Thanks to Mike for answering these questions:
What can we expect to see from Nightchoir over the next year?
We hope to have the new album out mid year, with a winter tour and new live show. Then a summer tour...
Who are your favourite NZ musicians/bands, and why?
I have trouble going past the second Voom album. One of the best records ever made. Steve Abel also so consistently brilliant especially lyrically. Dave Dobbyn (in my opinion the most consistent best NZ song writer), seeing him 1994 at The Powerstation was next level. Seeing Salad Daze 20 years ago - privilege. Jonathan Bree - huge respect for his production and actually a great engineer. The list goes on - The Bads, Neil Finn, Shayne Carter, Ned, Anna and Riki (Anna Coddington's band)....
What is your favourite NZ venue?
So many great venues in NZ. Some of our favourites are Leigh Sawmill, Chicks Hotel, Mighty Mighty...
What inspired you to start Nightchoir?
A lot of different things. A couple of turning points for me personally were a Bygone Era gig at University Cafe in about '88 and The Ramones at The Powerstation in 1990. Ricky Lee Jones 1994. Raw energy. Great fun, huge intensity, no pretense.
How did you come up with the name Nightchoir?
Matthias had Lots of ideas; we thought it fit perfectly with the way the first album was made. Pockets of time all pretty much at night.
All three members of Nightchoir played in the successful NZ band Pluto for over 10 years, supporting international acts such as Muse, Duran Duran, Gomez, Dandy Warhols and playing international festivals – including twice on the main stage at the Big Day Out And two appearances at the SXSW .
On top of a decade playing together in Pluto, Matthias Jordan, Michael Franklin- Browne and Mike Hall have shared their talents with a number of other local musicians and bands including Dimmer, Pajama Club, Gin Wigmore, Stereobus, Julia Deans, Anna Coddington, Head Like a Hole and The Brunettes.
Nightchoir was once considered a side project to Pluto, but after the success of their first album in 2010, 24 Hours of Night, received rave reviews proved this is a band to watch: