You're listening to the Canterbury Mornings podcast with John McDonald from News Talk zed B.

You're listening to the Canterbury Mornings podcast with John McDonald from News Talk zed B.

Good and that's a song called future You from the new album Future Memory, released today by ZED and Ben Campbell from zedis with us now.

Good and that's a song called future You from the new album Future Memory, released today by ZED and Ben Campbell from zedis with us now.

Mate, good morning, How are you very well?

Mate, good morning, How are you very well?

Am I the first person in the world to tell you that that song's got a bit of a Coldplay feel about it?

Am I the first person in the world to tell you that that song's got a bit of a Coldplay feel about it?

You're not the first. You're finding a couple of members in the band, but a big Coldplay fans. And of course we toured with them when they released Parachutes back in two thousand and two or three. We did there Australian tour and New Zealand tour, thirteen odds shows just as they were blowing up globally and it was just that was a fantastic experience for us. So yeah, we've always we've always been a little bit connected to them and inspired and enjoy their sound and the way that they make music.

You're not the first. You're finding a couple of members in the band, but a big Coldplay fans. And of course we toured with them when they released Parachutes back in two thousand and two or three. We did there Australian tour and New Zealand tour, thirteen odds shows just as they were blowing up globally and it was just that was a fantastic experience for us. So yeah, we've always we've always been a little bit connected to them and inspired and enjoy their sound and the way that they make music.

So the two guys in the band who were big Coldplay fans, did they manage to hold it together during the course of that tour that they were you know, you guys were the support act for this major band.

So the two guys in the band who were big Coldplay fans, did they manage to hold it together during the course of that tour that they were you know, you guys were the support act for this major band.

Yeah, well, I mean I guess at the time they could play, were just emerging. And I have a very fond memory of it. Was one of our A and R people at Universal Music saying, hey, look, this album has just launched. You guys are going to love it. And they weren't. They weren't signed to Universal. But she took us into Real Groovy and said, and she out of her own pocket bought us all a copy of the CD and you need to listen to this. So we we did hold it together. I think we were a little bit star struck because I mean, what a record, and it was just they were definitely, definitely stars in our eyes.

Yeah, well, I mean I guess at the time they could play, were just emerging. And I have a very fond memory of it. Was one of our A and R people at Universal Music saying, hey, look, this album has just launched. You guys are going to love it. And they weren't. They weren't signed to Universal. But she took us into Real Groovy and said, and she out of her own pocket bought us all a copy of the CD and you need to listen to this. So we we did hold it together. I think we were a little bit star struck because I mean, what a record, and it was just they were definitely, definitely stars in our eyes.

And that was you said, it's two thousand and two, so that was must have been on about five years since you started the band at Kashmire.

And that was you said, it's two thousand and two, so that was must have been on about five years since you started the band at Kashmire.

High That's right. Yeah, just just teenagers really, and you know, we released our first album in two thousands. We've released three singles leading up to that independently and one of them was Russian and released I think while I was still at high school. And yeah, from there those five years just things ramped pretty considerably. To go from being at high school to suddenly supporting Coldplay through Australia and we actually did the Robbie Williams tour through Australia around the same time. Sing while You're sing while You're winning.

High That's right. Yeah, just just teenagers really, and you know, we released our first album in two thousands. We've released three singles leading up to that independently and one of them was Russian and released I think while I was still at high school. And yeah, from there those five years just things ramped pretty considerably. To go from being at high school to suddenly supporting Coldplay through Australia and we actually did the Robbie Williams tour through Australia around the same time. Sing while You're sing while You're winning.

Yeah yeah, yeah, yeah yeah, when you were when you're at Kashmia. Who was the head of music.

Yeah yeah, yeah, yeah yeah, when you were when you're at Kashmia. Who was the head of music.

That was Gary thin right, and we had Noel and Penta and those two as a team far out. They did so much for young people in music development because Bick Runger had come through previously and we were there with a couple of the key members of Shape Shifter at the same time. So we all went on to have music careers. And without the support of I think those two humans in particular, I can't see that we would have taken the same path. Yeah, bellibly supportive.

