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Feasties Etching Their Own Niche

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Description: This image was taken for a story that ran in The Manawatu Evening Standard on 9th September 1992. "Seven years after the Palmerston North music scene really started coming of age, it's good to see bands like Feast of Stevens continuing to grown.

From a history traced back through Papatoetoe Pop Parcel and Earwigs Under Fire, the Feasties this week celebrate the release of their debut CD Etch. A more polished and tasty slice of local guitar pop would be impossible to find. The CD contains seven original tracks and was recorded during two weekends at Wellington's Word of Mouth studios. Mastering was by Nigel Stone at Marmelade. A tape is also available.

Comparing Etch to the band's self-titled tape of two years ago, the sound is brighter and cleaner, the songs more melodious and better defined. According to guitarist-vocalists Andrew Coy and Hamish Anderson, the songs were shaped over two years of rehearsals and touring. A national Orientation tour proved an ideal shakedown for what worked and what should be dumped.

Christchurch musician Rob Mayes, who has his own label, Failsafe Records, got the project off the ground. "Rob has the label, which he told us to use when we went for a $5000 QEII grant. We were lucky enough to be successful, and that covered most of the recording and promotion costs. We've put in more money ourselves for the video for the track Friends which we hope will go to air on TVFM in a few weeks," says Coy.

The seven songs were written by Coy and Anderson, with bassist Jon Trimble and drummer Glen Fletcher assisting with the arrangements. Although the band themselves can be credited with a production standard that could stand in any company, they freely acknowledge the assistance of Mayes in the studio. "Rob's a real wizz. He's really pushed us, made us perform a lot better. He told us to have attitude when we walked into that studio and that's the way it happened. I feel Etch has a stronger sense of direction and melody because of it," says Anderson.

Although Etch appears to draw from the new generation of British guitar bands, the Feasties have strived to keep their sound original. "I like to think we have our own sound. When you hear us on the radio it sounds very much us. There might be the whole English Indies Ride thing in there as well, but Glen's drumming is coming from a totally different point of view," says Coy.

The obvious difference between the Feasties and the other original Palmerston North bands is their love of guitar-pop. Most bands theses days are specialising in industrial grunge. "Sure, there's lots of good sound bands in Palmerston, but it's not something we do or are good at," says Coy. "We therefore have to carry our songs on the strength of the songwriting, rather than creating a particular sound. I can see certain advantages in being part of that underground, because the scene is so well developed -- look at how well Lung are doing overseas. They appeal to audiences who are totally into the music, not the hype. But once you play a melodic guitar as we do, it's all image and videos and you're suddenly up there, competing with all the other bands. That might be fine in Britain, where bands like Ride can have a huge following, but it's much harder in New Zealand."

On Saturday, Feast of Stevens headline at the Albert with a number of interesting guests. Locals Noddy On The Cross will be opening, followed by Rob Mayes' own band, Throw, from Christchurch. Preceding the Feasties will be Wellington's Bailter Space. "Bailter Space had only limited dates available, but really wanted to play Palmerston North. We had the release party set up, so they agreed to play and not headline, which is really great," says Coy. Rounding off the evening will be dancefloor from the Eye Corporation.

Doors open at 7.30 pm. [Pictured] The Feast of Stevens. (Photo by Dionne Ward.)"