Anarchist of love and grace
Perhaps we should be discussing some deep unknown – the nature of the cosmos, not his musical projects, which include the upbeat Newtown Rocksteady and party-folk setup Fraser Ross and the Felt Tips. He’s the lead for the Felt Tips and one of the 12 Rocksteady brothers, adding some enthusiastic percussion – “I dance a bit, too.”
Ross is from Christchurch and his musical inclinations blossomed early on, when he picked up cricket bats and “played” Dire Straits and Queen covers with the “ragtag neighbourhood kids,” selling cask wine to the parents. He has graced Wellington for five years now, having followed good friends up “like a puppy” (he grins).
Those puppy eyes go wide when I tell him I’d like to make him the focus for my story – “Errr… me?” – and it’s the exuding of this humble simplicity that strikes me about the ferociously talented musician, closely followed by his singing voice, soft, low and... well… beautiful.
He can play guitar, too, really play, and says he was taught in a “down-home, play-chords” style by a cool 18 year old.
“He had a convertible Triumph Herald. A Marshall Stack. And a tattoo. Yeah, he was the man.” He laughs.
Ross thinks in music, “It usually starts with sounds”. The words come second, but when it comes, it’s poetic.
“I write about personal issues, political issues and stuff I don’t understand. My music is a tunnel looking for a mountain to be useful in,” he smiles.
Ross harbours an earnest, bare-chest-and-arms-to-the-wide-sky love for nature. He sees the world with his head tilted sideways, seeing things I can’t, though I’m trying. When he plays, smiling quietly to himself, he angles his face upwards to the lights, eyes to the ceiling. I reckon he’s seeing straight through it and playing to the stars.
Thank you for the music, Fraser, you’ve opened my ears and my eyes. Go get ‘em - they’re all waiting for you, they just don’t know it yet.
Newtown Rocksteady/Fraser Ross and the Felt Tips, September 23, Garden Club.









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