The Bloodbuzzed Jukebox Week 101

Probably the most exhausting and stressful week of the year to date, mixing lots of work & great experiences, meeting new & old friends plus, but also some bad news... making pretty hard keeping with the updates at the Blog. But here we are today, bringing you our last TOP TEN Jukebox full of discoveries, like the exciting new tune of dear Prophet Hens from our beloved Fishrider Records, the catchy Soda Fountain Rag from the WWNBB collective or the unbeatable track of Mercury Girls. Plenty to listen! And remember all songs are listed at our Soundcloud page (Join Us!).

Direct links to 2016 Jukebox playlists

Week 84  Week 85  Week 86   Week 87   Week 88  Week 89 Week 90   Week 91   
Week 92  Week 93  Week 94  Week 95   Week 96   Week 97  Week 98  Week 99   
Week 100

These Go to 11: interviewing Fishrider Records

This week we interview Ian Henderson, runner of Fishrider Records, one of our most beloved labels. Based in New Zealand, the label has brought us plenty of great bands & music, plus a much needed enlightenment from someone who is not afraid to share his wisdom & vast experience on music, so it's a special pleasure to count with Ian thoughts & answers. These Go to 11!

Ian Henderson, Fishrider Records

Mr. Henderson, man on
an indiepop mission

Hailing from Dunedin, Ian created Fishrider Records in 2006 and since then has released bands and recorded music that, in his own words, he would like to have in his own collection. Starting with The Puddle (Ian brother's band, in which he drums) the label today has an impressive roster that includes bands like Males, Trick Mammoth or The Prophet Hens, most of them featured in our discoveries series (take a look!). But Ian is not just a label owner, he's an independent music advocate and activist (check his manifesto), making not only the bands of his local scene be known and heard, but defending an idea of a DIY, small, collaborative music community with his acts. Here we go!

The apple of pop

1. First record that you bought (be honest)

The Beatles 'Get Back' 7'' I'm pretty sure was my first record. I still have it. The Beatles 'Essential Beatles' (a budget compilation) was the first album I bought.

2. First and last concert you have attended (be honest too!)

First concert I can remember was a band called Watchdog playing T Rex and Bowie covers in a park near where I lived in Invercargill NZ. Most recent was seeing musicians from Fishrider Records bands Males & Trick Mammoth playing Beatles covers at a show celebrating 50 years since The Beatles played in Dunedin.

3. Guilty pleasure (song/band you shouldn’t like but you do, yes, it’s the embarrassing question)

I have zero guilt about it but love Joan Jett and I also have two Kylie Minogue albums (the good ones).

Got drums?

4. Most precious music item you own (collector mode on)
Probably my drum-kit. It's an German made Sonor kit bought 2nd hand one piece at a time. It has a great Sonor Designer maple snare. It was used on most Fishrider albums and has been used for shows here by lots of visiting musicians including Rachel Blumberg (who has drummed for The Decemberists, M. Ward, Bright Eyes & Mirah amongst others) and bands including Real Estate.

5. Favorite lyrics (not yours)

Right now it is the line 'Crushing petals with a hammer' from 'Terracotta' by Trick Mammoth. Adrian writes such a great visually arresting lyrics. I like well-crafted lyrics but I can rarely remember verses let alone songs. However sometimes lines like that get stuck in my mind.

She loves rock'n'roll...
& with a reason

6. Musician/s you would like to meet (should be alive, for obvious reasons, but you can choose a dead one too)
I would love to meet Joan Jett of course. I'd really like to meet Stephen Pastel (The Pastels). I'd also like to meet Jaki Liebezeit - drummer of Can, as he was one of the most influential musician on me as a drummer since I was a teenager. A dead musician I'd like to meet - go back in time to meet - Kurt Cobain. To try to persuade him to stick around as he still had a lot to live for and to do.

7. Favorite artwork album (not yours)

I love the Trick Mammoth 'Floristry' album cover, though as it is on my label it may not count. So, I think The Slits 'Cut' might be favourite.

