| SIX60, 6:60, or $6.60? |
| Written by Sacha Young | |||||||||||||
| Monday, 28 February 2011 00:00 | |||||||||||||
From their humble beginnings at 660 Castle Street, Dunedin, to even more humble successes, SIX60 have certainly risen up from the underground University scene, to dominate Summer playlists with their sweet, sweet Summery sounds.
Six60 are bringing it 'live and massive' on their New Zealand tour, kicking off in Auckland at The Studio, on K' Road this Friday night!
Coup De Main got a chance to take a few of the boys shopping pre-tour for 'tour essentials', as well as picking their brain on all things important... like their favourite food. Om nom nom nom.
COUP DE MAIN: What is the definition of 'Massive', to you as a band?
MATIU WALTERS: I think it's big in sound, big in personality, big in performance. Really just trying to dominate and engage, particularly with our live performance. Keep it inclusive, I think that's what people enjoy, and that's what we try and do when we play. MARLON GERBES: A lot of things really... LOUD! Not even live, on Facebook... not just in 'live presence', but in everything we do and say. CDM: Forming as a band in Dunedin and being part of the underground scene, how do you think that has shaped you as a band?
MARLON: The biggest thing that stood out is that with you're with a big group of people, together. You're away from your parents, away from home and it kind of brings you together, it's easier. It was easier for us... MATIU: I think being in Dunedin and all being away from home, for the most part, we were all thrown out of our comfort zone, I kind of didn't have a lot of mates - you're kind of forced into friendships. Thinking about it now, I feel kind of bad at how secluded I was, about how immature my musical taste was. Before that I didn't actually even like New Zealand music... I was growing up in Auckland, I was hip-hop through and through and that was about it. I loved having gone there, because it broadened my horizon so much. In terms of growing, up and coming through an underground scene, I think the wonders it did for us, we were able to discover the path that we wanted to go on as opposed to being directed, I think, if we had grown up in a different stead. So we found out what we enjoyed, and having that and everyone coming from other places, and bringing different genres and different feels, you can actually see that and hear it in our performance and see it in the music that we write that we don't like confining ourselves to a genre and I like it too. I don't think an individual would soley listen to one style of music, so why should we try and only write to one style? I think the music we write should express, like the music on our ipod, we try and do the kiwi roots, dubstep, drum and bass, rock, hip hop and all that kind of stuff, and I like having fun with it, first and foremost. If we show that we are having a good time, then we have a good time. MARLON: I think the biggest thing was that it wasn't Dunedin alone, it was more the fact that it was a University. You bring all these people together [in] the same age group who wouldn't necessarily hang out, 'cause you're in the same dorm, and you become a tight group. You get to meet all these people who you wouldn't normally meet in your home town, without a university. They bring genres of music that you've never listened to, so you start to appreciate different types of music. I guess that really helped with our variety of genres, as well. So many influences from all the people that we met. It has been really good.
CDM: Social media has played quite a critical part to your success to date, why do you guys think it worked out so well for you?
MATIU: First of all, what I think helped was writing decent songs... It wasn't just starting a Facebook page and it doing well. We didn't know it at the time, but we happened to fortunately write some good music, and we had a Facebook page, coupled by the fact we were in University. It was almost a Social Media boom when we were at University, and it kind of just happened by word of mouth. So Facebook, plays a huge role in where we are now, it's almost through that way, that allows you to take a bit more control over what you're doing, you're allowing your music to get to a huge audience, but at the same time having regaining a sense of credibility, which for some reason a lot of people loose by doing an alternative way, if you know what I mean. I think having social media, the world is a lot smaller now, when it wasn't very logistical for a New Zealand band to have their songs overseas, let alone to a different city in New Zealand - that's done wonders for us, and it has/will do wonders for New Zealand music.
MARLON: At the time when we were starting out - Facebook in terms of band pages was just starting out. I remember when we got our page, there wasn't anyone else in New Zealand with a band page - at the time Facebook itself was growing, coupled with some good songs on our profile, it kind of just took off.
CDM: What are you guys up to this year?
MATIU: Writing an album, hopefully. We are trying to get the album out, and making it a success, we are not going to leave any stone unturned really... 'massive'! <laughs>
The Six60 boys are an intriguing bunch, preferring to keep a low profile most of the time. We decided to 'get to know' Matiu and Marlon a little better, asking them some life-changing questions...
CDM: What's your favourite food? MATIU: For some reason, kumara came to my mind - is that a bad stereotype? <laughs> MARLON: Cheese. CDM: What do you think is the #1 most played song on your iPod?
MATIU: 'Hurt' - Johnny Cash. MARLON: 'All Of The Lights' - Kanye West. CDM: What is one chore that you can't stand doing? MATIU: Cleaning the toilet. MARLON: Yeahhh that's up there. MATIU: You can't say the same thing... MARLON: All chores. They're all bad. CDM: If you could witness any event in the past, present or future, what event would it be?
MATIU: 'Up In Smoke Tour', whether that would ever happen again? ...Why, what would you go and see? CDM: Ah, if I could have been in the crowd when Martin Luther King said his 'I Have A Dream' speech... That would be... MATIU: Can I take that one? CDM: Go on. MARLON: If the movie '300' was true, it would be awesome to have been there. MATIU: What about... Martin Luther King doing his 'I Have A Dream' speech, at the 'Up In Smoke' tour... <laughs> CDM: What would one song be on the soundtrack to your life? MARLON: Sam Cooke - 'A Change Is Gonna Come'. MATIU: You nailed that one.. Uh, I just had one! We'll go with... 'Let's Stay Together' - Al Green. Now, to the fun stuff... the Six60 inspired Coup De Main GAME!
We gave Marlon and Matiu six minutes and sixty seconds in the LOOK SHARP STORE to find an item that would be 'tour worthy' for $6.60. Needless to say, Marlon was very calm and composed... in comparision to Matiu, who I'm sure freaked out at the last minute when we were counting down 5-4-3-2-1, grabbing the first thing he could. Hence, his fabulous green LIGHT-UP goggles. Yes ma'am.
If you were wondering, Marlon picked up a compact Chess set and two magnet hearts. Awh, it even equalled the perfect amount as well... $6.60!
I am really looking forward to seeing Matiu don those beautiful slime green eye-protective goggles up on stage this Friday! C'mon Matiu. DO IT!
Go into the draw to win a double-pass to either their AUCKLAND or DUNEDIN show HERE.
Auckland - The Studio
Friday 4th March 340 Karangahape Rd, Auckland City Tickets from www.six60.co.nz | www.six60.nztix.co.nz | Real Groovy | Wellington - Jim Beam Homegrown
Saturday 5th March Wellington Waterfront Tickets from www.ticketek.co.nz Dunedin - Union Hall
Saturday 12th March University of Otago, 640 Cumberland St Tickets from Tickets from www.six60.co.nz | www.nztix.co.nz, Cosmic Corner and OUSA
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