A Dunedin band picked the wrong week to record its debut album.
Ash and the Matadors have been isolated in a remote hall on the Otago Peninsula since the big snow hit on Sunday.
"We came out here to get away from the distractions of town, but there have been nothing but distractions," lead vocalist Ash Officer said yesterday.
The quartet moved out to Hoopers Inlet Hall on Saturday for a week to start recording 11 tracks for the new album.
"We thought it would be exciting, but when we got out here we found the hall is about as draught-proof as a cheese grater. Then the snow came," drummer Glen Kellett said.
"We recorded right through the blizzard," guitarist Jared Smith said.
"We barricaded the door and the wind still blew it open twice. We were calling it 'solid wind', because that's what it was like. The whole place was rumbling at one stage."
Yesterday, sound engineer Mike Holland decided to return to Dunedin to stock up on fuel for the generator.
"We were worried that we were going to have to siphon petrol out of the cars for the generator if the roads didn't open," Officer said.
"But, the car had a flat battery and a flat tyre."
Living the rock 'n' roll dream has also meant cleaning with baby wipes, rather than having showers, for the week.
But, the frozen foursome have been getting by with a little help from their friends.
"We've been sleeping around the fireplace on mattresses to keep warm," bass player Spencer Morgan said.
"The locals have dropped off firewood and brought hot chocolates around. The people here have been really great to us."
Ash and the Matadors hope to continue recording at Hoopers Inlet until Saturday and plan to release the as-yet untitled album in November.
