Paul Kean's guest appearances

Paul Kean

Stereo Embers: The Podcast

Lately

Garden of Sound

C86 Show - Indie Pop

Colin Blunstone

Donald Johnson

Kira Roessler

Juliana Hatfield

Jim Shepherd

Pat Fish

Cathal Coughlan

Justin Sullivan

Kristin Hersh

Tom Bailey

Jay Aston

Kevin Haskins

John Andrew Fredrick

Tav Falco

Jasmine Minks

OwlTail

Our fortnightly feature Kiwi Rules where we ask a New Zealand band or artist to play it forward and choose a song they like, while we play a track from them as well. Tonight Paul Kean is Karyn's Kiwi Rules guest, and he's chosen a few local tracks including Wurld Series, Ben Woods and The Flying Scorcerers.

Kiwi Rules - Paul Kean

"Electric Sea View"Well, it’s hard for us to think of a more charming, beguiling and altogether mysterious band than The Bats. The New Zealand outfit got their start in 1982 in Christchurch and their By Night EP in '84 was one of the first releases for the now legendary Flying Nun label. Flying Nun aren’t the only legendary ones in this conversation—The Bats fall into that category as well. With ten album under their belts, including classics like Silverbeet, The Law of Things and Free All The Monsters, The Bats remain one of the most consistently brilliant bands around. Although they’re based in NZ, over the course of their career they’ve toured the U.S. and Europe, including a stint opening for Radiohead.  Their CV also includes playing SXSW, garnering rave reviews from magazines ranging from Mojo to Uncut, being shortlisted for the prestigious Taite Music prize and playing in front of nearly 150,00 people for the free relief concert in Hagley Park after the 2010 Canterbury earthquake. The Bats sometimes take a year between records and other times they take ten. But no matter how long they take, their work just keeps shining with that unique Bats sound. Their new album Foothills might even be their best yet. Filled with sneaky rhythms, wistful melodies and poetic lyrics, the fact is The Bats have never sounded better. In this conversation with bassist and New Zealand Hall of Fame inductee Paul Kean, the subjects range from what’s kept the Bats lineup unchanged for 40 years, their admiration of Nirvana and editorial honesty within the ranks of the band.

"Electric Sea View" Well, it’s hard for us to think of a more charming, beguiling and altogether mysterious band than The Bats. The New Zealand outfit got their start in 1982 in Christchurch and their By Night EP in '84 was one of the first releases for the now legendary Flying Nun label. Flying Nun aren’t the only legendary ones in this conversation—The Bats fall into that category as well. With ten album under their belts, including classics like Silverbeet, The Law of Things and Free All The Monsters, The Bats remain one of the most consistently brilliant bands around. Although they’re based in NZ, over the course of their career they’ve toured the U.S. and Europe, including a stint opening for Radiohead. Their CV also includes playing SXSW, garnering rave reviews from magazines ranging from Mojo to Uncut, being shortlisted for the prestigious Taite Music prize and playing in front of nearly 150,00 people for the free relief concert in Hagley Park after the 2010 Canterbury earthquake. The Bats sometimes take a year between records and other times they take ten. But no matter how long they take, their work just keeps shining with that unique Bats sound. Their new album Foothills might even be their best yet. Filled with sneaky rhythms, wistful melodies and poetic lyrics, the fact is The Bats have never sounded better. In this conversation with bassist and New Zealand Hall of Fame inductee Paul Kean, the subjects range from what’s kept the Bats lineup unchanged for 40 years, their admiration of Nirvana and editorial honesty within the ranks of the band.

Stereo Embers The Podcast: Paul Kean (The Bats)

