Been around since?
1996
Current line up?
John White, Stef Animal, Ian Wilson
Where are you based?
Wellington
Your current label is?
Arch Hill Recordings
Musical history?
What were you listening to back in high school?
In High School I was listening to Nirvana and Smashing Pumpkins.
The state of music in NZ is..?
The state of NZ music is fine. Perhaps not because of available funding but more because everyone seems enthusiastic about being a musician in New Zealand.
What's your favourite place to play?
My favourite place is Arc Cafe in Dunedin, that's where we used to play in the old days.
What was your favourite show?
I think at a party at our friends' flat on Ratray St. They had a cosy little flat above a really dodgey fish and chip shop that sent greasey fumes up through the vents. We played in a little room to all our friends and it was great fun. Why doesn't this happen anymore? I think it's because we don't play at parties anymore. I think I should have a party with Mestar playing sometime, that's a good idea.
What is your recording process?
For our latest album "Shut the Squizwot Factories Down" we recording everything super quick, in three days. Dale Cotton spent a week or two mixing and made everything bloated and loud. It's a very up-against-the-screen kind of record. No wavery atmos in the background.
What's been your best recording experience?
That last album was, because it was just so nice hanging out in Auckland for a week and eating in nice food places. My favourite was fried Squid at a Korean place on Queen St.
What's been your worst recording experience?
Recording "Porcupine" was a bit dismal because we didn't actually have any songs properly finished to record and that is when we discovered we are the kind of band that can't stroll into the studio and make stuff up. Although that's kind of what ended up happening with that album so it turned out OK.
Favorite radio show/station?
I must say I haven't been listening to much radio lately. I've had fun ripping off my friends' MP3 collections though. National Radio's pretty good I reckon.
The Future holds?
We're doing a release tour for "Shut the Squizwot Factories Down" in October. Next year we're trying to start playing some shows overseas. Me and Stef are going to Germany, Ian's keen on being somewhere that side of the world too.
A bright prospect for my own future with Mestar is my new Electric guitar. It's bright pink with a wammy bar and it sounds whack!
