WATCH: Tami Neilson, “Sleep”

Artist: Tami Neilson
Hometown: Auckland, New Zealand
Song: “Sleep”
Album: CHICKABOOM!
Release Date: February 14, 2020
Label: Outside Music

In Their Words: “This song was written by my dear friend and co-producer Delaney Davidson. He wrote it about keeping the Big Black Dog at bay; my two little boys think it’s a lullaby Mama sings only for them. My brother Jay and I wander into the audience at the end of the night with just a guitar and no amplification to sing this to the hush and send our audience gently home. It becomes what you want it to mean, like every song. But, it’s like a warm blanket, a soft pillow.

“This video was created by my other brother Todd Neilson of Valiant Creative Agency. You would never know the chaos behind the scenes! It is one shot and begins with Jay and I singing at the other end of the studio. As the camera pulls out, it reveals we are on the television set in the darkness of a living room where a family has gathered to watch before bed. However, the camera dolly had to roll straight through the living room and the entire thing had to be assembled within seconds in its wake.

“So, as we were peacefully singing, there was shouting and crashing and banging as the rug, plants and furniture were frantically placed by a team of six, the actors rolled the couch in (it was on skateboards!), sat down and had to look relaxed and calm as my little niece, River Neilson, fell asleep. The result is magical and I can almost feel my Dad’s arms around me, carrying me to bed when I watch it.” — Tami Neilson


Photo credit: Sabin Holloway

BGS 5+5: Tattletale Saints

Artist: Tattletale Saints
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee via Auckland, New Zealand
Latest album: Dancing Under the Dogwoods (January 24, 2020)
Personal nicknames (or rejected band names): Broken Bells (rejected name). Cy is trying to nurture the nickname “Big Daddy C,” but it’s struggling to catch on.

Answers by Cy Winstanley

Which artist has influenced you the most … and how?

It’s no secret, but I love the music and lyrics of Paul Simon. As a jazz kid growing up, his use of varied harmony and its tasteful symbiosis with vivid and often impressionistic, poetic lyrics just blew my mind. His themes too, there are so many dimensions to them — I just get lost in his stories.

What other art forms — literature, film, dance, painting, etc. — inform your music?

I’m an avid reader and like to start my day with non-fiction and close my day with fiction. The more regular I am with that, the more those colors run through my writing. I tend to go through phases with the kind of books too: one of my fav authors is Roberto Bolano; after I read his oeuvre, I cycled through his contemporaries, influences, and other South American authors.

What was the first moment that you knew you wanted to be a musician?

I think as soon as I started playing guitar as a 13-year-old I just loved it so much that I knew it would be a big part of my life. But it wasn’t until later when I developed carpal tunnel in my hands that I had to stop playing guitar, then it was songwriting that became the focus.

What’s the toughest time you ever had writing a song?

Every song feels like the toughest time! It’s very rare that they just ‘fall out’. But perhaps those that are directly about my life are the hardest, because I want to be as faithful to the memory as possible and am constantly fighting with myself over what I want to present.

Which elements of nature do you spend the most time with and how do those impact your work?

Being from New Zealand and also being a long distance runner have given me a pretty strong connection to being outside. When I’m in nature, there is a calmness, and sense of earthly perspective and belonging that pervades my every waking moment.


Photo credit: Natia Cinco

LISTEN: Jamie McDell, “Worst Crime” (Feat. Robert Ellis)

Artist: Jamie McDell
Hometown: Mangawhai, New Zealand (currently Toronto-based)
Song: “Worst Crime” feat. Robert Ellis
Album: The Botox EP
Release Date: October 25, 2019

In Their Words: “‘Worst Crime’ was inspired by a conversation surrounding the idea that some of the worst crimes a person can commit are actually the legal ones. Phil Barton, Nash Chambers, and I threw around some of the everyday mistakes a person can make that can really hurt people. With that idea in mind I started off with the first lyric about forgetting your mother’s birthday and then we all basically made a list from there. After recording the demo Nash and I got the feeling it would be an interesting duet, especially if a male voice represented the victim. Top of my list was Robert Ellis. I’d been a fan for years and as a lot of these relationships begin in the modern era we were ‘Instagram friends.’ I messaged him and he said yes! He recorded his vocal in Fort Worth, Texas and completely brought a unique dynamic to the track.” — Jamie McDell

“I think Jamie is super rad. Her voice is unbelievable and I love the song. I was really psyched to get to try and keep up!” — Robert Ellis


Photo credit: Katie Sadie

LISTEN: Albi & The Wolves, “Canyon”

Artist: Albi & The Wolves
Hometown: Auckland, New Zealand
Song: “Canyon”
Album: This Is War
Release Date: July 26, 2019
Label: Second Hand Records

In Their Words: “‘Canyon’ is about friendship and shared hardship that people go through when they choose to live an unconventional lifestyle. If you want music to be your career it is a road that is full of so many wonderful moments, but each of those is earned by working very hard every day. A very close friend of mine, Zarek, inspired me to write this song last summer. He works harder than anyone I know and even at his lowest moments he still wakes up every morning to practice and pursue his dreams. He does this with kindness and grace and when I have my own struggles I remember I am lucky to have a friend who knows the same ups and downs that I am going through. It makes it easier to keep going on those days.” — Chris Dent


Photo credit: Jane Blundell

BGS 5+5: Jamie McDell

Name: Jamie McDell
Hometown: Mangawhai, New Zealand (currently Toronto-based)
Latest album: Extraordinary Girl
Personal nicknames (or rejected band names): When I was eleven I was in a rock band called Backfire.