The Bats special with Paul Kean in conversation with David Eastaugh In the early 1980s, Robert Scott and Kaye Woodward were sharing accommodation together in Christchurch. Scott was already playing bass in The Clean, and had also played with bassist Paul Kean in the short-lived band, Thanks To Llamas. After Scott taught Woodward some of his songs, the three began playing together at parties as The Percy Taiwan Band. After recruiting Malcolm Grant of The Bilders on drums, they renamed themselves The Bats. The Bats first performed in Dunedin on New Year's Eve, 1982. Over the next two years, they were involved in the live music scene in Christchurch and Dunedin, before releasing their first EP, By Night (1984), on the nascent alternative New Zealand record label, Flying Nun. The band spent the next two years touring New Zealand and Australia, and released another EP, And Here Is 'Music for the Fireside' (1985). The band's early releases were accompanied by some typically low budget but original music videos, notably 'By Night', 'I Go Wild' and 'Downfall'. The band then travelled to Europe and spent time touring Britain and Germany, including playing support for Alex Chilton. They recorded the Made Up in Blue EP at the 24 track Point Studio in London in December 1985. 'Made Up in Blue', the first single released in the U.K. by Flying Nun, was awarded 'Single of the Week' by the influential British magazine, NME. An acquaintance in Glasgow offered the use of his home 8 track studio, and half of the tracks for what would become their debut album, Daddy's Highway, were recorded there. The Bats returned to New Zealand to finish recording for Daddy's Highway, which was released in 1987. The album has been named as their most highly regarded and one of the best New Zealand albums of the 1980s. In 2000, it was named No. 88 in music magazine Rip It Up's New Zealand's Top 100 Albums of All Time. Notable tracks on the album include "North By North", "Tragedy" and the lead single, "Block of Wood", all of which were staples on New Zealand student radio. The Bats' second album The Law of Things (1990) continued to define a consistent Bats sound. It featured Alastair Galbraith on violin, as did Daddy's Highway. In 1991, The Bats released Fear of God. It spent three months on the French top 50 album charts. Also in 1990, Flying Nun re-released the band's first three EPs on a single compilation CD, Compiletely Bats. The band found increasing success in the United States over this period. Between 1986 and 1993, The Bats toured the U.S.A four times, including 14 dates supporting Radiohead in 1993. Their fourth album, Silverbeet, reached No. 6 on the College Music Journal album chart. The Bats' next album, Couchmaster (1995), would prove to be their last for ten years.

The Bats special with Paul Kean in conversation with David Eastaugh In the early 1980s, Robert Scott and Kaye Woodward were sharing accommodation together in Christchurch. Scott was already playing bass in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Clean" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Clean</a>, and had also played with bassist Paul Kean in the short-lived band, Thanks To Llamas. After Scott taught Woodward some of his songs, the three began playing together at parties as The Percy Taiwan Band. After recruiting Malcolm Grant of The Bilders on drums, they renamed themselves The Bats. The Bats first performed in Dunedin on New Year's Eve, 1982. Over the next two years, they were involved in the live music scene in Christchurch and Dunedin, before releasing their first EP, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/By_Night_(EP)" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">By Night</a> (1984), on the nascent alternative New Zealand record label, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flying_Nun_Records" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Flying Nun</a>. The band spent the next two years touring New Zealand and Australia, and released another EP, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/And_Here_Is_%27Music_for_the_Fireside%27" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">And Here Is 'Music for the Fireside'</a> (1985). The band's early releases were accompanied by some typically low budget but original music videos, notably 'By Night', 'I Go Wild' and 'Downfall'. The band then travelled to Europe and spent time touring Britain and Germany, including playing support for <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alex_Chilton" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Alex Chilton</a>. They recorded the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Made_Up_in_Blue" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Made Up in Blue</a> EP at the 24 track Point Studio in London in December 1985. 'Made Up in Blue', the first single released in the U.K. by Flying Nun, was awarded 'Single of the Week' by the influential British magazine, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NME" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">NME</a>. An acquaintance in Glasgow offered the use of his home 8 track studio, and half of the tracks for what would become their debut album, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daddy%27s_Highway" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Daddy's Highway</a>, were recorded there. The Bats returned to New Zealand to finish recording for Daddy's Highway, which was released in 1987. The album has been named as their most highly regarded and one of the best New Zealand albums of the 1980s. In 2000, it was named No. 88 in music magazine <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rip_It_Up_(magazine)" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Rip It Up</a>'s New Zealand's Top 100 Albums of All Time. Notable tracks on the album include "North By North", "Tragedy" and the lead single, "Block of Wood", all of which were staples on New Zealand student radio. The Bats' second album <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Law_of_Things" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Law of Things</a> (1990) continued to define a consistent Bats sound. It featured <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alastair_Galbraith_(musician)" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Alastair Galbraith</a> on violin, as did Daddy's Highway. In 1991, The Bats released <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fear_of_God_(The_Bats_album)" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Fear of God</a>. It spent three months on the French top 50 album charts. Also in 1990, Flying Nun re-released the band's first three EPs on a single compilation CD, Compiletely Bats. The band found increasing success in the United States over this period. Between 1986 and 1993, The Bats toured the U.S.A four times, including 14 dates supporting Radiohead in 1993. Their fourth album, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silverbeet_(album)" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Silverbeet</a>, reached No. 6 on the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/College_Music_Journal" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">College Music Journal</a> album chart. The Bats' next album, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Couchmaster" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Couchmaster</a> (1995), would prove to be their last for ten years.

The Bats with Paul Kean 