End of an era

Kia ora friends!

Wow, what a rollercoaster of a time since we released our EP ‘In the End I Won’t Be Coming Home’…

Very soon after releasing the EP, I found out the news I was pregnant. Anyone who knows me, or perhaps, who has listened to our song ‘Money or the Bag’ probably knows that being a parent is not something I have always dreamed of! There are so many versions of how this news can make someone feel, and for me it was not instant joy! I’m slowly coming around though, seeing creative friends balancing raising a family they love with their musical passions successfully has been especially helpful. Sharing the news today on our social media, I am so touched by the overwhelming warm wishes and am feeling more optimistic about what the future may bring.

It really does feel like the end of an era and a beginning of a new chapter - as today we also shared the news that our wonderful guitarist and founding member of French for Rabbits, John Fitzgerald has decided to hang up his guitar after 12 years in the band to pursue his career, and other interests (he might even go get his masters degree!). Golly gosh, we’ll miss him and his understated but just right guitar playing. We secretly hope we’ll be able to convince him to come back one day for a show or three!

The last month has been very musically enriching - we played two WONDERFUL shows with string quartet, and have the final two coming up in May which we are so looking forward too. They’ll be bittersweet being John’s last (at least for now!) and the last shows we do before a mini rabbit (wood dragon) child is born! I also attended a writing camp, and have a few new French for Rabbits-esque songs up my sleeve that the rest of the rabbit gang (Hikurangi, Phoebe and Penelope) and I have started working on. Perhaps we will gather an album’s worth of material together in the coming while…oh, and I brought a Juno-60, a beautiful synthesiser I have coveted for a while now, and hope to put to good use. Anyway, life rolls on and songs will be written.

What else? Well I see I haven’t shared our last music video from the EP here yet! It was filmed in a day by my good friend Bill - running and running to Baring Head, a place that is prominent in this collection of songs. You can watch it below.

The EP ‘In the End I Won’t Be Coming Home’ was very much a labour of love, and is now available on vinyl and CD from our Bandcamp. We’d love to send you a copy! We think it is some of our best, most lush work…made all the way down here in New Zealand.

We made a miniature documentary about the making of the EP, which we are also pleased to share today. I must warn you - it is not so serious. I can’t help but find the humour in imagery and words. There is talk of snails, drama, blood, extraordinary shoes, favourite beverages - but mostly it gives the viewer an insight into the process of making this EP.

I hope you enjoy it.

Thank you all for reading and listening as always. We so appreciate your support, it helps us to keep the music alive. And the world needs music!

xo

Brooke

Baring Head and the Tension between Art and Money

Good evening night owls! I’m writing to you from a lamp lit room, with Heidi the whippet curled up in her bed next to me. She puffs so softly through her lips when she is sleeping.

On Friday, we shared the news our EP In the End I Won’t Be Coming Home, recorded and mixed across two whirlwind weeks in July and August, will be coming out on November 24. The EP will be released digitally and on CD, but also as on a double EP vinyl record featuring our beloved 2012 debut EP Claimed by the Sea on the B side. Pre-orders for this are now open (but more on that in a minute).

Both EP’s were recorded with Lee Prebble at his Wellington based studio The Surgery - and it feels just right that we should be releasing them for the first time on vinyl together. Each recorded under Lee’s thoughtful guidance, but years apart. It is fascinating to listen to these collections side by side. On Claimed by the Sea, a shy and sweetly imaginative 24 year old just learning to use her voice…and on this new EP…well we keep on pushing at the seams of our writing and arrangements…but songs remain ethereal bodies that come on a whim and of their own will!

The front cover for In the End... is an illustration by Edinburgh based artist Anna Wilson (aka A Bottle Full of Rain). We’ve never met in person, but from our messages and through following her work I feel we are both kindreds in seeking out solitary windswept places (...and with a love for a good cup of tea). This image depicts the view from the clifftop above Hemmick Beach in Cornwall, England. I’m sure you will see the parallels I saw in the image when listening to the new collection.

The first song from the new EP ‘Baring Head’ also came out on Friday. It was written out in the wind and in a dilapidated concrete room (with the most glorious reverb) by the Baring Head lighthouse, which is located between Wellington Harbour and Palliser Bay at the southern end of the North Island. I hope to go back there soon! I remember fondly the time Will, Amy and I decided to sleep out beneath the stars with the lighthouse beam sweeping across the waters, and the wind trying to tug away our pillows. Photo’s from that time, below.

As I mentioned in my previous blog post, a wee while ago I watched The Beatles: Get Back documentary and I was moved to see how these complicated individuals sparked off each other, and to see the “work” of making music in process. I feel we so rarely get to be a fly on the wall at this stage of creation. The video for ‘Baring Head’ was filmed during the recording sessions for the EP by Mason Rudd in Wellington, and by Annabel Kean in Auckland during the string sessions. Many of the video footage aligns with the actual final takes you hear on the audio recording too. Creation in real time.

