Polymath music machine Troy Kingi brings the latest entry in his musical odyssey to Dunedin next week.
Album number eight in the Northland-based musician’s 10 10 10 project — 10 records, in 10 years, in 10 genres — is Leatherman & the Mojave Green, described as a homecoming of sorts for Kingi, as he returns to the rock music that first reeled him in.
Back in his teens it was rock bands who had either emerged hard baked from the rock and sand or recorded in the Mojave Desert (Kyuss, QOTSA, Eagles of Death Metal) who inspired him, so it was the desert sun he turned to when it was time to record this album — in the home of desert rock, Joshua Tree, in Rancho de la Luna studio.
Kingi says his album almost formed itself there, in the studio run by Dave Catching (QOTSA, Eagles of Death Metal, The Mojave Lords) — as the music borrowed "sweaty heat from the sand, eclectic melodies from the sunlit mountains, ancient rhythms from sacred caves and a sharp pointy punch from the Joshua Tree cactus".
The new album was not the only result of his wanderings, Kingi was asked to write and perform a song with Catching on a forthcoming Rancho De La Lunas 30th anniversary album, alongside many of his musical heroes. And he will now play shows in Vegas and LA with those same musicians.
Leatherman & the Mojave Green tells myriad stories, one in particular about the Sunshine Community Cult tattooing their eyeballs so they can stare at the sun and receive its many blessings, he says.
The album is accompanied by a four-part making-of documentary series, Troy Kingi’s Desert Hikoi, directed by Tom Hern, to screen on TVNZ+ next year.
Q What is it about this music in particular, music from the Mojave Desert, that first hooked you in and still speaks to you?
A Not exactly sure. All I know is the sound coming from the desert was very particular — peculiar, fresh, unique, untethered — but I think most of all it sounded free and disconnected to anything else I had heard before.
Q The 10 10 10 project is ambitious to say the least, and you’ve said before this album you were "waning, struggling creatively with were to go to next". How did being at Rancho De La Lunas turn that around for you?
A You’d be surprised at how inspiring it is to literally stand in the footsteps of those you revere as musical gods. You had no choice but to rise to the occasion, and in the case of Rancho, create your own story to add to its already rich heritage.
Q You say this is the most aggressive sound you’ve ever created. Was that also influenced by the physical environment you were in? And did that also feed into the storytelling in this set of songs?
A This album is 100% about the environment, the desert, Rancho and all its history, and the people.
Q Does the 10 10 10 project build upon itself, with each album drawing lessons from the ones that have gone before, and if so, how? Conversely, is there a process of unlearning that you have to go through, before embarking on a new genre?
A I definitely feel like I gain a new feather in my songwriting cap with every passing project. This album in particular was all about resurfacing the nostalgic feelings I have for this genre, that I garnered a good two decades ago. But, yes, you’re absolutely right, it’s mostly a case of unlearning and being present, current, inside the album I’m working on at the time.
Q While working on the album you were asked to write and perform a song with Dave Catching on a forthcoming Rancho De La Lunas 30th anniversary album. How did that come about and how was the experience?
A I think it was day three or four when he asked me — I think he admired my work ethic and spontaneous spirit. Who really knows — but what an honour to be a part of the whole thing
Q This album is also accompanied by a documentary series. Why did you want to have this story told in particular?
A Always a hidden agenda, for one — the documentary is what funded our trip so there’s that, but also to capture a Māori in the states trying to reclaim his mojo — who doesn’t wanna see that?
Probably the main reason though was to work with Tom Hern and Tavake. He’s such an amazing story teller and I’ve been an admirer of his work for a while.
Q This is album number eight in your 10 10 10 project, and given it is music that’s particularly close to your heart, how does it rate against the other seven, or is that like asking to choose your favourite child?
A For me this has to be number one — the most fun I’ve had creating an album and it just goes hard.
Q How are you feeling about albums nine and 10? Still thinking you’ll then retire to the garden?
A I’m excited about the last two in the series. Everything’s already been set in motion so I’m just gonna enjoy the process. Yes, that’ll be the end of the Troy Kingi saga, but really only the beginning of my musical exploits.
The gig
•Troy Kingi and The Cactus Handshake play Errick’s, Dunedin, Friday Sept 13.
