Video: Skux - On Her Way (UTR Premiere)

Skux is the newly emerged musical project helmed by Auckland-based artist Ayisha Jaffer, who is joined by members of local acts Kip McGrath, Trust Punks, and Surf City to cook up catchy pop tunes that reflect her life-long love of punk and the riot grrrl movement. Hot on the heels of unveiling double A-sided single  The Two Sides Of She, Jaffer is now letting loose the fun clip for 'On Her Way', directed by Reuben Stuart and Breeze O'Connor. Check out the clip and then read our interview with Ayisha below...

First off, who/what is Skux?

According to a long, philosophical debate about the term amongst several people in my lounge, the term was made for the now All Black, Ma'a Nonu in the late 90s/early 2000s because of how skux he was-- they needed to make a term for him. Skux is a New Zealand slang term and by the prior explanation it originated out of Wellington. According to Urban Dictionary it means "playa, gangsta, a well dressed man, is an insult or a person who is a pro in the affairs of people." I remember touring with a Kiwi artist and around the world on this tour, Kiwi fans would get in the front row and yell "You're skux as bro!" to the artist. It sounds like such an aggressive term, but one I really liked and the fact that it originates from New Zealand but could be interpreted universally is pretty great. All of its various and conflicting meanings sound pretty punk to me. Get the fact checkers out errybody.

Who is Skux? I'm told it's almost a Dave Grohl situation. It started as a personal writing project of my own in conjunction with Dan Walker of the Death Set. I was urged to write new music as a pressure from a prior project called I Eat Paint. Dan and I wrote a batch of songs together and then I felt the urge to play out live instead of from just the studio and asked a bunch of unicorns that I met randomly to be part of the band. Apparently a group of unicorns is called a 'blessing' so my blessing of unicorns consists of Timothy Berry on guitar, Paul Brown on bass, and Mike Ellis on drums and together we've now made a whole new batch of songs and thus a band was formed.

You've described 'On Her Way’ as a song about 'the travelling woman'. As an American living in NZ what has been the biggest cultural adjustment?

As I've been here for a bit, I have been through many cultural adjustments like realising people weren't saying "Sweet ass" although.... driving on the opposite side of the road, going on adventures where nothing can kill you, people being so trusting, and the list goes on. I have loved every difference and learned so much. I think currently the toughest cultural adjustment for me is a slight difference of how I communicate with people. I'm learning a new language. Being direct and reading subtext, it's all a dance but one I'll learn!

How does the video tie into the lyrical theme?

I guess I could make something up and tell you that this video perfectly right into the theme of the song but it's definitely a loose, loose fit. This video is a mixed ode to Scooby Doo and the music videos of the 80s and 90s that vaguely make sense but are highly entertaining. Those are the music videos that got me into music in the first place. I sat and watched MuchMusic Canada + MTV so much as a kid that I could probably have been mistaken for some sort of inanimate object.

I have my own interpretation of what is going on in this video, there's obviously a thematic marshmallow thing going on but I'd like to leave that representation up to the viewer.

We were all always on our way, whether we knew it or not in this video.

Tell us, what’s the key to the perfect roasted marshmallow??

DO NOT LET IT CATCH COMPLETELY ON FIRE!
Be patient and let it roast for a hot minute or two, making sure to rotate all sides.
You want that fluff n puff to melt all gooey n stuff.
Otherwise you won't want s'more.
I know, I'm lame.

What’s on the cards for Skux moving forward?

Currently we're working on releasing an EP before the end of the year. And we intend to play some shows all over New Zealand this summer if you'll let us and travel to the next summer in the other hemisphere.

There's more music and shenanigans.
My dream is to play The Mussel Inn.


Skux will be supporting The Coathangers at their Auckland show this Friday 30th September, head over here for more information and to buy tickets.