That was Gary thin right, and we had Noel and Penta and those two as a team far out. They did so much for young people in music development because Bick Runger had come through previously and we were there with a couple of the key members of Shape Shifter at the same time. So we all went on to have music careers. And without the support of I think those two humans in particular, I can't see that we would have taken the same path. Yeah, bellibly supportive.

Akids went through Kashmi and you know, involved music and it still seems to be going. You know now, were you a bit of a being a rock band though? Did you find that you were surrounded by a lot of jazz musicians? I remember that sort of thing that in Cashmi, that jazz was sort of like the thing. Were you guys a bit unusual?

Akids went through Kashmi and you know, involved music and it still seems to be going. You know now, were you a bit of a being a rock band though? Did you find that you were surrounded by a lot of jazz musicians? I remember that sort of thing that in Cashmi, that jazz was sort of like the thing. Were you guys a bit unusual?

Well, we were playing across multiple groups, so Nathan and I were singing in barbershop quartets and we went to the Nationals and that. So we're doing sort of that side of thing, which I think gave us a real, real insight into harmony. And you know, we were also playing in concert bands and Adrian the drummers and the percussion ensemble. I actually ended up getting a scholarship and going to jazz school. So yes, jazz was was a big part of that music scene and I still love it and play a little bit of jazz piano. As a rock thing here we were a little bit different. There was another couple of bands. There was one called the Worms, who I don't think kept going after high school, and to be fair, we probably started off farly middle of the road and then progressed more to rock. But Nathan and I had a duo at a very very inception of Z and we called ourselves Nason Benny and it was piano and vocals and it was, you know, we were doing George Michael covers and very very listening sort of stuff, and then we decided, hey, look we need a tougher sound. And it was right as that, you know, grunge period was coming through. I was a huge Nirvana fan, the Radioheads, and we realized, you know, we need drums, we need bass, we need electric guitars, not acoustic, if we're going to kind of step into that sound. So then we went, hey, let's get a drummer, and Nathan's best mate Adrian was learning drums, and the rest, they say, is history.

Well, we were playing across multiple groups, so Nathan and I were singing in barbershop quartets and we went to the Nationals and that. So we're doing sort of that side of thing, which I think gave us a real, real insight into harmony. And you know, we were also playing in concert bands and Adrian the drummers and the percussion ensemble. I actually ended up getting a scholarship and going to jazz school. So yes, jazz was was a big part of that music scene and I still love it and play a little bit of jazz piano. As a rock thing here we were a little bit different. There was another couple of bands. There was one called the Worms, who I don't think kept going after high school, and to be fair, we probably started off farly middle of the road and then progressed more to rock. But Nathan and I had a duo at a very very inception of Z and we called ourselves Nason Benny and it was piano and vocals and it was, you know, we were doing George Michael covers and very very listening sort of stuff, and then we decided, hey, look we need a tougher sound. And it was right as that, you know, grunge period was coming through. I was a huge Nirvana fan, the Radioheads, and we realized, you know, we need drums, we need bass, we need electric guitars, not acoustic, if we're going to kind of step into that sound. So then we went, hey, let's get a drummer, and Nathan's best mate Adrian was learning drums, and the rest, they say, is history.

Absolutely. I see that it was twenty seventeen and you performed Renegade Fight or Eden Park before an Ornax match, and I read that that reignited the band's passion for music. What had happened up until.

Absolutely. I see that it was twenty seventeen and you performed Renegade Fight or Eden Park before an Ornax match, and I read that that reignited the band's passion for music. What had happened up until.

