GUSSIE LARKIN of MERMAIDENS: Mermgrown Multitaskers
An interview by Tim Gruar.
Alt-pop group, Mermaidens, have taken the proverbial bull by horns and are hosting their own festival next weekend in celebration of some of the country’s best underground and independent music. After being suddenly being cancelled last year March to Covid, the cheekily named-Mermgrown festival will finally kick off again on Saturday 20th February at the Newtown Workingmens Bowlings Club.
This intertwines with Mermaidens’ ‘Soft Energy’ national tour, and a second Mermgrown Festival (to be held across three venues) in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland in March. For Pōneke Wellington the sonically adventurous line-up features Motte, Zero Cool, WOMB, Ludus, PollyHill, Freya, Sadgrove, Hans Puket, Emily Edrosa (formerly of Street Chant), Daly, Black Spider Stomp and, of course, Mermaidens themselves – plus a bar, yummy food truck offerings, an art show, and even an open bowling green.
I recently had the opportunity to have a quick chat to bandmate Gussie Larkin, who is presently chief cook and bottlewasher for the band about all the upcoming happenings.
“Yes, we’re really happy this is finally getting underway”, she said. Last year was a big year for the band, and much like other artists also very disruptive, she tells me. But not necessarily entirely wasted. The band, which also includes guitarist Lily West and drummer Abe Hollingsworth, still managed to make some music and have recorded a few new songs at Pōneke’s famous Surgery studios, with Phoenix Foundation’s Samuel Scott Flynn on the controls. Larkin, who’s now Auckland based, commuted down a number of times but says she really enjoyed the experience. “Because our band time was more limited, we were more focussed. Sam was very helpful, too, directing us and helping us cut out some of the fat, paring down the songs and adding input on the direction.” So expect some awesome new bangers from Mermaidens very soon…
Larkin, who works in the festival industry, acknowledges that last year caused major chaos to many bands, but for Mermaidens, she says, having the opportunity to perform on local stages like Rhythm and Vines earlier this year, along with other events, has still been rewarding. She doesn’t miss overseas travel at the moment, though.
While Larkin down plays the band’s own achievements and says she’s not particularly interested in pushing units or hits on Spotify, you can’t ignore their successes – nominations for the Taite Award (2018), and more nominations at the Aotearoa Music Awards and the Silver Scrolls is nothing to be sneezed at. Larkin describes their music as sonically challenging, progressive, cinematic, some angular post-punk/grunge, with overtones of a retro-era. This is something of a branding they’ve cultivated in their videos, too – with images of orange and lime green Tupperware, floral polyester dresses and ‘Vaseline lens’ imagery. Some of the new music will follow the same themes, with the additional of influences like ABBA and 70’s Eurovision Song Contests. There will be more glitter, too. It all sounds intriguing. She says an album is not planned yet, just a series of releases. ‘Soft Energy’ is the first of the block, complete with a video scheduled for 5th March. Watch this space!
Having made this music it’s time to hit the road, albeit a path of their own making. ”The three of us have spent the past couple of months making a racket both in our practice space and in a recording studio,” Larkin said in a press statement, “ We weren’t exactly expecting it but, these noises turned into songs! And now we get to play them live to the best people in the world.”
”We’re also looking forward to hitting up all the op shops, eating southern cheese rolls and trying to be as tourist-y as a rock tour allows.”
The upcoming tour will kick off in the Capital at Mermgrown next Saturday (February 20th), then heads to Palmy before hitting Christchurch and venues in the Deep South like Oamaru and Dunedin. It will all wraps up in Napier. But not before a second Mermgrown in the City of Sails on the 20th March, this time spread across three locations – Whammy, Wine Cellar and Backroom. Alongside Mermaidens, the Tāmaki line up will include the long-awaited return of Kane Strang, who’s fronting with a full band and playing songs from his upcoming album. Strang’s enlisted a few local names for his band, including Peter Ruddell (Wax Chattels, Sulfate), Leith Towers (Marlin’s Dreaming), Mitchell Innes and Gussie Larkin herself. Also announced – so far – are local faves Phoebe Rings, electronic artist Leaping Tiger, 95bfm favourites K M T P and David Feauai-Afaese’s project LEAO. As they say – there are “many more to be announced”.
Anyway, back to Mermgrown Wellington. I ask her how she went about booking bands for the Capital event. She tells me it came down to selecting a mix of friends, heroes and future stars. Emily Edrosa was one firm friend from Mermaidens earlier days starting out sometimes sharing the stage with Edrosa’s former band, Street Chant. With Emily returning from L.A. recently, Larkin was more than happy to add her on to the bill. She’ll do a solo set of new material from her new album ‘Another Wave Is Coming’ to whet our appetites.
Experimental soundscape architect Motte (Anita Clark) is another firm favourite, alongside newbie, film-maker turned rapper PollyHill (Paloma Schneideman). Electronic artist Ludus (who organised the excellent Artists In Residence compilation of lockdown tunes) and indie-swagger hedonists Zero Cool are also work checking out. But Larkin also reminds me that the festival is more than music, with poetry readings and art market curated by art collective Mouthfull. The stage will be set up on a neglected green, whilst the other will be pristine and manicured, ready for any serious players to take up an end or two – whites are optional.
Larkin said she wanted to create a friendly, all inclusive vibe, so tamariki are also welcome (with those who are under 13 having free entry). And you can bring a picnic (but not alcoholic drinks). And because it’s a bowling club there will be a bar with all the cheap drinks you could possibly dream of – plus food from vendors like Two Girls One Taco, and other stall holders. This will be a special day out on the green – looking forward to it!
Mermaidens are throwing two Mermgrown Festivals, one in Wellington this Saturday (20th February) and the other in Auckland on the 20th March. They will also be hitting the road on a NZ Tour to celebrate their upcoming new release ‘Soft Energy’ – check out their Facebook for tour dates and where to buy tickets!
Image Credits: Feature Image courtesy of Frances Carter. Live Image courtesy of Ambient Light/Doug Peters. Poster designs courtesy of Lily Paris West.
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