They're also part of the reason why so many touring bands are now stopping in Blenheim ... And they're playing The Captain Cook Hotel next Saturday!
Q When and where did you guys form as a band?
Probably, like, 2015 in Blenheim, where we all live. We met through other bands and, honestly, it's so hard to find like-minded folks in town that we all just jumped at the chance to do something. It felt good to play together from the go, but we fell off the wagon when Matt went overseas for nearly three years and really started up early 2018.
Q How would you describe your music? Who are your inspirations or influences?
Spirited South Island guitar music! 3Ds, Husker Du, T54, Straitjacket Fits ... early Hunters and Collectors when they were Kraut-rockers ... Pop-Gnarl. We leave a lot of half-written songs in our wake either to be picked up later or dispatched humanely. A friend of ours, Jimmy Boskill, told us when we started in 2015 our influences were on our sleeves. [But] when he saw us last year bombing out of Battle of the Bands armed with a new set, our sound was our own.
Q What's the music scene like up in Blenheim?
The scene there is growing. Because of the size you sorta can't be too picky about who you play shows with. We played with a reggae band once ... Matt has opened a neat little venue called The Plant and that's helped wrangle a few really great "punk-indebted acts'' like Ben Woods, Wurld Series, The Ruling Elite, Salad Boys, Francisca Griffin, No Age and Screaming Females. Jim's the in-house sound man and photographer and often Gregg will work the door or work the washing machine.
It's a DIT [do it together] type affair.
Q What should people expect from your live show here in Dunedin?
Loose and charging rock played by a band of dedicated provincialists. Our lyrics walk down the same dusty road as Ronald Hugh Morrison and Denis Glover. We give a lot of time to writing these songs, and the stage is where they live.
For more from Fraser Thompson go to dunedinsound.com.
The gig
- Big Scout winter tour with Koizilla and Evil Kid, The Captain Cook Hotel, Saturday, June 8, tickets $10. Doors 9pm.
