And the party keeps on rolling on. ………… After a successful return to live shows in 2022, Bleeders are back to finish what they started.
2003 saw Bleeders unleash their debut record A Bleeding Heart E.P across Aotearoa. Seven songs of pure aggression, emotion, and everything in between, twenty years later this debut release has gone on to be an essential record for any fan of alternative music and will be forever etched into Aotearoa’s punk rock folklore.
Formed in 2002 it didn’t take long for Auckland based Bleeders to take off, in their debut year they released the legendary hard-core punk classic A Bleeding Heart E.P. This followed by constant sold out shows all over the country, in 2004 the band was rewarded for their hard work and ever-growing success by signing a major record deal with Universal Music NZ.
2006 was a huge year for the Bleeders. Their debut album, Sweet as Sin, reached #2 in the charts, garnered them Best Break Through Artist and Best Rock Album at the 2006 New Zealand Music Awards and went on to sell gold certification status. The band toured like maniacs in New Zealand and headed across the Tasman no less than five times at the invitation of numerous international touring acts.
The self-titled follow up to Sweet as Sin rejected any notion of resting on their laurels, produced by Clint Murphy and the band at Auckland’s York Street Studios and mastered by Ted Jensen at Sterling Sound in New York, Bleeders was a return to the brutal vitality that first brought them to people’s attention.
After a 12-year absence 2019 saw Bleeders release the much anticipated come back, Delusions E.P. With only three months and a handful of shows in support of the release, the rug was pulled out in the blink of an eye thanks to the Covid 19 Pandemic. Fast forward two years and what better way to bounce back than with a run of sold out shows in 2022.
As Real Groove magazine once said of them, they “lack the sense of exclusivity that confines so many bands to their cliquey pigeonholes… If you buy a Bleeders album or go to a show, you’re in the gang, no further questions.”
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Shelley caught up with vocalist Angelo Munro mid-tour to see what things are up too!
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HOW ARE YOU DOING?
Good thanks great to be doing this again.
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20 YEARS SINCE THE RELEASE OF YOUR ‘BLEEDING HEART’ EP. HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE GETTING OUT THERE AND ACKNOWLEDGING THE EP THAT ESSENTIALLY KICKED THINGS OFF FOR YOU?
Very rewarding, 20 years goes so fast!
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WOULD YOU SAY THE MUSIC INDUSTRY IS MUCH DIFFERENT TO WHEN YOU WERE A PART OF IT PRE-HIATUS?
It sure is, when we broke up Instagram was brand new, Facebook wasn’t huge yet, we had a good following on MySpace, but the whole social media thing was nothing like it is today. Also people used to buy music! Lol… our debit album sold 8000 cds just in NZ, that doesn’t happen anymore, well at least for a punk band.
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WITH THE 12 YEARS OFF AND COVID, DID YOU EVER THINK YOU WOULD BE DOING ANNIVERSARY SHOWS LIKE THIS?
No way! We had around 7 years where we were broken up, did some reunion shows then reformed 2018, but covid certainly stumped the momentum as well.. there was thoughts of calling it a day for sure.
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5 SHOWS DURING NZ MUSIC MONTH, WAS THAT INTENTIONAL AND HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT NZ MUSIC MONTH?
Not intentional, we just wanted to tour again like last year and hit some cities we missed.
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ARE THERE ANY PARTICULAR TRACKS OFF THE EP YOU ARE PARTICULARLY EXCITED TO PLAY LIVE?
We haven’t played “cast in the shadows” in over 10 years!
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YOUR LIVE SHOWS WE’VE SEEN RECENTLY HAVE BEEN SO HECTIC. FOR THOSE WHO PROBABLY HAVEN’T SEEN YOU LIVE OR RECENTLY, WHAT CAN THEY EXPECT FROM THESE SHOWS?
High energy, passion and unity! We love bringing people together from a diverse group of backgrounds and perspectives to have a good night!
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POST COVID, YOU PLAYED A BUNCH OF SHOWS, INCLUDING SUPPORTING ANTAGONIST A.D. WHEN THEY WERE FINALLY ABLE TO MAKE THEIR SHOWS HAPPEN. HOW DID IT FEEL BEING ABLE TO PLAY SHOWS LIKE THAT AGAIN AND HAVE THE RECEPTION YOU GUYS HAD?
Well we knew the reception would be great as we always sell out Auckland, that gig was a co-headline as opposed to a support slot… but was cool to play before Antagonist AD as they had supported us loads coming up..they are doing so well, it was cool to team up to do that show.
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YOU’VE GOT QUITE THE LINEUP OF SUPPORT ACTS ON THESE ANNIVERSARY SHOWS AS WELL, HOW DID YOU DECIDE ON WHO TO HAVE ON THESE SHOWS?
We always pick bands we like as opposed to who’s doing well… so normally I like to front foot it and ask the bands, some are old friends, others are new kids on the block but they seem to know who we are and are stoked so that’s cool!
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ARE THERE ANY PLANS FOR BLEEDERS TO GO INTERNATIONAL OR ACROSS THE TASMAN AGAIN?
We’ve already been there done that. Played Australia no less then 10 times, USA, UK. We were based in Toronto Canada in 2009 and did some awesome stuff. Nowadays we are in our early 40’s and we have to concentrate on feeding our kids and paying the mortgage lol, so we set our priorities straight, it’s hard to tour when you get to this point.
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WHAT ELSE IS BLEEDERS UP TOO? WHAT DO YOU HAVE COMING UP?
We hit the studio May 9th-11th to record a song for the upcoming Waiata Anthems for 2023! I look forward to singing/yelling/screaming in Te Reo!
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ANYTHING ELSE TO ADD?
Thank you Shelley for the interview and yeah there’s a few tickets left but they are going fast go to @bleedersofficial on Instagram and click our linktree in bio!
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A BLEEDING HEART E.P 20 YEAR ANNIVERSARY TOUR
Friday 5th May 2023 – Dunedin, The Crown Tavern (R18) W/ Mandate, Dale Kerrigan
Tickets available from undertheradar.co.nz
Saturday 6th May 2023 – Christchurch, Embankment Tavern (R18) W/ Bear Trap, Deranger, Anti Stasi
Tickets available from undertheradar.co.nz
Friday 12th May 2023 – Auckland, Galatos (R18) W/ Flirting with Disaster, Melanie, Stacked
Tickets available from galatos.co.nz
Saturday 13th May 2023 – Hamilton, Last Place (R18) W/ Landlords, Drop Off Point
Tickets available from undertheradar.co.nz
Sunday 14th May 2023 – Mount Maunganui, Totara Street (R18) W/ Angry Papamoans, Two Skinner
Sunday Matinee Show Doors 4pm
Tickets available from totarastreet.co.nz
ALL SHOWS LIMITED CAPACITY
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