playing with moonlight

The Catlins, New Zealand

One of the best things about being in Dunedin is that the Catlins is not far away. Last weekend Dave and I took my landlord’s dog out for a drive and headed there for the night. We crashed at Kaka Point, and then met a sea lion the next day in Cannibal Bay. Here’s an attempt at showing why I love the place.

The drive down from Dunedin is gorgeous…

And made all the more exciting when the car is being driven by some amalgamation of half-man, half-dog.

After about an hour we arrived at Kaka Point, which is just over the border into Catlins territory. We’re in Southland now. Dubbie gets down with the water in an instant.

Sometimes I think this is the place that people pretend dogs go when they die. My dogs spent their whole life in the suburbs of Chicago, I wonder if this one knows how good she’s got it.

Too bad she got too drunk to stay awake that night to watch the All Blacks win the Rugby World Cup final. Dubbie, you’re a mess. But we love you anyway.

The next day we headed a bit further down the coast to do some exploring and ended up at Cannibal Bay.

Behold! In the distance, a sea lion!

Dubbie sees it. She gets leashed. The sea lion could take her easily.

What seems like could turn into an encounter when the dog dares to bark…

Is quickly dissipated by the sea lion deciding to scratch himself instead. He’s just like Dubbie!

We just stood there for ages, watching the sea lion march out to sea, and the flop into the water to rest every couple steps.

‘Man! That was exhausting.’  

Plop. This went on for ages. Until the tide comes in at last!

Oh hurro! My plan was a success.

‘Well, this was fun, but the sea is calling me. Au revoir, sand dwellers!’

Then we ran into a little lamb in the middle of the road on the way back.

Oh how I love the Catlins, yes.

Monkey Killer Records’ Third Birthday

One of the cool things about Dunedin is that people tend to get on with getting things done and do it themselves. That’s pretty much the back story behind Monkey Killer Records, which just celebrated its third birthday with a little show at Bennu (which, by the way, does really good pizzas) in the heart of Dunedin. The label is basically the work of one man, David Ager, who started seeking out bands he loved in Dunedin a couple years ago and putting their music on vinyl (the label also does digital downloads).

So far the label has four releases: the second album of the now-defunct Onanon, the debut album of the visceral Operation Rolling Thunder, a 7” single from Mountaineater and the debut EP of Ager’s brand new post-rock band, Idiot Prayer.

Their little birthday show last Sunday afternoon was stunning. Instead of Onanon there is now Kilmog, the new project of Glen Ross, featuring Sam Valentine and Richard Ley-Hamilton of Mr. Biscuits. Operation Rolling Thunder are on a baby hiatus so didn’t play, but Idiot Prayer and Mountaineater were, as always, amaze. Plus Dale Cotton, sound engineer extraordinaire – who was HDU’s unofficial ‘fourth member’ as their sound man and has engineered bands such as Beastwars, Die! Die! Die!, Dimmer and Knives at Noon – played with The Retrophonic Funk Machine’s Aiden Fraser in a project called Conray. It was a good day for Dunedin music.

You can buy the vinyl from Too Tone Records in Dunedin, and also on the label’s website, www.monkeykillerrecords.com.

Here’s some photos from the label’s big day.

Dale Cotton as Conray

http://www.myspace.com/conraynz

Richard Ley-Hamilton of Kilmog

Idiot Prayer

http://www.myspace.com/idiotprayerband

http://www.facebook.com/idiotprayerband

Tristan Dingeman of Mountaineater steps around light

http://www.myspace.com/mountaineaterband

http://www.facebook.com/mountaineater

High White Sound on fabric

“When something can be read without effort, great effort has gone into its writing.”
Enrique Jardiel Poncela

Well, my great effort of the last six years is finally making its way out into the world. Bound copies of High White Sound, stitched together with fabric and ribbons by yours truly, are now available in New Zealand and across the world via my website, www.hannahherchenbach.com/books/novel.html

I’m also going to pick up posting on this site, sharing lots of the cool things I’ve found in New Zealand and, as of late, Dunedin. There are lots of forgotten musicians and underground artists who deserve a lot of attention. Keep a look out for it.