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EDITORIAL Welcome to the August issue of Rip It Up. This month we investigate boganism. Who are bogans and does being a bogan mean? And we can’t look at bogan culture without some examination of hard rock and metal, the two musical genres most central to bogan life.

Our Hamilton reporter Kate Powell has produced an in-depth examination the large, if unheralded, Kiwi metal scene. She also talks to iconic Swedish metallers Refused who have just released their first new album in 15 years.

Our other main feature examines the life and times of Paul Martin, the driving force behind the hugely popular Devilskin, and the man considered by many to be the godfather of the New Zealand metal scene.

Paul Martin and Riccardo Ball offer their “best of” metal albums and we celebrate Motorhead’s Lemmy Kilmister, King of the Bogans, and review Motorhead’s new album Bad Magic.

New Zealand’s foremost expert on boganism, Dave Snell, has contributed as well as two bogan filmmakers, Jason Lei Howden (whose bogan metal movie Deathgasm is doing the rounds as we speak), and Greg Page, director of the classic bogan horror film The Locals.

We ask New Zealand’s greatest satirist John Clarke if his alter-ego Fred Dagg is a bogan and John discusses Kiwi culture in his lively feature New Zealand: A User’s Guide.

All of this and a whole lot more. This is Rip It Up, on the streets since 1977.

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CONTENTS

46.

30.

08.

22.

26.

25.

8. What Goes On/On the Rip It Up Stereo, 10. New Zealand; A User’s Guide by John Clarke, 12. So What…/Tweet Talk, 14. Exploring Bogan Culture 15.

Dr. Martens; A Brief History, 16. Paul Martin, 18. Top Metal Albums, 20. Stephen Kirkby, 22. The Nature of the Beast 26. Refused, 30. Four Essential Bogan Films, 34. Album Reviews, 38. This Month in Clubland, 40. Screen Guide, 44. DVD Reviews, 45. Attraction Guide, 46. Gig Guide, 50. Culture Guide, 54. Eat/Drink Guide

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T S E G G I B S ’ D L R O W THE MUSIC COUNTDOWN

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ON THE RIP IT UP STEREO MAC DEMARCO – ‘I’VE BEEN WAITING FOR HER’ (2015)

FOALS – ‘MOUNTAIN AT MY GATES’ (2015)

RYAN ADAMS ­– HEARTBREAKER (2000)

ROBYN X THE BAGATELLE MAGIQUE – ‘SET ME FREE’ (2015)

NEW GUM SARN – ‘NEW GOLD MOUNTAIN’ (2015) KURT VILE – ‘PRETTY PIMPIN’ (2015) IRON & WINE, BENN BRIDWELL – SING INTO MY MOUTH (2015)

PIXX – ‘A WAY TO SAY GOODBYE’ CLAP CLAP RIOT + BUZZ MOLLER – ‘BACK IN TO YOUR LIFE’ (2014) TAME IMPALA – CURRENTS (2015)

CREDITS Rip It Up Creators Murray Cammick Alistair Dougal Publisher & Editor Grant Hislop Co-Editor Andrew Johnstone Designer Ashley Keen ashley@harkentertainment.com Publishing Coordinator Tyler Hislop Sub-Editor Louise Adams Sales Grant Hislop grant@harkentertainment.com Publishing Assistant Jamie Hislop jamie@harkentertainment.com Accounts accounts@harkentertainment. com Cover Photo Credit Steve Dykes stevedykesphoto.com Contributors Tim Gruar, Gary Steel, Kate Powell, Nick Collings, Riccardo Ball, Paul Martin, John Clarke, Anna Loveys, Mark Kendrick, Richard Swainson, 8

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WHAT GOES ON

2015 DEMON ENERGY BATTLE OF THE BANDS NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP NATIONAL FINAL RESULTS It was a huge weekend, a remarkable display of many high quality NZ bands over the 2 shows, both nights ran on time, ahead of schedule most of the time, sooooo much talent. Big thanks to all the music supporters that came to the shows and for going to local gigs in general and making live music so much fun, thanks to all the bands for being part of the event this year, it’s been a pleasure working with you all and big thanks to all our awesome sponsors and media partners, crew, venues and the whole team of people that were part of this 20th Anniversary event.

And the winner is...

Phil Grey, Jake Ebdale

BAKERS EDDY - Wellington

Rip It Up and Groove Guide Magazines is published by Hark Entertainment Ltd

SKINNY HOBOS - Auckland

Office 2a Waverly Street, Auckland CBD, New Zealand

Slots at two concerts in the Parks, Feb and March 2016 The Demon Energy Rockapolooza – February 2016 Auckland City Park.

Awarded to: SKINNY HOBOS ‘Groove’ style concert, March 2016 Auckland City Park.

Awarded to VALLKYRIE

Postal PO Box 6032 Wellesley Street, Auckland 1141, New Zealand Website ripitup.co.nz or grooveguide.co.nz Printers Webstar | Blue Star Group Limited | Shit Hot Printers Rip It Up and Groove Guide are subject to copyright in its entirety. The contents may not be reproduced in any form, either in whole or in part, without written permission of the publisher.

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ISSN 0114-0876

2nd place:

Equal 3rd place:

VALLKYRIE and BUFFALO SWING - Auckland

Demon Energy Special Opportunity

Best Songwriters Award: NEW REPTILES – Tauranga TOWERS – Wellington

Most Passionate Performers Award: EMPIRE – Christchurch SKINNY HOBOS, THE MOOTS – Auckland SKELTER – Christchurch

Best Vocalist Award: TOWERS – Wellington VALLKYRIE – Auckland

Best Bassist Award: MASSES & BAREFOOT – Auckland

Best Guitarist Award:

RED LIGHT BLUES – Auckland THE YOUNG ONES – Tauranga

Best Drummer Award:

TUGGS – Auckland SKELTER & EMPIRE – Christchurch

Best Instrumentalist Award: MOJO CROW – Auckland PIERS DASHFIELD – Wellington BAKERS EDDY will be departing for the Europe Tour on 27 August, first show in Barcelona on 29 August, with dates around Europe ending in Munich on 19 September, Thanks to Stoke Travel. (Additional UK dates may also be added, TBC). The have also won recording time at Roundhead Studios, New Zealand’s best studio and have a global radio promotion campaign through USA’s Musik and Film with their song delivered to 250,000 Radio Stations around the globe. Jansen Sound have provided a beautiful Allen and Heath Mixing Desk for one of the 1st place prizes as well as other prizes from Audio Technica, for prizes for the above mentioned placing and awards.

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NEW ZEAL AND A User’s Guide by John Clarke

NEW ZEALAND IS the most beautiful country in the world, as is clearly stated in the UN Charter. (I think it’s in Article 17). The land is nourished by warm sunshine each morning and receives the benediction of good rainfall around lunchtime.

It is an egalitarian nation made up of well over four million rugged individualists and naturally gifted sportspeople and is run on alternate days by the government and whoever bought the national infrastructure.

Like Australia, New Zealand was established as a colonial economy by the British. This means they bought our wool and our meat, although not for our benefit. It was purchased from the farmers by British companies, shipped on British ships and processed in British factories before being sold in British shops in British currency.

The money then went into British banks. I think we can probably

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all see the problem here. The British made more out of New Zealand than the New Zealanders did. This changed slightly in the early 1970s when Britain went into the common market. Kids had been doing school projects about this throughout the 1960s but it came as an enormous surprise to the New Zealand government and it has taken them some time to adjust.

The principal business in New Zealand used to be sheep but the country has now moved into milk in a big way and if you’d like to enjoy the beautifully clean swift-flowing New Zealand river system, you should make every effort to get out there before the dairy industry gets any more successful. New Zealand also produces a large quantity of fruit, wine, fish, coal, wood pulp, flightless birds, cups of tea, middle-distance runners and other people’s film industries.

