21 Nov 2024
Pig Out - Pig Out Newsletter Interview
14 Feb 2010 // An interview by Shade
Thanks to Kit for answering these questions:
What can we expect to see from Pig Out over the next year?
An album release, singles, tours, shows, t shirts, videos, stickers, interviews, airplay, articles. In 2010 we'll be your face.
What advice would you like to give to other aspiring musicians?
Have a point of difference from everyone else out there.
Who are your favourite NZ musicians/bands, and why?
I like The Shocking Pinks. Nick's a great song writer and with the right management and advice he'd be a super star
What will your next release be?
'RAVE X' album; released 22 February.
How do you come up with your lyrics?
'They're just thoughts really' Withnail & I
Who would you most like to support live?
The Prodigy, Benga & Skream, Soulwax (again), Daft Punk or anyone with a huge following. I want to play in a stadium at least once in my life
How do you believe your band fits into the NZ music industry?
There are many facets to the industry here. It’s clear now that clubs and the dance scene account for the majority of turnover in the live music market and we’re growing in reputation within that. In terms of the traditional mainstream industry we don't fit in easily. As we span maybe 4 genres of dance music it’s harder to sell to. People only seem to appreciate visionary artists when they are from overseas, which is ironic as NZ usually support local acts. We're basically too intense for most people to handle musically and we have been ignored by most industry types for funding, festival exposure and general industry support but that isn't a surprise as most industry type people come from a conservative guitar based/indie background and don't go raving or know anything about club music or have any real idea about the dance scene at all. People in the know are aware that we are one of the few local producers doing something which is internationally groundbreaking so hopefully once 'RAVE X' comes out we will have proved our point; that we are special regardless of where we’re from or based.
What can you never leave home without?
A sense of purpose.
How do you describe your music?
I'd like to say its rave but it’s too ambiguous. Half of our material is 4/4 electro, house and techno influenced. The other half is 2step or garage and jungle. It all comes together by having an intense rave feel. If I'm talking to a 30-40 year old I'll say its rave influenced electro and jungle. If I'm talking to a teenager I'll say its ravey dubstep. People love micro genres and sub terms but the basis for understanding them changes from person to person
What is your favourite NZ venue?
It changes. Once it was the Dux and Double Happy in Christchurch. Now it's whoever pays the most, treats us with respect and has a good soundsystem. Coherent in Auckland understand artists more than just about anyone and are polite and always up for a party
What is the best part of being a musician?
Adding something creative to the world rather than leaching from it. Free drinks at clubs is also good
What NZ musicians or bands would you like to see more of, and why?
I'd like to see more dance acts rather than DJs. There are too many DJs trading of respect that playing someone else's music.
What is in your CD collection at home?
My records are mostly vintage indie or rare hardcore punk from America. My itunes is mostly dance music and weird things people give me over time. There's a lot of UK garage on there.
What is your most embarrassing on tour/gig moment?
The point of Pig Out was to have fun which reduces the possibility of embarrassment so nothing comes to mind. I probably wouldn't MC on mushrooms on top of a speaker stack again but it wasn't particularly embarrassing at the time
What is your favourite place in NZ to be?
Hanging with my god kids in Lyttleton, or at any beach with friends, or making music at home in Grey Lynn.
What inspired you to start Pig Out?
Realising there was no threshold for failure except your own insecurities and we got rid of them a long time ago. We wanted to have fun on stage and breaking some boundaries with dance music.
How did you come up with the name Pig Out?
It was a song title I wrote and Marie liked the name for a band.
What is the best gig you have ever performed at, and why?
People ask that all the time and I think it’s a fundamental misunderstanding of what it is to be a musician. Musicians never ask those questions to each other. We’re always looking forward to the next show and they all have magic moments. The first was cool as it was completely new to everyone, the first European festival was an amazing atmosphere, the 4 hour Berlin show was something I never thought we could pull off and the recent show with Pitch Black was almost perfect musically and everyone was up for raving hard. I'm playing tonight and that's the most important show. Then it will be the next one.
How do you keep in contact with your fans?
Play shows, DJ on the radio. Mostly just talk to them when they come up and talk to me.
What rumour would you like to start about Pig Out?
I guess for it to have any benefit I'd say the biggest DJ in the world had said we were the best band out there and then once everyone started loving us because of someone else's opinion I'd cash in on the suckers!
Thanks to Kit for answering these questions:What can we expect to see from Pig Out over the next year?
An album release, singles, tours, shows, t shirts, videos, stickers, interviews, airplay, articles. In 2010 we'll be your face.
What advice would you like to give to other aspiring musicians?
Have a point of difference from everyone else out there.
Who are your favourite NZ musicians/bands, and why?
I like The Shocking Pinks. Nick's a great song writer and with the right management and advice he'd be a super star
What will your next release be?
