Photo Credit Songs6021.

The Eighth Note is 8 quick Questions with Wellington Musicians. A chance for us to catch up with people & see what they’re up to, or introduce you to a new musician/band and their music. Up next is Wellington based singer/songwriter Stephen Riddell, and is one half of local multi-media company Riddell Productions.

Who are you? Tell us a bit about your music:
My name is Stephen Riddell and I’m a singer-songwriter/multi-instrumentalist. I’ve been singing since I could talk, playing classical piano since I was five and guitar since I was eight. I’ve also recently picked up the harmonica and ukulele! Riddell Productions is a production company started in 2014 as a partnership by Stephen Riddell and Michael Riddell, that incorporated in 2016 in order to make their first feature film Portrait of a Knight (2018). As individuals and a team we have worked on a number of projects around town in various roles. Stephen specialises in production, sound, editing, and directing and Michael is a virtuoso classical guitarist, writer, and composer.

In terms of our own content, we’ve produced a feature film, a few short films, two albums and two Webseries (Fresh Culture & Bad Men) in addition to making almost 300 videos for local musicians and artists to promote their work. We’ve occasionally dabbled in corporate work but have found that, just like with our music, most of the ‘big guns’ talk a big game but often avoid paying our invoices or letting us know what they have done with our work. Check out our work on our website.

Stephen Riddell @ WBS 21.08.2020 from Riddell Productions on Vimeo.

What have you been working on lately? Any new tracks or albums on the way?
I finished an album last year titled Sonic Spaces [A compilation of 4 EPs from 2018-2020] that I released with a special guest performance at the Wellington Bluegrass Society. I started this album back in December 2018 as a way test out different ways of creating and shaping acoustic sound based around folk music. It has 20 tracks and is on Bandcamp. My latest release is an EP of folk songs recorded in my kitchen in Melrose.

Where is the best place people can follow you & find your music?
Bandcamp is ideal for me as it seems to be the best way to be paid for my craft. I’ve been working in this town since 2014 and I’ve found it almost impossible to generate revenue from my work, despite working a lot, as there are a lot of welchers around…

What were the 3 most influential albums to you growing up?
Growing up I’d say I was influenced by Nature’s Best (which my Dad loved and would always play in the car), Watching the White Wheat by The King’s Singers, and Stephen Sondheim’s Company (1970).

Which other Wellington musician (s) would you most like to work with?
I’ve worked with a few artists around town and have recently started up a new collaboration with fellow musician Karl Jensen called ‘Psychohistorians’, where we mix alternative, jazz and folk sounds to make interesting jams and songs.

What’s your favourite Wellington venue to play in?
Wellington Bluegrass Society at 54 Richmond Street in Petone!

In your songwriting or composing (or the band’s songwriting) how do the compositions and songs take shape?
I’m an old-time musician so I just listen to the sounds in my head and, when I hear a good one, I stop whatever I’m doing and work on it until it becomes a song or tune or drifts back into the mist…

Where/when is your next gig?
Te Atamira a te Iwi Performance Space outside Black Coffee on Riddiford St at 10:00am on Saturday.