LUNG

Rip It Up, Issue 182, 1 September 1992, Page 7

LUNG

IN EUROPE ANDTHE US

where Palmerston North based power grangers Lung have recorded two albums in the past couple of years. Guitarist Dave White spent some time here in Europe in 1989 and, while in England, managed to organise.the production of the Live Stomach CD for the Clear (as they then were). Then came a name change and a new album Cactii. Now they're back in Amsterdam, the city which inspired Dave to call their label Yellow Bike Records. As I speak to him, Dave has just finished sound checking for the night's gig at club Korsakoff. It's the first night before a continental audience. He's not too daunted by the prospect.

"Coming to Holland after Brooklyn was like walking into your aunty's living room. When we arrived here we were absolute wrecks, but we've had a few days to recover." The hour and a half set time is the only thing worrying him tonight. "In America we never played for more than a half an hour. They have huge lineups — about five or

six bands — it's best to play in the middle. If you play first, then there's no-one there; and if you play at the end then everyone has gone home. Fortunately we booked through these people called Rave. They were enthusiastic enough to get us on to some good bills. They even gatecrashed some for us — so we ended up staying longer than we had planned. Maxwell's was the highlight though. It was with Pavement —their homecoming gig after touring oyer here."

Tonight, it's Lung by themselves. Dave is worried whether the PA is going to do his guitar justice. He grumbles to the others about the lack of "digitals" on the desk. Being a three piece makes Lung a compact touring unit. They've never had need for a manager so the only thing they have to worry about is paying the soundman. "Look at him," Dave indicates a guy of about twenty, looking pretty cool, "Until a month ago, he'd hardly been outside Palmerston, now he gets more attention than any of us. In the States, they treat musicians pretty well. We went into this bar and got free drinks from the barmaid until four in the morning. We weren't even playing there — it was just because we were musicians from overseas."

But they didn't just come over to play rock stars. They've got a record to promote and without the comfort of record company support, they know it's all down to their own efforts. It's the height of the summer holidays over here and venues in Holland and Germany are paying good performance fees. If they keep their expenses down then the band will be able to make a modest profit on the tour. But it's the record sales that are the icing on the cake. Cactii is being distributed in England and Germany by an outfit called Plastic Head Records and they've already managed to sell more in both of these countries in two months than in eight months in New Zealand.

Lung have also managed to get their video (produced in Auckland by Axeman Stuart Paige) screened on MTV in Europe. It's more than TVNZ ever did and every little bit helps in a market this big. At Korsakoff tonight the crowd is a pretty healthy size by New Zealand standards. They respond to the music but the rules of music appreciation are different over here. As soon as Lung finish, the DJ puts on a Led Zeppelin song and then plays some Yes. It's hard to see where Lung fit in where "alternative" club patrons jive to the sounds of 70s supergroups. The Dutch leg of the tour is to be followed by a stint in England and then Germany and Belgium. Dave White is keeping his eyes on the prize. "We're on a mission really. Bailter Space started it — showing that New Zealand music doesn't have to sound like the Chills."

MATTHEW TETLEY-JONES