Five years since we last heard from Auckland post-punk darlings Cut Off Your Hands, they return with a new track and video as well as an upcoming performance at Laneway Festival.Though they made an appearance at The Others Way festival earlier this year, it's been too long since they've delivered any recorded material. That's about to change with "Hate Somebody", a tale of new money pageantry and marginalisation.It's a comment on the anti-social atmosphere that vocalist Nick Johnston noticed being fostered in his neighbourhood at the expense of what was a tight-knit and diverse community."The culture of intolerance that seems to come along with expensive home ownership, of tightly securing one's home away - a withdrawal from the community - this is what perhaps the song is getting at: how this anti-community atmosphere leads to anti-social, unpleasant and at times hateful interactions", he explains.Though it's been a while, the band never really broke up, though, instead, focusing on new careers and toiling away at music that reflected their various environments whether it be an office, a radio studio, or a Grey Lynn apartment.Check the video (an art loop by Joel Kefali), read a chat with Nick and catch the band at Laneway in January.Noisey: You've only played a few shows since 2011. What's changed since then?
Nick Johnston: I had a series of mental breakdowns at the end of two years touring our debut album You and I. The last six months throughout USA in 2009 were particularly gruelling and I was worn out. At this stage we were playing around 200 shows per year. I got to this point where I couldn't even listen to music for half a year. I wanted to do other things and found my way into studying which led to where I am now in architecture.I still love writing and recording music but have struggled to find much joy in playing live so decided to give it a rest in the short term at least til there was some inspiration or collective desire to play amongst us. The other guys have also been super busy in other areas of life so we haven't wanted to push it. It actually kinda took Josh and Ben from The Others Way convincing us to play at that festival this year - for us to get back into it. I was pretty reluctant but they kept asking and when we finally gave in, and played the show, it was so much fun that we were happy to accept a Laneway slot."Hate Somebody" is a pretty tough title, with some pretty anti social themes in the track.
I wrote it a couple years ago when living in a flat on Crummer Rd in Grey Lynn and noticing the changing character of the neighbourhood. We were seeing all the houses around us selling for enormous sums and witnessing countless displays of the subsequent new super wealthy neighbours incredible intolerance for the well established and less wealthy communities of the area.I remember seeing a new neighbour spraying Kim, a long time local character who fed the local cats, in the face with a hose in order to "shut her up". I was astonished to see the adjacent home owners coming out and patting him on the back for this.Laneway festival is like your spiritual home ground. Do you have standout memories from Laneway's past?
We've done the Aussie tour a few times and played at the first NZ Laneway and touring with No Age and Jay Reatard just before he passed away was pretty special. We played when it was literally in a Melbourne laneway where a stage was plonked at one end and everyone crammed into this slim space and hanging from windows and drain pipes.Auckland was great except we were programmed at the same time as one of my favorite artists Daniel Johnston. We not only missed him but infuriated everyone as we drowned out his show which we were super embarrassed about.What can NZ expect from COYH at the festival?
We've got a new record that we will be releasing round that time so all of that and whatever else we feel like playing. We've been obsessing over Talking Heads live at Rome 1980show lately which features old mate from King Crimson on guitar and Bernie Worrell on synth amongst others - would love to cover some of that show if possible.Catch Cut Off Your Hands at Auckland Laneway Jan 30 2017.
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Nick Johnston: I had a series of mental breakdowns at the end of two years touring our debut album You and I. The last six months throughout USA in 2009 were particularly gruelling and I was worn out. At this stage we were playing around 200 shows per year. I got to this point where I couldn't even listen to music for half a year. I wanted to do other things and found my way into studying which led to where I am now in architecture.I still love writing and recording music but have struggled to find much joy in playing live so decided to give it a rest in the short term at least til there was some inspiration or collective desire to play amongst us. The other guys have also been super busy in other areas of life so we haven't wanted to push it. It actually kinda took Josh and Ben from The Others Way convincing us to play at that festival this year - for us to get back into it. I was pretty reluctant but they kept asking and when we finally gave in, and played the show, it was so much fun that we were happy to accept a Laneway slot.
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I wrote it a couple years ago when living in a flat on Crummer Rd in Grey Lynn and noticing the changing character of the neighbourhood. We were seeing all the houses around us selling for enormous sums and witnessing countless displays of the subsequent new super wealthy neighbours incredible intolerance for the well established and less wealthy communities of the area.I remember seeing a new neighbour spraying Kim, a long time local character who fed the local cats, in the face with a hose in order to "shut her up". I was astonished to see the adjacent home owners coming out and patting him on the back for this.Laneway festival is like your spiritual home ground. Do you have standout memories from Laneway's past?
We've done the Aussie tour a few times and played at the first NZ Laneway and touring with No Age and Jay Reatard just before he passed away was pretty special. We played when it was literally in a Melbourne laneway where a stage was plonked at one end and everyone crammed into this slim space and hanging from windows and drain pipes.Auckland was great except we were programmed at the same time as one of my favorite artists Daniel Johnston. We not only missed him but infuriated everyone as we drowned out his show which we were super embarrassed about.What can NZ expect from COYH at the festival?
We've got a new record that we will be releasing round that time so all of that and whatever else we feel like playing. We've been obsessing over Talking Heads live at Rome 1980show lately which features old mate from King Crimson on guitar and Bernie Worrell on synth amongst others - would love to cover some of that show if possible.Catch Cut Off Your Hands at Auckland Laneway Jan 30 2017.