“In 1893, women in New Zealand were the first in the world to get the vote and in more recent times women have had a run as Prime Minister, Opposition Leader, Chief Justice and Governor General.

Even the Queen is a woman.”

Before the British, the Maori people arrived from Hawaii in the year 1273, at about quarter past four in the afternoon. There were allegedly people here before that, called the Moriori, and there may have been people even before that. Harry Armitage has been a stock agent up around Raetihi for at least that long and he tells me his father had the pub at Te Karaka.

Like most of the world’s major democracies, New Zealand is run by international capital and a few local big-shots who tickle the till and produce a set of

annual accounts in a full range of colours. There is a national parliament in Wellington, which looks like the hats in the Devo clip ‘Whip It’, although very little of any importance has ever occurred there. The country works a lot better during the weekends than it does during the week, there are no states and the senate voted itself out of existence after the Second World War. When the Lower House eventually follows their excellent example, constitutional experts agree the next step will be beers all round.

In 1893, women in New Zealand were the first in the world to get the vote and in more recent times women have had a run as Prime Minister, Opposition Leader, Chief Justice and Governor General. Even the Queen is a woman. The country’s most famous pop singer, best known opera star, most famous short story writer, greatest novelist and most consistent world champion athlete are all women. They’re not allowed in the All Blacks as yet, but don’t be fooled. It’s just a matter of time. New Zealand women are stroppy, imaginative and a major strength in both the Maori and Pakeha cultures.

In some New Zealand families, women are practically running things.

During the 1970s, New Zealand

South Africa,” said Norman. “It will look like an endorsement of the white supremacist policies of the South African government, to which we are opposed.”

“So what?” said the spuds.

(I’m summarising a bit here, obviously).

“So it’s not going to happen,” explained Norman.

The spuds were furious.

They saw this action by the government as a direct threat to the way the country was run, and after a smaller Prime Minister had been elected in 1975, the tour went ahead. As a result of New Zealand’s endorsement of the white supremacist South African regime, the Montreal Olympics in 1976 were boycotted by twenty-six African nations.

“So what?” said the spuds and

“There is a national parliament in Wellington, which looks like the hats in the Devo clip ‘Whip It’, although very little of any importance has ever occurred there. “ was confronted by very serious economic and political crises, although according to police records, there’s some suspicion these were both inside jobs.

During that period New Zealand rugby administrators were ex-forwards who looked like spuds in their jackets and when they announced that they were sending an All Black team on a tour to South Africa, there were suggestions it might be time to go and get some new spuds, and maybe some who’d played in the backs. At this stage Nelson Mandela had served about ten of his twenty-seven years in prison and the rest of the world took the radical left-wing position that democracy might be worth a try in the region. New Zealand Prime Minister Norman Kirk went to see the Rugby Union.

“I’m the Prime Minister,” he explained.

“Is that right?” said the spuds.

“Take a number.”

“We’d rather you didn’t go to

the smaller Prime Minister.

And so it was that the return Springbok tour of New Zealand in 1981 was a famous disaster, for the spuds and the government did not have the support of the people and the nation was divided and brother spoke not to brother, nor sister to sister, nor yet generation to generation, each of its kind.

And there was a gnashing of teeth and the scribes were thrown into a great confusion and there came a heavy sadness upon the people and upon the land, and upon the face of the deep.

The economic crisis of the 1970s occurred over the issue of debt. Was the New Zealand economy borrowing too much from overseas? While this question was being considered by economists, a Debt for Equity Swap was organised by a group called “I Just Drove the Getaway Vehicle”. At the time government policy had not yet been outsourced; we still

owned the infrastructure, the power, the gas, the water, the phones, the post office and the national airline. The Bank of New Zealand was still a New Zealand bank and one or two of the newspapers were still owned in the country. During the early 1980s however, the New Zealand economy was put in the hands of finance ministers due to a filing error, and authorities are still looking for the black box.

A social democracy with only one previous owner was assetstripped and replaced by a series of franchises. Even rugby sides stopped being called Canterbury, Wellington, Otago and Auckland and were instead given the names of animals, colours and weather conditions. The next thing anyone knew they’d appointed a currency dealer as Prime Minister and the equities market became a place of worship.

New Zealanders don’t have much trouble working out what they think. It’s the next bit that might need some work. In 1969 I was standing in a pub in a country town in Otago. They’d run out of

Speights and we were drinking a beverage produced in the north.

The man next to me was deeply unimpressed and made a number of uncharitable statements about the quality of what was on offer.

“You don’t like it?” I said.

“I don’t,” confirmed the man.

“It’s bloody terrible.”

He then thought for a moment and resolved the matter in his mind.

“This the worst beer I’ve ever tasted,” he said. “I’ll be glad when I’ve had enough.”

This probably wasn’t the answer.

Complaining about what’s wrong but not taking action, has the same effect as not noticing what’s wrong.

Incidentally, New Zealand remains the most beautiful country in the world. There’s no question about this. You can go to any part of it with confidence, at any time of year, with the possible exception of Hawera at Christmas, Otautau in August and Taihape in a stiff westerly.

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SO WHAT...

Kristen Stewart impressed the director with her “vampire orgasm” in Twilight. Bill Condon who was at the helm of the final two instalments of the film adaption has revealed he was impressed with how she acted in a particular scene. He said: “I’d been a fan of Kristen’s before Breaking Dawn, and I loved working with her. She’s incredibly smart and committed, she played such a range of emotions across a single film, from wedding jitters to death throes to vampire orgasm - I mean, if you can pull that off, you can do anything.”

Al Pacino loves being famous. The Hollywood legend has lived for more than five decades in the spotlight and admitted that whilst he has an idea of what it is like to live a normal life, he doesn’t want to be anonymous. He said: “I have access and I have friendliness everywhere I go. Why would I want to give that up? I had many years of anonymity. I’ve seen the other side of things and I’m grateful for it ... I think it (fame) is just another part of life and I’ve grown accustomed to it.”

Chris Hemsworth had to model a range of prosthetic penises for his new movie. The writers and co-producers behind adventure comedy Vacation, John Francis Daley and Jonathan M. Goldstein, have revealed one scene required the hunk to walk around wearing tight underwear stuffed with the fake member, which was preceded by a strange meeting where he tried several on for size. Jonathan explained: “We went to a room with him and he modelled a couple of options for us.” John added: “It was

T WEET TALK “@TheRyanAdams Love 1984 so much. Is 1985 coming soon?”

Jesse Allen @Yourpaljesse Ryan Adams added;

“Yes. So is 1986 & 1987 then we will do the prequels ( 83/84) - then ill put out my folk vrs of @ taylorswift13 1989” @ryanadams

“I’m personally going to start wearing a lion costume when I leave my house so if I get shot, people will care.” roxane gay @rgay

“I’ve missed long stretches of movies because I couldn’t hear over the sound of me eating chips.”

Molly @Molly_Kats

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the weirdest couple of hours.”

An excited fan was stopped by security from throwing her underwear at Sir Tom Jones. The 75-year-old singer was performing ‘Sexbomb’ during his second night at the Old Royal Naval College as part of the Greenwich Music Time concert series when a female devotee could be seen whirling a pair of black pants around her head in her seat close to the stage. However, before she could toss the garment to the veteran performer, a security guard intervened and she quickly put them away.

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EXPLORING BOGAN CULTURE With Dave Snell

IN 2007 DAVE Snell was awarded a doctoral scholarship worth $96,000 to study the “everyday bogans’ identity and community amongst heavy metal fans”. In 2012 he graduated Waikato University with a PhD in social psychology. He has since published a book on bogan culture titled Bogan – An Insider’s Guide to Metal, Mullets and Mayhem.

Please tell us a little about yourself and your interest in bogan culture.

I got into bogan culture when I was about 12 years old when my dad introduced me to the music of AC/DC. Various friends I made at school got me into Metallica, Megadeth and Iron Maiden which are bands I’ve continued loving to this day.

They were all wearing these awesome metal shirts so I got my own and grew a mullet which I shaved off when I was 17 cos it kept getting too oily when I was mowing lawns for extra money.

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Fast forward to when I was about 25 and doing my Honours year at uni in psychology and we did a project on community symbolism so I stuck with what I knew and did something on band logos.

I enjoyed it so much I asked my lecturer, Professor Darrin Hodgetts, how I could keep going with this and that resulted in him supervising my Master’s thesis on a metal bar that was open at the time called Six Feet Under and then onto my PhD that looked at heavy metal culture and boganism in everyday life.

Being a part of a bogan community has brought me nothing but positives all throughout my life. Great friends, great music and a raft of hilarious and rewarding experiences so it’s still with me now that I’m 35 and will no doubt always be with me.

Define “bogan”.

Defining labels like bogans is always difficult but for me it’s

somebody, male or female, of any ethnicity, who is working class or has an affinity for working class culture, who loves hard rock and/or heavy metal music who dresses mostly in black.

and metal. But I don’t think that means they have to exclusively listen to only those genres.

Is boganism a lifestyle choice or are you born that way?

I believe in the relational nature of the self. In other words who we are is the sum of our experiences and our social interactions. So we are heavily influenced by the people we hang out with, so to modify the question slightly it’s a lifestyle that has an element of choice to it.

What are the all-time favourite bogan bands?

AC/DC is the greatest band in the world. Other big bogan bands include (but aren’t limited to) Black Label Society, Pantera, Slayer, Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, Dio, Iron Maiden, Motorhead, Metallica … there’s a lot. Any rock or metal band that you get an urge to listen to when you’ve got a beer in your hand and you’re putting your feet up on the coffee table in your work boots.

Bogans are generally associated with hard rock and metal. Can you be a credible bogan if you prefer other genres like pop, rock, hip-hop and EDM? I don’t even know what EDM stands for, is it Electronic Dance Music? Maybe that proves I’m a bogan. I think that bogans always have a soft spot for rock

What New Zealand bands are beloved by bogans?

Heavy metal and bogan music is alive and well throughout New Zealand. DIC, Devilskin, Knightshade, 8ft Sativa, Sinate, Dawn of Azazel, Team Kill, Winterborn, Leave the Dead, Human, Killing Yourself for Profit, His Master’s Voice,

World War IV, Deathnir, Medusa Glare, Destructatron, Heathen Collective, Shedd, Gunt, Suppression … and literally hundreds more. The world of New Zealand and bogan metal is thriving just under the surface.

What are the most important elements of bogan culture?

I think first and foremost the most important aspect of bogan culture is “giving it a go”. If we see something that we think is fun, regardless of consequences or a lack of talent, we’re going to jump in there. Add to that the music and that’s really what it means to be a Kiwi bogan.

We’re a concentrated form of New Zealand culture.

Name five essential bogan words or phrases.

None really that are specific just to bogans, as we’re a concentrated version of Kiwi culture more broadly, so there’s a lot of “sweet as” and “cool”, “no worries”, and “man”.

What kinds of alcohol are associated with general bogan life? For example is wine acceptable? What brands of beer and what are the preferences for spirits?

Beer. Usually cheap beer. Your Double Browns, Castle Points, Waikato, Lion Reds, Speight’s, Tuis… Spirits it’s your bourbons if you’re younger and your whiskeys if you’re a bit older.

Cars are often seen as an important aspect of bogan living. Is this correct and if so, what modes of transport are acceptable?

I think so. I’m not much of a car person myself but I’ll still stand holding a can of beer and nodding into the open bonnet of a car while someone who knows what they’re doing does their thing. Bogan vehicles are typically your older range of cars, the HQ Holdens, American muscle cars, etc. Powerful cars that are going to do well in a burnout or a drag race situation.

Which parts of New Zealand

are considered to be the main centres of bogan culture?

Typically it’s parts of New Zealand that are a mix of rural and urban. Busy enough to have enough things to do but not metro enough to be ruled by the latte. So that’s why bogan centres are places like Hamilton, West Auckland and maybe Christchurch.

that to those on their soapboxes at either end of the spectrum.

Bogan politics. What kind of politics appeals to your average bogan?

No politics appeals to your average bogan. Your typical bogan feels that none of them are to be trusted.

Are Westies bogans?

Bogan is a term so that the rest of New Zealand can be a Westie.

Rest in Peace, Ewen Gilmour.

You are having your bogan mates around on a Saturday night. What is an acceptable movie choice?

A concert DVD. I’d recommend The Big 4 or any Ozzfest.

Bogan fashion. Give us the rundown.

Bogan fashion is typically functional, affordable, and able to hide any grease and bourbon stains easily. Plus it doesn’t hurt if you can advertise and support the bands you’re into at the same time.

Bogans are associated with blue-collar kind of jobs. Can you be an intellectual or an accountant and still be a credible bogan?

I hope so cos I’m in an academic position.

Bogans and religion, are the two a compatible mix?

I think bogans are typically each to their own. We don’t talk about religion that much. We’ll leave

Describe bogan heaven?

There’s no bogan heaven, just a highway to hell.

DR. MARTENS A Brief History THERE IS A saying – “If you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything.” It encourages people to disregard conventions and instead form a strong sense of self, as well as a personal belief system that is rooted in independent thinking. “Stand for Something” was the rallying cry used by Dr. Martens in 2014.

Like the adage, the boots are synonymous with subversion, and have a rich history within subcultures of the last 50 or so years.

But like many icons, Dr. Martens come from humble beginnings.

They were a hit with posties, the police and factory workers for their durability and comfort.

Their air-cushioned sole was first created by German army doctor Klaus Marten to help repair his ankle after a skiing accident in 1945. Hardly a rock ‘n’ roll rebellion.

But that was all about to change during the summer of 1966 in London. Sick of dressing like a self-described “Christmas tree” in floaty get-ups that got in the way of guitar playing, The Who’s Pete Townshend was looking for something different. He found it for two quid in a charity shop – a pair of eight-eyelet 1460 Dr. Marten boots. When Townshead swapped ostentation for austerity and donned them onstage, he completely redefined

everything that Doc Martens had previously stood for. They were now certified cool and part of a divisive, free-spirited ideology and style.

However, it was through the shoes’ inadvertent involvement in street subcultures where the Dr. Marten story was truly written. With its distinctive shape, bright yellow stitching, and utilitarian background, Dr. Martens became a firm favourite among punks during the 1970s, who adopted the working class boot to spite skinhead hooligans.

So Dr. Martens became part of the punk uniform and an attitude that valued DIY aesthetics and railing against established values.

Nowadays, Dr. Martens are more popular now than ever before, with stars such as Katy Perry and Miley Cyrus regularly favouring them. But perhaps the essence of what Doc Martens stand for is best expressed in a song called ‘ Dr. Martens’ from the cult comedy series The Young Ones – a show that fearlessly stood on its own two feet: “It’s not class or ideology. Colour, creed or roots. The only thing that unites us, is Dr. Marten boots. Dr Marten’s boots of the world, so that everybody can be free.”

KATE POWELL

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ANDREW JOHNSTONE

PAUL MARTIN Never Give Up On The Dream “Nick’s been with us for 5 years now and having my son in the band is the coolest thing ever.

