Here's Five: Tape Wolf Of The Tape Wolves

Three of the country's most raucous rock 'n' roll acts are coming together for two shows across the North Island over the next couple of weekends. This Saturday will see The Tape Wolves and their burly buddy Boss Christ making a rare appearance in Auckland, before they drag the Bloodbags back down to Wellington with them for a show at Caroline the following Friday. In anticipation of all the impending hooterin' and howlin' the legendary Tape Wolf of The Tape Wolves dished out the downlow on his Haunted Influences of Esoteric Surf Trash for us to enjoy...

1. Ventures - Swingin' Creeper
Never underestimate the scores to be found in the crappiest places. The full-length Go-Go-Dance inspired Longplayer this puppy came off of cost a buck! Or possibly even 50c... Turns out this track is an Unknown Great of Esoteric Surf Trash and encompasses many elements also true to haunted surf. We covered it in a band I was in for a couple of years with very good mates called the Side Effects and it's still one of my favourite songs to play if I ever get a chance to play it at a party. This record proved to me that great records can be found for a buck in a bargin bin at the back of an op-shop.

2. King Loser - Surf's Up in Malibu
King Loser came to town when we were 16 and a band I was in with Boss Christ and Bad Evil got to open for them through some local punks hearing us and recommending us. We got tanked on red wine, cigars and a cheese platter and ended up throwing up all over Palmerston North. It was fair to say we were pretty crap. But we were star-struck by King Loser. We set about collecting their records and attending the only other show they played in town, where they smoked instead of playing, carved their names in to the vinyl we bought off them and tore off again in a Kingswood loaded with old NZ amps. They were searing influences etched into our young minds.

3. Trashwomen - Space Needle
I grew up in Pahiatua and one day we went to Palmerston North. I used to stay in the car and just watch people because I really hadn't seen many people yet. One day we were parked outside the movie theatre and I noticed a doorway going up the side to a record store above it. It was called 'Pretty on the Inside' record store. I went up there and they were playing something great over the stereo. It could've been this song. I can't remember cos I was 15 and from the sticks and overwhelmed. But I was immediately taken by the music. The dude at the desk was wearing a fucking tuxedo! Later on I found a deep inspiration in the music coming out San Fran in the mid 90s, thanks to this store, and these gals were one of those.

4. Lightning Beat Man - Burning Love
When I was still in the early days of the Mysterious Tape man I made a pilgrimage to Switzerland to meet Reverend Beat Man. I pretty much stacked a whole plan of touring Europe on the fact I could go to Voodoo Rhythm Records and meet him. I had found a 7" at Slow Boat and was totally blown away by how wild and experimental it was. In his "Blues Gospel" one of things he talks about is something along the lines of "If you think of it then you have a responsibility to do it" - or something put way more poetically than that. He changed from Lightning Beat Man to Reverend Beat Man and that was a poignant revelation for Esoteric Surf Trash.

5. Ritchie Venus - Sunrise
During the 2011 and '12 Quakes of Christchurch we had a band called Planet of the Tapes. After our ship careened into Worcester St we set up in an old abandoned mansion just south of the city. One day we saw Ritchie Venus just waltzing on past the House! I recognised him from his movie The Ballard of Ritchie Venus which my pal Al had shown me in Whanganui. We talked and got on really well and ended up collaborating on a few film projects and played some shows together. Now we consider him a God of sorts. Ritchie was in his 60s when we first met him and is still writing, recording and performing live. We have a deep respect for Ritchie himself, his music and his films and we look up to him like the Goddam Legend he clearly is as demonstrated here.

The Tape Wolves are playing with Boss Christ and Bloodbags at Whammy Bar in Auckland this Saturday 25th, and then on Friday 1st July at Caroline in Wellington. See below for details.