Box of Light is made possible thanks to these visionaries:
Last Thursday we got the invite to attend a listening party for the launch of Black Boy Peaches latest album Start Again. Dunedin brothers Tom and Hamish Mepham are the driving force of Black Boy Peaches and their latest two-and-a-half-year labour of love is an impressive showcase.
"Hamish and I have been exploring and learning what the core elements of our sound are," explains Tom as we watch waves roll into St Clair Beach a few days later.
"Start Again is a good representation of the kind of music we like and it’s also what you’ll get if you put us both in the same room with a drum kit and a guitar," he laughs.
Brothers born into a family that embraces every facet of music they're now at a time in their lives when their own families and study wrestles for their time.
"We were relatively constrained in time and the bulk of the album was done in two-hour bursts during evenings and weekends," smiles Tom. "It’s such a great feeling to be done! Although it has taken a while to complete it still hasn’t been a bad way to go. Each micro-session tended to be creatively rewarding … it was fun and always exciting to be taking steps towards the goal."
The brothers first started work on the album from their homes in Auckland, but the lure of Dunedin – and family soon spurred their return.
"The major reason we came back is to be around family and prioritise those relationships," Tom offers. "But there’s plenty of great lifestyle reasons that come as part of the package. I think Dunedin’s a dynamic, creative and beautiful city, so those are definitely bonuses."
Both Hamish and Tom are married and have toddlers at home.
"Music within a young family adds a new element of challenge," admits Hamish. "For me, it has provided even more fuel in the drive to continue on the music path, creating a legacy that my family can look at as distinct moments in our history. If anything, being true to yourself and your calling has become more important. It does take a lot of encouragement and support from significant others ... like my wife ... and without that I feel it would become a lot harder and less energizing."
While Tom and Hamish don't surf regularly they do draw inspiration from New Zealand's coastline.
"When we’ve toured the country we’ve often played outdoor shows in the middle of the day," explains Tom. "I love that – outdoors is where music gets free. When you add the ocean into the mix it’s amazing. A lot of the joy in being a band is in that sense of embarking upon an adventure together … who knows where you’ll end up? The coast definitely captures some of that mystery and excitement for me."
Hamish is quick to add that their songs often entail storytelling about challenges and romance.
"The ocean reflects that side of our music," he adds. "And it is personally inspiring to me as a refresher for living in the city."
Tom said that when they started Black Boy Peaches they wanted to play stadiums.
"Now we just want to play!" he laughs. "The combo of writing, recording and performing is essentially the sum of what we enjoy about music, so we want to do all those to the best of our ability, and as sustainably as possible … it’d be great to be playing when we’re 50 years old and making rockin' albums at that point. That’s the long term picture, but for now, to keep on writing and keep on getting out there, connecting with people through our music is our goal."
"It’s easy to do something you love and music is one of those things that it’s never hard to find energy for," admits Hamish. "The challenge of writing music – to match an emotion, fitting it to words that tell a story and making it work with band members is no small feat! But when it does work it generates momentum to do it again. One thing I try do with my parts in the composition is to impress other band members – to progress and improve, which is a drive in itself."
You can find more about Black Boy Peaches at blackboypeaches.com. Or jump straight on to Spotify and listen to their new album Start Again right here. You can also find out about their upcoming gigs on their Facebook page.
See you at the beach ... Derek
PS Some more really nice swell coming this week. Want some more live music? Local songwriters Joe Wilson, Nick Knox and Karleigh O'Connor are holding a Syrian Refugee Fundraiser at Dog with Two Tails in Dunedin, on July 16, 2016. Music from 8pm, $10 koha encouraged.
Box of Light is made possible thanks to these visionaries: