‘Learn to love yourself’
Andrew Penman of Salmonella Dub speaks to Mike Alexander.
Salmonella Dub celebrate their 25th birthday with the release of their new single World She Waits and anniversary show with Tiki Taane in their hometown of Otautahi on January 13.
What are you plugging right now?
World She Waits, a brand new tune written with Nino Birch from Beat Rhythm Fashion. We are exceptionally proud of this one. It’s classic Sal Dub: ethereal, with poignant lyrics from Nino inspired by global issues, including corporate greed and the oppressive disrespect of the culture and sovereignty of indigenous peoples around the world. As well as this we are hard at work on our wonderful anniversary shows hosted by the awesome Fuzen team. We had our first practises with Tiki in Christchurch last weekend and they were absolutely stunning. I can’t wait to catch up with all our old crew, Trinity Roots, Fat Freddy’s Drop [in Christchurch], Ladi6, Sunshine Soundsystem, LAB lads [in Taupo], Laughton Kora and Soulware, who have kindly honoured us by engaging with these shows. Personal and global peace. I read an article about the pursuit of happiness and the Dalai Lama summed it up brilliantly. He said you will never be happy if you continue to pursue happiness. It is through peace that we will find true happiness. Currently Jacinda Ardern: go girl, you are awesome. Just don’t sell us up a dirty creek with TTPstyle trade deals, please. My most embarrassing musical moment was playing the Green Acres festival in Takaka in 1994. We were a three-piece back then and mid way through our set I was desperate for a drink. I thought I’d spotted a bottle of water at the back of the stage, and took a big scull only to find it was liquid carbon dioxide for the smoke machine. I had to leave the stage and spewed for 10 minutes while Dave and Mark continued the set without me. My Musicman Sabre guitar given to me by my good friend Rob Brown. It is very old and very smooth. I had a Musicman Sabre 2 bass when I was 18 but it was taken by Painters and Dockers when my band at that time supported them at Canterbury Uni in 1988. I still want that bass back, but at least I have the guitar. Performing impromptu on piano at the Stillwater old people’s home with Richard Nunns on Ko au au. Richard sadly has had Parkinson’s disease for many years. I was with a group of students who arrived to perform and give out gifts. I had not seen Richard since our New Zealand Symphony Orchestra shows. He wasn’t sure if he could play but demanded that a nurse retrieve his ko au au from his room and insisted on a performance on the spot. It was one of those heartfelt moments where the hairs on the back of your neck stood up. He performed beautifully and spoke in te reo. I just hope my B minor 7th scales were in the same key as his ko au au, LOL. The degradation of our clean green image and mainland waterways, cultural insensitivity and tokenism. Learn how to say no. Keep your feet on the ground. Love and nurture Papatu¯a¯nuku. Be humble but learn to love yourself. I want to be a florist. I used to hang out with my nana, helping cut and arrange flowers at age 12. It will be my next career when I am 80. In her memory I buy lilies every week.