Bio

Kiwi solo-artist Gareth Thomas is a master architect of indie pop simplicity. Whether it’s delivering the iconic singles Sophie and Buck It Up as part of legendary local act Goodshirt, or crafting clever computer-driven tunes under his own name, Gareth’s left of centre approach to a catchy hook has continued to evolve alongside his legacy as one of Aotearoa’s most innovative artists.

Gareth’s passion for songwriting, production and a hefty dose of experimentation began in the late 1990’s. While most local bands were spending their hard earned cents on studio recording time, Goodshirt looked to the future and officially became the first NZ band to record an album on a Pentium 486 PC, in a garden shed, and take it to the top of the charts. Gareth’s computer may be long gone, along with the shed, but his proudly DIY and ‘outside the box’ approach to music making continues to underpin his work.

Gareth released his debut solo album Lady Alien to critical acclaim late 2010, with the Dominion Post stating the album as “Kiwi indie pop at it’s best”. The single Google Song received an honourable mention at the annual International Songwriting Competition in 2010, which was followed up by another nod in 2016 with the single All Eyes In The Room, a cut from his follow up album, Fizzy Milk.

On Fizzy Milk:

“One of the best local albums of the year” – Lydia Jenkin, NZ Herald

“Fizzy Milk sets a very high threshold for intelligent Kiwi pop albums this year – highly recommended” – Graham Reid, Elsewhere

Amongst his solo work, which has continued to snowball fans and accolades over the last decade, Gareth has collaborated with local artists Fazerdaze, Steve Abel, Bic Runga, Goldenhorse, Dave Yetton and Sarah Brown among others.

On the touring tip, Gareth has shared the bill with The Dandy Warhols, The Flaming Lips and Hall & Oates, alongside local legends Dave Dobbyn and The Mockers... and you can still see Gareth take to the stage with Goodshirt at NZ Festivals and other such occasions.

Gareth is now poised to release his third solo album, Bits, which is technically and creatively inspired by that first flirtation with emerging technology all those years ago. Walking the tightrope between comfort and surprise, expect to hear unconventional instrumentation, observational storytelling and a melting pot of genres that flows fluidly from years of music-making experience.

First single, My Dog, releases 7 August 2020. The album, Bits, releases 2021.

Links

• Artist Website
• Facebook Page
• Youtube Page
• Instagram Page
• Bandcamp Page
• Spotify Page