Q + A with all girl trio Wildwood Lights.
Been around since?
We started in November 2007.
Current line up?
Sarah Stuart – drums, vocals. Hannah Freer – bass, vocals. Candy Cho – guitar, vocals.
Where are you based?
Auckland
What got you into music?
The need to get the message across without the fear of telling people to their faces and we all needed something to make life a bit more exciting, what better way then by playing music.
How did you get together?
We all met threw going to local shows, then organised to a have a practice when we all saw each other one night at the Ambassador. That practice exceeded all expectations and we haven't looked back.
How would you describe your sound?
A little bit country and little bit rocknroll.
What are you listening to at the moment?
We all like different stuff, Candy is listening to Nick Jago, Jessica Says, HT Heartache, Crayon Fields. Sarah is listening to Justin Townes Earle, Wanda Jackson, Danzig and Void. And Hannah is Listening to AA Bondy, Neal Casal and Neko Case.
What is your writing/recording process?
We each write songs on our own, then bring it to practices and we change, rearrange, rewrite and add parts as a group. Sarah records us on Garageband so we can practise and refine our parts. Someday we hope to have good enough recording equipment to be able to turn our own recordings into proper releases.
Your Dream Collaboration?
Neal Casal and Jim Scott.
Do you have any releases out or on the way? Tell us more….
Yes! Our True Love Woes EP. Recorded early this year with Dave Parker at Little Monster Studios. He’s got a studio set up in his bedroom on his family farm. We almost had the sound of quadbikes in one of our songs, and he had to cut out the dog barking. As any other Dave Parker produced band can attest to, him and his mother also produce delicious baking. Town and Country made it to number 1 on the bfm top ten. We are trying to organise our next recording session now, hopefully in Melbourne early next year.
What do you enjoy most about music?
How accessible it is to everyone, and how it can change emotions – what your song means to you can mean something completely different to someone else.
What’s the most interesting thing you’ve learnt musically in the last year?
Candy has learnt that theres more than one way to strum a guitar. We also learnt that while guys in bands get girls, girls in bands don't get guys, we think they are scared of us. Our trip to Melbourne taught us that the Auckland music scene is nothing compared to what they have. You could play in a different band every night of the week over there and still get better crowds then most bands get here.
What’s the best concert you have ever been to?
Candy’s would probably have to be Travis, 10 years ago. She got special treatment from Fran Healy. We all went to Justin Townes Earle a few weeks ago and it was amazing. Between Hannah and Sarah they have seen Ryan Adams and the Cardinals 11 times. And Hannah loved seeing the Polyphonic Spree at the BDO – her handmade robe convinced security that she was part of the band and she talked her way backstage.
Best or most memorable gig you have played?
We supported Uni and her Ukelele earlier this year, its memorable because is was our first international support show, and Sarah was super sick with the flu and some other funny stuff happened, but we played well and Uni liked us.
If you could share the stage with anyone (band or person) who would it be?
Leonard Cohen
Most overrated band at the moment?
Gin Wigmore- though we are just jealous that she has The Cardinals as her backing band!
Most underrated band at the moment?
Carla Bruni...her songs are quite catchy. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club.
The future holds…?
Travelling around the world, making an album, hot husbands or guys to carry our instruments to and from shows.
The state of music in NZ is….
Disappointing to see lack of unsigned bands getting grants. Auckland suffers from a lack of live venues. It’s not until you go to a city like Melbourne that you see what it’s like to be part of a music scene.
