Fang - Fang
01 Oct 2004 // An interview by Shade
This interview taken from the muzic.net.nz newsletter:
1) Who are your favourite New Zealand musicians/bands?
Ghostplane, David Kilgour, Straightjacket Fits, Pine, The Phoenix Foundation, SJD, the Clean, Red Drum, the Subliminals, Jay Clarkson,
2) Who would you most like to support live?
Most of the bands listed above we have supported at one stage or another...perhaps the Clean of the ones we haven't played with before.
3) What is the strangest thing that has happened to you while playing on tour?
In a previous band I was in, called Superette, our manager got us lost driving between Auckland and Wellington. You would think it is pretty hard to get lost on that route, but he took a 'short cut' and we ended up in a thunderstorm somewhere near Kawhia stuck in the mud on a dirt track in the middle of the night.
4) Where do you see Fang in 5 years?
Fang would rather continue to consistently make good records and play quality shows, rather than becoming hugely successful quickly. If we have made a couple more good albums (each one better than the last one) and played some excellent shows then that would be great.
5) What advice would you give other budding musicians/bands?
Don't do what everyone else is doing. Have high musical standards and if you get a bit of success don't believe the hype.
About Fang
During more than six-year history Fang have released two albums and an EP, two videos and played numerous shows around New Zealand. Over the years Fang been more interested in working hard at producing consistent, quality, left-of-mainstream indie sounds – rather than in the hype associated with a short-lived, high-charting, music career.
Fang were conceived back in 1998 during one of those drunken APRA awards ceremonies. Ben Howe met Andrea Holmes and suggested they get together with his flatmate Sonya Waters. All three already had plenty of musical experience… Sonya in The Insigators and other bands overseas, Ben in Superette and Andrea in Alfalfameo. Andrea used some lipstick to write her name on a paper napkin and soon the new band was in action.
The first EP 'Employee of the Month' in 1999 and the first album 'The Origin of Species' in 2000 contained the tracks 'Employee of the Month' (bFM Top Ten #1), 'Disphoria' and a number of other b-net favourites. It was a lo-fi, hi–energy blast of quick fire songs, described by one reviewer as about "technology, cool people and getting back to nature…tougues firmly planted in cheek".
Visit the muzic.net.nz Profile for Fang