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 Ryan from Haven, who re-located to Wgtn last year & have just released their third single.
Who are you? Tell us a bit about your music:
Kia ora! I’m Ryan. I play bass and sing in Haven. We’ve been playing together since we
all started high school in Queenstown; we all moved to Pōneke last year. I’ve been
playing my songs with Tyrone on guitar and Harrison on drums for years now – they’re
my best friends. I listen to a ton of music, but I think I’m mostly into artists like Stella
Donnelly, Phoebe Bridgers, and Big Thief, who blend elements of indie-folk with rock
and pop. Their lyrics are a big thing for me… I’m always enamoured by how honest their
words are, and I’m trying to achieve that with my songs. Performing has always been a
big thing for us – we want to have everyone who attends our shows to never forget
them. I think that’s the reason a lot of our songs have so much energy.
What have you been working on lately? Any new tracks or albums on the way?
We’ve been recording a fair amount over the last year – there’s definitely a collection of
songs being formed, and I’m so stoked with that. We just released our latest single
‘Pictures Of Her’ last week. That’s Tyrone’s song; I love it so much. It really reminds me
that he’s one of the strongest songwriters I’ve ever met, let alone worked alongside! We
also just recently played a headlining show at Meow which was super cool. We were
supported by San June and Girl Best Friend. I live with members of both bands, so the
green room was like a lil’ family reunion. Such a special moment for us all. Right now,
we’re finishing up our next single… very excited for that one!
Where is the best place people can follow you & find your music?
Check out our Instagram! I like to be annoying there, but I promise it’s the right kind of annoying. You can also find all of our music on your classic streaming services – we have three tracks out now.
What were the 3 most influential albums to you growing up?
‘Beware Of The Dogs’ by Stella Donnelly might be one of my favourite records of all
time. It really opened my eyes to a new style of lyricism that still inspires me. Stella’s a
real hero of mine. ‘Juno’ by Remi Wolf came out last year and it’s already a classic – she’s one of the coolest artists – point blank, period. Also, I have to mention King Krule’s ‘The OOZ,’ which helped me through some tough times growing up.
Which other Wellington musician (s) would you most like to work with?
Right now, I’ve been listening to Wiri Donna a lot. Her new EP Being Alone is seriously
awesome! I can’t wait to see it live. There’s also Mikeyy. Now, I’m biassed, because I
live with him and have already worked with him several times, but I’d do it forever if I
could.
Whatís your favourite Wellington venue to play in?
I feel like each one has its own strengths, so that’s a tough question… Tyrone and
Harrison love Valhalla for how up-close and personal you can get with the crowds. I had a great time playing at San Fran for the first time last month – I’ve only had amazing experiences in that space.
In your songwriting or composing (or the bandís songwriting) how do the compositions and songs take shape?
I usually like to isolate myself with an acoustic guitar when I write. I can be as
vulnerable as I kinda need to be. Then I’ll write lyrics and basslines and teach the guitar
parts to Tyrone. We’ll then run through it a few times at rehearsal and there we go!
Where/when is your next gig?
At this point, it’s unannounced! I’ll say for now though to keep an eye out around both
Wellington and Auckland around July/August – lots of fun is in store!
Live band photo: Cameron Marwick
Poster imnage: https://www.instagram.com/oggy_inman/