The Tension Between Art and Money

There is some irony to be found in the journey we undertook to create this new EP, especially considering the themes of ‘Baring Head’ which explores the tension between art and money. I proclaimed in the song that “art stops for no-one, yes it rolls on with the intensity of a flaming sun” - but truthfully, this EP nearly did stop. Achieving the creative vision required studio time, string arrangements, players, mastering engineers and so on. My brain had conjured up something that did cost money. Of course, we could rely purely on the generosity of our friends and collaborators, but they all need to eat too, and I value their expertise and artistry.

After applying for two slightly soul destroying rounds of Creative New Zealand funding (it even made the news), two rounds of NZ on AIR funding (for songs that we suspected may be too subtle or left field) and some additional charitable trust funding for string arrangements with no success, we had to make a decision. Although we have wonderful and dedicated fans (Thank You!) the truth is that when we calculated the cost of recording, mixing, mastering, pressing and promoting the EP (modestly) there would be a very real risk that we wouldn’t break even without funding.

This record incurs about $24,000 NZD of expenses with very little marketing budget, and it has taken countless hours of my own to bring this all together. To cover the costs of this without making a profit we must sell 280 CD’s, 200 standard edition vinyl and 100 special edition vinyl. This might seem modest to some, but keep in mind - we’re a band playing subtle, gentle music from a small country on the bottom of the planet - and like many indie artists we’re just doing our best in an unfriendly, online environment where the algorithm is king and content is like candy. Candy will always outcompete the organic vegetables of the world…and then everyone wonder’s why they feel tired, and can’t concentrate! We want you to concentrate! We want to nourish you.

Over the years, around my career as a songwriter and artist I have always held down various part-time or freelance work, as has the rest of French for Rabbits. In New Zealand, this is very normal and there are very few musicians who can live solely off their creative work for an extended period of time given the small size and population of the country and the current ways that art can be monetized (hello, $0.003 per Spotify Stream). This week our first song ‘Baring Head’ has likely earned us a grand total of $4.50 on Spotify.

The question that many indie artists ask is how do we do it differently? When the ways in which we can earn money is being eroded - how can we make it sustainable without resorting to becoming online sales people and social media influencers? How do we share our artisan organic songs, our social services for the public good (because, really that is what music is). And if you’re wondering, YES, the ways we can earn money are being eroded. Recently in New Zealand, APRA AMCOS made a change to how royalties are earned at major concerts, so support acts effectively now will receive less. A support act on tour will already receive a very small fee, often not enough to cover travel costs, and even their merch sales will incur a cut from the venue (a push back against this is ongoing with some success in the US). This is only amplified for a headline indie artist on tour, and changes negotiated by Universal Music with streaming services could make it even worse for indie artists.

What I do know is that we appreciate everyone who listens, we are so glad our music has become interwoven through people’s lives. Whether it is one song like ‘Claimed by the Sea’ soundtracking a summer, or ‘The Tunnel’ accompanying a first break up. We love hearing these stories about the songs.

We’re not crowdfunding but…

So - I’ve never felt entirely comfortable with the art of asking - even when for a time I worked for an organisation that did arts crowdfunding! I want people to buy the music because they love it, not because they love us, or feel obliged to support us.

But…honestly, I think if you are reading this you will probably love our new EP and this very special vinyl double release.

Bandcamp Friday is just around the corner (Bandcamp Friday is a day that occurs on the first Friday of every month where Bandcamp waves their commission fees and allows artists to keep 100% of the profits from sales) and it is the perfect day to pre-order our new EP or our double EP vinyl.

In these first few days of opening our pre-orders, and from our paper pre-orders on our recent tour we are thrilled to say we’ve sold almost 40 CD’s and records already. My goal for this EP is to sell out of the first edition of vinyl (200 standard editions, 100 special editions) and as many CD’s as we can (I’ve heard through the grapevine that CD’s are coming back into fashion!) by Christmas. I don’t know if this is possible, but if you’ll help us - maybe we can!

If you’d like to share a song with a friend, re-post our music video on your social media, purchase your own copy of our music on Bandcamp Friday. Well, we’re not going to say no. We’d be so, so delighted. If you want to know the exact time that Bandcamp Friday starts and ends, check here.

French for Rabbits and The Black Quartet - wrapping up our tour in September celebrating these new songs ahead of release.


There are a couple of other Wellington/Pōneke-based artists we’d like to shout out to as well, maybe you’d like to check out their upcoming releases too. Both of these are self-titled releases…which you know, this is a statement. It means these artists feel like these records are defining.

