PHOTO CREDIT: Chris Morgan Creative
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Villainy is an alternative rock band from Auckland! Members include: James Dylan (bass guitar), Neill Fraser (vocals and guitar), Dave Johnston (drums and backing vocals) and Thom Watts (lead guitar).
Villainy are three time winners of the NZ Music Award for Best Rock Album/Artist and have shared the stage with numerous local & international acts including AC/DC, Incubus, The Offspring, Billy Talent, Seether and Shihad.
On top of this they have played many shows around New Zealand to packed-out crowds. Villainy are a staple NZ band that you just have to listen to and experience live!
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CHECK OUT OUR LITTLE CATCH-UP WITH NEILL BELOW:
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1. Happy NZ Music Month! How did you initially get into creating music?
My grandmother passed away when I was 7 and we inherited her 100 year old German piano. It’s a really beautiful instrument with a lot of life and body to it, and being so old it doesn’t stay in concert pitch which adds a level of darkness to it. I started taking lessons right away and that kicked things off for me. Later on I got my first guitar around 12 and it was at the same time that I discovered rock and really started to take this whole music thing a bit more seriously.
2. Tell us about your inspirations & motivations?
When it comes to songwriting it’s all about personal experiences. Events that make you feel, good or bad, something deep into your bones. That’s what inspires me to pick up a guitar or belt out something in the rehearsal room when the band is together. I also definitely draw a lot of inspiration from what other artists are doing. I grew up on a good diet of pop and classic rock and moved into alt rock as a teen. Nowadays I listen to a much broader range, huge fan of artists like Frank Ocean who take a little bit of everything and blend it all up.
3. What have you been up to in this lockdown and how has it affected you?
It’s been a weird time. I’m definitely not a homebody and love to out at shows, eating and generally hanging. It took some adapting but I’ve discovered how to cook properly which was a revelation. Villainy has also been working hard on new music virtually and putting together a bunch of “iso-coustic” versions of our songs which has been a really fun and inspirational process.
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4. What do you think of the NZ music scene?
It’s not really a scene, it’s a community. We all know each other across all genres. An event like Homegrown really shows how close the industry is and how connected we all are. I think you can see that in the way bands and artists tour together and collab as well. We’re a small country so you’ve got to stick together.
5. Goal board time – where would you like to see yourself in a years time?
We had a huge 2019, definitely our best yet. We’re really proud of what we’ve achieved with Raised in the Dark and despite what 2020 has throw at every single one of us we’re not stopping anytime soon. That means more music and when we can a lot more shows!
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Check out their recently released ‘BEGGAR’ EP here – https://wmnz.lnk.to/BeggarsFa
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