Born from sleepy disillusionment with life in Auckland's leafy suburbs, Dear Time's Waste paints an aural picture of soft water colour with a grey wash of light that is - according to one listener - "akin to a morning orgasm".
What can we expect to see from Dear Time’s Waste over the next year?
This record, 'Spells', release on 18 October. Beyond that, shows in and about the place. The record is coming out in Australia on Speak n Spell in November, and that will be followed by shows over there. Following this I plan on starting another record, and am also working on a couple of collaborations.
I have also been chipping away at a small book which I had hoped to release with the album but it is unfortunately being delayed until early next year.
Who are your favourite NZ musicians/bands, and why?
Seth Frightening, for making music that echoes in my life and seeming to do it so effortlessly.
JPS Experience, because they make songs that ache like sexy slow jams!
Grayson Gilmour, 'No Constellation' is a great record and he has solid work ethic I really admire... he just makes one record after another and is a nice guy to boot.
And Timothy Blackman for being the most courageous solo performer....
But really, I admire anyone who sticks to their guns and keeps making/playing songs in or outside of a country that doesn't sustain it terribly well...
How do you come up with your lyrics?
A lot of them are influenced/inspired by particular texts/films I have been thinking about. A lot of material on 'Spells' is drawn from the David Lynch film Blue Velvet, there is a song ('Alice') drawing from Closer by Patrick Marber, and others drawing from Virginia Woolf and Lyn Hejinian. That said some material speaks from an internal perspective of my own with no direct/intentional textual references. The stuff that I draw from Woolf, Lynch, and so on resonates with me on an extreme level so in that sense it becomes personalised through my reworking of it.
Who would you most like to support live?
I'm not sure really, playing support for bands I love is nerve-wracking, and I'd perhaps rather just go to see the show and listen. But if there was anyone, the Pixies and Kate Bush - but in the 80s. Having supported Deerhunter and soon to be supporting Low (on 18 October in Auckland) are both special shows for me.
What can you never leave home without?
Pen and paper.
What is the best part of being a musician?
Trying to make the songs in my head a reality.... and also meeting and playing with awesome people and making friends in a variety of cities.
What is in your CD collection at home?
Favourites include the Smiths, My Bloody Valentine, Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, Slowdive, The Shocking Pinks, PJ Harvey, Fugazi, Q & Not You, Antony & the Johnsons, Sonic Youth, Hole, Deerhunter, Smashing Pumpkins, Cocteau Twins, the Breeders, Simon Joyner, Joy Division, Joanna Newsom, the Walkmen, Rufus Wainwright, Hank Williams, REM, Swans, Bob Dylan, and heaps more. Not to mention a billion burnt mix compilations
What is your favourite place in NZ to be?
I am a city person, I get a thrill every time I get to hang out in Wellington, there is so much life and positivity floating in the air. That said I love Auckland and the far North is incredible. I'll be camping there this summer.
What inspired you to become a start Dear Time’s Waste?
I was looking for an outlet for some songs I had been working on, and set about recording them with producer Djeisan Suskov
How did you come up with the name Dear Time’s Waste?
It's taken from Shakespeare's 30th Sonnet, the line reads like this:
When to the sessions of sweet silent thought
I summon up remembrance of things past,
I sigh the lack of many a thing I sought,
And with old woes new wail my dear time's waste
I liked the way the words look and sound together and the way it's a bit hard to pronounce. It also speaks a bit to the way I feel about creative processes which for me are often soaked in nostalgia, longing and procrastination.
What is the best gig you have ever performed at, and why?
Laneway Auckland in 2010 is memorable, I think our band sounds good through big flash PAs rather than small shitty ones. And I got to meet Warren Ellis which was exceptionally exciting. That said, I think I have made my best performances at Auckland's Wine Cellar, which is tiny and very intimate.
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Dear Time's Waste released the album 'Spells' this year, and you can read the muzic.net.nz review here.
Barracks formed in early 2010 when Simon, Martin and Kane, having previously been playing together in bands, joined together with long-time friends Hunter and Keir to complete the line up.
Defining their style as Post/Melodic Hardcore, Barracks offers music with depth that maximises the use of every instrument within the band. The use of interesting tempo changes, melodies and hooks, combining with lyrics and vocal styling's that add to the overall effect, Barracks create musical diversity throughout their songs to give the opportunity to discover something new in the music every time you listen.
The first offering from Barracks ('We are the Lions' EP) is an EP featuring fourtracks of melody ridden hardcore. Recorded in Tauranga, over six days in a two month period, with Nathan Sowter (Take The Willing) producing, engineering and mixing the EP, and Zorran Mendonsa (New Way Home) mastering the tracks, the final product is just a glimpse of what Barracks is set to unleash in New Zealand and beyond.
