Old friends, ex-lovers, the times you almost died but didn’t.
All the drugs and alcohol you ever ingested.
Remembering what you liked about music in the first place.
March 6th sees the release of the unabashedly romantic, multi-disciplinary music and arts project by solo performer Quail State, ‘Volcanic Hazards of Auckland’. Helmed by ex-pat musician Jono Aidney, the project combines his ambitious 13-track album with visuals and objects created by emerging Auckland artists, and with excerpts from Aidney’s upcoming novel of the same name.
Tracing its way from Auckland to Portland and back, Aidney’s ‘Volcanic Hazards of Auckland’ is a fuzzed out love-letter; a reverberating reminiscence of relationships and friendships left dormant around a chaos-ruled city - one where no roads can run straight, where everyone lives in the shadow of slumbering giants. Propelled by the promise of adventure and pharmaceuticals, and held in place by the cheap romance of nostalgia, the songs trace paths from city to city. As a local and an ex-pat. As a resident and a traveller. Through sickness and health. From nights spent partying with Mellon Collie and skinny dipping in the Washington River to fatalistic reflections from a hospital bed.
‘Hazards’ will be launched at a listening party on Friday 6th March at Yes Collective, K’road. Quail State joins forces with friends from the eponymous city; emerging artists Holly Davies, Catherine Walker, Eleanor Barker and Kate Bedford, who have produced artworks, prints and objects that pay reverence to Auckland’s volcanic cones. The listening party offers the audience the opportunity to navigate the music of this unique album in an untraditional environment, as well as the chance to meet new artworks to fall in love with and take home, alongside a digital version of the album that inspired them.
The vital statistics:
Recorded in too many bedrooms to count.
Mixed here and overseas by Jono Aidney and David Parker of Little Monster Studios (Great North, French For Rabbits).
Written and performed by Jono Aidney.
Produced by Jono Aidney and David Parker.
Stuart Harwood (Proton Beast, Paquin, Anthonie Tonnon) played drums.
Mastered by Dav Byrne of Iridium Audio
On account of an obsessive distrust for old modes of music delivery that have no basis in necessity, there will be no physical release. Artworks plus high-quality digital recordings will be available at the launch, or from Saturday 7 March at volcanichazards.com and online stores.
