012 // by Shade
  The New Brides have reached #1 on the International Indie Charts with their hit song Record; Now they need your help to reach #1 on theaudience.co.
Read More...
View All Articles By Shade

Gigs Today

NZ Top 10 Singles

  • BLURRED LINES
    Robin Thicke feat. TI And Pharrell
  • GET LUCKY
    Daft Punk feat. Pharrell
  • LET HER GO
    Passenger
  • RADIOACTIVE
    Imagine Dragons
  • AFRICA
    Toto
  • ROYALS
    Lorde
  • FEEL THIS MOMENT
    Pitbull feat. Christina Aguilera
  • CAN'T HOLD US
    Macklemore And Ryan Lewis feat. Ray Dalton
  • MIRRORS
    Justin Timberlake
  • SKINNY LOVE
    Birdy
View the Full NZ Top 40...
muzic.net.nz Logo
100% New Zealand Music
All content on this website is copyright to muzic.net.nz and other respective rights holders. Redistribution of any material presented here without permission is prohibited.
Report a ProblemReport A Problem