Matt Bentley Newsletter Interview

What is the best gig you have ever performed at, and why?

Me and a few mates did a live music-comedy performance in Hamilton a while back called ‘Steal This Play’ – took the piss out of the DVD piracy warning you see on every DVD, amongst other things ("You wouldn’t punch a hobo…").

We made the whole thing available for free on www.stealthisplay.com – scripts, videos, songs.. etc.

But I’m an online musician more than I am offline, so I guess getting my music videos played 85,650 times on youtube, so far, would be a fair estimate of ‘best gig’, from one perspective.

What is your favourite NZ venue?

Probably the BlueNote in Wellington – they used to have a live acoustic performance night, and anybody who played got $50 in the hand – good deal for aspiring musicians (particularly ones as poorly-rehearsed as I was). Asides from that, I think busking in Wellington is pretty good.

What NZ musicians or bands would you like to see more of, and why?

Perhaps Weta, but some new music from The Headless Chickens would be great… world needs more of their uniquely misanthropic miserableness…

And just where the f*k did Cloudboy go? Best NZ live act ever..

My mate’s Awesome Meat Grenade (Hamilton) stuff is pretty fresh, but funny, so I’d vote for it.

What is your most embarrassing on tour/gig moment?

Being upstaged while busking by a stripper who could not only scream better than me, but play violin better. That pissed me off. Damn sexy strippers, and their terrific violin ability.

How do you describe your music?

Running the gamut currently from IDM to acoustic, typically – with some occasional offbeat stuff like, you know, pop-rock.

My latest EP ‘Jugs-To-Position’ has 1 brazilian, 2 electronica tracks and 2 acoustic tracks.

What can we expect to see from you over the next year?

Less and less. Just released ‘Jugs-To-Position’, but really the music studio (www.soulstudios.co.nz) is taking precidence as the need for surviving the cash crisis rear’s it’s head moreso.

I like studio work, so, not a problem really.

But I will be doing some nature-recording/crossover stuff later this year – could be interesting if I get around to it.

What advice would you like to give to other aspiring musicians?

Don’t do it. Some old philosopher said an artist should paint only because he must.

Otherwise, do something useful.

Also, don’t waste your time chasing trends and trying to do the ‘commercial’ thing – I’ve seen people do it again and again, and there’s just not enough money in it to justify the cost to your soul – that’s being honest.

If Shihad couldn’t break the US market, and they ROCK IMHO, how can you hope to?

Do it for the love of it. Then, make a living. If the two don’t coincide, then don’t get upset over it. Just don’t count on it.

There’s no contracts to chase anymore – no big opportunities to "get discovered". There’s you, me, a few blogs, and a billion people more focused around what they want than what your talent is.

Read up on Andrew Dubber’s (www.newmusicstrategies.com) viewpoints if you’re desperate, but don’t expect his entirely positive worldview to land you any real cash.

Don’t get disheartened- don’t do it for the wrong reasons. Only do it because you want to – not because it’ll get you rich, stupid and famous.

It won’t. Well, the stupid part maybe, but not the rest.