DION LUNADON HAS SERIOUS ROCK & ROLL CREDENTIALS
From establishing his music career back home in his native New Zealand as a member of ace garage rockers The D4 to his role as bassist of Brooklyn-based A Place to Bury Strangers, Dion Lunadon has serious rock & roll credentials.
During a short break in touring with APTBS, Dion had a charge of inspiration in the form of a expressive outbreak, an impulse to make a bunch of songs and do it right then and right there. The songs from his imminent debut solo album were recorded over a three-month period in Brooklyn. What resulted is an outright jump away from his work in APTBS and draws more influence from the sounds of his youth. Bands like Toy Love and Jeffrey Lee Pierce’s The Gun Club, as well as obscure New Zealand bands such as Gestalt and Supercar.
How has the recording process differed on your solo work from APTBS and The D4?
It was very different to working on APTBS stuff. With that I have to kind of switch modes and write with someone else’s creative vision in mind. I have to leave out a lot of things I would naturally want to do which is cool because I learn other things. It was definitely more like writing in The D4 although I had no one else to bounce off of or contribute. I’ve always loved working in a partnership but this was actually really liberating as it allowed me to do something with no compromises and something that reflects who I am and how I was feeling at the time.
https://vimeo.com/212389723/2f16f9e104
The new stuff is sounding great, really loose. Did you have fun recording it?
I had so much fun recording it. Probably the most fun I’ve ever had writing and recording.I literally had no plans on doing this and within about 30 seconds had a massive desire to do so. It was very strange. I needed to do this without realising it. I never planned on releasing any of it so it was very pure in my mind. I wrote it all over one block locked away in the winter and by the end was thinking I should release some of it.
Do you find a lot of music lacking in attitude?
I’ve always been drawn to hyped up party music. Stuff with honest energy. Something that makes you want to smash shit up or have at least some intense emotion. I think there is plenty of music out there with attitude. I guess you’ve just got to be looking in the right places.
What records would be on your personal jukebox?
Hmmm. There would be a lot. Preferably 45’s. Troggs, Otis Redding, Dead Moon, N.W.A, Andre Williams, Peggy Lee, Howlin’ Wolf, Elvis, Link Wray, Neil Young, Modern Lovers, Tina Turner, Tennessee Sex Ring, Bo Didley, Dolly Parton, Suzi Quatro, The Ramones, Motorhead, Public Enemy, John Lee Hooker, MC5, ESG, Hank Williams, Butthole Surfers, Angelo Badalamenti, Erkin Koray…..
Do you consider yourself to be a part of any particular scene? Any bands or artists you feel akin with?
No. Not for this anyway. It kind of feels like a lonely one-man scene. I’m not playing live with it so it’s hard to latch onto anything like that. Outside of this, obviously Death By Audio.
What would your perfect day in NYC be?
Probably spring or summer. Hot and sunny like in the movies when everybody is hanging out on their stoops. Art galleries, playing music with friends, walking anywhere. I do love NYC and the amazing energy it gives and takes.
