How’s the tour treating you guys?
Fynn: Tour's going fab. Sold out shows, good vibes and 'meke beers with the boys. What more could you want?
Toby: F*cking sick! We have had two shows so far. The first, in Dunners, was sold it out, and the vibe was insane. Aaand we just played on the Shore, which is we were jam all the time, so it's always a party.
Any war stories from being on the road?
Toby: Yes.
Fynn: Apart from almost missing a flight, and heavily underestimating the amount of kilos we would have to throw down for our luggage on the plane, it's been pretty good!
At last count there were eight of you across LAKES and The Magic Band - can you give us a quick intro to who you all are, and what you play?
Yung Leezus - gat + vocals
Toby Soup - vocals
Dende - vocals
Harper the Grom - keys
The Captain - bass
G Money - gat
Cheeky Pav - saxophone
Hodgeybeats - drums
Fynn: On the skins and tubs we have Luke Hodgkingson... He's 'aight. Jumping on the boombastic bass we have the larger than life Morgainz. He also makes sure everything is in check, including the members of the band, and that's no easy task.
I have never seen someone be as thug as Harper when he's listening to Schoolboy Q. He also shreds keys. On vocals we have TOBYSOUP, Yung Leezuz, and myself a.k.a Dende (The Sensei). We try, but we know we are the weakest links. Yung Leezuz also plays lead and rhythm guitar, which he subs in and out of with George Edgar, who is easily the grooviest and kindest person you'll ever have a coffee with.
Last, and very much so least, is Pavel the sexy sax slayer. He's the newest member of the band, but he is here for a reason. Aside from playing to me as I sleep at night, he also blasts some of the smoothest jazzy licks of this century out of his brass tooter, all for your listening pleasure.
Could you give us a rundown of your love story? How did you meet, and when did the band become a thing?
Toby: It started at a party, that's where I met Liam. We were both were into music, so we organised a jam for the next day, and a lot beats and songs were the outcome.
Fynn: Liam and Toby first started LAKES about two years ago, or something like that? I was in the South Island at the time, but I managed to slither my way into the band and play with them at Rhythm and Vines, which was sick as f*ck of them. Later on, we wanted to share the love by inviting our incredibly talentless mates on board to join the party, and thus the Magic Band formed. We have all kind of known each other for the most part of our lives, which is groovy.
Y’all are based for the most part over on Auckland’s North Shore - do you think that’s had much of an influence on your sound?
Fynn: I think that has fully had an influence, yeah. When we are asked what our genre of music is, I usually just reply with, "I dunno, sounds of Devo." It's a thing.
It’s been a year since you released your ‘Summer’ EP. Is there any new music in the works?
Fynn: We have just finished recording a video for our latest new single with the whole band, which is tight! We also want to record our new Magic Band tunes asap. For real though.
Toby: We are in the planning stages of a full album with the band. Also a single, and a video dropping very very soon.
What can people expect from your show this Saturday at The Woods?
Fynn: You can expect yourself to say, "That was legitness," at the end of the show. Big tunes, old and new. Heaps of energy and happy times so grab your dancing shoes, grab a glass, and come say sah.
Toby: Good vibes, a lot of energy and a lot of dancing.