Which artist has influenced you the most … and how?

Jimmy Buffett and John Denver equally, though this obviously requires some context. The majority of my childhood was spent aboard boats, and our largest stint took place in the Mediterranean over a couple of years, starting at the age of seven. We only had two artists’ catalogues onboard in the form of cassette tapes, JB and JD. These were the artists that introduced me to storytelling and surrounded my journey then and for many years following. These were the artists that my Mum and Dad used to cover during boat drinks while I would take note of the three important chords my Dad would strum. As a young adult I’m thankful to many close friends and musicians for broadening my musical tastes but I still find myself feeling most at home amongst John’s stories of the countryside and Jimmy’s tales of the sea, because after all I am also a sailor and I try to incorporate that side of my story into each album I create.

What’s the toughest time you ever had writing a song?

I’ve seen a few different facets of the industry, not that I’ve been around for too long, but I did begin working with a label in New Zealand when I was the tender age of 16. A lot of the time they actually left me to my own devices in terms of songwriting, in that I was never set up with co-writers (perhaps there aren’t so many where I’m from). As I got older and my team started to chop and change I was soon thrust into the world of writing trips or what I didn’t quite realize were ‘smash hit single’ making trips. I had a few unfortunate experiences in this realm but one particular session in LA felt really wrong.

To be honest the other writers were pretty nice, the song wasn’t awful but it just wasn’t me and I hadn’t learnt the skills necessary to steer the session in a more authentic direction so I forced myself through the entire session with John Denver’s voice in my head asking if this is something he’d be proud of? By the time we got to recording my vocal for the demo, I was singing with tears streaming down my face. Turns out, of course the label I was with then loved the demo and pushed for it to be on the record but I found my strength and it never has seen the light of day. Grateful for that session.

 If you had to write a mission statement for your career, what would it be?

I wrote this song the other day, maybe it could work as somewhat of a mission statement:

I dream a lot and I don’t even have the brain you do, dress like a kid, the flowers in my hands like summer too. Born from a sailor, born from a sailor born with hope, or just a hopeful joke. I don’t need a lot to get my body ready for a show, in case you’d like to know. I don’t want to be a hitmaker, I just want to write my songs. There’s no point in words, when they are nowhere bound, just like a flightless bird, forever on the ground.

Which elements of nature do you spend the most time with and how do those impact your work?

In New Zealand, as it’s a small country, we’re very lucky to be close to the ocean. I spend as much time as possible there, mainly in the form of surfing. I think surfing is the best form of physical activity in the world for clearing the mind and cleansing the soul however this state of peace rarely helps me with songwriting.

I’ve found over the years that my best work comes out of chaos, a common notion I hear. Though ocean sliding doesn’t always fuel the writing fire, I think it does help me navigate the ever-changing road of being an artist, when I’m surfing I feel calm and in control, it’s nice to have one thing. On another note, I’ve just moved to Toronto where there’s absolutely no surfing so I’m hoping this means the songs will be excellent.

How often do you hide behind a character in a song or use “you” when it’s actually “me”?

I believe I’ve only done this a couple of times and unintentionally. It’s something I often don’t discover I’ve done till after the song is recorded and I’m on my third listen finally realizing that it’s not you, it’s me. I gave myself a songwriting goal last year: to be more honest. For me this is saying what I mean to say, not considering what my mum or your mum might think, or what’s been done before or what I shouldn’t say, so with that there’s been very little hiding lately. It feels scary, but like I’ve found what I’m good at.


George Jackson, “Dorrigo”

As a fiddler in Nashville, a town whose guitarist population is only rivaled by the sheer quantity of fiddles and bows, it takes a singular voice to stand out. Or, in George Jackson’s case, perhaps it takes a singular accent. The New Zealand native recently transplanted to Music City and has been carving a niche for himself in bluegrass, old-time, and their offshoots ever since. He currently tours with acclaimed bassist Missy Raines’ latest lineup, a minimalist-while-mighty acoustic trio, and he’s also been spotted collaborating with folks like Front Country and Rachel Baiman.