Barracks are looking forward to packing their bags and getting out on the road, sharing the passion they have for their music coupled with an energetic stage show.
What can we expect to see from Barracks over the next year?
We have just released our first EP called 'We are the Lions', so promotion of that and lots of shows.
What advice would you like to give to other aspiring musicians?
Don't be shit
What is in your CD collection at home?
We all have quite an eclectic taste in music. Collectively we have bands like The Dillinger Escape Plan, Glassjaw, Poison the well, Take the Willing and The Gaze. Individually there is a varied collection of Jazz, Hardcore, Acoustic, Drum'n Bass, Pop, Hip Hop, Dub etc
What is your favourite place in NZ to be?
At the beach. We love the Coromandel, especially a place called Hahei. We even named a song after it ('Ha!Hey!').
What can you never leave home without?
Toothbrush- We are very oral hygienic.
What NZ musicians or bands would you like to see more of, and why?
There are heaps, but Take the Willing and New Way Home (That has nothing to do with the fact that Nate and Zorran produced/mastered our EP).
How do you believe Barracks fits into the NZ music industry?
Come to a show and find out.
Who would you most like to support live?
Bands like Comeback Kid, Architects and Poison the well would definitely make us happy to support and also we fit more into that high energy hardcore category.
What rumour would you like to start about Barracks?
Justin Bieber is our guitarist....... its not a tumour
How do you keep in contact with your fans?
Facebook is the new Myspace. You can message us there if you would like a copy of our 'We are the Lions' EP.
Barracks is Keir Scott (vocals), Martin Mihaka (guitar, backing vocals), Kane Lazenby (bass, backing vocals), Hunter Branch (guitar, backing vocals) and Simon Power (drums).
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Barracks have released their debut EP 'We Are The Lions' and you can download the songs 'Alex' and 'With A Different Face' from their muzic.net.nz page.
You can also vote for Barracks to win an opening slot at BDO with 95bFM - http://www.95bfm.com/default,197309,win-an-opening-slot-at-the-big-day-out-.sm
Thanks to Mike for answering these questions:
What can we expect to see from The Ramps over the next year?
We’ll be promoting ourselves off the back of our first EP 'Plural'. That means sending out the EP to magazines across the country to garner reviews, then booking venues. We’ll also be producing our first video single for 'Cinderella Girl', which is the first song on the EP.
What advice would you like to give to other aspiring musicians?
Work hard. Make the music you want to make. Have fun. Try and have an angle on life. Don’t do what the other bands out there are doing. Do the opposite.
Who are your favourite NZ musicians/bands, and why?
We’re big fans of Kids of 88, Knives at Noon from Dunedin, and anything that mixes dance and rock together in new and interesting ways.
What will The Ramps' next release be?
The 'Plural' EP is our next release. It’ll be available on Amplifier and iTunes within the next month, and in selected Wellington record and clothing stores.
How do you come up with your lyrics?
I think about the emotion the music produces and try and make the lyrics reflect it. Sometimes a few darker thoughts on society creep in. But mostly it’s about people, love, and the juxtapositions we all face as consumer-influenced beings that like to party (we do), but also are supposed to have a brain.
Who would you most like to support live?
I think the Kaiser Chiefs, because they are, indeed, the best band in the world. We’d love to open for Ladyhawke too, or maybe someone with rock pedigree like Shihad.
How do you believe The Ramps fit into the NZ music industry?
We fill the niche between dance and rock. We’re also technically good on our instruments, and that matters when you want to play music that lasts.
What can you never leave home without?
My wedding ring.
How do you describe The Ramps' music?
We’re dance rock. That means dancy rock, not rocky dance. Our lyrical side tends towards the emotional, but musically we’re uplifiting. Like disco grunge. It’s a rad combo.
What is your favourite NZ venue?
So far, I’d say the Garden Club in Wellington. It’s got a great sound, and feels really personal, even though it’s large enough to fit in a big crowd.
What is the best part of being a musician?
Wearing better clothes. Doing something you love.
What NZ musicians or bands would you like to see more of, and why?
I’d like to see a better quality of rock out there. There’s a lot of emulation in that market in NZ, but not enough innovation. That’s where The Ramps come in.
What is in your CD collection at home?
I threw away all my CDs and went fully digital. I love The Damned, The Cult, Duran Duran, Billy Idol, The Dead Kennedys, Orbital, Howard Jones, The Sisters of Mercy, Pink Floyd...
What is your most embarrassing on tour/gig moment?
Leaving my brand new bowler hat in a plastic bag in a pub in Auckland and losing it, without ever having worn it.
What is your favourite place in NZ to be?
On a wave in Tora.
What inspired you to become a start The Ramps?
The need to do music is more like a driving force than an inspiration. Nothing inspired us. We just have to play something or we start going a bit mental.
