Shacklock Meth Party is a Christchurch ensemble that evolved out of the solo work of musician/producer Rhett Copland. Now a five piece, they have just released their second album Domino Room via DIY label Melted Ice Cream. A surprisingly warm and accessible album given the bands rather confronting persona, we caught up with Copland in anticipation of the release for a bit of insight into the project and album...
Who is involved in Shacklock Meth Party and when/ how did the project come about?
About five people, Henri Kerr, Brian Feary, John Harris, Henry Nicol and myself Rubbish Copland. I made an EP called Ill Gates and then put the band together while I was recording the last album THIS.
Is there a story behind the name?
Not really, I own a shacklock heater (thanks to that traitor from BnP) and I liked the idea of shit kicking New Zealanders smoking Meth.
Are there any musicians/bands that have been particular influential on this project?
Eurpoean psychedelia and all sorts really, but not like The Lollies, terrible.
How would you describe Shacklock Meth Party's sound?
It's psychedelic rock 'n' roll! But it's not made by dreaded hippies that attend Occupy rallies and certainly not stoner rock.
You have just released what looks to be your second album - Domino Room - how do you see it in relation to your past releases?
It has no relation to anything else I have released in the past. It's a continuation only in that the band hasn't changed at all since the last album came out.
Tell us about the writing and recording of the new album?
We wrote some of it together and some of it more individually. It's probably the most collaborative one we have done to date. I don't think about past releases once they are done, everything is a new production if I can be bothered doing it. It has a tambourine that turns into rabid dogs via editing, think we are pretty ahead of the curve on dog sounds.
Was there anything you were trying to explore particularly with Domino Room? Any themes - sonically or otherwise - that stand out across the record?
Just dog sounds and seals mostly. I see people piss into the wind on this question generally every time I read an interview so I'll try avoiding generalized music philosophy...bullshit. I like making music with lot's of different influences. I hate a lot of stuff and like a lot of stuff within popular music but for my own putting across purposes I could care less about my lyrics/music being heard or understood in a traditional sense.
Your music sounds like it would translate really well live, is this an important aspect of the project for you and what is your current live set-up?
It's fairly easy to shift it from the record into a live setting. In saying that I really don't care that much for live music, especially in this country. Most bands get so pissed they do horrible sets and charge Me ten bucks for the displeasure. I like making recorded music. My current live set up is give everyone a reverb pedal and smoke a spliff before the show.
We saw a commented recently on Facebook about the difficulty in booking venues in Christchurch - can you elaborate on this for us...
Audiences in Christchurch suck. It's just a half circle of rubbish beard stroking, they don't throw house parties. I haven't seen a crowd actually going at it for a band down here, unless it was something purely weak like Guitar Wolf or The Feelers in a park. The bars either don't like Me personally or the music itself, I have been overbooked etc etc... but I'd rather play up North anyway, people actually dance and a sister can get herself paid!
Would you consider moving to another city in order to get more support for the project?
I don't have any big aspirations with music as such, I'd like to do some touring in parts of Europe, the middle east and Japan at some point. I have a studio that I take care of and live at with one of the guys from the band so I have no need to move or change anything about life. My parents must be so disappointed but that's their problem.
Are you planning to tour the new album?
Not exactly. We have what I guess is our release show for the album this month on the 26th at Cassette Nine in Auckland and I know Civil Union are playing that night to.
I do shows when I get asked to play so if someone is throwing a house party or a gig and wants me to play I probably will.
What else have you got planned for the year ahead?
Watching the rest of The George Zimmerman trial (closing statements last night via live stream, Don West went fucking nuts!) and basically just eating lasagne and reading Madeleine Albright's autobiography. Have nothing planned for new material for this band but my other project Christian Rock is putting out an EP in August and touring with Salad Boys. I will also be doing some solo material later this year.
Tell us a bit about Christian Rock...
So Christian Rock came about out of a 180° shift. Shacklock generally isn't very fast paced kind of music and I really like speed as much as I like going mid tempo haha, I get to play with more a fake persona which is really what live music is about; representation of personality which isn't actually true to life. It's like having a mistress, fun but you know your doing something quite wrong. It's Brian Feary and I both playing guitar and Jamie Larson from Ipswich and Log Horn Breed playing drums.
