RISING SONS
Christchurch husbandand-wife indie folk duo Terrible Sons are hitting the road on their first tour. But first we catch up with Lauren and Matthew Barus for 10 quickfire questions.
1sentence.
Describe Terrible Sons in one
Close and tight. Not a sentence, just a soundbite.
2Terrible
What is the story behind the name
Sons? Both Matt and his brother Jo (Dave Dobbyn’s bass player) are musicians and it’s a tragic fantasy Matt had about his parents being unhappy about their career choices, hence the terrible sons.
3writing
What inspires you most when
songs? Conversations with people, watching how lives unfold around us.
4Always
What is your new song Tomorrow
Comes about? It’s probably about ageing, the inevitability of it. There’s something in here about life becoming more complex, where simple, binary answers don’t do the business any more
— a grey world and learning how to be comfortable with that.
5with
What’s the secret to connecting
a live audience? For us it’s become vulnerability. Trying not to hide.
6years
How have events of the past few
(eg lockdowns, etc) affected your growth as musicians?
The idea of making music has become less dreamy, but not less important for us. It’s a broken industry, with many musicians working hard with little return. The other side is that music and the arts can offer people so much in complicated times . . . a critique or connection, hope, solidarity, joy.
7NZ
What’s the best thing about the
music industry? And the worst? Working with other people, sharing and collaborating. That’s inspiring and lifegiving. The worst, it’s expensive; touring, recording, content-making, it all costs more than what we’re willing to pay to see and/ or hear musicians.
8
If you could only listen to one album for the rest of your life, what would it be? I couldn’t do this. I’ll give you an album but I’d need at least a dozen. For today it’s Nina Simone Live at Carnegie Hall.
THE SUNSET SWIMMING TOUR:
● Wednesday, November 16: The Wine Cellar, Auckland w/ Rodney Fisher*
● Thursday, November 17: Nivara Lounge, Hamilton w/ Rodney Fisher*
● Friday, November 18: Leigh Sawmill Cafe, Leigh w/ Rodney Fisher*
● Saturday, November 19: Secret Location
● Saturday, November 26: The Grand Hotel, Akaroa w/ Hannah Everingham
● Friday, December 2: Grainstore
Gallery, Oamaru w/ Hannah Everingham*
● Saturday, December 3: Bark @ Dog With Two Tails, Dunedin w/ Hannah Everingham*
● Friday, December 9: Fairfield House, Nelson w/ Hannah Everingham
9
You’re curating a music festival featuring any musicians from now or the past, alive or dead. Who’s on the bill? Nina Simone, John Coltrane, Bobby Gentry, Muddy Waters, Big Thief, Bill Withers, Simon & Garfunkel, Aldous Harding, PJ Harvey, The Band, CSN&Y, Arooj Aftab, The Beatles, The Muttonbirds, Joni Mitchell, Sault, Leadbelly, Alex G, The XX, D’angelo, Marvin Gaye, Bonny Light Horsemen, Gilberto Gil. Sorry, this is my favourite game.
10
And finally, once you’ve finished your nationwide tour, what next for Terrible Sons? Planning our debut album release early next year.
● Terrible Sons’ new song Tomorrow Always Comes is out now.