Jordan Reyne Newsletter Interview

Which NZ artist/band do you think will be a huge international success one day?

I have no idea. I don’t really listen to music with the idea of marketability in mind. In fact, I probably shy away from anything that is especially commercial. In a lot of ways I think the Industry here in NZ prides itself on being able to make something that could be mistaken for any pop tune that came out of the states. To me that’s not anything to be pleased about – so I steer clear of a lot of the stuff that comes up through the mainstream industry channels. I prefer the indie stuff and releases that appear from nowhere or just by word of mouth/ internet forum.

Who would you most like to tour with?

Anyone who was going to mainland Europe! I really enjoy playing with groups that are some blend of electronic and live music. I like groups with a mix of musicality and passion/ agression – so groups like Avotor and the Mercy Cage (both from NZ) would be great to tour with for that reason. Playing with Das Ich (from Germany) would be pretty great though too! They certainly have agression and passion in their music. But in the end its about who you can manage to spend the days with! Personailities are all important when you have to share space with people for an extended period of time.

What is your most embarrassing concert moment?

To be honest, every time I embarrass myself publically (and it happens often) my brain does a wonderful yet mysterious job of editing it from my memory. I am greatful for it. But it doesn’t make my answers to questions like this especialy interesting!

What are you planning on doing during 2005?

Im hoping to release a remix album of tracks from Passenger later this year. Some wonderful people have come through with remixes – Rob Salmon, Timmy Schumacher, Johnny Chrome and Audioslut. It should be an interesting project.

Right now I am in the midst of recording a 5th album called “Remembering the Dead” – thanks to Creative New Zealand who have come through again with funding for me to record it. It was actually commissioned by the Arts Council and the Department of Conservation last year as part of the Wild Creations initiative. I spent 6 weeks in Karamea researching the history and local folklore. The album is essentially a narrative piece about 2 characters. One is a woman called Susannah Hawes who arrived in Karamea in 1874 – she came over from Gravesend in the UK on the Michealangelo. She has this ongoing argument with History – who I embodied as this rather bloodthirsty woman who is only interested in Grand Narratives and the deeds of men. History gets increasingly pissed off at Susannah for having such a small story and eventually throws her name in the sea and forgets her. She goes off to the Boer war where there is more blood and gore. It’s a comment on the way we make history. The sounds are a lot of contextal machinery – old chains running through pulleys and simple agricultural implements for rhythms. Lots of stark vocals and celtic harmonies. Ive mixed old traditional sea-shanties in behind the really dark brooding main vox I generally do.

What is in your CD collection at home?

I don’t have one. I cant afford to buy music. Mostly I just have a bunch of MP3s my friends give me. The “real” copies of things I have are stuff I bartered with local and german musicians for copies of my own CDs. With the stuff friends give me, I don’t even know track names half the time. But my favorite group right now to listen to is 16 Horsepower. They are this god-fearing midwest sounding band with the kind of religious influence that makes you realise the god they believe in is a dark and terrifying thing indeed. The music has this deep undercurrent of fear and revenge. Small town lives lived out under a vengeful gaze. I love it for its blackness.

What advice would you give other budding musicians/bands?

Ignore the Industry, sell your CDs yourselves whenever you can, support the MP3 format and file sharing, and if you are doing music for money, do something else instead!