EDEN Mulholland, guitarist and vocalist for Motocade, the “emotive without being heavy” Auckland band, used to be a professional dancer.
His wife Erin is still a dancer, and a butcher. Mulholland wouldn’t mind learning the butchery trade as well.
“I go down and help Erin at the butchery every now and then, it’s really interesting work. And I like meat. I think there was research done which showed butchers were the happiest, most friendly people you can meet,” he says.
Mulholland likes the tradition of community that comes with the trade.
“You go in and have a chat, it’s communal and social.”
And kids get saveloys!
“Not these days. The way people have mollycoddled their children you can’t get a saveloy anymore; they’ll get sick. Those were the good old days.”
Motocade has been around since 2005.
Mulholland says the band’s sound has evolved since its 2009 debut album Tightrope Highway.
“We’ve allowed ourselves way more scope in the use of instruments and new ways of approaching songwriting. I’ve put on my composing hat for a lot of these songs. They’re quite different, not your regular formulaic pop format.”
And yet, the band’s newest single Holy Moly is dominating the New Zealand charts. It might not be formulaic pop, but it’s certainly catchy.
“It’s a happy theme, but with interesting, layered music.”
The release of a new EP that shares the single’s name is the reason Motocade’s heading our way. In January though, Mulholland’s off to live in Melbourne.
“I do enjoy living in Auckland, but at the moment I’m pretty sick of it.
Don’t fret, Motocade will be back in March, touring a new full-length album.
In the meantime Mulholland’s focused on enjoying Christmas and summer, avoiding money stress by ignoring advertising campaigns that start in October.
“Don’t buy into it. Christmas for us has become less about buying hundreds of dollars worth of stuff we don’t need and more about buying good food and spending time together. That’s what it’s about, spending time with your family.”
Touché.
Motocade: Holy Moly EP Release, San Francisco Bathhouse, December 16. Tickets $17 from undertheradar.co.nz.