29 Mar 2024
UsernamePassword

Remember Me? | Join | Recover
Click here to sign in via social networking
# A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Surf City

Bio

Surf City first came in to existence when bored friends Davin Stoddard and Josh Kennedy met at a party in Mt Roskill in 2004.

Tired of the heavy avant-garde music that was prolific at the time Stoddard and Kennedy teamed up with Josh's brother Jamie and Logan Collins to form the band.

Originally called The Fibs and then Kill Surf City their fascination with fast guitar pop and the early 80's sound of Dunedin soon saw them develop their own unique and catchy sound.

Known as Kill Surf City for 3 years they recently shortened their name to just Surf City. As the name is a throw back to an old Jesus and Mary Chain B-side a couple of other bands in America and the UK had adopted the same alias. With the likelihood of overseas travel in the future and to avoid subsequent confusion the name was changed.

Following a couple of tours of New Zealand, numerous day jobs and several flat evictions, Surf City released their debut self titled EP on Arch Hill Recordings in 2007. The majority of the six song EP was recorded in 2006 in various lounges and bedrooms around Auckland. Some in Eden Terrace and Kingsland and most of the vocals at Davin's mum's place.

After the mixes were finalised by Murray Fisher, Davin hunted out infamous American artist Steve Keene to produce the EP's artwork. Keene has created paintings for bands like the Silver Jews and Pavement and was more than happy to design for Surf City. With the direction of 'chickens, guns and the desert', Keene has created a perfectly colourful haphazard scene.

Between all this touring the band came up trumps with an excellent longplayer in 2010 called Kudos. The album was recorded mostly in bedrooms, basements and occasionally the old Arch Hill studios. Mostly it was recorded and mixed by themselves.

They then went on to release We Knew It Was Not Going To Be Like This in 2013 and Jekyll Island in 2015.

"It seems like decades since any New Zealand band has managed to evoke The same feeling that The Clean and Straightjacket Fits did. Mix that with how you feel about Interpol and maybe Sonic Youth and you have a fair idea." - Pavement

"Their live shows fluctuate from raucously fun to fantastically loose. That genuine vulnerability and intensity is what makes them engaging not to mention entertaining." - Rip It Up

Band Members:
Logan Collins (drums)
Josh Kennedy (guitar)
Davin Stoddard (guitar, vocals)
Jamie Kennedy (bass, vocals)

Links

Releases

Genres

Labels



Comments (Newest First)

Shade
muzic.net.nz Admin

Joined: 17/07/02
Posts: 5067
Location: Manawatu
View Profile
Surf City Australian Tour Dates
Posted: Tue Aug 21, 2007 4:53 pm
Thursday 30th Aug @ Candy’s Apartment w/ The Mules, The Chronics and The Dirty Secrets - Sydney, Australia

Friday 31st Aug @ the Annandale w/ Batrider, Say Cheese and Die, Dead Farmers and Straight Arrows - Sydney, Australia

Saturday 1st Sep @ Spectrum w/ Cut Off Your Hands and Teenagersintokyo - Sydney, Australia

Thursday 6th Sep 2007 @ Beach Rd Hotel - STAB/Insight Party - Sydney, Australia

Saturday 8th Sep 2007 @ Brown Alley Click Click w/ The Process, Mission Control and The Reptiles - Melbourne, Australia
 

Shade
muzic.net.nz Admin

Joined: 17/07/02
Posts: 5067
Location: Manawatu
View Profile
Surf City Hook Up with Arch Hill Recordings
Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2007 7:43 pm
Arch Hill Recordings is proud to announce that we'll be releasing Auckland band Surf City's debut self titled EP on August the 6th. The band formerly know as Kill Surf City have recently altered their name to avoid any confusion with bands using the same name abroad. In both the UK and US of A bands of dubious yet well intentioned taste have adopted the alias; Kill Surf City.

Listen out for the bands new single 'Records of a Flagpole Skater' on the airwaves soon. It weaves a tale inspired from the flagpole roller skating world record attempt featured in John Steinbeck's book Cannery Row, which is a sentimental novel based around the lives of good natured bums and warm hearted prostitutes.

Also look out for their video for the same song premiering on music channels this week. It features model railways, mini band train stunts and a conductor with an uncanny resemblance to a drummer of some repute. ?The video was cleverly created by Sam Muirhead.
Watch it on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJnK9bhdZSk

For those of you less familiar, Surf City’s set of no-nonsense jittering good songs have carved out a very healthy niche around the Auckland live traps, and they have gigged with the likes of Dinosaur Jnr, Dimmer and dozens of friends like the Whipping Cats and Collapsing Cities... http://www.myspace.com/killsurfcitygo

Surf City are playing a series of shows in July and August to support the release so stay tuned for more details...
 

Search for Bands/Artists:

NZ Top 10 Singles

  • WE CAN'T BE FRIENDS (WAIT FOR YOUR LOVE)
    Ariana Grande
  • BEAUTIFUL THINGS
    Benson Boone
  • END OF BEGINNING
    Djo
  • LOSE CONTROL
    Teddy Swims
  • TEXAS HOLD 'EM
    Beyonce
  • STICK SEASON
    Noah Kahan
  • PRAISE JAH IN THE MOONLIGHT
    YG Marley
  • CARNIVAL
    Kanye West And Ty Dolla $ign
  • SATURN
    SZA
  • LOVIN ON ME
    Jack Harlow
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