Firstly, our wonderful friend Ebony Lamb has been working on her new album for a long time - the blood sweat and tears. It is truly glorious, and Hikurangi and Phoebe (our drummer and bass player) are also in the live band touring through October and November. Our friends Mermaidens are killing it on their independent release - their music videos are honestly SO good. Some of the smartest in the business. This new album is going to be a modern kiwi rock classic in my opinion.

Thank you all again for reading my ramblings…it is now morning (don’t worry, I didn’t stay up all night to write. I had a very good sleep in between).

I can’t wait for you to hear the rest of the EP! Bring on Bandcamp Friday!

Film photos, tour news and musings

Kia ora friends.

We have news to share with you all - about the premiere of new work in concert coming up in September, and a new EP which we went into the studio to record in July. The beauty of a long-form blog is that I can get to that in my own time, taking a few detours to share musings on various topics of interest along the way. I am the kind of person who tries but fails to work in a linear fashion. I’ll be tinkering at the piano one minute, replying to an email the next, pulling weeds from the garden the next (and taking Heidi the whippet for a walk). Luckily, I have a semblance of a system with to do lists and deadlines which keep me on track…most of the time!

In the Studio

In July, we headed back into the recording studio. The Surgery (Lee Pebble’s Wellington studio) is warm, and comfortable - wooden surfaces, records lining the wall, and mementos from previous sessions sit on shelves or hang framed. I think it is important to feel at ease when recording - some studios have an air of opulence or are dressed to impress. But for me, I think I perform best if I feel at home.

At the Surgery with Lee on a previous visit (recording new music with the talented Letitia Mackenzie).

We invited a local cinematographer Mason to pop in on one of the recording days - and we’ve captured some behind the scenes footage, which I kind of love - as it is just us, wearing comfortable clothes, in the flow of making music. There is no performance or pretence, it is authentic to the moment. We’ll share some of this with you - sometime soon.

A while back, I watched Peter Jackson’s Beatle’s documentary, and I was surprised how inspiring I found it - and how relatable. To see creation, in process…it is sort of the most magic and mundane thing all at once.

Every time, after we create and release a new body of work…I find myself unconsciously rebelling or reacting to whatever it was I was previously creating. So, for whatever reason with this new work - I became compelled to dig deeper into complexity and into music that is raw and live. With international concerts finally returning to New Zealand after Covid restrictions were lifted, I was so inspired by seeing Kate Le Bon in concert (who utilise uncommon time signatures with such ease you don’t even notice it), Big Thief (who’s clear passion for making music, and chemistry as a band shines through) and Weyes Blood (who’s songwriting reminds me so much of the classics in terms of chord choice and melody).

I’ve also been deep diving into music like…

Y's by Joanna Newsom (a throw back - but listen to those strings by Van Dyke Parks!)

Yebba’s Tiny Desk (vocal virtuosity for days)

Maddison Cunningham’s back catalogue (I particularly love her songs live, like Broken Harvest)

Kimbra’s Glasshaus session (so stunning)

All of these threads tangentially inspired the direction of this collection of three songs (and a b-side). We worked with an arranger to write string parts that weren’t just accompaniments to the songs (as is often the case in contemporary music), but played vital characters in each of them.

Maybe I’ll dig into the songwriting itself a bit later - but for now, we’re just pleased to be sharing a small but mighty collection of new music with you soon!

In the studio we were joined by the wonderful Phoebe Johnson, filling in for Ben Lemi on bass, alongside the usual gang - Penelope, John, myself and Hikurangi. Photo by Samuel Austin.

Touring with The Black Quartet

Speaking of sharing new music - we are so excited to share we will be touring these new songs live with string quartet in September. This will be unofficially the album release as we are unlikely to be doing another tour for this EP - and certainly not with the luxury of a professional string quartet!! It is also our only tour for 2023 - so we’d LOVE to see you there.

On this tour we will be performing a set that includes 12 songs arranged for string quartet - from this new EP and from our past releases. We are planning to have compact discs available of the EP for sale at the show, so those who attend will be the very first to hear it!

French for Rabbits with The Black Quartet

Friday 8 September, 7.30pm, The Piano, Christchurch | Tickets

Saturday 9 September, 7.30pm, Concert Chamber, Auckland Town Hall | Tickets

Friday 15 September, 7.30pm, Public Trust Hall, Wellington | Tickets

Saturday 16 September, 7.30pm, Glenroy Auditorium, Dunedin | Tickets

From Chamber Music New Zealand

As part of Chamber Music New Zealand Puoro Taiwhanga Aotearoa’s flagship CMNZ series, dreampop luminaries French for Rabbits are about to hit the road for a four-centre tour that will see the band perform brand new pieces from their soon to be released EP In the End I Won’t Be Coming Home.  The multi-instrumentalists have garnered a reputation as a superb live act and this time as a four-piece they will be be joined by string ensemble The Black Quartet.

