Aiming to dissect the cross section between the creative process and the industry side, Cross Section is a popular interview series hosted by Shannon Coulomb.

Congratulations on your new album, The Novel. How did the creative process look and what were the biggest challenges you faced making this album?

Tom: Our creative process was an ever changing one, most of the songs came from band practice voice memos but we also wrote some in the studio and some songs even came from the bedroom. Many of the lyrics came from night walks around Mount Eden. I'd say that some of the challenges of making the album were the long hours staying in the studio till 3am and coming back the next morning. There were definitely a few times where I’d listened to the songs so much and I wasn’t sure what the song needed anymore. I think learning when to take a break was a big learning curve for me.

Do you apply the same creative processes to other aspects of the Music Industry, for example, in your approach to marketing yourself?

Tom: In terms of how we like things to look visually and what we wear, I feel like we like to apply a similar creative view, so it matches the way we feel about our music in some way.

Is your creative process something you feel to have locked down or does it generally change on a song by song/release by release basis?

TK: We’ve definitely locked in more of a process for recording, but the songs seem to come in a different way each time. There’s always a different way to piece all of the parts together.

Photo Credit: Liam Costley | parkuppublicity.co.nz

What qualities do you appreciate the most in other musicians?

Carlos: Most other musicians we’ve met in and around NZ are keen to help each other out which is a really awesome space to be creating in. The NZ music industry is so small that there’s not really any room for people to be dicks.

If you could collaborate with another NZ musician/band, who would it be?

Tom: I’d like to write with Molly Payton. But she just moved to the UK. A SACHI remix would be cool!

How do you keep an eye to the future in regards to your work and work ethic? Do you generally focus on just the project at hand or are you considering how it fits into a larger plan?

Leo: The songs just seem to come out of nowhere to be honest and make themselves known to us when it’s a good one. We jam a lot as a band and after this album I think I've learned to trust the process a bit more because you can’t write the whole album all at once so trusting the songs are going to come has been really cool.

Where have you had the most success in terms of marketing to the Aotearoa audience? If applicable, has this translated well to an international market?

Angus: Playing live has probably been our biggest success in terms of marketing. We’ve been lucky enough to play at a bunch of festivals around Aotearoa, which has helped us out loads. We’re just about to go over to Australia to play some live shows which we are really excited about. We find the whole social media thing a bit tricky. Still adjusting I guess.

There are so many resources available to musicians in Aotearoa, such as Muzic.net.nz, Music Managers Forum Aotearoa and APRA/AMCOS. Have any of these (or other) NZ resources played a significant role in your journey so far?

Carlos: APRA has been really awesome in finding money for NZ musicians. NZ on Air has funded and supported us so much.

Tom: I think the journalists and photographers out there capturing the scene and keeping it alive is a really important part of NZ music.

Has having access to these resources led to any break-through moments for you, particularly in regards to crafting a successful narrative in your online presence?

Leo: APRA has helped us make money which has helped us upgrade our gear and that’s definitely been a breakthrough. The NZ music commission has also been so helpful with getting us over to Australia and funding for NZ tours that we’ve done.

Are there any resources that you would recommend to NZ musicians who are coming to terms with the business side of the craft?

Leo: Definitely APRA, NZ on Air, NZ Music Commission, Recorded Music. We’ve received so much support from them all and wouldn’t be where we are today without them.

*****

Shannon Coulomb is the co-songwriter, guitarist and producer for Auckland Based band Impostor Syndrome. He also plays bass for Swerve City and is currently the Head of Music at Birkenhead College, Auckland, as well as a tutor for Music Education at AUT University.

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