Remix Music Editor Will Seal caught up with Tiki Taane in between his cruising around the country on a winery tour. He only had time for a couple of questions, but if you want to find out whom Tiki is calling “blood sucking corporate pigs”, what he reckons about Waitangi Day, and his work as a family violence spokesperson then read on…
1) First off, just because I’m curious - what are you working on at the moment and what should we expect in the near future?
Well last year I produced & mixed 3 albums (mine, The Adults, Six60) and released about 6 singles & videos, so if that's quiet then I definitely need to turn shit up!
2) Any monster collaborations a part of the future plans?
Yip for sure, but I can't leak that till all the ducks are in a row.
3) The Winery Tour seems to be keeping you busy - what do you reckon will be the best part of the experience?
Apart from playing to my peeps in some of the choicest parts of NZ, the real fun stuff happens on the tour bus with all the bands and crew, very funny and silly.
4) I see after the whole police debacle, you became a family violence spokesperson - can you tell me a little bit about why you focused on this issue and what the work involves?
My mum was in a violent relationship with her ex-partner, so I've seen that shit first hand. I support the "it's not ok" campaign to bring awareness to this problem. There were 256 reported cases of domestic violence in Palmerston North during the month of February last year, and those are the ones that we know about.
5) Favourite NWA song?
Fuck Da Police, a timeless classic!
6) W
Ka warea te ware, ka area te rangatira. Ignorance the oppressor, vigilance the liberator. (also happy birthday Bob Marley). aitangi Day - obviously a huge deal for NZ, what are your thoughts?
7) Sorry I had to ask - Kim Dotcom - what do you think about the new service he was building to remove most of the music industry from the loop, and provide a way for the public to buy music almost directly from the artists?
Well it's essentially what us independent artists have been doing for years, but on a monumentally huge scale. So I'm totally down with what Kim Dotcom was trying to achieve. Cut out the blood sucking corporate pigs who clip the ticket and get out music and art straight to the people!
8) And finally - I hear your overseas success has been taking off, what's the deal across the ditch and in other places?
It's been years of hard yards, long expensive tours, and at sometimes banging your head against the wall, but things are finally starting to work. Still a very long way to go but at least now I can make a career in other territories. The main thing is that I still love this lifestyle. I love playing music I love to the people who love it. Chur!