Sometimes I have to pinch myself. He is humble and down to earth and doesn’t take anything for granted.” dubbed it from cassette onto quarter inch tape and put it straight on the air,” said Martin.

“I look back at those times as halcyon days for Radio in NZ. We don’t have A&R people in NZ as such but someone from radio who champions a band to the extent he did was pretty damned special.”

Led by ‘Spinning Wheel’, which went top ten on the national charts, Deal became a sensation, selling some 5000 copies in no short order and resulting two further top ten hits, ‘Key to the Shade’ and ‘Now You Fly’ and while ‘Young Single & Dangerous’ didn’t score so high, it went onto become a local anthem. Sadly, by the time their second album rolled around, Kicasso d’Muse, the band had imploded, as had Hark.

I FIRST MET Paul Martin some 25 years back. We were both signed to Hark Records, the brainchild of Grant Hislop, who had arrived in Hamilton from Auckland a couple of years earlier armed with two Waikato FM radio frequencies he had purchased for a song.

His first project was called The Rock and featured a playlist that included 40% local music, 20% of which was sourced from the Waikato. This was an age where the local music content was averaging 2% across the country and Hislop’s experiments were considered by the “powers that were” as radical and suicidal.

The local industry laughed him out of the building but within a year of starting he had all but wiped out the competition. Using his other frequency he started another station called The Buzzard. The purpose of this pop music station was to pick the remaining “meat off the bones” of what was left of local

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commercial radio. With a young JJ Fenney at the helm it worked and the bland offerings of Radio Waikato and Kiwi FM (an ironic title considering the station’s refusal to play local music), were history. Later the station’s name was changed to The Edge and that story needs no further embellishment.

Hislop made a lot of money very quickly and instead of investing it in a flash house and car, he built a state-of-the-art recording studio called The Zoo and launched Hark Records, an attempt to create a mainstream music label based on provincial NZ music.

Over a two-year period, Hark and its in-house producer Zed Brooks pumped out some 30 albums but it was Paul Martin’s band Blackjack who were the label’s stars.

“We recorded a couple of tracks which made their way to Grant. He heard ‘Spinning Wheel’ and legend has it that within 15 minutes he had

It came down to money and Grant Hislop had run out of it and Blackjack had lost their charismatic front man and muse. Nevertheless, Kicasso d’Muse was a sensational piece of work that still stands up today and is probably best categorised as a “lost New Zealand classic”.

“We found our feet with Deal, discovered we were a pretty decent rock band and we approached the second album a lot more seriously. We had access to a great studio a good producer and the recording was a beautiful collision of wonderful things,” said Martin.

He was devastated by the demise of Blackjack, a band that he believed could have gone all the way. Where others might have thrown in the towel, Martin took a deep breath and soldiered on.

Martin is usually identified with Hamilton but he is actually from all over.

“My Dad was a postmaster and we moved around a lot: Taranaki, Taupiri and finally Wellington.”

Martin, a self-taught guitarist, was fresh out of Wellington’s Rongotai College when he met Tyrant, a band with no bassist.

“I tricked these guys into thinking I was a bass guitarist and they let me join their band.

We were doing Judas Priest, Scorpions, Black Sabbath and a whole bunch of originals and this is where it all started.”

It was while playing for Tyrant that he came across Knightshade who were playing three nights at a Wellington tavern called The Terminus. Intrigued by the art on the advertising posters, he went along to check them out.

“I was just blown away: big light show, kick ass band and flying Vs,” said Martin. He got to know the band and a while later when one of the guitarists left, he got the job and joined them in their hometown of Te Puke, later following the band to Hamilton where he has been ever since.

Knightshade have faded somewhat from national memory but in their heyday they were one of the country’s leading metal acts and drew big crowds wherever they played.

Martin’s tenure with the band lasted about two years: “There was some interest from a big label and the band wanted to develop a more commercial sound and I wanted us to get heavier which created some tension.”

“There was a phone call, ‘band meeting at your place’ and they sacked me but we stayed on good terms and to this day some of the guys are still among my best friends.”

Next up was Fury “a whole lot of fun”, then Blackjack, after which came World War Four. “We’ve been going for about 15 years and it is an outlet for the heavier stuff I do. I wanted a dirty little 3/4-man army that played aggressive music. We couldn’t find the right singer and I sort of got thrown into that role.”

In 1987, Martin met Johnny Brooks, who was doing a show on the local student radio station, Contact FM, called The Axe Attack.

“We got on famously, we had the same record collection and the exact same taste in music.”

When Brooks left, Martin took over the show and led it through five years of everincreasing popularity. When The Rock arrived in Hamilton, Martin saw an opportunity to

increase his audience and take his show to another level.

He approached Grant Hislop and sold him the idea of taking on The Axe Attack. Martin remained with The Rock until early 2015 when he left and struck out on his own. The Axe Attack now beams out on the iHeart radio platform, “my own 24-hour metal and hard rock channel.”

Devilskin came about through The Axe Attack. “I get sent all these demos from local bands and one day this CD turned up in a

“I get sent all these demos from local bands and one day this CD turned it was a rough looking demo from a band called Slipping Tongue. I put it on and was just about to throw it out when the vocal came on. It was Jenny (Devilskin), and her voice gave me goose bumps..” shitty little envelope with scribble all over it,” Martin said. “It was a rough-looking demo from a band called Slipping Tongue. The guitar was out of tune and it sounded like it was recorded in the toilet. I put it on and was just about to throw it out when the vocal came on. It was Jennie (Skulander, who was 16 at the time), and her voice gave me goosebumps.

The song was called ‘Hypocrite’ and I was convinced and gave them all the support I could.”

Martin bumped into Skulander in downtown Hamilton about a year later and they started talking about music and bands and they decided to work together. They got a band happening and after the original drummer left he press-ganged his son Nick into the band to take over the drum stool.

“Nick’s been with us for five years now and having my son in the band is the coolest thing ever. Sometimes I have to pinch myself. He is humble and down to earth and doesn’t take anything for granted.”

Recently Devilskin went offshore to play a series of promotional gigs seeking the attention of record companies and festival organisers. They played London, then LA and the iconic Whiskey A Go Go which Martin describes as a “surreal experience” and the highlight of the trip.

“We sat in the booth where Janis Joplin sat on the last night of her life and used the same dressing room that Jimi Hendrix used. We played with Tracii Guns from the band LA Guns and Ozzy Osbourne’s former bass player and one of my favourite players Rudi Sarzo was in his band. It was all really trippy and we were all deeply affected by it all.”

I ask him if the trip yielded and positive results. “We are getting some on going interest from industry movers and shakers but it’s a rock and roll circus ‘lucky dip’ and something may come of it or not.”

Martin has been married for 25 years and is father to two daughters and two sons. He juggles four jobs to pay the mortgage and is grateful that at 51 years of age he is still has the opportunity to live his dreams and follow his passion.

I conclude the interview by asking him to name his five essential albums: T-Rex – Tanks.

The Sex Pistols – Never Mind the Bollocks Cheap Trick – Live At The Budokan Black Sabbath – Sabotage Free – Tons of Sobs “I really can’t go anywhere without all my Black Sabbath albums. And I didn’t mention any Led Zeppelin,” Martin said. After some hesitation he chooses Physical Graffiti.

Of his own songs, the ones he is most proud of are ‘Loser’ off his solo album Nightfall (1990), ‘Now You Fly’ by Blackjack and ‘Burning Tree’ by Devilskin.

He leaves me with a quote from the Black Sabbath song ‘Hard Road’.

“Forget all your sorrows/don’t live in the past/ and look to the future/because life goes too fast.”