How did you come up with the name The Ramps?
All the other names on MySpace were taken. No seriously. Also, we go off.
What is the best gig you have ever performed at, and why?
Our recent EP release party was awesome. It felt like our most polished, professional show to date. The audience were gagging for more and we left them chanting our name. That felt bloody great.
How do you keep in contact with your fans?
We use ReverbNation.
What rumour would you like to start about The Ramps?
We’re secret agents from Israel sent to New Zealand to try and imbibe the youth with the sudden urge to give up work and start a kibbutz based on the notions of free-love, drugged-up midnight dancing and playing frisbee.
The Ramps are Mike Gwyther (vocals), Shane Madzen (lead guitar), Dave Wynn (bass guitar) and Chris Irving (drums).
Bleeding View formed in April 2010. Fronted by both Frances Cannon and Braeden Maclean the bands songs are unique with the lead vocals switching between songs. Shane Cannon on the drums completing the three piece. The show is electric and with two gigs coming up (16th and 30th November) at The Dogs Bollix they are not to be missed.
What can we expect to see from Bleeding View over the next year?
Nudity…… Our single will be out in Nov followed by an EP early next year.
What advice would you like to give to other aspiring musicians?
Don’t jump…… There will always be someone who appreciates your music so don’t give up.
What will Bleeding View’s next release be?
Our single 'Last Night' will be out on 11th November.
How do you come up with your lyrics?
Lyrics are whatever comes out at the end of the day. We have fun with it and it’s all situational.
Who would you most like to support live?
Foo Fighters, they look like they have the most fun on stage, it would be amazing to be a part of that.
How do you believe Bleeding View fits into the NZ music industry?
There is a call for fun loving music right now and that’s where we slot right in.
What can you never leave home without?
Car keys.
How do you describe Bleeding View’s music?
It’s like that song with that guy and then they have that drummer and he does that thing and it sounds like the guy playing guitar with that chick slapping the bass.
What is your favourite NZ venue?
Western Springs.
What is the best part of being a musician?
Who else gets to answer these sorts of questions?
What is in your CD collection at home?
Too many to list… mostly all types of rock and anything catchy.
What is your most embarrassing on tour/gig moment?
Breaking a string in the final of a competition and had to ask to borrow a guitar.
What is your favourite place in NZ to be?
On the beach with a guitar round the fire with a couple of beers and your mates.
What inspired you to become a start Bleeding View?
In the backyard with a guitar round the fire with a couple of beers and your mates.
How did you come up with the name Bleeding View?
We wanted the image of blood so we started with bleed for you which when to bleeding for her to bleeding for you which kind of sounds like Bleeding View. We wanted the image of something that shouldn’t be and Bleeding View summed it up perfectly.
How do you keep in contact with your fans?
Social networking systems are the only way to communicate with the masses these days.
What rumour would you like to start about Bleeding View?
Shane gets naked at every show.
Bleeding View is Frances Cannon (bass, vocals), Braeden Maclean (guitar, vocals) and Shane Cannon (drums).
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New Zealander’s are being encouraged to use their digital savvy to create a music video for a Flying Nun Records track, as part of the Great NZ Remix & Mashup competition. The competition challenges Kiwis to develop new creative content using existing New Zealand digital content and data.
Using one of the music tracks of Kiwi songs provided by Flying Nun, entrants must create their own music video, using archived footage from Archives New Zealand.
The winner will be decided in part by popular vote using the MusicHy.pe voting tool.
Up for grabs is MinoHD Flip video camera and a prize package from NZ On Air, MusicHype, and NZ On Screen, plus the chance to win the supreme prize of a Macintosh laptop.
All entries go in to win the Creative Commons award for the supreme NZ remix, awarded to the most outstanding remix entry that includes Creative Commons licensed material. The supreme prize is a Macbook Pro.
You know those conversations you have. Where one person likes a track and another doesn’t. One thinks it’s genius and the other says, “what planet are you on?” Even amongst best buddies you never know exactly which way it’s going to go. Even amongst band members!
For Dance Music Will Tear Us Apart, Minuit front person Ruth Carr gifted band mates Ryan Beehre and Paul Dodge (aka DJ/producers Funknslocuts and Gimme A C!) a handful of lyrics to do with whatever they liked.
With these lyrics and a scoop into the bountiful Minuit archives, they have delivered three tunes each; an eclectic mix of beats in the styles they like for the dance floor. Enjoy
Or not. Because that’s what it’s about - choice. This EP is dedicated to and inspired by those who have the choice taken away from them.
Meet Pikachunes - Jazz student turned bedroom producer Miles McDougall (Tiger Tones) and Lil' Chief's newest signing.
