THE Lonesome Buckwhips have had albums banned, every member has spent time in jail, and one member is pregnant to her half-brother.
The band is coming to Wellington to perform a one-off show, Buckapapa, at Downstage Theatre.
Staying true to their knack for bad luck, their passage from Picton to the Capital is uncertain, after being banned from the Interislander Ferry due to a run-in with management over their song The Wahine Was a Once Off.
Actually, The Buckwhips are a four-piece comedy act that have enjoyed roaring success in New Zealand. They were Billy T nominees in 2008, and have made numerous television and radio appearances.
Consisting of Arthur Meek, (Arty), Miriama Ketu (Miri), Ben Hutchison (Benny), and Gareth Williams (Gary), The Buckwhips perform under the guise of a bickering family band.
Meek, a graduate of Toi Whakaari, probably best known for his highly successful production Collapsing Creation, says The Buckwhips were born out of one of his Fringe Shows that had a fantastic crowd reaction.
“I think people like The Buckwhips because we’re very Kiwi. It’s really only us and The Topp Twins who talk about things Kiwi. There’s also that sense of schadenfreude – and The Buckwhips are the lowest of the low,” Meek laughs.
Meek plays Arty Buckwhip: possum-trapper, die-hard country music artist, and the founder of Church of the Latter Buckwhips, where members contributed 100% of their earnings for The Buckwhips to enjoy tax-free. Arty served prison time for this tax evasion.
“Prison was awesome – I came out with 3/5 of a degree,” says Arty/Meek. “If I commit another crime, I could graduate and go into a Masters programme. It’s pretty sweet in prison, everyone just watches TV.”
Arty is also excited about the looming birth of his baby with half-sister Miri, although the little Buckwhip’s name is undecided.
The “family-orientated” band have released about 23 albums, one of which gave instructions on how to poach paua, and was banned after the Ministry of Fisheries took The Buckwhips to court.
The Buckwhips gig at Downstage will be an exploration of their Buckapapa.
“We’re going to be looking at various Buckwhips relatives,” says Meek. “There will be the Ballad of Uncle Fiddles – he’s a violinist – and we’ll be meeting Bob the Boot Buckwhip, who was a big rugby fan, and got cut in half during a game.”
Pink Eyes Crying in The Night, an ode to albino Buckwhip Gary, will also feature in the show.
Meek is looking forward to performing alongside fellow funny-man Te Radar, who will make a guest appearance.
“We’re really excited to perform these new songs in Wellington, and we might even take a few requests for songs we don’t play so much anymore.”
The Lonesome Buckwhips’ Buckapapa, 7pm, Downstage Theatre, July 4.