Paul Martin Discography: Tyrant – Breaking Out EP (1984) Knightshade – Out For The Count EP (1988) Paul Martin – Nightfall (1990) Blackjack – Deal (1993) Blackjack – Kicasso D’Muse (1994) Richie Picketts Alien Vampire Budgie Maggots – ‘Chimes Of Freedom’ single for Amnesty International (1994) Blackjack – Occult Ritual (1997) World War Four – This Hostile Species EP World War Four – Absolution EP (2014) Devilskin – We Rise (2014) Devilskin – Live At The Powerstation (2014)

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RICARRDO BALL

RICARRDO BALL’S TOP METAL ALBUMS First band I’d discovered who were overtly political – the FBI had a file on them as they actively campaigned against George Bush senior, my favourite track probably didn’t help either!

Favourite track – ‘Vote With A Bullet’.

LISTS ARE TOUGH, especially when you’re talking something that has been a part of your life for so long and everything evokes a memory or moment in time. Limiting it to 10 makes the task that much more difficult!

As you can see I was a thrash kid – I went from listening to AC/ DC, Twisted Sister and Billy Idol straight into Master of Puppets so I missed what you’d consider that natural progression through the NWOBHM bands like Iron Maiden, Saxon and Judas Priest.

While I discovered them later and appreciated the impact I’d had on bands, I love the list above really reflects what made an initial impact.

For every band in the list above I could have chosen three or four albums but to keep the variety I just went with my favourite from each band.

1. Metallica – Master of Puppets – Still their best in my opinion from the opening salvo of ‘Battery’, this album just kicks you in the face again and again. Favourite track – ‘Leper Messiah’.

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2. Pantera – Vulgar Display of Power – Cowboys was great but Vulgar turned it up a notch, as much about the groove as it was about being heavy. Phil Anselmo took it to the next level too.

Favourite track – ‘Fucking Hostile’.

3. Slayer – Seasons in the Abyss – I knew choosing this would have people saying “but what about Rain in Blood or South of Heaven?” – both great records but production values here really stepped it up and hear just how fucking heavy Kerry King and Jeff Hanneman’s riffs were.

Favourite track – ‘Blood Red’.

4. Megadeth – So Far, So Good … So What? – While Rust In Peace and Peace Sells are better known, there was something in the rawness of this record that I loved, Mustaine’s vocals sounded like he was spitting broken glass – brilliant. Favourite track – ‘In My Darkest Hour’.

5. Corrosion of Conformity – Blind – Probably the most underrated band in metal, so heavy, great riffs, if you love Black Sabbath you’ll love COC.

6. Down – A Bustle In Your Hedgerow – Something of a “super group”, with members of Pantera, Corrosion of Conformity, Crowbar and Eyehategod in residence. Bar Rex Brown all the members are New Orleans natives and the sound reflects that – part Sabbath, and part voodoo swamp blues with an intensity born of addiction and desperation. Favourite track – ‘New Orleans Is A Dying Whore’.

7. Sepultura – Arise – Brazilian legends featuring Max and Igor Cavalera, these guys were from the slums of Rio and brought an

“Lists are tough, especially when you’re talking something that has been a part of your life for so long and everything evokes a memory or moment in time. Limiting it too ten makes the task that much more difficult!” urgency and edge to thrash that US bands didn’t possess. They were rawer, less polished and a lot fucking angrier. Favourite track – ‘Dead Embryonic Cells’.

8. Black Sabbath – Heaven and Hell – Post-Ozzy I know and while I love that stuff too Ronnie James Dio’s voice in the mix really made the band an even grander proposition and gave them another dynamic. Favourite

track – ‘Die Young’.

9. Ministry – Psalm 69 – Al Jourgensen is a genius pure and simple, a fucked up alcoholfuelled reformed junkie sure but a genius nonetheless (do yourself a favour and read his book The Lost Gospels According To …).

This is his finest moment. It was the first album to feature his partnership with Rigor Mortis guitarist Mike Scaccia and fused industrial sampling with metal for the first time ever – Al taught Trent Reznor the business – enough said. Favourite track – ‘Just One Fix’.

10. Anthrax – Among The Living – So many great albums but the band really outdid themselves here. Part of the Big Four of thrash bands but the New Yorkers were always that little bit different and with Joey Belladonna up front they had a singer who could really howl.

Favourite track – ‘I Am The Law’.

If you want to check some new stuff out you won’t be disappointed with the starter list below: Orange Goblin – A Eulogy For The Damned Testament – Dark Roots of the Earth Machine Head – Unto the Locust Mastodon – Once More Round the Sun Lamb of God – VII Sturm Und Drang Hellyeah – Sangre Por Sangre Local stuff?

Check these guys out.

Tainted – Into Temptation His Masters Voice – Possession EP Dawn Of Azazel – Tides of Damocles Red Dawn – Ironhead Subtract – Talk - Action = Nothing

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ANDREW JOHNSTONE

STEPHEN KIRKBY

New Balance Ambassador At a loose end he decided on a trade. He found work in a screen-printing factory and discovered he had a flair for graphic design and by accident rather than planning, found himself being pulled more and more toward clothing. It was with Mt Maunganui streetwear label Lower that he found his calling. He has been working for them since 2005 in an ever-evolving role that includes design and promotion. At the moment he is planning for the label’s autumn rollout, preparing next summer’s clothing line and thinking about winter 2016.

“When I’m designing a range or a series of prints my first step is to do my research. It’s important to know your market and once I have had a good look at what the market place is doing and I have sketched up some concepts then I take it to the computer and I will mock up as many options as possible, that’s the play aspect of design. Once the concept stage is finished then it’s time to start editing down those ideas and figuring out which are the best.”

MT MAUNGANUI CLOTHING designer and New Balance Ambassador Stephen Kirkby has 30 pairs of New Balance sneakers in his wardrobe.

demeanour and an attitude that exudes a gentleness of spirit, qualities that stand in stark contrast to his interests, playing guitar in a hardcore punk band and skateboarding.

“I really like the aesthetic. They are very classic sneaker/running shoe. Neither plain nor flashy, they are comfortable, hardwearing and stylish.”

“I am definitely one of those quiet types that needs a way to let it all out. I have always been involved in hardcore punk music so it has been a really good vent.”

Having so many pairs also means he can rotate them and cut down on wear and tear making them last longer, not that they ever actually fall apart. That’s another thing he likes about them, their quality and durability.

Kirkby was born in Auckland, grew up in Austria where he excelled in economics and accounting at school. When his family returned to New Zealand he enrolled at the Business Management School at the University of Waikato and began preparing for what he thought was going to be the rest of his life.

He likes them both scuffed and beaten up and shiny and new and selects different pairs for different occasions. The least worn pairs are reserved for formal occasions while degrees of wear are selected depending on mood. A street wear aficionado, his dress code formula is simple. New Balance sneakers, pants or jeans, a white t-shirt and a button shirt over the top.

Kirkby is softly-spoken with a reserved

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“At any one time we are probably working on different aspects of the next three seasons, sometimes four. I have just finished the print range for next summer. The theme we are developing for next summer is heavily Asian inspired – Japanese calligraphy and the Chinese takeaways-style dragon. It’s an absorbing job with an awesome variety of things to do.” It is this variety and work/life balance and the quiet isolation of his home in Mt Maunganui that helps Steve excel in his craft.

Whether he is skateboarding, hanging out with his friends or designing the next season’s look, his NB collection is the perfect fit for his lifestyle.

He feels as passionately about his design as he does his shoe collection, when there is something he loves he will fight for it.

About halfway through his degree he began to have doubts about his choice but was of the opinion that once you start something you should see it through.

To watch Stephen’s story and to see him in his creative element visit Ripitup.co.nz/ and to grab a pair of NBs for yourself visit newbalance.co.nz/classics

Degree in hand he was snapped up by a finance company and hated every second of it and decided he needed a new direction.