There's something charming about a scrawny white guy occupying a stage with nothing more than his drum-machine and laptop, but Pikachunes more than compensates for his physical presence with the grooving hypnotism of his music and in-between song charismatics. Stripped back to bare essentials, a typical track features one or two synths, a 70's analog bass line, and a series of reverberated vocal harmonies, all driven by an atypical disco beat. - no unnecessary frills.
It's this simplicity that makes Pikachunes so appealing. Tracks like 'Just a Boy', which will be the next single along with accompanying video, tell the story of a blossoming romance written as a mantic loop. 'Nervous', "the BNet hit", describes the fear of a musician rising to fame and fading into obscurity. McDougall's Matt Berninger/Bernard Sumner-esque vocals make Pikachunes all the more easy on the ears and glide tastefully amongst their new-wave surroundings.
Recorded over a feverish two months in Berlin, Germany during the second half of 2010, renowned New Zealand hip-hop soul icon Ladi6's sophomore album The Liberation Of... is a heart warming work fluid in sound, content and scope.
Handcrafted while Ladi6 was in the midst of a sprawling six month European/UK tour which saw her grace stages alongside the likes of Gil Scott-Heron, Mos Def and Mayer Hawthorne, The Liberation Of... was produced by Parks and respected German hip-hop producer/DJ Sepalot (of Blumentopf). With session features from drummer Myele Manzanza (of Electric Wire Hustle), German backing vocalist Esther Adams and Fat Freddy's Drop horn player Toby Laing, counting in at 10 songs deep, The Liberation Of... offers a unique blend of modern Antipodean soul'n'beats music and contemporary European grooves.
From the vibrant "claps and synth" soundscape of lead single 'Bang Bang', to the hypnotic mid-tempo magic of 'Like Water', the surprisingly up-tempo feel of 'Jazmine D.L' and beyond, The Liberation Of... takes the template Ladi6 and Parks set forth on her 2008 debut album Time Is Not Much and stretches it into new, previously untapped avenues of sound.
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The following musicians were added to the muzic.net.nz website recently:
Other | Dudley Benson |
samRB | Blue Blood |
The Kumpnee | Awakened Inferno |
The Heathen Collective | The Jury & The Saints |
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Muzic.net.nz has one of two double passes to give away to the 2011 Big Day Out!
Featuring TOOL, RAMMSTEIN, M.I.A., IGGY AND THE STOOGES, LCD SOUNDSYSTEM, SHIHAD, LUPE FIASCO, GRINDERMAN, DEFTONES, THE BLACK KEYS, THE NAKED & FAMOUS, ANDREW W.K., WOLFMOTHER, THE JIM JONES REVUE, EDWARD SHARPE & THE MAGNETIC ZEROS, PRIMAL SCREAM SCREAMADELICA LIVE, BLOODY BEETROOTS DEATH CREW 77, BOOKA SHADE, SIX60, DIE ANTWOORD, VITALIC, KIDS OF 88, CSS, PLAN B, RATATAT, I AM GIANT, JOHN BUTLER TRIO, AIRBOURNE, DIE!DIE!DIE!, BULLETPROOF, BIRDS OF TOKYO, STREET CHANT, CRYSTAL CASTLES plus more to be announced.
Enter here!
These reviews were added to the site during the last fortnight, check them out at the links below:
- Emma Paki - 'Trinity' Album Review
- Dam Native - 'Aotearoa... Nobody Does It Better' Album Review
- Dear Time's Waste - 'Spells' Album Review
- Specials: Remixes and Versions from Solid Ground by The Black Seeds
- Crackpot Theory - Black Metal Much? CD Review
Muzic.net.nz caught up with the lovely Plum Green for an interview before the release of her latest EP titled The Red to see what makes her tick. You can read her fabulous intereview here:
You can check out every single interview and review in our Articles Page.
Every feature we have ever had on the site can be viewed here.
The next muzic.net.nz newsletter is going out on 21 November
and will feature Turbostill, Dakota Scream, Black River Drive and Mercury Crowe!
THERE IS ONLY ONE ISSUE LEFT (5 DEC) WITH FEATURE SPACE AVAILABLE FOR 2010!
The final 2010 muzic.net.nz newsletter will go out on 5 December.
The first 2011 muzic.net.nz newsletter will go out on 30 January.
If you would like to feature in the last muzic.net.nz newsletter for 2010,
you need to contact Lisa as soon as possible!
Our newsletters are sent out to over 7960 members and with this number growing every day, featuring in our newsletter will provide excellent exposure for you or your band. And, as the people who receive our newsletters have subscribed to them, they are more likely to read what you have to say.
If you would like to advertise anything to do with NZ music in our newsletter and/or gig mail out, email Lisa. It is 100% FREE to feature or advertise in our newsletter and gig mail outs!
Our next gig mail out is going out on 14 November.
- The muzic.net.nz team