Then, well, we took an extended break, we like to call it. Yeah, I think what happens in that sort of two thousand and four period. We were based in Berlin and the Universal and Interscope Music had picked us up for release over there, so we spent a lot of time in la working there and recording making music videos, and then there was a lot of excitement in Germany around what we were creating, so we relocated over there and we were touring around mainly Germany but into into the other parts of Europe as well, and my father became terminally ill, so I jumped on a plane to come back and be home with family, and at that stage things just kind of the dynamics changed in the band, and and because he was he was a huge mentor to the band, and we decided, yes, it's time for us to take a break. Pause. We were all exhausted from you know, at that stage, seven years of living out of suitcases and really putting everything into into music. It was always known, you know, straight out of high school. And I think everyone collectively sort of said, hey, we just want a bit of a breather here to go explore other things, make some music with other people as well. The pressure I think had been come a lot for everyone, the pressure from management, labels, radio, and from ourselves. We had very high expectations of what we wanted to do and in the end it just cracks things a little bit. How much is let's take a break. I don't think we expected it to be twenty one years before we release the next record.

Then, well, we took an extended break, we like to call it. Yeah, I think what happens in that sort of two thousand and four period. We were based in Berlin and the Universal and Interscope Music had picked us up for release over there, so we spent a lot of time in la working there and recording making music videos, and then there was a lot of excitement in Germany around what we were creating, so we relocated over there and we were touring around mainly Germany but into into the other parts of Europe as well, and my father became terminally ill, so I jumped on a plane to come back and be home with family, and at that stage things just kind of the dynamics changed in the band, and and because he was he was a huge mentor to the band, and we decided, yes, it's time for us to take a break. Pause. We were all exhausted from you know, at that stage, seven years of living out of suitcases and really putting everything into into music. It was always known, you know, straight out of high school. And I think everyone collectively sort of said, hey, we just want a bit of a breather here to go explore other things, make some music with other people as well. The pressure I think had been come a lot for everyone, the pressure from management, labels, radio, and from ourselves. We had very high expectations of what we wanted to do and in the end it just cracks things a little bit. How much is let's take a break. I don't think we expected it to be twenty one years before we release the next record.

It's a decent break. You can't claim you're still tired after that one, just briefly and not prying. How much did losing your father influence your own personal thinking about we wanted what you wanted to do with music and taking a break from it.

It's a decent break. You can't claim you're still tired after that one, just briefly and not prying. How much did losing your father influence your own personal thinking about we wanted what you wanted to do with music and taking a break from it.

Ah, you know, I think anyone that's lost someone that's so instrumental in their lives and we are and we're a very close family. So for us it was devastating and it really changed. It changed all aspects of life, including music. And for me it was a real period of assessments, you know, what do I want to do from here I am? You know, I don't have qualifications, I don't really have skills in a trade. What's the next step for me? And there was a real period of soul searching along with, you know, grieving and coming to terms with his passing, his death. Although you know, once it's in your blood, music is there, it's really hard to step away from what you know. So within a year of that, we formed another bands with I formed the band with my little sister and an American chap called Sean, and we started Atlas, which went on to have a really really significant hat called Crawl and it was number one in New Zealand for I think a couple of months. And spent the next four or five years developing that project and in the infrastructure around that. So I set up at a record label and was quite involved in the executive side of things, doing management and been really trying to take all that experience from zed but put it into a new project. And you know the beautiful thing about that being that family was involved.

Ah, you know, I think anyone that's lost someone that's so instrumental in their lives and we are and we're a very close family. So for us it was devastating and it really changed. It changed all aspects of life, including music. And for me it was a real period of assessments, you know, what do I want to do from here I am? You know, I don't have qualifications, I don't really have skills in a trade. What's the next step for me? And there was a real period of soul searching along with, you know, grieving and coming to terms with his passing, his death. Although you know, once it's in your blood, music is there, it's really hard to step away from what you know. So within a year of that, we formed another bands with I formed the band with my little sister and an American chap called Sean, and we started Atlas, which went on to have a really really significant hat called Crawl and it was number one in New Zealand for I think a couple of months. And spent the next four or five years developing that project and in the infrastructure around that. So I set up at a record label and was quite involved in the executive side of things, doing management and been really trying to take all that experience from zed but put it into a new project. And you know the beautiful thing about that being that family was involved.

In it, with my little sister been since the band. During the time the band took a break, you got involved in running a restaurant. Tell me about that.

In it, with my little sister been since the band. During the time the band took a break, you got involved in running a restaurant. Tell me about that.

I did. Yeah. I somehow found myself in hospitality, which I didn't have a background. But I've been spending in a lot of time in Arkara and fell in love with the community and with the land over here. And I was trying to figure out how going to base myself here and something to do and something to make a career out of. And a wee restaurant called Marmee Song came up on the market and I thought, let's give that a go, a big, big decision for me without having experienced in that industry, and sort of three weeks later, I was trying to figure out what a supplier agreement was and pulling all the things together to make to make that work. It's been fantastic. So marles On for the last seven years has been kind of my main go to thing.

I did. Yeah. I somehow found myself in hospitality, which I didn't have a background. But I've been spending in a lot of time in Arkara and fell in love with the community and with the land over here. And I was trying to figure out how going to base myself here and something to do and something to make a career out of. And a wee restaurant called Marmee Song came up on the market and I thought, let's give that a go, a big, big decision for me without having experienced in that industry, and sort of three weeks later, I was trying to figure out what a supplier agreement was and pulling all the things together to make to make that work. It's been fantastic. So marles On for the last seven years has been kind of my main go to thing.

It's been around. It's been around for yolks, isn't it that restaurant?

It's been around. It's been around for yolks, isn't it that restaurant?

It has. Yeah, I think two thousand and three it was branded as my mat Soon and I'm the s third owner of it. So yes, it's fairly iconic now.

It has. Yeah, I think two thousand and three it was branded as my mat Soon and I'm the s third owner of it. So yes, it's fairly iconic now.

And the location and you're talking to us from Akaro because the big gig tonight to celebrate the launch of the album is at the Grand Hotel. There is that because you just said I'm not I'm not going over the hill. You guys are got to come over to me. How's that come about?

And the location and you're talking to us from Akaro because the big gig tonight to celebrate the launch of the album is at the Grand Hotel. There is that because you just said I'm not I'm not going over the hill. You guys are got to come over to me. How's that come about?

Yeah? Hey, look, I've spent so many, so many trips up to Auckland over the last three years making this record. It's time for the boys to come here. And I think also, you know, I'm tongue in cheek. The boys have come down quite a lot, and a lot of the album was written in Ako. It's a very great place to write and create music. And I bought the Grand Hotel three years ago and we put a lot ofsic on there. And this is a real opportunity to bring everything that I love together, the music and the hospitality and heritage buildings perfect.

Yeah? Hey, look, I've spent so many, so many trips up to Auckland over the last three years making this record. It's time for the boys to come here. And I think also, you know, I'm tongue in cheek. The boys have come down quite a lot, and a lot of the album was written in Ako. It's a very great place to write and create music. And I bought the Grand Hotel three years ago and we put a lot ofsic on there. And this is a real opportunity to bring everything that I love together, the music and the hospitality and heritage buildings perfect.

So owning the place, does that mean you get to boss the band around a bit more than usual?

So owning the place, does that mean you get to boss the band around a bit more than usual?

No? I think what it means is that I have to feed them. That was also part of the drawer of bringing them down with breakfast, lunch, and dinner in a couple of years.

No? I think what it means is that I have to feed them. That was also part of the drawer of bringing them down with breakfast, lunch, and dinner in a couple of years.

Man different days from Cashmire High School. It is, it is brilliant. I'll let you get back because you're setting up now, right now? Is that right?

Man different days from Cashmire High School. It is, it is brilliant. I'll let you get back because you're setting up now, right now? Is that right?

We are. We're building stages and putting lights up, and the doors open at six. The band's on stage at eight and we cannot wait to play this new album for the first time.

We are. We're building stages and putting lights up, and the doors open at six. The band's on stage at eight and we cannot wait to play this new album for the first time.

I have a great night in all the very best with the album. Thanks Ben, thank you very much. We'll right good. Stop being Campbell from Z.

I have a great night in all the very best with the album. Thanks Ben, thank you very much. We'll right good. Stop being Campbell from Z.

For more from Canterbory Mornings with John McDonald, listen live to news talks It'd be christ Church from nine am weekdays, or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.

For more from Canterbory Mornings with John McDonald, listen live to news talks It'd be christ Church from nine am weekdays, or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.