Mark Sultan is something of an underground legend in the garage rock community. Highly regarded by critics for his Sam Cooke-style vocals and prowess as a one-man band Sultan, born Mark Antonio Pepe, is perhaps best known for his role as one half of the King Khan & BBQ Show, a Canadian garage rock duo, to which he contributed vocals, guitar and kick and snare drum.
A prolific performer and composer, Sultan has also been a member of the Mighty Defenders (a collaboration with Atlanta-based flower punk band the Black Lips, recorded after the band fled India to avoid police), Les Sexareenos, Mind Controls, The Ding Dongs and the Spacesh*ts, while still releasing music under his own names and alias.
While most his work falls under the broad umbrella of ''garage'' or ''punk'', Sultan has also dabbled in folk, blues, and gospel during his career.
Before his string of New Zealand dates, falling as part of his seemingly never-ending world tour, Sultan has released a new single, Oh, Summertime.
Taken from his latest live/one-take album The War on Rock and Roll, which is available free from his website, the track sees Sultan preparing himself for the changing of the seasons.
''I smelled the summer coming and it got the shadows on my brain moving long enough to pay it some respect,'' he told Rolling Stone magazine.
''Being Canadian, after a long winter, I tend to romanticise the summer as a time of colour, hobo-sensuality, warmth, water and love. But I always forget the reality - it almost always ends up stoking the fires of chaos in my soul, bumming me out or making me crazy.''
He'll love Dunedin then, won't he?
• Having performed with the likes of Cassette, Lawrence Arabia, Bachelorette and Samuel Scott (Phoenix Foundation), drummer Craig Terris has already contributed much to New Zealand's musical output.
Late last year, however, Terris stepped out from behind the kit to release his debut solo album Bleat Your Heart Out.
Recorded over three years between tours and recording sessions for other artists, Bleat Your Heart Out follows on from Terris' role as a backing vocalist in country outfit Cassette.
Mixing baroque elements with the more straight up alt-pop and country, which will be familiar to fans of the Phoenix Foundation, it's a lush, exuberant first effort from the seasoned performer.
See it, hear it
• BBQ/Mark Sultan (Canada), Tuesday, June 18, Queens, 1 Queens Garden. Free with your activated 2013 Onecard ($10 without). Download Mark Sultan's latest album, The War on Rock and Roll, for free via his website, marlsultan.com
• Craig Terris ''Bleat Your Heart Out'' Album Release Tour, tonight, at Chick's Hotel, Port Chalmers. Door sales only, doors open at 9pm. The Chick's Hotel Magic Bus will depart from Countdown and OUSA as per usual.
