Julian Temple Band are an alternative rock group based in Ōtepoti, Dunedin. With nearly two decades of writing, recording and touring to their name, Julian Temple Band are the personification of musical journeymen.
Centered around the gruff and husky vocal delivery from the group's name sake, Julian Temple Band's line up consists of layers of orchestral strings (Alex Vaatstra), delay-saturated guitars (Andy Straight), and slippery touches of keyboard and synthesisers (Logan Hampton) add a vast depth to the already incredibly tight foundation of funky jangling acoustic guitar and dark vocals (Julian Temple), thumping bass (Stephen Marshall) and precisely dynamic drumming (Paul McLennan-Kissel).
Today the Julian Temple Band have shared 'No Evil', the first single from their upcoming seventh studio album Tunnels, out September 22 digitally and on limited edition vinyl pressed by Aotearoa’s Holiday Records. Special note must be made of a rare Don McGlashan appearance, providing haunting tenor horns to the song Guilt.
“A fine craftsperson of song at work, a hot band, surprising arrangements and cool production” - David Kilgour, The Clean
The band is comprised of some of Dunedin’s heavyweight musicians. - Undertheradar
In fact the entire album feels like a trip – perhaps in more than one sense of the word. - Ambient Light
Julian Temple Band creates sprawling landscapes within their songs, their tunes are like sweat-soaked fever dreams; surreal hallucinations that leave you feeling as though you’re staggering through a slice of vast and desolate desert. - Happy Mag
No Evil sees Julian Temple Band hitting it with pace, with the track driven by a heady rhythm section and featuring vamping keys, off-kilter melodies as well as dueling guitar and violins!
“No Evil is a song about a dream that I had - a mystical artist painted my portrait and the final product depicted my face with no features, says Temple. When I got up and looked in the mirror my real face had no eyes, mouth, nose or ears. More of a nightmare I guess! The dream reminded me of the Japanese proverbial principal of ‘see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil’ depicted by the Three Wise Monkeys. It was my way of seeing a positive in such an unsettling dream. With no features on my face and no ears then I could be spared of evil things around me. The flip side of this was the glaring concept of ‘ignorance is bliss’. I wanted to portray a maniacal dream with a rambunctious and slightly unhinged sound.”
“Weirdly enough the song that I heard in my head before taking it the band basically turned out exactly how I’d imagined it. It was very clear what we wanted to do on No Evil and I think we pulled it off. I think the vocals were a one-take wonder as were a lot of the other parts.”
With the opportunity to tour in the coming weeks Temple notes that No Evil is one of our favourite songs to perform cause of its high energy and maniacal feel. It induces the crowd into a frenzy which is always awesome to see!”
Julian Temple Band are known for being road dogs, and they are living up to the hype with a 14 date tour through Aotearoa to celebrate the release of Tunnels. Their live show is powerful, with the band honing their craft through years of extensive touring of Australia and the USA.
Catch them:
September 22 - Silverstream Hotel, Kimbell
September 23 - Darkroom, Christchurch
September 29 - Swan Room, Invercargill
September 30 - New Athenaeum Theatre, Dunedin (2 x shows)
October 5 - Millerton Hall, West Coast
October 6 - Lyric Theatre, West Coast
October 7 - Mussel Inn, Takaka
October 13 - Redcliff Cafe, Te Anau
October 14 - Sherwood, Queenstown
October 27 - Moon, Wellington
October 28 - Wine Cellar, Auckland
Tickets are available from Undertheradar, grab your ticket before they’re gone!