'RAVE X' album; released 22 February.
How do you come up with your lyrics?
'They're just thoughts really' Withnail & I
Who would you most like to support live?
The Prodigy, Benga & Skream, Soulwax (again), Daft Punk or anyone with a huge following. I want to play in a stadium at least once in my life
How do you believe your band fits into the NZ music industry?
There are many facets to the industry here. It’s clear now that clubs and the dance scene account for the majority of turnover in the live music market and we’re growing in reputation within that. In terms of the traditional mainstream industry we don't fit in easily. As we span maybe 4 genres of dance music it’s harder to sell to. People only seem to appreciate visionary artists when they are from overseas, which is ironic as NZ usually support local acts. We're basically too intense for most people to handle musically and we have been ignored by most industry types for funding, festival exposure and general industry support but that isn't a surprise as most industry type people come from a conservative guitar based/indie background and don't go raving or know anything about club music or have any real idea about the dance scene at all. People in the know are aware that we are one of the few local producers doing something which is internationally groundbreaking so hopefully once 'RAVE X' comes out we will have proved our point; that we are special regardless of where we’re from or based.
What can you never leave home without?
A sense of purpose.
How do you describe your music?
I'd like to say its rave but it’s too ambiguous. Half of our material is 4/4 electro, house and techno influenced. The other half is 2step or garage and jungle. It all comes together by having an intense rave feel. If I'm talking to a 30-40 year old I'll say its rave influenced electro and jungle. If I'm talking to a teenager I'll say its ravey dubstep. People love micro genres and sub terms but the basis for understanding them changes from person to person
What is your favourite NZ venue?
It changes. Once it was the Dux and Double Happy in Christchurch. Now it's whoever pays the most, treats us with respect and has a good soundsystem. Coherent in Auckland understand artists more than just about anyone and are polite and always up for a party
What is the best part of being a musician?
Adding something creative to the world rather than leaching from it. Free drinks at clubs is also good
What NZ musicians or bands would you like to see more of, and why?
I'd like to see more dance acts rather than DJs. There are too many DJs trading of respect that playing someone else's music.
What is in your CD collection at home?
My records are mostly vintage indie or rare hardcore punk from America. My itunes is mostly dance music and weird things people give me over time. There's a lot of UK garage on there.
What is your most embarrassing on tour/gig moment?
The point of Pig Out was to have fun which reduces the possibility of embarrassment so nothing comes to mind. I probably wouldn't MC on mushrooms on top of a speaker stack again but it wasn't particularly embarrassing at the time
What is your favourite place in NZ to be?
Hanging with my god kids in Lyttleton, or at any beach with friends, or making music at home in Grey Lynn.
What inspired you to start Pig Out?
Realising there was no threshold for failure except your own insecurities and we got rid of them a long time ago. We wanted to have fun on stage and breaking some boundaries with dance music.
How did you come up with the name Pig Out?
It was a song title I wrote and Marie liked the name for a band.
What is the best gig you have ever performed at, and why?
People ask that all the time and I think it’s a fundamental misunderstanding of what it is to be a musician. Musicians never ask those questions to each other. We’re always looking forward to the next show and they all have magic moments. The first was cool as it was completely new to everyone, the first European festival was an amazing atmosphere, the 4 hour Berlin show was something I never thought we could pull off and the recent show with Pitch Black was almost perfect musically and everyone was up for raving hard. I'm playing tonight and that's the most important show. Then it will be the next one.
How do you keep in contact with your fans?
Play shows, DJ on the radio. Mostly just talk to them when they come up and talk to me.
What rumour would you like to start about Pig Out?
I guess for it to have any benefit I'd say the biggest DJ in the world had said we were the best band out there and then once everyone started loving us because of someone else's opinion I'd cash in on the suckers!
About Pig Out
Pig Out formed in Christchurch in early 2006, and were popularised through marathon live sets that fused forgotten rave enthusiasm with live funk bass lines, raw MCing and the thump of Detroit techno. This genre mash up forged a distinctive sound, utilising a variety of energy sources, guest musicians, old and new equipment and sometimes crowd members to pull off. Pig Out become the go-to party band and their legendary shows introduced clubbing and dance music to a generation of young New Zealand indie kids.
In 2009, still nothing sounds like Pig Out. Now based in Auckland, Maire Celeste and Kit Lawrence have spent the last year writing material for their debut full length album 'Rave X' to be released early 2010 through Tardus/Universal. 'Rave X' can be read as a year zero for all the possibilities of a genre that is as hard to pin down as the band who created it. Brooding sub bass rubs shoulders with joyful piano stabs, dark dubstep sits next to twisted electro and futuristic drum n bass charged bangers morph into ecstatic rave throwbacks.
Visit the muzic.net.nz Profile for Pig Out
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