“Once More From The Top” by The Granite Shore

Those of you who have followed Fishrider Records releases over the past 3 years will know that in 2012 we teamed up with small UK independent label Occultation Recordings to co-release an album by Dunedin odd-pop no-wave trio Opposite Sex in the UK, after BBC Radio, Uncut and Q Magazine in the UK all decided the album was extraordinary and our NZ pressing of only 150 LPs sold out within a few months.

Since then we have worked together to co-release in the UK and Europe albums by Dunedin bands Trick Mammoth, Death And The Maiden and, soon, The Shifting Sands, as well as the TEMPORARY compilation of new Dunedin music last year. We also co-released a 2012 mini-album by Factory Star (Martin Bramah of The Fall and Blue Orchids). Occultation also carries all the rest of the Fishrider catalogue.

Occultation Recordings has established a reputation in the UK for releasing high quality albums by respected legends of the UK post-punk scene (The Wild Swans, The Distractions, Factory Star and The June Brides) and also now the best of the young Dunedin scene from NZ. It’s a combination that works much better together than you may first expect, with Occultation’s customer base eager to investigate new sounds from southern NZ.

The epic “Once More From The Top” by The Granite Shore is the work of Occultation Recordings head Nick Halliwell, along with Phil Wilson (The June Brides), Arash Torabi (The June Brides/The Distractions), Probyn Gregory (Brian Wilson/Arthur Lee/The Wondermints), Mike Kellie (Spooky Tooth/The Only Ones/The Distractions), Steve Perrin and Mike Finney (The Distractions) and Martin Bramah (The Fall/Blue Orchids/Factory Star).

“Once More From The Top” is a concept album of sorts about the life and death (and re-birth) of a band. It’s a long-form ’60’s influenced pastoral indie-pop version of Mott The Hoople‘s “Ballad of Mott the Hoople” (if you are familiar with that ’70’s rock classic).

If the narrative theme and attention to detail in the songwriting, recording and arrangements is not already an indicator of bold ambitions, then attention given to packaging of the different formats confirms this. The 180gm LP in a deluxe heavy gatefold sleeve is an object worthy of the timeless music within.

We have a limited number of the 180gm LPs complete with booklet (a radio-play script based on the album songs!) as shown above and also a CD version with a different gatefold sleeve design. You can find these in our online store. If you are not in NZ/ Australasia/ Oceania you can get it at Occultation Recordings

That was 2014…

2014 has been a busy year for Fishrider Records, with several firsts for the label.

“Busy” is relative, and a lot of it is invisible behind-the-scenes stuff, not necessarily reflected in our annual output of two albums. A crazy amount of work was involved in getting the TEMPORARY compilation (and ‘zine) organised and released worldwide! Anyway, here’s a quick re-cap on the stuff that happened in 2014:

Back in February we released “Floristry” by Trick Mammoth both here in NZ and also in the UK & Europe in conjunction with Occultation Recordings. At the same time the band released this video for “Delphine (With A Purpose)”.

The Dunedin ‘Flower Cult’ guitar pop trio followed up a captivating debut with a 7” picture disc single “Candy Darling”/ “Doll” on UK label WIAIWYA as part of their 7777777 2014 singles club.

During the first half of 2014 Males “Run Run Run/MalesMalesMales” quickly sold out its LP pressing (released December 2013) making us wish we had pressed more than 300.

Males and Trick Mammoth had extensive radio playlist success across the US/ Canada college & non-commercial radio network, both spending several weeks in the top half of the CMJ Top 200 of most-played albums on North American non-commercial radio.

Males’ album was licensed for release in Japan by Thistime Records in April with 3 bonus tracks from their Roundhead Studio live session.

Thistime Records also took a shine to Trick Mammoth and licensed “Floristry’ for release in Japan in July, also with 3 bonus tracks.

Mid year we teamed up with respected US independent label Ba Da Bing! Records to give our compilation album - “TEMPORARY – Selections form Dunedin’s Pop Underground 2011 - 2014” - a US release in October as well as a NZ and UK/ Europe release assisted once again by Occultation Recordings.

The album release show saw 8 of the 13 bands perform over two nights at Chick’s Hotel in Port Chalmers at the start of September.

As well as a great reaction to TEMPORARY from print and online music media, tracks from TEMPORARY have been played on BBC 6Music and many North American non-commercial stations, notably KEXP Seattle, KALX Berkeley, and WYNU & WFMU in New York.

