Been around since?
Late 2007
Current line-up?
Age Pryor, Andy Hummel, Justin Clarke, Peter Hill, Lee Prebble, Al Fraser, Andy Morely-Hall, Brett Skinner and Jess Chambers.
How did The Woolshed Sessions come about?
It was born from an impromptu late-night jam deep in the cold Welly winter of 2007. Whisky-fueled creativity mixed with the reverberations of our music coming off the rimu panelled walls of the old St. Peter’s Hall in Paekakariki.
How would you describe your sound?
It’s got the feeling of being on a retreat, hid away with your mates, making something warm and beautiful.
It’s a cozy sound. Open-hearted and honest songs played by a group of friends. Acoustic guitars, lap-steel, drums, bass and backing vocals....a bit of banjo in there too sometimes.
What is your writing/recording process?
Each of the 4 songwriters (Age, Jess, Justin and Andy) in the band bring along songs they think will suit the group.We all have multiple other projects on the go and ‘Woolshed Sessions’ is just one out-let for a certain type of sound. So, we all agree that the song works for ‘Woolshed’ and then go from there. It’s a pretty natural process.
Our recording process was a computer and loads of mics set up in a refurbished Woolshed for 5 days over summer in East Takaka, Golden Bay.
We recorded each song playing live together in one room and kept the best ‘take’ for the album.
You’ve just release an album – tell us about this?
Well, we wanted to capture on record the music we were making together. We thought it would be cool to share what we’re up to, we thought you guys might like it too. The timing was right.
Every one was keen to work on something new together, especially as it involved a summer holiday in Golden Bay!
Are you signed to a record label or self releasing? (if no – why not, do you want to be?)
No, The Woolshed Sessions Album was independently released, distributed through Rythmethod.
Maybe that’s because we have yet to see a NZ record label do something we think we can’t achieve ourselves within NZ. Also, being independent allows us to retain complete creative control over every area of the project, from the song choices to the look of the album cover.
Have you had a release party yet?
Yes, we had a 5 show season at Bats Theatre in Wellington last October. Each one sold out which was really great! We even had to put on 2 extra shows! What a incredible way to celebrate the completion of an album that started out as a casual idea... us thinking it would be great to capture the music we were making in St. Peter’s Hall! :)
Where’s your favorite place to play?
The Wellington Opera House....that would be fantastic. It’s a beautiful old building.
Your favorite show so far?
Wellington Botanic Gardens Summer Series 2009! We had a overwhelmingly huge turn out of lovely smiling faces, singing under the open sky, surrounded by lush gardens, it was amazing!
If you could share the stage with anyone (person or band) who would it be?
Old Crow Medicine Show! They play like a house on fire... breath taking and loving every minute of it!
What are you listening to at the moment?
Billie Holiday ‘Getting some fun out of life’.
The state of music in NZ is…?
I reckon we have a real vibrant and cozy scene happening here, with a certain, D.I.Y attitude that I like.
