To celebrate the end of New Zealand Music Month, Capital Times caught up with some of the local artists who featured on our 2002 compilation Capital Blend. The CD reflects a time when Bret McKenzie was part of the Black Seeds, and Flight of the Conchords didn’t exist. Some of the groups like Trinity Roots and D-Super are no longer around, while others travelled the world and went platinum.
The CD reflected the diversity of “village life in the city” and was heard on rotate in many cafes. In recognition of all that is unique about Wellington, the atmosphere of genre-defying grooves and excellent musicianship, Capital Times has six copies of Capital Blend to give away. Email comp@capitalpublishing.co.nz by June 2 telling us which of these tracks you like best to go into the CD draw.

Track 10. Gentle Boogie - Barnaby and The Video Kid.
Barnaby Weir
What brought about this track recording?
This was just a casual jam that Bret McKenzie (The Video Kid) and I made in-between projects. Bret’s on the drums and percussion and I’m playing the guitars and bass. We were just recording for fun and put together a little album for Christmas presents called “Reach Out” and “Gentle Boogie” was on that CD.
We were experimenting with different recording techniques and just making whatever came to mind. It sounds a little like The Dub Connection stuff we were doing in the years before this. Not long after I put out the Flash Harry LP and Bret released the first Video Kid album. There was certainly a proactive vibe in the air and a sense that we had a lot of work to do if we wanted people to take us seriously.
This was the days before most of our friends were married or having children, we had time and energy and a lot of fun!
What were you listening to in 2002?
A lot of local music; I was working at Radio Active 89FM so there was always a decent flow of new music. Trinity Roots were starting to catch on as were Fat Freddy’s Drop, Cornerstone Roots and The Black Seeds. I loved all things Jamaican at the time from Lee Perry and the Upsetters to King Tubby as well as a lot of early soul and funk music. You can hear these flavours in the track.
How has your style changed?
We are both much better players and recording artists now and with less time to have casual jams, which I do miss.
In terms of style, since then we have both done a lot of work in various genres, but this track although it has no vocal, basically represents the funk and reggae influenced music I still enjoying playing today.
If anything, we have both got more pro in the way we make music, and I mean wow, look at what Bret has achieved in the past five years with FOTC. Amazing!
What are you doing now?
Right now I’m recording some solo work with Lee Prebble and friends at The Surgery in Wellington and starting work on a new Black Seeds album for later next year. Seeds have a North American tour and a slice of Europe too in July and August this year.

Track 8. Just Like You - Trinity Roots (from True).
Warren Maxwell
What brought about this track recording?
I was having dinner by myself at the Ballroom cafe in Newtown and started thinking about expectations that we sometimes impose upon other people in our lives.
What were you listening to in 2002?
Lots! Erykah Badu, Mamas Gun, Jeff Buckley, Jill Scott, Coltrane, J.J.Cale, Bob Marley, and mostly reggae compilations - Darker than Blue, etc.
How has your style changed?
I have matured as a songwriter/singer. I still love epic journeys and dynamic content within songs, and no three minute pop rubbish.
What are you doing now?
Writing for Little Bushman, working on a solo project, bits of TV and Film work here and there... I have a studio here in Featherston and have started recording and producing for bands. But mostly being Dad and loving it!

Track 9. Matauranga - Wai with Lisa Tomlins (from Wai 100%).
Lisa Tomlins
What brought about this track recording?
It wasn’t long after my mother passed away. We recorded it at the old Marmalade Studios on Victoria Street. At the time I was helping out some friends with albums and lots of other singing work.
I was a little sad about my mother though. Mina and Maaka (Wai) gave me a present on that day to give condolences for the passing. The singing was all in Maori, a fully Te Reo song, they gave me the lines and taught me.
What were you listening to in 2002?
I had turned like 30 years-old, I was more into the clubbing music of the time, gross! But I’ve always been into classic old soul and funk. I prefer that older classic style.
What are you doing now with your music?
Now I’m trying the solo career, after working with a number of other artists like Hollie Smith, Fat Freddy’s Drop, Shapeshifter, Pacific Heights, and Fly My Pretties. The Fly My Pretties shows were great, I squeezed into my outfit every night, playing with those cats was amazing; they give you a lot of time.

Mina Ripia from Wai
What brought about this track recording?
Things were different 10 years ago and we didn’t know as much as we do now about the music industry. Matauranga speaks of knowledge. Knowledge is the key to succeeding and where possibilities are possible. If we only knew what we know now, who knows what we would have experienced then.
What were you listening to in 2002?
We were listening to Manu Chao (France), Ojos de Brujo (Spain) and other great world music artists as we had just started travelling to music expo’s around the world.
What are you doing now with your music?
Our style hasn’t really changed it’s just further developed and grown as we have. We have a two year-old beautiful son called Uta Te Whanga, so we are parents now. And we have just released our second album ORA after 10 years.

Capital Blend 2002 track list
1. Red Rubicon - Cloudboy (from Down at the End of the Garden).
2. John and Henry - Dana Éclair.
3. What Child is This? - Twinset with Cherie Matheson (from Christmas Puddin’).
4. Sweet and Twenty - Verona with Chamberpot (from Storm).
5. Water - D Super (from Straight to the Sun).
6. Donuts in the Sand - Grand Prix.
7. Just Like You - Trinity Roots (from True).
8. The Beginning of the End - CL Bob (from Stereoscope).
9. Matauranga - Wai with Lisa Tomlins (from Wai 100%).
10. Gentle Boogie - Barnaby Weir and The Video Kid.