MNZ Interview: CoffeeBar Kid Cuts S02 / E12 – Dick Move

As I’m sitting on the train I’m listening to Dick Move’s latest single, Scared Old Men and scrolling through the news sites. The country’s top cops have been pinged for covering up sexual allegations against one of them, USA Democrats have released further documents implicating Trump even deeper in the Epstein sex trafficking saga, the Act party leader is denying he’s being racist for augmenting the removal of Te Tiriti obligations from school boards and rich white folk in a leafy suburb in Ōtautahi are going nuclear-NIMBY over plans to build social housing units on their pristine streets and avenues. Listening to the lyrics you couldn’t have found a more perfect song to respond to this moment.

In the fine tradition of old skool punk the track is a raw, post-punk anthem that channels frustration and exhaustion into a visceral critique of patriarchy and systemic power structures. Despite the title, it’s not aimed at men individually but at the ideology of patriarchy – a decaying, violent system that enforces fear, control, and suppression. The song highlights how these structures harm women, restrict gender expression, exploit lives, and even betray men by forcing them into narrow boxes of toxic masculinity.

That kaupapa also comes to the fore on another new track, F*ck It, a furious, two-minute punk anthem that rejects misogyny, control, and the systems that perpetuate them. The song is a battle cry for self-determination, demanding autonomy over one’s body and life.

None of this is a surprise to their fans. Dick Move was born from a desire to channel political frustration and community energy into music. Their music is short, sharp, and confrontational, tackling perennial issues like privilege, social justice, and feminism, but in the spirit of keeping the party-punk vibe alive and kicking against the pricks.

Dick Move, (bassist Lulu Macrae, guitarists Justin Rendell and Hariet Ellis, drummer Luke Boyes and vocalist Lucy Suttor) formed in 2019 in Tāmaki Makaurau/Auckland, grew out of friendships at Whammy Bar and a desire to turn late-night political conversations into action through music. Their sound is short, sharp, and confrontational, blending socialist and feminist politics with high-energy punk to tackle issues like privilege, social justice, and feminism – while keeping the party-punk vibe alive. Starting with their debut Chop! (2020), which charted in the NZ Top 40, and followed by Wet (2023), recorded at The Beths’ studio, the band cemented their reputation for politically charged, cheeky material. On stage, they’ve toured extensively across Australasia and Europe, played major festivals, and supported acts like Foo Fighters and The Breeders.

On stage, they’ve clocked up countless hours already, including 20+ shows in 2020, despite lockdowns (and the first post Covid South Island gigs). They’ve shared the boards with a raft of heavy hitters, too, including Foo Fighters, The Breeders, Amyl & The Sniffers, Cosmic Psychos, The Chats; appeared at BigSound, Dark Mofo and Valkhof Festival, and extensively toured Aussie and Europe over the last couple of years.

Now their newest offering Dream, Believe, Achieve has just hit the shelves.

I dial up the band’s vocalist Lucy Suttor on the Zoominator and she beamed in from Tāmaki Makaurau. The first thing I notice is that she’s wearing Flying Nun old skool – a Look Blue Go Purple T-Shirt.

Oh wow, love the T-shirt. LGBP, Yeah!

We’re lucky enough to have (one of the original members) Francesca Griffin and the Bus Shelter Boys playing with us in Dunedin on our tour. Pretty cool.

That’s really cool. Totally goes with your vibe – strong female role models!

Definitely!

I listened to some of the tracks released so far – awesome energy for Dream, Believe, Achieve.

It came out on Friday 14 November.. Like our last two albums, it’s a response to the current political and social climate – a commentary on what’s happening in New Zealand and abroad. This time, we wanted to acknowledge and celebrate the mobilization and unity of people across the motu. There’s a real vibe of getting together and fighting. We wanted this album to instill hope as well as the usual angst and shouting. Still full of pessimism and angst, but with an added layer of hope – hence Dream, Believe, Achieve.

Punk addressing privilege and accountability. I thought Scared Old Men (with its list of misdemeanours and crimes) summed up what was on the news yesterday (referring to the Independent Police Authority who had just reported that the former Police Commissioner and other senior staff were involved in a cover up of potential sexual abuse by the former Deputy Police Commissioner, in an effort to protect his career prospects for the job of Aotearoa’s top cop).

Exactly. That song is bigger than headlines – it’s about patriarchy as a system, how it oppresses women and fails men by limiting masculinity. It’s omnipresent, running our lives. Most songs are protest songs with hope and fire, but that one is just angry.

And there’s so many examples of that. Not just the ‘Top Cop’ story. There’s Trump. Epstein. Prince Andrew. It goes on!

It’s exhausting!

Nurses and F***k It, they go together. And they are unapologetically political. How do you decide which issues to tackle in your lyrics?

Totally. They are political (Especially Nurses). But also, it’s personal for me – I’m studying to be a nurse. I’ve just finished my second year. It’s bleak looking at what we’re walking into if the government doesn’t change. That song protests the failings of public health – giving millions to corporations and landlords while neglecting the health sector. It also celebrates mobilization across the country. There’s a line (in the song): “Workers, not tax breaks. We’re making the bridge shake,” a nod to the recent Toitū Te Tiriti hikoi protest (in Tāmaki Makaurau) where the (Auckland Harbour) bridge swayed under the mass of people. A total celebration of people power.

Tell me about the videos.

The F*** It video is like a fantasy and reality – a woman dealing with everything. We filmed F*** It and Nurses together so they run into each other (as a continuing storyline). At the end of F*** It, I see a nurse bleeding out, leading into Nurses. Scared Old Men is the big one – patriarchy shown by faceless, bald men in Adidas tracksuits. We worked with Stella Reid, an incredible Wellington director. She takes our ideas and makes them amazing.

I loved seeing all those Wellington locations – like the old museum (now Massey University School of Design), hint of the old Colonial power, the patriarchy.

Originally, we planned to film the suffragette scene in the videos at the beach, but being a classic Wellington day, rain meant we had to move it to those steps in the foyer of the old museum building. It still felt powerful and historical.

We’ve used plenty of blunt symbolism and imagery. Like the artwork on the single, F***K It, it the keys-through-fingers image – a woman protecting herself. So many women said, “I do that every night.” It’s universal. The album art ties in too. But in the videos, we take it back to the 1800’s – (because for women) the same fears have always existed.

In the second video (for the song Nurses), there’s an actual scrub nurse who’s in trouble, bleeding, needing a lift. You and her jump in the car, spin around town, ordering weed, pizza, etc. But you come to a stop out near Lyall Bay, where parts of the old Wahine broke up and came ashore. The nurse collapses and dies.

She personifies the public health system – doing everything for others before striking. Her last acts are selfless and fun before she’s killed.

That is heavy!

Turning back to the past. Remind me of where it all started, for Dick Move, after a few late night conversations at Whammy Bar, off K-Road. A chat and a pipe dream, I think. And Lulu Macrae couldn’t even play bass back then?

Exactly. (Lucy McCrae) Lulu had been a powerhouse in the music industry (as a promoter, club co-owner, and publicist) but never played music. She wanted to, so she and Justin started a band. Lou co-owns Whammy. So, Hariet joined, bringing her rock’n’roll experience. I was dragged in – never been in a band before. I love karaoke and did punk karaoke with Justin’s band, Master Blaster. That’s how they asked me. The rest is history. We spent nights at the bar talking politics – that became ammo for songs. Whammy is still our home base.

Then you’re touring – and opening for Foo Fighters!

Foo Fighters always have a female-fronted punk band open for them. We were lucky to be chosen. It was incredible – our first big show, huge stage, huge stadium. They made us feel part of it. Playing to people who wouldn’t normally listen to us was epic. Punk should reach beyond its bubble. Seeing women in the front row having a great time was amazing. We flew flags of Tino Rangatiratanga and Palestine – it felt powerful.

And European tours? How did audiences respond?

They got it. Songs about landlords and oppressive governments resonate everywhere. Language barriers made explaining F*** It funny, but punk speaks to shared working-class experiences. Spain was awesome – similar vibe to us. No wild road stories – we’re a boring punk band! Lots of driving, playing, sleeping. Most of the band doesn’t drink – just me holding it down. We leave the party for the stage, then have tea and go home.

DIY recording again? You pretty much have the same team as the last two records?

Yes, with Peter Ruddell producing, but this time at Roundhead Studios with De Stevens engineering. Incredible resources, (the temptation to overextend was there) but we wanted to keep the DIY punk feel. They understood that. Time pressure made it stressful but fun. Peter knows us so well – kept us calm.

How do you write songs?

Justin brings melodies to practice – he’s a machine. The band fleshes out the music. I take it away and write lyrics based on what’s happening around us. It’s like writing a poem and putting it to music. Some of the songs were cobbled together in the studio this time, like on the fly. Usually, we try them out, live. But this time was different – we recorded some songs we hadn’t played live yet.

What’s next?

After the NZ tour, we head to Australia in January, then Splore and CubaDupa. We love Wellington – the audiences are awesome. My favourite show was Newtown Fest when rain forced us under an awning in front of that cool shop, Creeps Records, surrounded by heaps of people sheltering, too. It became a street party.

Anything else?

Album’s out, tour’s on. That’s it!