Throughout NZ Music Month we’ll be hearing stories from young musicians about the local songs they love the most. Today, Kane Strang talks about songs from The Mint Chicks, Winona Fornever, Popstrangers, Doprah and Princess Chelsea.
Kane Strang. Photo: Millie Lovelock
Dunedin musician Kane Strang recently released his debut album Blue Cheese, a slow-burning collection of dark psychedelic pop songs that came together after he discarded two other albums worth of material. After wrapping up a tour down south with Princess Chelsea recently, Kane talked to us about his five favourite New Zealand songs and why they mean so much to him.
The Mint Chicks – ‘Sleeping During The Day’
I listened through Crazy? Yes! Dumb? No! for the first time in ages while driving to Central Otago over the weekend. I had flashbacks to when I used to walk to an old job in the morning, usually making it through this whole album on the way. I’m guessing that the Mint Chicks might have been on a few My Top 5’s by now but I couldn’t really leave them off mine. There has never been a better album to drown out the sounds of Dunedin’s heckling bogans with.
Winona Fornever – ‘VCR Head’
Adrian Ng is one of my favourite people. He went to France at the start of this year on an artist’s residency and I miss him a lot. Around the time that he left he put this song out under a new alias and I couldn’t stop listening to it. No matter what name he is making music under he always remains the same caring, kind-hearted person who has helped me out a huge amount over the last few years. I can’t wait to hear about his trip and see what he’s been up to creatively over the last few months.
Popstrangers – ‘Witches Hand’
A friend of mine made a mixtape a few years ago that had nothing on it but 8-bit songs ripped from weird animated YouTube videos and a band I hadn’t heard of at the time - Popstrangers. I quickly fell in love with them and found this song, ‘Witches Hand’, especially hypnotising. Unlike the Mint Chicks, I actually managed to see these guys live, where they provided the perfect soundtrack for my first girlfriend to break up with me.
Doprah – ‘San Pedro’
I’ve seen Doprah enchant a sold out Chick’s Hotel a few times now (each time being somehow better than the last). I remember first hearing this song on the radio when I was driving 20 minutes or so out of Dunedin to have lunch with my Grandma. As we sat down and ate club sandwiches at the Mosgiel RSA, I could not get that bass line out of my head.
Since then I’ve been lucky enough to get to know the band and play some shows with them. Steven Marr has helped me a great deal with recording and every single member seems to be involved with some other cool project.
I also highly recommend checking out the video of Doprah playing ‘San Pedro’ acoustically in their hallway.
Princess Chelsea – ‘No Church On Sunday’
There are a lot of bands I would love to mention but I have to end with Princess Chelsea after seeing her and her band live in early May. They were cool enough to ask my band and I to open two of her New Zealand shows, even though I hadn't played the songs live with this line up yet. Their live show was practically flawless and Chelsea's voice is something else. We were humming this song the whole way to Christchurch.