2015 promises to be another busy year. Our next two LP releases are on the way, both from bands featured on TEMPORARY and the first due February 2015.

Our thanks to the bands and musicians for working with Fishrider to release their music, and to everyone who has bought an album, shared a link, written about an album or band, played a song on a radio show, stocked an album in their store or been to a live show…

TEMPORARY – Out now!

It’s taken 9 months but T E M P O R A R Y – Selections From Dunedin’s Pop Underground 2011 – 2014 is finally here and shipping now!

T E M P O R A R Y is a compilation featuring 13 of our favourite Dunedin bands, with a 24 page colour ‘zine included & available as LP/ CD with ‘zine or LP+CD+zine!

If you are familiar with any of our recent releases from Trick Mammoth, Opposite Sex, Males, The Prophet Hens & The Shifting Sands, you will know there is some magic being created right now by a new scene of young musicians in this small city on the edge of the world – Dunedin, New Zealand.

So much magic we felt compelled to compile all our favourites into one compilation album… then, to add something extra we asked the musicians to contribute to a ‘zine to accompany the album.

The compilation features new and exclusive tracks from Fishrider artists Opposite Sex, Males and Trick Mammoth, and a vinyl debut for a track from The Prophet Hens’ lauded debut and The Shifting Sands forthcoming second album. Most of the rest will be unknown/ unheard as well, and the ‘zine provides discography and links to discover more music from each band – Mavis Gary, Death & The Maiden, Mr Biscuits, Strange Harvest, Astro Children, Kane Strang, Bad Sav & Scattered Brains of the Lovely Union.

To check out the album, listen to tracks and view the compilation LP or CD & ‘zine package head to the Fishrider Bandcamp page here: https://fishriderrecords.bandcamp.com/ You can buy it from there (in stock & shipping immediately), or from NZ record stores.

The album is released on 23 September in the US in conjunction with Ba Da Bing! Records – http://www.badabingrecords.com/store/products/temporary-selections-from-dunedins-pop-underground-2011-2014-lp/
and in the UK in conjunction with Occultation Recordings – http://www.occultation.co.uk/Occultation_Space/Releases/PROTEUS7DE033/temporary_main.html
so look for it in stores if you live in North America or UK/Europe, or order it direct from those labels.

Trick Mammoth live session from Auckland

A few weeks before Christmas last year Trick Mammoth headed to Auckland to play at Flying Out/ Flying Nun Records Christmas party along with The Verlaines, who were reprising their 1985 debut album “Hallelujah, All The Way Home” with the line-up which recorded the album.

Here’s three songs from Trick Mammoth’s set – “Himalayas”, “Delphine (With A Purpose)” and “Days of Being Wild” –

Filmed for Flying Nun/ Flying Out by PIKDAT http://www.pikdat.com Edited by Phoebe MacKenzie in Dunedin.

Live sound recording by Andre Upston, Radio NZ. Mixed by Ian Henderson at Fishrider HQ.

Trick Mammoth are Millie Lovelock (guitar, vocals), Sam Valentine (drums), Adrian Ng (guitar, vocals) & Kane Strang (bass).

Trick Mammoth new single on WIAIWYA 7777777 single’s club

Are you a collector of rare/ limited run 7” single and/or picture discs? Are you a fan of Trick Mammoth? If so check this singles club release from UK indie-pop label WIAIWYA.

It is a 7” picture disc, #2 in the WIAIWYA singles club series of 7 for 2014 – called 7777777 of course.

Yes, the ‘Flower Cult pop’ trio from Dunedin have been busy – the single is two of the four songs recorded a few days before Christmas last year – ‘Candy Darling’ and ‘Doll’. The other two songs will be released later this year.

Each single in the WIAIWYA 7777777 series this year depicts a stage of creating & releasing music. Trick Mammoth’s picture disc was illustrated by Daniel Novakovic from Malmo Sweden – an artists who also runs the So Tough! So Cute! indie-pop club there.

You can subscribe to the whole set of 7 or buy individual releases. However there are only 77 individual copies of each single available. Pre-sales start 77 days ahead of their release date, which is on the 7th day of each of the 7 months of the singles club.

When you pre-order you get one song as a download straight away (‘Candy Darling’ which Adrian sings). You’ll have to wait until the single is out (7 May for this) to hear the other song – Millie singing the heart-breaking ‘Doll’. Subscribers for the whole series receive each new single as soon as they are pressed – a couple of months ahead of release date for the individual sale 77 copies.