8. Books or movies? Depending on your answer recommend us one (trick: you can choose both) 
Favourite book is 'Caught Inside' by Daniel Duane. It is about a year in the life of a surfer in California and i have read it several times. Favourite movie is honestly just too hard there are so many favourites for different reasons.

9. Release (of yours) you are most proud of

Opposite Sex

Label release I am most proud of is difficult because they all make me proud. The ones I am most involved in making happen are the ones I get most attached to. So, most recently that is  Trick Mammoth's 'Floristry'. However, overall the album that started the recent run of releases by young bands is the one I took the biggest leap of faith with when I recorded & released it - Opposite Sex. I'm most proud of that because it was just such a freakish album in all ways. It broke most of the rules about releasing music but has a spirit which makes it unique and an underground classic in years to come I think.

10. What’s does it mean indie for you? (yes, the “serious question”)

'Indie' is just an abbreviation for 'independent' which just means not owned / associated with a major label. I'm not sure 'indie' has any meaning in music as it means all sorts of things. I guess being independent (as opposed to 'indie') means being able to make my own decisions, break the 'rules' and release music I think deserves to be heard and to help the musicians first rather than the shareholders in a company. I run the label because I love music and respect the musicians I release and want to do what I can for them to get their music heard and appreciated. The downside of being independent is the financial limitations, particularly with the ability to make releasing music sustainable getting each year as less people buy music - even though more people are listening to more music than ever now. There is a huge unethical transfer of income going on at the moment from thousands of musicians and the people who release their music into a very small number of very large telecommunication and internet corporations. No one is talking about that or about how much money we pay to access supposedly 'free' music online and who that goes to.

11. Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
I don't see Fishrider Records still being around in 10 years. If it is I hope it has been taken over by the younger musicians on the label. However I hope I am still helping people with music, playing music though.

Zillion thanks Ian!

Discoverer 81: new indie findings

New year, new discoveries! And to make a flamboyant start, we're heading to Oceania with three bombastic findings. Follow us in this music trip!

Courtney Barnett. Hailing from Melbourne, this singer-songwriter and guitarist started her own label, Milk! Records, in 2012, releasing her debut EP "I’ve Got A Friend Called Emily Ferris" that April achieving immediate praise in Australia. A follow-up EP, "How to Carve a Carrot into a Rose", arrived in October 2013, quickly packed together into a full-length entitled "The Double EP: A Sea of Split Peas", which propelled the buzz about Barnett worldwide. Folk-pop with GREAT LYRICS (yes capital letters) sung in deadpan style, 60s-70s sunny vibes and loose melodies. You don't even know me dear Courtney, but I clearly see you're going to be "soundtracking" my life quite a bit. Thanks for that.
The Native Cats. South to Hobart, Tasmania, to meet Julian Teakle and Peter Escott, a duo active since 2007. Debut LP "Always On" came out in February 2009, and a year later the 7" single "Catspaw / Lemon Juice". Sophomore album "Process Praise" kept the work pace in 2011, with latest adventures to date being a split 7" with UV Race and third LP "Dallas" in 2012 and this past summer respectively. Self-defined as electronic pub rock, they recall early New Order, or the gloomiest moments of The Fall using a Nintedo. A razorblade bass, toy electronics and incisive, anxious words. 21st century post-punk meets excitement.

The Prophet Hens. Couldn't be any other way: we end our trip in Dunedin, New Zealand, this time to meet a lovely four-piece, formed in 2012, when songwriter and guitarist Karl Bray stayed at home recovering from a serious injury. He began writing songs with local musician John White, and an album, finally entitled “Popular People Do Popular People”, took form before the band shaped into its actual quartet form. Released on (of course) Fishrider Records past August, the LP is pure jangle gold, with Karl's and Penelope Esplin's harmonies shining all over, recalling Flying Nun's tradition, but also UK's indiepop classics, full of melodic hooks and well crafted tunes. Another gem from NZ!