French for Rabbits worked with arrangers Elliot Vaughan, Mahuia Bridgman-Cooper (The Black Quartet) and Mikal Cronin (Ty Segall Band), to set 12 songs from previous releases and the new EP for band and strings.

The Economics of Art

Our last album was recorded and released amid the pandemic. It was so much fun to make, and to nerd out about production and songwriting. For the release, I was super organised, we made music videos for each of the singles, and we were pretty quietly pleased with what we made. The release of the album itself was hampered by the Covid-19 restrictions - and truly by the end of it, I was a little bit exhausted by putting my all in, only to navigate rescheduled tour dates and an unfamiliar and changing media environment over and over again. The thing that made it all possible and more bearable, was the truly essential support of arts funding in New Zealand and the feedback from audiences when we played live, by email, the occasional letter and all the lovely comments and messages on social media.

I know most musicians will probably resonate with how much work and heart goes into creating new work - not only do we create and record the music, we then feel the pressure to be active on social media, to create videos and press photos, plan and go on tour, and so much more. Often the financial reward for this is extremely hard-won and for indie artists especially, which is why many of us have day jobs too. I’m okay with this reality most of the time - cause after all, we’re lucky to be able to indulge such frivolities as making art! But I think the realities are not highlighted often enough - and why should we be providing this essential and valuable service of creating music that helps people to relate, to accept, to heal, and to feel alive - only to be living on the smell of an oily rag? The medium income from creative work in NZ is $19,500 NZD per year.

The way music is consumed these days too - means that new music comes and goes so swiftly, and perhaps there are less of us music of fans who sit with an obsess over individual albums and take time to get to know them inside out. Thankfully we are not an extinct creature yet though!

I never expect to receive funding - there is an incredible amount of demand for a very small pot of money. It is also true that art can be made without any money at all - and that is one of the wonderful things about it - you can use voice and body to make something beautiful out of nothing. However, my dream was to make a record with string quartet, which DOES cost money. After four rejected funding applications (and the doubt creeping in) we decided to bite the bullet and self-fund a slightly smaller project.

The stark reality regarding the economics of art becomes clear when you look at our budget. For example, the cost of producing this record and modestly paying the musicians and creatives involved for this four song affair, is approximately $15,000 NZD. This certainly does not include paying myself for my time, for rehearsals, administration and for writing the music. On top of this we can expect to spend about $6,000-8,000 on pressing a small run of vinyl, CD’s and paying for a small marketing campaign for the record. For a small run of records (say 150-200), we would need to sell approximately 100 of these to cover the cost of pressing the vinyl alone. The more you press and sell - the cheaper the cost per unit, but this is not always realistic for a niche or emerging artist.

It only starts to make economic sense if you can balance the scales (which any indie artist will tell you is much easier said than done in the era of streaming, AI and brand partnerships). It is not as simple as supply and demand (the assumption that if you are good, that you should be successful) when the supply chains and systems for revenue are not set up to benefit the artist but to exploit them. There are many nuances beyond this too, genre and culture play an interesting part too.

Imagine all the important voices you never get to hear because of this conundrum… so, there you have it - being an artist is glamorous, isn’t it!

Film Photos

I have been a long time film photography hobbyist. I started taking photos on my Mum’s old camera in High School and it has become a life long occasional habit. I like the way that film makes you look at the world with intention - I find joy in examining light and shadow, the richness and detail of a forest canopy.

I like the permanence of film, and I love looking back through old photographs and the memories that are associated with them. So - I thought I’d share a few from recent travels.

Until next time!

Brooke

Live at Vogelmorn Bowling Club

Kia ora friends,

We are just back from the last show of our New Zealand album release tour for ‘The Overflow’. We loved every minute of being able to play these songs for you live. I am always surprised by the direction in which our shows travel - I suppose that is the nature of spontaneity, and I adore that moment of comedic inspiration that sometimes arrives. And especially those moments where a song seems to fly, and everyone in the band hits their stride.

Sadly, Covid-19 has made touring a more complex beast - and so we don’t yet have plans to tour ‘The Overflow’ internationally - I am crossing fingers and toes that will change soon and we will be able to.

In the meantime, we decided to record three songs from ‘The Overflow’ live at the Vogelmorn Bowling Club which is in my neighbourhood - and one of my favourite places to visit. There is an amazing Syrian restaurant, a theatre company, a trampoline and all kinds of community activities which take place there. It is the perfect example of what a community space can and should be. Always humming along!

We hope this recording gives you a little taste of our show, and our music. Thanks for listening, and we hope to see you soon!

Brooke

p.s there is also a stripped back version of Money or the Bag that we also made.