14 Nov 2024
UsernamePassword

Remember Me? | Join | Recover
Click here to sign in via social networking

fleaBITE - Newsletter Interview: FleaBITE

27 Nov 2014 // An interview by Shade
 

FleaBITE is committed to producing high quality music for children that adults can enjoy.

How would you describe FleaBITE's music in one sentence:

"The perfect mix of entertainment, originality and intelligence for young kiwis".
Thanks to Damian Vaughan - CEO of Recorded Music NZ for that quote

What sets you apart from other bands?

Writing music ostensibly for kids allows a lot of freedom when it comes to song topics.

The hit song from our last album Circus of Fleas was called Don't Sit Under the Poo Tree. It's good advice, but I don't think you will find a comparable title from people who wear sunglasses for band photos.

We continue the tradition of focussing a lot on lyrics (and include them in our CD slicks) and try to be musically inventive.

On the first album In Your Ear there's a song called You're A Drip for which the backing track is made up of samples of water dripping. It's a song about where water comes from and where it goes. Most of the other songs pursue ridiculous trains of thoughts.

Another thing that sets us apart is that we don't perform live (sorry), and concentrate our efforts on producing animated music clips.

This costs more than the usual band videos (and we generally don't qualify for funding), but it gets us onto the world wide film festival circuit.

We tend to fall between the cracks - we are more edgy than many kids' outfits and make no effort to be 'educational', but neither do we find a place in the world of 'adult entertainment'. Our style makes us distinctive, and marketing-wise that can be both an advantage (original, cool) or tricky (sidelined to some far off hemisphere).

Where is your favourite place to relax in NZ?

A  bath... ...hence the track You're A Drip.

Upstairs, downstairs or in my lady's chamber, I don't mind where as long as it's clean.

Tell us about FleaBITE's latest album

The Jungle Is Jumping has some cool guest musicians.

Two members of The Phoenix Foundation play on it... Conrad Wedde does some fine guitar work (I have known him since he was 8), and Chris O'Connor thumps away on the drums. Very enjoyable to feature real drums on this album. The other guest is jazz wild man Jeff Henderson who has been a friend for many years.

He blows his horn with gay abandon, and I also managed to coerce him into doing backing vocals.

The songs are pretty bold and theatrical and fun.

Try it... you like!

What can you never leave home without?

A key to get back in.

 

About fleaBITE

"The perfect mix of entertainment, originality and intelligence for young kiwis".

Winner of 2013 BEST NZ CHILDREN'S ALBUM, fleaBITE has released three albums: THE JUNGLE IS JUMPING (2014), CIRCUS OF FLEAS (2012) and IN YOUR EAR (2011).

Check out our new animated video DON'T SIT UNDER THE POO TREE

Visit the muzic.net.nz Profile for fleaBITE

Releases

Snakes Alive
Year: 2020
Type: Album
Bite Me
Year: 2018
Type: Album
Buy Online @ Mightyape
The Jungle Is Jumping
Year: 2014
Type: Album
Circus Of Fleas
Year: 2012
Type: Album
Buy Online @ Mightyape
In Your Ear
Year: 2011
Type: Album

Other Interviews By Shade

MNZ Interview: Muzic Speak S01 / E01 - Powder Chutes
06 Nov 2024 // by Shade
Brought to you by Muzic.NZ's Lisa Jones, Muzic Speak is a fresh new interview series which pays homage some of the best up and coming acts this country has on offer.
Read More...
Interview with Angus Woodhams, lead of Weka
16 Sep 2024 // by Shade
Weka is a three-piece electronica band combining unique timbres with pulsing bass and punching drums. Formed of Angus Woodhams on keys and controllers, Mitch Harty on guitar, and Cathal Lennon on drums, Weka’s instrumental electronic sound is diverse, beautiful, and thought provoking, urging audiences to dance uninhibitedly.
Read More...
Pull Down The Sun Newsletter Interview
01 Dec 2022 // by Shade
Boasting an international standard of modern metal, New Zealand's Pull Down The Sun have set many an audience alight with their glorious imagery that holds true to sheer riff obedience, making motions from heavy and erratic to dark and moody, through to light and uplifting with minimal effort. We spoke to frontman Koert, and he had this to say:How did you become involved in music?
Read More...
Coridian Newsletter Interview
27 Nov 2022 // by Shade
Coridian are one of New Zealand's leading rock acts, and they have an exciting 2023 in the works. In recent months the release of singles Rakshasa (with Michael Murphy from Written by Wolves) and State of Mind have further cemented their status in NZ music.
Read More...
1 Drop Nation Newsletter Interview
19 Nov 2022 // by Shade
Otautahi six-piece 1 Drop Nation will be dropping their exciting self-titled debut album on 1 December, and it’s guaranteed to set Aotearoa music fans up for a great summer! They answered the following questions for Muzic.
Read More...
Interview: 2Fly Ty
17 Oct 2022 // by Shade
Despite currently residing in Brisbane, 2Fly Ty still identifies as a Kiwi at heart, as he looks to make a name for himself in the music scene of his homeland, Aotearoa. He answered the following questions for Muzic.
Read More...
Dead Beat Boys Newsletter Interview
29 Sep 2022 // by Shade
Auckland Rockers Dead Beat Boys fuse punk intensity with classic-rock riffs, all strung together in a show uncontainable by the stage. On the 1st of October they released their first and last album, be sure to check it out here.
Read More...
Frau Knotz Newsletter Interview
28 Sep 2022 // by Shade
The original songs of singer, pianist, producer and composer Lauren Nottingham have touched down on Earth under the moniker Frau Knotz. With avant-pop tracks which simulate echoes of an extra-terrestrial yet power-packed video game soundtrack, Frau Knotz toggles between whimsical fantasies and dark truths, switches propulsive rhythms and expansive balladry and tunes glamor with gameplay to concoct elixirs of dance.
Read More...
View All Articles By Shade

NZ Top 10 Singles

  • APT.
    ROSÉ And Bruno Mars
  • DIE WITH A SMILE
    Lady Gaga And Bruno Mars
  • BIRDS OF A FEATHER
    Billie Eilish
  • TASTE
    Sabrina Carpenter
  • I LOVE YOU, I'M SORRY
    Gracie Abrams
  • ESPRESSO
    Sabrina Carpenter
  • SAILOR SONG
    Gigi Perez
  • LOSE CONTROL
    Teddy Swims
  • A BAR SONG (TIPSY)
    Shaboozey
  • GOOD LUCK, BABE!
    Chappell Roan
View the Full NZ Top 40...
muzic.net.nz Logo
100% New Zealand Music
All content on this website is copyright to muzic.net.nz and other respective rights holders. Redistribution of any material presented here without permission is prohibited.
Report a ProblemReport A Problem