On his brand new album, Time and Place, Jackson steps into the role of frontman and bandleader, demonstrating that his voice — musically and otherwise — is so much more than just a charming, Oceanian accent. His fiddling is an intentional, pragmatic, and judicious combination of styles that range from Vassar Clements’ harebrained wit to Clifftop, West Virginia’s down-homiest old-time sawers. “Dorrigo,” a tune whose title tributes Australia, another former home to Jackson, perfectly demonstrates this old-meets-new, Northern Hemisphere meets Southern Hemisphere originality. The turns of phrase and melodic hooks register as familiar and timeless, before being unwound in surprising trajectories. Mandolin Orange’s Andrew Marlin, Charm City Junction’s Brad Kolodner, Mark Kilianski of Hoot and Holler, and Jackson’s longtime friend and collaborator Andrew Small fill out the band, demonstrating laser focus on old-time simplicity and bluegrass precision.

Perhaps thanks to his international roots, or his egalitarian approach to fiddle styles, Jackson’s “Dorrigo,” and by extension, Time and Place, simply do not bother trifling with authenticity signalling or genre designation. They simply elevate his singular voice.

LISTEN: Graeme James, “To Be Found By Love”

Artist: Graeme James
Hometown: Wellington, New Zealand.
Song: “To Be Found By Love”
Album: The Long Way Home
Release Date: January 25, 2019
Label: Nettwerk

In Their Words:The Long Way Home is an exploration of time and space through the motif of a journey. Most of the songs were actually written while preparing to leave my homeland New Zealand to live on the other side of the world. In that sense, the record is a journey album of someone who hasn’t yet left, filled with all the hopes, doubts, fears and excitement of someone who can’t see the future clearly. When I left New Zealand I was 100% certain that I would return at some point. I still have no idea when that will be, but by traveling to the other side of the world for an undetermined period of time I’m taking the longest possible way home, hence the title of the album. I think the lyrics of “To Be Found By Love” really capture the emotion I first felt: ‘If people ask for me, tell them I’m off on an adventure, I’m lost on purpose to be found by love.’ It has certainly been a wild ride so far!” — Graeme James


Photo courtesy of Nettwerk

WATCH: Tattletale Saints, “Bobby Where Did You Learn to Dance”

Artist: Tattletale Saints
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “Bobby Where Did You Learn to Dance”
Release Date: October 29, 2018
Label: Old Oak Music

In Their Words: “I began writing ‘Bobby’ after a show in Austin, Texas. We were drinking at The White Horse, a local honky-tonk and dance spot when the band on stage started jamming a Cajun groove. I knew my friend Bobby, who is legally blind, had learned to two-step at this very bar, and while reminiscing on the story I started singing the main hook along with the band and the song was born! The song kinda wrote itself and we tracked it live in Nashville with Oliver Craven (Stray Birds) on mandolin and Matty Alger on drums.”— Cy Winstanley, Tattletale Saints


Photo credit: Kaitlyn Raitz

LISTEN: Tami Neilson, ‘Stay Outta My Business’

Artist: Tami Neilson
Hometown: Auckland, NZ
Song: “Stay Outta My Business”
Album: SASSAFRASS!
Release Date: June 1, 2018
Label: Outside Music

In Their Words: “‘Stay Outta My Business’ is something I never would’ve written in the past. It is the musical result of me coming into my full confidence as a woman and realising that I don’t need to take the opinions of others on board. It’s very freeing to just shut all that negativity down in four words! I’ve had numerous people approach me, after performing this song live, saying it is their new anthem. I love that this song is empowering and emboldening others to just say no to engaging with all the bullsh*t!” — Tami Neilson


Photo credit: Ashley Church

3×3: Aldous Harding on Sunlight Soap, Little Puppers, and Driving in Rain

Artist: Aldous Harding
Hometown: Lyttelton, New Zealand
Latest Album: Aldous Harding
Personal Nicknames: Hannie, Hanwa, Handjob, Old Yeller, Heem, Babu, Lambykins, Bunnykins, Slazenger, Aldous. 

If Jesus, Buddha, Krishna, and Mohammed were in a band together, who would play what?
Krishna would play bass and guitar simultaneously because he had the eight arms for a while there (?). Not drums because it's not all about him; it's about the whole group. Mohammed on drums. I imagine Buddha and Jesus would share the keyboard. And they'd play "Tears" by the Crocodiles.

If you were a candle, what scent would you be?
Sunlight soap.

What literary character or story do you most relate to?
I have actually forgotten every book I've ever read after making this album. Probably Koroviev of The Master and Margarita.

How many pairs of shoes do you own?
Four​

What's your best physical attribute?
Well, it's certainly not my hair or teeth, is it?

Who is your favorite Bruce: Willis, Springsteen, or Lee?
I don't know much about any of them except Bruce Lee really loves water.

Animal, mineral, or vegetable?
Mineral. Lead, so I could rain down on all these cute little puppers.

Rain or shine?
You know I love both. We all do. Love being in the car when it's raining.

Mild, medium, or spicy?
Medium. Give me food and, as long as I'm not on some weird trip about body image, I'll f**king eat all of it.


Photo credit: William Lacalmontie