Trick Mammoth – “Delphine (With A Purpose)” video

Here’s the first music video from Trick Mammoth. “Delphine (With A Purpose)” is from their debut album ‘Floristry’.

The Video was created by Emily Hlavac Green http://www.emilyhlavacgreen.com/ (Emily also took the cover image for ‘Floristry’)

Emily was assisted by Alex Lovell-Smith @ A&E Studio in Dunedin

The video features Rachel Chin (Delphine), Adrian Ng, Mille Lovelock & Sam Valentine (Trick Mammoth) and a friend, Hilary Thomson.

Adrian on “Delphine (With A Purpose)” – from Mess+Noise http://www.messandnoise.com/articles/4640345
“It’s centred around that Holly Golightly quote: “Because no matter where you run, you just end up running into yourself.” Delphine is sort of a metaphorical assassin, she kills people in an attempt to leave her former self… This was also one of the first songs I wrote with no intention to do vocals on, which was very nice. To me, this feels like Millie’s song. She owns it.”

‘Floristry’ was/is released by http://www.fishriderrecords.com/ and, in the UK by Fishrider & http://www.occultation.co.uk/ on 24 February 2014.
https://fishriderrecords.bandcamp.com/album/floristry

Trick Mammoth radio interview

Trick Mammoth were interviewed by Radio New Zealand recently.

Adrian, Millie & Sam talk about the origins of the songs on their album ‘Floristry’, the song-writing process, and how they went from recording demos to a laptop via a solitary SingStar microphone to recording their debut album with legendary Dunedin sound engineer (and equally legendary home-brewer) Tex Houston (The Clean, The 3-Ds, The Verlaines, Magick Heads, Look Blue Go Purple, etc.) within a year.

The three members of Trick Mammoth were involved in 4 separate bands releasing 4 albums within the last 3 months. So, in addition to Trick mammoth’s ‘Floristry’:
Adrian recorded and released a cassette album (via The Attic) as Mavis Gary (a self-recorded, solo project)
Millie recorded and released an album ‘Proteus’ as Astro Children (her band with drummer Isaac Hickey)
Sam released a mini-album (also on Fishrider) as part of Males (although he is drummer for Trick mammoth he plays bass for Males)

The Venn Diagram below shows the relationship between these bands. Richard from Males now also sometimes plays in Trick Mammoth.

Venn Diagram of some related Dunedin Pop Underground bands & members

It is well worthwhile checking out the releases of all the ‘extended family’ of bands related to Trick Mammoth, particularly ‘Proteus’ which Astro Children released late last year. It’s available as a fine-looking CD package from Muzai Records.

Trick Mammoth ‘Jangle, All the Way Home’ with The Verlaines

Trick Mammoth played in Auckland last weekend (14th December 2013) at the Kings Arms. It was part of a Christmas party/ year-end event organised by Flying Out Records (the mail-order operation of Flying Nun Records which includes Fishrider Records releases in its catalogue). It was also a show marking the re-release of The Verlaines’ classic 1985 debut album “Hallelujah – All The Way Home”.

Trick Mammoth had a great time, as you can see from these photographs from Flying Nun boss Ben Howe

Following Trick Mammoth was another band from Dunedin – Astro Children – a two-piece featuring Trick Mammoth’s Millie. Astro Children have just released a brilliant and adventurous debut called ‘Proteus’ on Auckland label Muzai Records.

Trick Mammoth

Adding bass to Trick Mammoth’s live show was another Dunedin pop underground figure – Kane Strang. Kane will be joining the combined album release show on Friday for Males and Trick Mammoth which also features Astro Children. The overlapping family nature of this corner of the scene in Dunedin right now can get confusing, so here’s a simple Venn Diagram to help you navigate.

Venn Diagram of some related Dunedin Pop Underground bands & members

New releases from Trick Mammoth & Males

We are thrilled to announce the imminent release of Dunedin ‘flower cult’ pop band Trick Mammoth’s gorgeous debut album ‘Floristry’ – which has its official retail release in NZ on 31 January and in the UK in February 2012 but will be available to pre-order from us before Christmas [The UK release is handled by Occultation Recordings http://www.occultation.co.uk/ ]

Floristry by Trick Mammoth LP/CD FISH012
Trick Mammoth are a flower cult pop band from Dunedin. Fragile, lucid, but rough around the edges, their songs are unintentionally sincere and bashfully honest, performed with open arms and a soft indifference. Drawing mostly on film, literature and poetry, their music has a shy pretension buried under layers of simplicity. With comparisons ranging from Black Tambourine to The Carpenters, this youthful trio of Adrian, Millie & Sam have crafted a sound saccharine sweet yet doused in death. Gorgeous dream-pop from the margins.