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KATE POWELL

THE NATURE OF THE BEAST Understanding New Zealand’s Extreme Metal Scene across New Zealand in the 1990s, and those affected within the metal community vented their frustration accordingly. However, this burgeoning scene was to be shortlived.

“The ‘90s started with a hiss and a roar but it was all over by 1994,” says Rigby. Another veteran of the New Zealand extreme metal scene Steve Francis of Wellington Black/ Thrash band Bulletbelt states that this wasn’t simply due to the “Nirvana effect” either.

“The ‘90s weren’t very kind because by that stage extreme metal bands had become very polished and produced…people lost sight of why they started.”

Rigel Walshe agrees. He formed his death metal band Dawn of Azazel in 1997, a time when “there wasn’t much of a scene at all (in Auckland). Initially we had to organise our own shows as there were no venues to

NEW ZEALAND HAS a strong history of punching above our weight creatively, especially when you consider that we have a population of just over four million people. On a global scale we are the same size as the cities of Melbourne and Houston, while London alone is two times bigger than us. So when one of our own garners international success, we are understandably thrilled and plaster their image across every cover we can print. Of late, Lorde has been the artist du jour, and whether you love or loathe her, she has been impossible to escape.

New Zealand death metal band Ulcerate signed to major US label Relapse Records in 2011. Since then, they have amassed some 35 thousand fans on Facebook thanks to a critically acclaimed album and relentless international touring. But you are unlikely to have read about them in any major publications. They are joined by Vassafor, Witchrist and Diocletian as homegrown acts with a global audience. Given this track record of bands, it makes the downplaying of New Zealand’s successes within local media all the more glaring. But these are not accessibly cool pop stars. These artists produce challenging sounds that redefine the extremities of music.

This has led to misconceptions about the genre. To understand them, I asked some

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of them about their passion, and perhaps uncovered some reasons why New Zealand’s extreme metal scene has been swept under our cultural carpet.

In Craig Hayes’s excellent two-part documentary for Radio New Zealand entitled South of Heaven, he pinpoints that the first rumblings of extreme metal in New Zealand were heard in Christchurch during the 1980s, courtesy of Bruce Ray’s shop Ace T-shirts.

It was also home to Grunt Records, his extreme metal LP importing business. Ray is remembered by Chris Rigby from industrial metal band Dying of the Light as being “a master of publicity” who frequently wrote letters to New Zealand’s music video shows telling them that “they needed to play more real metal.” They eventually listened, and Ray was given his own slot called Metal Primer.

“He played bands that were doing things totally different to what we were hearing in New Zealand,” recalls Rigby. This new wave of sound encouraged listeners to pick up instruments and form bands, often simultaneously. These initial naiveties lead to “a really interesting sound – really guttural sounding stuff that had a beauty to it.”

High unemployment levels were an issue

perform in.” There was a sense of needing to “rebuild” the extreme metal scene in New Zealand, a task which the community took on with idiosyncratic dedication and passion. The advent of the internet was another watershed moment. Bands had previously relied on an underground network of fans handing out flyers and ‘zines to get their music out into the world. Now they had a wider audience than ever before.

According to Ulcerate drummer Jaime Saint Merat, “aside from bands forming and dissolving (the New Zealand extreme metal scene) is essentially in the same state it has always been-a varying ebb and flow of activity, minimal shows, (and) unpredictable show turnouts.”

“The music produced is, in a word, challenging. Unlike an instantaneously catchy pop-song, extreme metal is something you need to learn to appreciate.”

As an outsider to extreme metal and as a New Zealander something here is ironically familiar. The DIY initiative these bands have towards creating music is a trait that is held dear not just by the general populous, but also by some of our most prolific artists. It was the same attitude shown by Flying Nun, a local record label of considerable international success within its own musical arena. This

was largely thanks to it being synonymous with the jangly “Dunedin Sound” of the 1980s and early 1990s. Bearing this in mind, I was interested to see if the success of our extreme metal scene could be accredited to a unifying sound.

The answer was a unanimous “no”.

“There is not quite enough history or lineage to warrant a ‘sound’ just yet. Bands here are a lot more serious and sober, there aren’t that many fun bands, probably because it’s not fun being a band in New Zealand,” observes Walshe. Rather than having a “sound” it would seem that for most of those interviewed, extreme metal in New Zealand has an “ethos”.

Rigby cites it as being “a number 8 wire philosophy” that encourages bands to be innovative and self-sufficient. He links this back to one of the formative extreme metal bands in New Zealand, Diocletian, who were inspired by the book The Might Is Right.

Published in 1890 and written by anarchist Arthur Desmond, Rigby says “it was originally written as a piss-take, but it became a Bible of the power of the Individual…the aggressive tone of Diocletian was inspired by that book, and if you draw a longer bow, that is the feeling you get within extreme metal in New Zealand.”

Historically, New Zealand’s geographic isolation has been both a blessing and a curse for creatives. This is no different within our extreme metal scene. Joseph Schafer, editor of the influential metal blog Invisible Orange describes the New Zealand metal scene as “a microcosm of the western metal world at large – it’s a country where metal appears to be abnormally popular given (its) population size.” But “the country’s local scene remains pretty isolated”. Despite interest in metal being at an unprecedented high, Schafer says “New Zealand remains deep cut territory … there’s a pack of pretty fierce acts that are trying to find new frontiers of heaviness. To those in the know, New Zealand is one of those places where musicians are really trying to push the boundaries of what metal can be. But I think that art might even be better known in America than in New Zealand.”

by Adam Thomson, vocalist for the brutal death metal band Farming the Population.

It requires acts to produce a “standard of quality” while pushing sonic boundaries and has become something of a calling card.

“We are really good at embracing new technologies and being forerunners – from splitting the atom to creating amazing musicwe push ourselves and comptare ourselves to the rest of the world, while people overseas may only compare themselves to their neighbour. Perhaps because we are down the bottom of the globe we look further, and that’s our driving force,” says Thomson.

Joseph Schafer describes the New Zealand metal scene as “a microcosm of the western metal world at large-it’s a country where metal appears to be abnormally popular given (its) population size.” But “the country’s local scene remains pretty isolated”.

Someone who is more likely to listen to The Smiths than Sepultura could find the unabashed aggression inherent within extreme metal confronting. But to an extent, evoking strong emotions is the point. Rather than ignoring the dark side of life, they

wholeheartedly embrace it because it is all part of being a human being. Extreme metal is fearlessly existential.

“If you go through life and don’t find something that is worthy of your anger and aggression you need to revaluate your value set,” says Walshe. “There’s always something to be raged against, and metal is about taking that aggression and channelling it in a beneficial direction. These are emotions that are within everyone, and if everyone learned how to they could be harnessed in a beneficial manner, it would make the world a better place.”

The music produced is, in a word, challenging.

Unlike an instantaneously catchy pop song, extreme metal is something you need to almost learn to appreciate. To the uninitiated, the rich tapestry of subgenres can be reduced to being simply baffling and downright scary.

Everything is packaged to be impenetrable and indecipherable. This is something that all involved are well aware of.

“To Joe Public, it’s all the same fucking noise,” laughs Francis. “The aesthetics and vocals of metal are hard to explain to someone who is not into metal. The first and foremost thing will always be the music. But there is a huge element of theatrics to metal. It’s a little like professional wrestling – I am not belittling it in any way, metal is my passion, but a lot of it is about persona and imagery.”

Closer to home, local music journalist and metal enthusiast Tove Partington echoes this sentiment. “New Zealand metal is raw and pure without over production…it’s almost fashionable [overseas] to like a New Zealand band-obscure is considered cool and rare, and New Zealand is pretty obscure.”

Being “deep-cut territory” is seen as a positive

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says Thomson.

It is the bombastic theatrics of extreme metal – the corpse paint, the imagery, and aggressive vocals – that garner it mainstream attention rather than its artistry. This is something that those within the scene are accustomed to.

“We are playing an incredibly marginalised style of music that is definitely not inclusive for the vast majority,” points out Saint Merat. It feels unknown and foreign, which makes it a sensational target. Walshe experienced this first-hand in 2005 when the media caught wind of his position as a police constable and found it newsworthy that he was in an extreme metal band. Because how could someone who plays aggressive music about death and destruction have the moral fibre for the police force? This demonising mythology also hinders extreme metal being taken seriously as a form of

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creative expression, not to mention as a group of productive members of society. Some people would consider fans of extreme metal to be demonic antisocial misfits. But when they take off that jacket covered in band patches and the final note fades, both performers and fans alike go back to their otherwise perfectly normal lives. Complete with professional careers and families.

“You’ve got to be a working class citizen just to afford the gear,” says Thomson. All involved are quick to dispel the myth of metallers being societal writeoffs, and they themselves proved the opposite to be true.

Despite being bellowed with aggression, and despite the gore-soaked popular image, the featured bands’ lyrics were thoughtful and considered.

Topics ranged from the infamous Minnie Dean to

contemporary societal and environmental concerns.

“The name death metal does not do itself any favours,” explains Thomson. “It does infer lyrics about death and violence. The difference between extreme metal and metal in general is that metal has a lot of songs about killing people and violence, but in extreme metal the music and lyrics are more sophisticated, the lyrical themes are more intelligible, and that’s not for any mainstream success, it’s because people grow out of being offensive.” While much of extreme metal is intentionally designed to “shock” it does not set out to actively ‘offend’ anyone. “Rap lyrics are more offensive – they talk about misogyny and gang warfare – and for the majority of them, they are not going to go out and do any of that. It’s all theatrics, but it’s popular, which is why you hear rap on top 40 radio shows,”

Unlike pop or rap, conventional mainstream success is not something that is expected or in some cases even actively sought within the extreme metal community. This isn’t out of “juvenile rebellion, just purely because it doesn’t fit any of the bands’ approaches to what this is all about,” says Saint Merat.

Like other communities founded in marginalised music, they are bound by their mutual passion for their genre as well as the opportunity to freely express themselves. So while there is “a sense of quiet pride in local bands that do well overseas, you get respect for gaining popularity and sticking to your guns rather than changing your sound in order to appeal to a wider audience,” explains Rigby. Whatever their size, metal audiences are notoriously zealous, an open secret that has been recently reinforced by Spotify crowning metal heads the “most loyal fans”. This loyalty is also translated into transactions.

Collecting vinyl and demo tapes is still actively supported within the community, while fans are encouraged to listen to both classic and emerging artists.

This lends itself to the overriding sense of support within the extreme metal community.

While the sound of extreme metal is not to everyone’s taste, that doesn’t make its international successes any less culturally valid, and it is a community built on dedication and passion. New Zealand is a nation that prides itself on pushing boundaries, but when it comes to recognising the achievements of a maligned musical genre we shy awayunlike in Europe or in the United States, it would seem. In the eyes of Rigby, there is “room to push it a little further. It wouldn’t hurt to play a Witchrist video, or have Diacletian headline an event like Westfest.” Stranger things have happened.

ANDREW JOHNSTONE

LEMMY King of the Bogans the mummy’s boys--they were all college students from the outskirts of London. They went to starve in London, but it was by choice, to give themselves some sort of aura of disrespectability.

I did like the Stones, but they were never anywhere near the Beatles--not for humour, not for originality, not for songs, not for presentation. All they had was Mick Jagger dancing about. Fair enough, the Stones made great records, but they were always s**t on stage, whereas the Beatles were the gear.”

IF LEMMY KILMISTER were a Kiwi he would not only be a bogan, he would be King of the Bogans.

He possesses all the right attributes: 1. He dresses in black.

2. He like bourbon.

3. He also likes narcotics.

4. He lives fast and hard.

5. He is a blue collar intellectual who speaks without affectation.

6. He doesn’t give a shit what anyone thinks.

7. He is a rugged individual who ploughs his own furrow.

Ian Fraser “Lemmy” Kilmister (born 24 December 1945) is an English rock musician. He is best known as the lead vocalist, bassist, principal songwriter and the founding and sole constant member of the rock and roll band Motörhead as well as a former member of Hawkwind. He is also known for his appearance,

including his muttonchops, prominent facial moles and gravelly voice.

THE BOGAN BIBLE White Line Fever by Lemmy Kilmister, from a review by Janiss Garza.

“One of music’s most notorious frontmen leads a headbanging, voyeuristic odyssey into sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll. He makes Keith Richards look like a choirboy and Mick Jagger look like a nun. White Line Fever, a tour de force of overindulgence, metal, and the search for musical integrity, that offers a sometimes hilarious, often outrageous, and always unbridled ride with the leader of the loudest rock band in the world.”

The Wisdom of Lemmy: “People don’t read any more. It’s a sad state of affairs. Reading’s the only thing that allows you to use your imagination. When you

watch films it’s someone else’s vision, isn’t it?”

“In my life so far, I have discovered that there are really only two kinds of people: those who are for you, and those who are against you. Learn to recognize them, for they are often and easily mistaken for each other.”

“It seems that our brave new world is becoming less tolerant, spiritual and educated than it ever was when I was young.” “...the Beatles were hard men too.

Brian Epstein cleaned them up for mass consumption, but they were anything but sissies. They were from Liverpool, which is like Hamburg or Norfolk, Virginia--a hard, sea-farin’ town, all these dockers and sailors around all the time who would beat the piss out of you if you so much as winked at them. Ringo’s from the Dingle, which is like the f***ing Bronx. The Rolling Stones were

“Born to lose. Live to win.”

“Home is in here [tapping temple]. Where you live is just a geographical preference.”

“The only interesting thing about religion is how many people it’s slaughtered. Communism and Nazism are religions as well, make no mistake about it.”

“People who work in a factory, right, or some awful fucking mind-numbing job like that ‘cause I worked in a factory, I know what it’s like; it’s fucking awful, yeah? Most people have to do that kind of job that they hate every day of their lives. Can you imagine what that must be like? You have to submerge your intellect completely, right, and just, y’know, che cha, y’know, and all that. So, at the weekend, they want to hear something that tears the heart out of ‘em and gives it back better.”

“If you’re going to be a fucking rock star go be one. People don’t want to see the guy next door on stage; they want to see a being from another planet. You want to see somebody you’d never meet in ordinary life.”

“I don’t see why there should be a point where everyone decides you’re too old. I’m not too old, and until I decide I’m too old I’ll never be too fucking old.”

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KATE POWELL

REFUSED Are Fucking Back bands reform that they produce happy, boring music. We didn’t want to do that. In that sense it’s been a tough period of hard work, and it reminds me of the past in that way.”

IN 1998, SWEDISH hardcore punk band Refused released their third studio album The Shape of Punk to Come. Referencing the Ornette Corman album The Shape of Jazz to Come, as well as an H.G Wells story, the boldly enigmatic title would set the trajectory for its place within Refused’s and musical history.

Taking notes in not giving an aural fuck from the likes of Fugazi and Born Against, Refused rewrote the rulebook of what a punk record should sound like. They boldly mixed hard-edged rock ‘n’ roll with freewheeling jazz chords and a smattering of hip-hop to great acclaim. Ultimately, it was an album that would, for a time, destroy the band. They broke up partway through a tour of the US after their basement show in the backwaters of Virginia was raided by the police.

However, life has a funny way of working out. In 2012 Refused did a Lazarus, reuniting in front of a rapturous crowd at Coachella.

Now, some four years later, we see tangible proof that Refused are more alive than ever before with the release of their fourth studio album, Freedom.

Speaking to me from his home in northern Sweden, guitarist Kristofer Steen is aghast that

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17 years have passed since The Shape of Punk to Come. “Has it really been that long?” he exclaims. During this time, he has been studying towards a Masters in Directing as well as directing documentaries, including one entitled Refused Are Fucking Dead! which focused on the band’s initial demise. Given their dramatic implosion, Refused’s subsequent reunion was something of an inevitable surprise for Steen. “It was too much fun to not reunite.

Which is exactly the right reason to do it. It was one of those meant to happen situations, David and I were already creating music together, not as Refused, but we were already in a creative groove, it was very natural to get into it.”

Known for generating an acerbic energy in both their recordings and live shows during the ‘90s, time has not dulled the natural chemistry within the group. “We are all into lots of other music aside from heavy, aggressive stuff. But when we play together, it’s natural to play intense music.

We don’t think about it, it just happens organically,” says Steen. When it came to creating Freedom the band employed their tried and true creative process of working themselves to the bone.

“There is a cliché that when

It was always going to be difficult to create a follow up for an album like The Shape of Punk to Come, as it has influenced a subsequent who’s who of punk and posthardcore acts. However, Freedom lives up to its name. Much like its predecessor, Freedom defies popular perceptions about what punk music should sound like, while an unusual collaboration shatters expectations about who creates it.

this pairing. “If you are too concerned about that, then you are in the wrong line of work,” says Steen.

As our interview progresses, it seems that the tensions that led to Refused’s initial break up are in the past, which has made the song writing process much easier. The band are known for their left-leaning lyrics that offer sharp analysis of overlooked socio-political issues. Freedom continues this tradition, exploring a range of concerns within the album, a challenge which Steen finds more artistically interesting. “It’s quite hard to find one message or moral to get,” observes

“We are all into lots of other music aside from heavy, aggressive stuff. But when we play together, its natural to play intense music. We don’t think about it, it just happens organically” Freedom is partially produced by Shellback, including the album’s lead single ‘Elecktra’. While Shellback originally performed in hardcore bands, he has made a name for himself producing chart-topping hits for the likes of Taylor Swift and P!nk. Refused originally sent Shellback an eight-minute recording of ‘Elecktra’ “for a bit of fun, just to see what he would say. We had no explicit intention of working with him”. When he sent back the track, he had hacked it down to three minutes, but managed to keep all of the main components of the song. “He shifted things around and created stronger vocal hooks and a more efficient arrangement. It sounded more aggressive, more extreme,” says Steen. It was on the strength of this offering that Shellback was invited to work on Freedom, and the band are unworried about what fans may think of

Steen. “It’s a bleak vision of contemporary society, a pretty true reflection of the times we live in. It’s not up to us to have messages, that’s up to politicians and people like that.”

Refused hope to come to New Zealand early next year. Until then, Freedom will have to satisfy their antipodean fans.

When asked about the definition of “punk” today, Steen answers “punk doesn’t mean much at all.

It’s one of those words that is so broad.” Within the realm of Freedom, Refused are once again looking to push the boundaries of its conventional definition with scant regard to popular opinion.

This is not only freeing, it is perhaps the purest form of punk.

NEW ALBUM: FREEDOM OUT NOW

SCREEN GUIDE

WED 05 AUG THU 06 AUG

SAY IT IN SONG MTV 9.30 PM

MTV’s new music-driven reality series that focuses on music’s ability to connect people in a uniquely emotional way. The

show mixes the hidden camera dickery of Punk’d with the emo dreck of Made. The point? If Tinder doesn’t work, play a Green Day cover to a stranger instead and they’ll love you forever.

AMY CINEMA RELEASE

In this muso-docu-soap-drama from the director of 2010’s Senna comes Amy – the defining film on Amy Winehouse. Supposedly an insightful portrait that focuses

on the music and not the Blake and crack thing, this should be a rousing look at one of the finest singers of the 21st century who unfortunately succumbed to endless scrutiny.

THU 06 AUG FRI 07 AUG

FANTASTIC FOUR CINEMA RELEASE

In yet another reboot which will undoubtedly improve on the original, because, hey, it’s the future now and 2005 was so 10

years ago, the Fantastic Four are here to kick Dr Doom’s doomy butt. The Fantastic Four – Mr Fantastic, the Invisible Woman, the Human Torch and Thingo on the drums are back. Marvel-ous.

THU 06 AUG

2000 TATTOOS BUT DON’T JUDGE ME TV3 9.30PM

Tattoos – they’re great. You get one and you’re interesting; on the other side, it’s the perfect way to start a conversation with

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FINDING FELA CINEMA RELEASE

One of the worst musical crimes you can commit is to ignore Fela Kuti. He has influenced everyone, from James Brown to D’Angelo

to Fat Freddys Drop, and his amazing funk/beat hybrid helped bring a change to democracy in Nigera. That is some powerful stuff. You don’t have to understand it – just Fela it, man.

SUN 09 AUG

an otherwise boring person.

But don’t you dare judge them, you PC thug. This show follows people who have altered their bodies head-to-toe with tats and other shit. These are their stories.

LOOK AT ME.

REPEAT AFTER ME TV2 7PM

Inspired by a popular Ellen Degeneres Show segment, this hilarious new reality show finds celebrities interacting with disgusting “regulos”, otherwise

known as everyday people, in hidden camera sitchos. Featuring Michael Bolton talking into a banana and Justin Bieber being pretty unlikable, there is only one rule, as host Wendi McLendonCovey says – “repeat after me!”

SCREEN GUIDE

SUN 09 AUG

THE HEART AND THE SEA GARAGE 8.30PM

The third release from indie Aussie filmmaker Nathan Oldfield, Heart and the Sea explores the excitement that a surfing life can provide – oneness

with the sea, camaraderie with friends, and a general “all good” view on things. Featuring such talents as Dave Rastovich and Alex Knost, this is a refreshing contribution to the surf film genre.

MON 24 AUG

SHOW ME A HERO SOHO 8.30PM

This six-part mini-series delves into the lives of elected officials, bureaucrats and ordinary citizens with themes of race and community in the setting of

Yonkers, New York. Faced with the challenge of building a small number of low-income housing units in white neighbourhoods, a young mayor (Oscar Isaac) risks tearing the city apart, as well as his political future.

MON 10 AUG

AMERICAN ODYSSEY TV3 9:30PM

A journey through global politics, espionage, saucy military secrets and government conspiracies, American Odyssey is today’s thrilling, modern modern-day

thriller series, and thankfully, one which is not a CIA or FBI show.

Featuring Anna Friel as Seargeant Odelle Ballard, she and two others have one thing in common that will get them home: the truth. Oooh.

THU 27 AUG

THU 20 AUG

SOUTHPAW CINEMA RELEASE

Jake Gyllenhaal aka Donnie Darko aka Bubble Boy stars in this familiar story of dishevelled boxer on his way to glory. Cue fractured relationship with family

(Rachel McAdams as her fawning self) and Tyrese Gibson, and you’ve got a pretty fail safe movie about life, love, hitting bottom and beating opponents senseless.

Eminem produces the soundtrack.

RICKI AND THE FLASH CINEMA RELEASE

Meryl Streep, after playing Julia Child and countless attractive older women, is now playing an aging rock star who, after

abandoning her family chasing the music dream, now wants to reconnect. Also starring Streep’s real life daughter Mamie Gummer, the Iron Lady learnt the guitar in prep for the role. Props – it’s never too late, people.

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