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.

Today we are catching up with Wellington act Napoleon Baby, a song writing concoction of Antipodean and European inspired life. Napoleon Baby have very recently released their incredible new EP offering, Blueprint, which dives headfirst into the undercurrents of modern society, unpacking themes of complacency, idol worship, and self-delusion. 

Lisa recently spoke with Dan and Jamie from Napoleon Baby - here's what was said:

Starting with introductions - who are the members of Napoleon Baby, what instruments do each of you play, and how did you all get involved in music?

JAMIE: Dan Jones – Chief of the band – songwriter, singer, guitarist // Jamie Leaver – Drums // Jess Gush – Bass.

Dan’s been involved in music for much of his life, playing in bands in the UK, Europe, Canada and NZ. Jamie played in a band in London in his late teens, and then prior to joining NB in 2023, played with Auckland based indie shoegazers The New OK. Jesse was a rapper, spitting bars about Geordie girls and Greggs (a British institution).

What inspired you to establish Napoleon Baby, and how did you come up with such a compelling name?

DAN: I was still writing lots and recording with Martin Thomas at Two Dogs, I didn’t have a band at this stage, I’d made a lot of mistakes with the wrong people, to play with, I just wanted some people with ambition and who like playing and also want to get out of their comfort zone. The name Napoleon Baby, comes from being inspired by the ambitious Napoleon Bonaparte and his ability to want something out of nothing. Also, my girlfriend's cat is called Napoleon and he’s a huge bitch so, also named after him.

For those that have never heard of Napoleon Baby before, how would you describe your music?

DAN: I’d say, indie, alt-rock, garage rock with soul melodies, topical political content, so if you’re looking for your usual, soulless beach music, we ain’t the place, go to Rhythm and Vines.

JAMIE: Indie rock with substance. It has something to grab you. Something to say. It has a Britishness about it.

Napoleon Baby draws inspiration from both British indie rock and American alt-rock legends. How do these influences shape your sound and song-writing process?

DAN: I love singers with great melody and lyrics, Michael Stipe, Thom Yorke, Stephen Malkmus I guess those guys tend to rub off. Also Nina Simone and recently Rosalia. Her album is amazing, the melodies are so unique.

JAMIE: I’m very much into British indie. Its music I can relate to and have been into since a young age. The likes of Oasis, Arctic Monkeys, The Jam…they’re all working class band. It gives people something to aspire too. Kids now still relate to their songs, some of which are decades old. That will always be the case. Naturally your influenced by those you look up to.

You have some incredible tracks on your brand new EP Blueprint, including Sailors and Unworthy Boys. What are your favourite tracks, and why?

JAMIE: Each of them has a different feel whilst still clearly of the same artist. I don’t think there’s a favourite. I think when you play on records and more so when you’ve been part of the process to form them, you need time to pass after they’ve been released to then listen back and see if you like them. Obviously, you like them when working on them or it wouldn’t reach the point of being recorded and put out but after that I rarely listen back at this stage.

Can you share any memorable moments or challenges you faced while creating the Blueprint EP?

JAMIE: We work closely with Martin Thomas at Two Dogs Sound Studio in Auckland. He’s great to work with – he’s like the 4th member of the band. Dan, Martin and I bounce ideas off each other in the studio around how the tracks should sound. What we should add, what we should take away. The only challenge is time. Believe it or not, the band doesn’t pay enough for the average lifestyle I’m accustomed to, so we have day jobs.

Blueprint’s title track dives into the concept of living without ambition or dream. Can you share the inspiration behind this theme and how it resonates with you personally?

DAN: Oh my god where to start… it comes from a trend I’d seen with young people in NZ that aligns with the ambitious my grandparents would’ve had (without having much choice). Following a structured plan to life against your own wants and dreams just because some midlife insurance sales man from Christchurch told you this is how it is; this is what you have to do, this is the age you have to do this etc… and being completely miserable in your choices. It doesn’t have to be this way. **

Your cover of Blur's Beetlebum offers a tender acoustic take. What drew you to this particular song, and how did you approach reinterpreting it in your own style?

DAN: Always liked Blur and this was my favourite era. I was trying out a few covers and this one stuck. The original is way better of course.

You have an upcoming performance at Auckland's Ponsonby Social Club on March 1st. How do you prepare for live shows, and what can fans expect from your set?

JAMIE: We rehearse regularly. There’s an obvious difference between those bands who practice regularly and those who don’t when you see them live. We’ve been working on a few new songs. We’re hoping to add some of those into the set for this gig which will be cool. The gig will be a great night - good energy, good tunes. Gigs are the best part. Having that energy. Crowd and band feeding off each other.

We’re joined by Thinking Foxes, who we played with late last year at Forage Fest – they were great so looking forward to seeing them again and also Melon Heart who are a cool new band.

Looking ahead, what are your aspirations for Napoleon Baby, and how do you see your music evolving in the future?

DAN: Honestly, I just want to keep playing and writing but focus more overseas (UK, Europe, Australia), I love it here but there’s zero support for bands, especially a band that have opinion. We don’t fit in here which is fine. I think the new stuff we’re writing is really cool, and I’m looking forward to getting it recorded and touring overseas

What NZ bands and musicians would you be keen to collaborate with, and why?

DAN: I really like Half Hexagon, would love to collaborate with them. Really liked playing with Thinking Foxes last year and later this year.

JAMIE: My favourite NZ artists are Marlon Williams and Nadia Reid. Both are fantastic and to have an opportunity to collaborate with either would be a dream. Also Molly Payton – she’s great. These are all singer songwriter types. There aren’t many NZ bands that grab me. All the big ones like Six60 just don’t do anything for me. They call that stuff BBQ reggae don’t they?! That stuff is successful here in NZ but nowhere else in the world. No one I know back in the UK would have a clue who they are. I assume that’ll go for most of the rest of the world. Quite telling.

What advice would you like to share with New Zealand's up and coming musicians?

DAN: Stop trying to be American, stop pretending to be cowboys (they never had those here) it’s weird, you're not and why would you want to be? Writing about the beach etc… is bullshit, find something with substance there’s lots of interesting and important things in NZ… go and find them. Care about something relevant and talk about it. Don’t worry if you’re not being heard in NZ, the world has a lot to offer so try and expand yourself.

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