Trick Mammoth play in Auckland on 14th December with The Verlaines, Surf City & Astro Children at the Kings Arms as part of the Flying Out Christmas extravaganza.

We have also just released a glorious debut 9 song mini-album by Males (who share some members with Trick Mammoth). We may be biased but in our view Males are the best live band in NZ right now. Their album has also started receiving a lot of radio play in the US/ Canada college radio network – immediately becoming one of the most-played albums across the hundreds of stations on the network.

Run Run Run/MalesMalesMales by Males LP/CD FISH011
Males are a guitar pop band from Dunedin, making ‘garage pop’ – insanely catchy short songs, crammed with melody, propulsive guitar, helium vocals & harmonies. It’s helium-powered pop on a sugar diet, with serious themes. This debut mini-album collects together their first EP, a single & four brand new songs into one convenient bag of aural treats.
“23 minutes of the most celebratory and unselfconscious guitar-pop produced in this neck of the woods” Otago Daily Times
Listen to Males and order the album here https://fishriderrecords.bandcamp.com/album/run-run-run-malesmalesmales

If you are in Dunedin on Friday 20th December we are having a combined album release at Chick’s Hotel for Trick Mammoth & Males. What better way to celebrate our 7th birthday & have a Christmas Party!

Special guests, prizes: probably.

Flowers: definitely.

Poster by Robbie Motion

First sounds from the Trick Mammoth album ‘Floristry’

Trick Mammoth, photographed by Emily Hlavac Green http://lenslapse.com/

Trick Mammoth – that’s Adrian, Millie & Sam – have decided the time is right to share some of their new album – ‘Floristry’ – with everyone who has been waiting patiently.

They’ve put the digital download equivalent of a “Double-A-Side” single up on the Trick Mammoth Bandcamp page. ‘Delphine (With A Purpose)’ and ‘Pinker Sea’

They wrote these words about their music and album:

“Formed in early 2013, Trick Mammoth are a pop band from Dunedin, New Zealand. Fragile, lucid but rough around the edges, their songs are unintentionally sincere and bashfully honest, performed with open arms and a soft indifference.

Drawing mostly on film, literature and poetry, their music discharges a shy pretension buried under layers of simplicity. With comparisons ranging from Black Tambourine to The Carpenters, Trick Mammoth have crafted a sound saccharine sweet yet doused in death.

In mid July 2013, the band recorded their first full length album with the assistance of Tex Houston (The Clean, The 3Ds). Adrian Ng and Millie Lovelock play guitars and sing, Sam Valentine plays drums and sometimes sings.

Their debut album ‘Floristry’ is scheduled to be released through Fishrider Records in NZ this year and co-released by Fishrider Records and Occultation Recordings in the UK early in 2014.”

They recorded the 10 song album here at Fishrider HQ (the same basement room space we’ve recorded albums by Opposite Sex, The Puddle and The Dark Beaks in). Bringing in someone of Tex’s experience was a good move for all of us. You can read an interview with Adrian on the making of ‘Floristry’ here.

The results are pretty special. The songs have undergone something of a transformation from the fragile washed out reverb lo-fi of their early self-recorded demos, described perfectly as ‘tiny cacophonous dream-pop psychedelia’ (to interpolate the translation from Hipersonica website in Spain).

Trick Mammoth had no desire to be shackled to a sound that was forced by their circumstances at the time (ie possessing only a solitary SingStar microphone and a laptop with one input when they recorded those remarkable demos). They’ve taken the chance to fully form their sound and have created something beautiful, haunting and distinctively Trick Mammoth.

Ian @ Fishrider HQ, Dunedin, NZ
8 October 2013

PS: For those interested in disappearing down the rabbit-hole underground of inter-connected Dunedin bands you may be interested to check out Millie’s other band Astro Children. Their debut album Proteus is also out next month, on Auckland noise-pop label Muzai Records. It was recorded & mixed/ produced by Adrian from Trick Mammoth. Here’s a song from that: