Lean On E

Rip It Up, Issue 123, 1 October 1987, Page 6

Lean On E

In Auckland recently playing a couple of gigs, Three Leaning Men admit that coming from Manawatu doesn’t rate too highly in the credibility stakes. “When we come to a city like Auckland to play, people tend to think we’re just a bunch of country hicks," says guitarist Lindsay Gregg. “That’s why it’s so important that people have already heard of us and our music, or only about 20 people would turn up." The four “Leanies," as they’re locally dubbed, take a professional attitude to the presentation of their music. Their album Fun in the Key of E, brought out on Meltdown Records, is well-produced, with an intriguing cover by Fane Flaws and accompanied by an impressive press kit. So do the Leanies take their music seriously? "We try to be as tight and professional as possible when we

play, but we’re doing it mainly to have a good time and for the audience to as well," says Lindsay. “We like doing fun things. We’re not angry young men. I think it’s quite funny when people walk around being angry with snarls on their faces. It must be a youth thing. Welikeagood time." Chirpy

This attitude is reflected in the band’s chirpy tunes and mildmannered sound, which some could describe as watered-down Go Betweens.

“Yeah our record has already been called wimpy,” admits singer/guitarist Greg MalcolmBoelee. “But that’s just the easy way out for people who can’t be bothered listening to it properly. “We could always put some antiChrist symbols on the next record cover to shut them up," he suggests.

Having Palmerston North as a home town would be seen as a major handicap in some people’s eyes, but it hasn’t prevented Three Leaning Men from releasing a professional first album and video.

“Yeah, and I could buy some Black Mask symbols for a more demonic look,” adds drummer Nigel Corbett. “Whoever calls us wimpy should go and see us live and they’d change their minds,” says bassist Alan Gregg, formerly of the Remarkables. “We sound different live —- rawer. I think a band’s live sound should be different from the record. I like the way you can hear all the instruments on our record."

They’re pleased with the sound quality of the record, which was recorded at Palmerston North’s 16track Dolphin Studio, and mixed at Marmalade in Wellington. Catalyst behind organising the band is Mr Meltdown Peter Shepherd, who had forsaken this interview to go and watch rugby. I’m sure no Wellington band would admit having such a politically unsound manager, but then the

Leanies have no deep message they want to convey to their audience, although they regard their lyrics as important. Some of their songs are poems Greg has written, and he is releasing a book of poetry. "There's meaning in our lyrics for people who want to listen to them but we’re not trying to write political songs,” says Greg, "although we did have a no nukes song once.” Masculinity “There’s a lot of piss-take in our songs,” says Nigel, “like in ’Masculinity’.” A story about typical machoyobbo activities such as muscle flexing, listening to AC/DC, competing at school sports, . accompanied by a guitar solo, the irony of which may fail to penetrate your average Kiwi bloke’s skull. The band members share a diverse range of musical tastes. Greg, who’s doing a community arts course, listens to a lot of jazz, and Pere Übu’s David Thomas. Lindsay, manager of Radio Massey, is keen on the Residents; Alan, who works part-time in a record store, likes REM and Elvis Costello, while Nigel admires Steve Morris of Joy Division’s drumming and Hunters and Collectors. Number one local favourite is Sneaky. Feelings, with Straightjacket Fits and the Abel Tasmans also highly thought of. Their video has just been finished and was shot out the back of Otaki. It’s of ‘By Your Leave' from the LP and cost S2OOO to make, which the band think worthwhile. “At least it’ll get our name around so people have heard of us when we play a new town," says Lindsay. They intend to play around the North Island soon, and hopefully tour the South Island again as well. “One of the good things about living in Palmerston North is that it’s quite close to Hamilton, New Ply-

mouth and Wellington, which makes it easier and cheaper for touring,” says Alan. There are other advantages to living in a rural town of bodgy Ag students and foul weather, such as being able to produce a good quality record at a relatively low cost and getting good, cheap practice rooms. Opportunity But these don't outweigh the disadvantages such as lack of audience numbers and opportunity. “We can’t really play in Palmy more often than once every two months or everybody would get to know our songs too well, and we’d always have to be writing new ones,” says Greg. They accept that in the long run they’ll have to move to a bigger city if they are serious about their music. Wellington’s out because of the weather so it’ll probably be a move to Auckland to try. and win over the city’s thousands of music lovers. They see it as a move that will probably be a good step for them technically, as the more competitive music scene will force them to tighten up. Already the entire 250 copies from the first pressing of Fun in the KeyofEhave sold out, half of them at an innovative launch party whereby punters paid sl4 and got the LP, a jug of beer, and cheap admission to their gig the following night. Another 200 copies are being pressed and should sell as well. Pretty damn good for a “bunch of country hicks” who have achieved what many bands just talk about through dedication and hard work without getting waylaid by egos and ideals. “And whoever doesn’t like the record, we’ll punch them over,” says Nigel. Whoever said these Manawatu lads were wimps?

Sue Camden