Music News - New EP for The AJ Crawshaw Band
26 June 2015 - 0 Comments
Kapiti Coast four-man group the AJ Crawshaw Band launched its much-anticipated EP Phoenix Burning on Saturday June 13 at the Waikanae Hotel, in a unique fundraising-inspired initiative that will fuel the upcoming launch of its full-length debut album.
Seeking to raise $1000 for the mastering and printing of its own album, which will be recorded at Crawshaw’s Raumati South home studio, the band hoped to see a sell-out crowd for the public release of its two-year creative project.
The EP’s diverse selection of songs tracks the band’s journey over the years, representing what Crawshaw described as themes of hope amidst a sense of loss.
“The whole idea of Phoenix Burning is about a phoenix rising from the ashes, and the songs sort of track from hopeful to dark, to hopeful again,” explained Crawshaw, a multitalented musician who plays in the band alongside bassist Simon Laracy, guitarist Cam Sutton and drummer Aidan Corlett.
“It’s about letting things go.”
Drawn to music as a child, where he learnt classical piano at nine before venturing into guitar at 13, Crawshaw appreciates music’s ability to unleash creative concepts and personal expression.
“In one case this couldn’t have been truer,” explained Crawshaw, of an incident that saw his music career take a halt last year.
Despite having a gigging portfolio that boasts a collection of Kapiti and Wellington-based bars, events and festivals, Crawshaw had to re-find his feet recently after an unfortunate online catfish scandal left him out of pocket and emotionally discouraged.
Crawshaw said next month’s EP launch is a testament to his ability to rise from the depths.
“The band was going quite well and picking up a bit of steam, when a bar I played at passed me on to an Australian guy who invited me to tour the country with him,” Crawshaw said.
“I took some time off work and it looked really good, but when he got here I found out he’d been making a lot of stuff up.”
Having liaised with Crawshaw over the internet, the man pretended to be his manager and other sources supporting his music, and went on to lip sync on stage while heavily under the influence of drugs.
“His father was there at the gig to support his son, and the next day we were meant to do a gig in Palmerston North, but we received an email from the guy’s manager saying his father his had died.
“I thought it was awful, so put out the word the tour was cancelled.”
“Then our drummer Aidan was at the rugby and saw the guy together with his dad.
“It was so bizarre, but made for interesting music!”
Having ascended from hard times, through hard work and on-going support from a growing local fan base, Crawshaw hopes music lovers will come and embrace Kapiti Coast sounds and good genuine music.
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