Interview: Wax Chattels - 'Clot' Album Release Tour

Starting this weekend Wax Chattels will be barreling down the country with their sophomore album Clot, crashing through Pōneke, Tāmaki, Ōtepoti and Ōtautahi this month and next. Clot is the trio's second album in a row to be nominated for a Taite Music Prize, and it created waves through the Aotearoa music scene for its inimitable, electrifying gnarliness and undeniable fury. Co-vocalist and bass feedback wrangler of the band, Amanda Cheng, took a bit of time out of her busy schedule to answer a few of my prying questions. Why will this tour be Wax Chattels' last for a while? What musical influences lead her to find the hypnotising, noisy factor she adds to the band? What's the best drink pairing to a Wax Chattels gig? All that and more revealed in the interview below...

Undertheradar proudly presents...

Wax Chattels Clot Album Release Tour

Friday 18th June - San Fran, Wellington w/ Dateline, Soft Plastics*
Friday 25th June - Galatos, Auckland w/ Hans Pucket, Babyteeth
Friday 30th July - Dive, Dunedin*
Saturday 31st July - Wunderbar, Christchurch*

*Tickets on sale HERE via UTR

Annabel Kean: When and how did you get into playing 'Wax Chattels style' bass?

Amanda Cheng: I actually played bass with a pick for the first time for Wax Chattels! Prior to that I just played with hands or upright bass at jazz school. In the early 2000s I was obsessed with a bass / drums duo that had DISTORTED BASS driven songs and thought, I will find the right pedal for this one day...

What music were you listening to as a teen?

Pre-teen: Elemeno P
Early teen Yeah Yeah Yeahs, In Flames
Mid teens: Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Bloc Party, Metric
Late teens: Yeah Yeah Yeahs, The Raveonettes, everything Kim Gordon, The Kills
Very late teens: Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Portishead, Wild Nothing, Warpaint, Animal Collective

What sort of music had you written pre-Wax Chattels?

Thankfully, it's a secret!

Where does the title 'Clot' come from?

It was actually the name of one of the songs but we thought it would make a great album title. We didn't want a titular track, so had to change the song's name, though. Similar to how we named the band, we wanted something that sounded angular.

How does Wax Chattels choose which bands to play support? And can you tell me yet who the supports are for this tour?

Tomorrow at San Fran we will be joined by female-driven powerhouses Dateline and Soft Plastics. Next week at Galatos we get to play with (one of my favourite musicians, Amelia's) Babyteeth and bffs Hans Pucket! South Island supports to be announced ;)

We like to play with bands whose music we are into and think would be a good "vibe" fit. If we haven't seen the bands personally before, we ask around for good live reviews.

These shows will be the last for Wax Chattels for a while. What are the three of you doing after the tour?

Giving each other a hug! Tom will continue to get straight As on the second degree he is currently pursuing at uni. Peter has a little (huge) something something for your ears soon. I will be heading to New York to do a one-year Masters in Law.

Can you please provide a drink pairing suggestion for Wax Chattels gig attendees?

Peter reckons filter coffee (get jittery for the gig, ya know). If you must drink coffee, I reckon a piccolo followed by Live+ followed by a beverage starting with Pil, ending with Ner. Unsure if I would actually drink these in succession.

'Clot' is out now via Captured Tracks & Flying Nun Records.