09 Oct 2006 // An interview by Shade
Who are your favourite NZ bands and artists?

As far as this country goes, from the past my favourite artists are the Scavengers, the Swingers, and the Gordons, and in recent times I have been impacted by This Night Creeps, Flick, Meat Bix, the D4, and the Datsuns (among many others I can't think of right now) and I look forward to a lot of things as well.

What is your favourite NZ venue?

I'd say the venue closest to my heart is the Wunderbar in Lyttleton.

What is the best thing about being in The Mint Chicks?

Having some kind of small impact on the culture. Being able to be part of the conversation. Having a distinctive voice, whether people like it or not.

What is the best live gig you have ever been to?

The Stooges, BDO 2006.

Where do you see yourselves in 5 years?

I see myself doing the things I want to do, just like I've always done I suppose. Maybe in five years I might have a kid. We might have five more albums.

How do you keep in contact with your fans?

Myspace and the website, or chatting at the shows. Keeping in touch with people who enjoy the music you make is really important. These days our biggest fans have become my friends through constant correspondence. We try to give as much as we can manage to our fans short of completely bankrupting ourselves pretty much, because we really are grateful to the people who allow us to continue by coming to see us and buying our records. I put a lot of effort these days into keeping in touch with people. A lot of the people who are Mint Chicks fans will go on to do their own things and some of them will achieve bigger and better things than the Mint Chicks, which is a totally amazing thought.

What rumour would you like to start about yourselves?

That we're nice people!

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

Hmm...I don't know if I'm worthy to give advice yet but I would say that you have to play and play and play. practise, play shows, jam with your friends, whatever. Take care of the music first. Also don't take anything anyone says about your band to heart, whether it's good or bad. Don't pay much attention to any of it.

The Mint Chicks make spazzy, heavy, poppy music with lyrics about things like sports teams, love, death, obsession, and drug addiction. Turn ons: the Buzzcocks, comic books, A Clockwork Orange, Refused, speedfreaks, Devo, At the Drive-In, Flying Nun Records, Public Image Ltd, bright colours, black, the Beach Boys, Naked Lunch, Slayer ringtones, Pro tools, Miles' electric period, Grand Theft Auto, Black Sabbath, ring mod pedals, psychedelia, Roy Orbison, and the Locust.

Playing packed-out little venues in New Zealand since 2002, the Mint Chicks (singer and wurlitzer piano player Kody Nielson, bassist Michael Logie, drummer Paul Roper and guitarist Ruban Nielson) have climbed all the PA's, back flipped off all the drum risers, bloodied all the fingers, scrapped all the haters, broken all the hearts, ripped all the clothing, bashed all the microphones and smashed all the bottles in preparation for the release of their newest and most exciting record: 'Crazy?Yes!Dumb?No!'.

'Octagon, Octagon, Octagon' came in 2003, the Mint Chicks had just signed to legendary NZ label Flying Nun Records. It's influences were varied and it's local impact was felt immediately, taking student radio by storm with 4 number 1's and 5 'bnet' awards, even though it was only a six-track document of youthful enthusiasm and little bit of home-made inventiveness (the band militantly self produce/engineer their records, do their own artwork and designed their own website). This was the sound of hardcore damaged beyond repair by bubblegum, LSD and artschool.

Visit the muzic.net.nz Profile for The Mint Chicks

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