The Deadly Deaths Newsletter Interview

What is your greatest achievement?

It’s hard to pick one. Recording and releasing our debut album was quite an achievement for us. We set ourselves a deadline of releasing it at Camp A Low Hum and really had to work hard to get it ready by then (we only got the final CD back from pressing the day before the camp). Also, finishing our first music video was a huge achievement for me personally. I’d never made any sort of video before, and I’d always wanted to give stop-motion animation a go. It was a huge challenge and consumed a lot of my time, but I think the exposure and contacts that it brought us internationally have made it worth the effort.

What do you think could be done to make NZ music even better?

Locally I think that greater support from councils and venues would be beneficial. Our local live music scene in Hamilton has had issues lately with our main live music venue being forced to shut down. Luckily we have a few dedicated people working hard to get it open again.

Where do you see yourselves in 5 years?

I’d like to think that we’ll be somewhere that we didn’t predict. It’s hard to imagine the future knowing how many different pathways and opportunities there will be between now and then. Hopefully we’ll still be doing what we’re doing now, but on a larger scale. We’ve already started working on our second album, so I guess we’ll see where that takes us.

What is the best thing about making music?

I like finding the unexpected. Especially working on a song when you don’t really know where it’s going and you’re pleasantly surprised by the result or a change in direction.

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

Work hard and have fun.