#merrinlife

As soon as I heard this riff my head went to a place it has yearned to go to for a long time. Just deserts Mr.“Dominant”.

Time for change, I think I say that every year… So Karl and I haven’t been able to go out for a while.  It might seem good to be busy but we also like giving back to the universe by supporting our local scene.  When I say that, people who have gotten to know us, know that we used to go and support live music regularly, like 5 nights a week often.  Of course, once you start building your dream the need to fuel the dream becomes important.  Building your style, focusing your sound, building cash for gear, recordings, tours and promotional output, networking, can all become extremely consuming.

At the end of last year, Karl and I decided we needed to get out for a bit and add some things to the list that meant something to us again because let’s face it, you can get lost in the highs and lows and forget to remember what used to make you feel alive.  

Karl and I chose to write an album alone in a hotel room in Napier over three days.  It was massive to just get back to basics with a shitty guitar and the waves crashing against the shore, it really set the tone for something special.  

Napier, NZ - stunning view from our room. Maybe in time when it feels right we will bring it to the table but for now we are happy being cryptic and sitting on it, just to get the creativeness happening again was delightful in itself. One of the highlights from our time spent there was a random invite to a beautiful vow renewal from very kind friends we have made along the way on our gigging travels.  Thanks so much to Selwyn and Bobbi Rowe, it was a beautiful vow renewal and we will never forget it. 

Then this year in January we heard our mates Curlys Jewels were playing support for a band we have wanted to listen to called Bakers Eddy because we heard they have been making waves and we love going and listening to live local bands, we always did!  Heather’s (manager) daughter Brooke told me she watched Bakers Eddy in Dec of 2015 and said, “you must…you will love them…with me…lets do dis!”  I was like, “Babe, it’s not hard, our mates are playing too and it’s been too long!”

Naturally, we “challenge accepted” and it was “game on”.   There may have been copious amounts of Rock chic makeup, darkness, listening to Ben from Valhalla and his fantastic outlook on life, some Tequila and mantis chit chat going on… Did I mention there was Tequila?!  Hmmm  There may have also been a very rocked out and tight line up of Bakers Eddy, Curlys Jewels, Skinny Hobos and Thin White Lines and then maybe a tad more Tequila. They all may have rocked your world in one way or another, they certainly rocked mine.  BUT I can say, I never hit the floor literally AND if you weren’t there, you will never truly understand how much our live local rock scene commands!   

Me feeling a bit seedy after rocking out the antics in the a.m.

Olex Cidor from Lenscraft Media was out and about as usual taking time out with bands and enjoying the local scene: http://www.lenscraft.co.nz/photogallery/skinny_bakers/