I was asked a few questions about my new band Black White Dynamite by The Audience Magazine around my new track - Build Me Up - and the history around the band.
What does BWD mean?
Black White Dynamite. Our original drummer James Goodhue and I are from Hawkes Bay - where the rugby team - the Magpies are the hometown heroes. Holders of two prestigious Ranfurly Shield reigns, one more prominant than the other. We grew up with the folklore of the mighty Magpies who wore black and white hoops. One chant yelled from the bank at McLean Park was ‘ Black White Dynamite!’ with a few expletives lined up in there. So the name was a nice homage to our Hawkes Bay roots.
Kyle Bell our bassist is from ‘the fake Bay’ - the Bay of Plenty - so didn’t get a look in. He might have suggested ‘The Steamers’ which just doesn’t work in my opinion…
BWD was also nice segaway out of Kyle and I other band Blackbird, which had more of a kiwi folk sound. And reference to musical heroes of mine the White Stripes. With the dynamite it adds a bit of energy and swagger…...sssssss boom!
Build Me Up has been in the song bank for a minute now, how does it feel to finally put it out?
Its been really satisfying. Especially since I wrote the song over 10 years ago now. I had the vision for the song initially when I was listening to the White Stripes. It loved the bass riff of Seven Nation Army and the chant that would accompany it. The way it would keep a monotonous rhythm and then build into a thrashing chorus.
I want to create something similar. The riff I stumbled upon has a more a hypotinc, marching pace but I’m hoping it will be just as effective. Especially when played in a live sense.
I like the idea of soft and heavy song which is what Nirvana was built on too. It is one of Kurt Cobain's signature moves you can hear in Smells Like Teen Spirit. Simple melodic verses before unleashing hell in the chorus.
What is the song about?
The song is about coming out of a relationship and things crashing back down to earth.
Any relationship - be it love, business, friendship is built up like constructing a house or any building. Step by step the past is buried under foundations, trust is built up, things are forgiven and added towards the creation of something real and lasting. Your partners are in essence builders who construct the relationship with you.
And in an instance it can be torn away leading to bricks, walls, materials all come crashing down as a relationship ends.
You have such a theatrical and emotive voice that really tells a story in Build Me Up. Who are you biggest vocal influences?
Thank you. I really feel I have a kind of alter ego when singing this song and others I wrote for this band. I really wanted to lose myself in the role as singer and write songs I could really express myself in. That's rock and roll after all!
From a performance perspective there are two notable inspirations. Jack White and Jim Morrison. Jack’s wacky and original rock alterego that we know as errr Jack White.
And Jim Morrison's poetic swagger that made him an original rock god. From just down the road from my current home in Venice nonethless.
I also think Robert Plant from a lyrical perspective as well but I’m not even going to attempt to try and emulate him from a vocal perspective.
What do you think about the current state of guitar music?
Good question. I don’t think there has been one band that is leading the charge out of an industry that is dominated by likes of EDM and Pop and too a lesser extent hip hop.
It has been good to see the Arctic Monkey finally realise their potential as the best band of their generation. Jack White also with his new album and the ability to headline festival shows. Muse are still the leading live act in the world and the Black Keys have crossed over to mainstream appeal. Figureheads like Dave Grohl and Josh Homme have also been doing a stella job holding the fort for some time. There are others flying the flag like Kasabian and to a lesser extent the Vaccines and the 1975 but just haven’t got the x Factor to turn the heads of the masses.
I expect in the next year we will see a new movement. Two leading rock movements in the last few decade have come about out of the ashes of crazy, outlandish scenes that had overgrown themselves and their popularity. Nirvana and grunge grew as a direct undergound reponse to the pomp and cheese hair rock of acts like Motely Crew, Guns and Roses and Poison.
Then the likes of the Stokes, the White Stripes and Kings of Leon came out of a heavy commercial pop time at the turn of the millenium, dominated by the likes of Robbie Williams, Britney Spears and NSYNC.
You could also say Punk was the antithese as Disco as well so there you go. After any storm comes a rainbow or what ever that saying is...
Expect a big backlash in the next few years to the circus that is EDM, and the souless commercial pop that in one minute out the next. I expect it to be rocks rule the earth again and BWD hopes to play some part of this change. Bands like Royal Blood are already paving the way....
You’re currently based in California do you have plans to play & work on music there?
It is nice to be in a legendary music city such as Los Angeles. The history of bands coming here to record play has definately inspired me. The Doors, The Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, Guns and Roses, and all the deals, recordings and memorable performances that have been done here over the years. It really is the most important music capital of the world.
My band are still in NZ so at the moment it at the moment I’m just working just finising the EP, and creating / building our digital assests frm my Californian base. Im looking to network with as many people as possible in the industry to sieze opportunties in all aspects be it live or recorded space.
So yes it will be great to at least network, meet other musicians and be inspire with being in such a creative and dynamic hub.
Light the wick you could say!
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