land of the long white cloud

hey dudes and dudettes,

in case you didn’t know, we’re back in New Zealand and very happy to be here. Please excuse the long pause, we’ve been revelling in the pacific ocean, old friends and creamed clover honey for the past few weeks. It’s been lovely. Forgot how bright the light in NZ is, like being in a commercial for coloursafe detergent where colours just pop and crackle. Moved  life down to Wellington last week on the train from Auckland and are now living in the most beautiful home that feels like a ship nestled high in the side of a hill and overlooks the bay/heart of town. It’s perrrrrfect. With a honky tonk piano and a friendly ghost that plays records.

Fell in love with this city as soon as we stepped into a house on Wilson st. in Newtown last weekend and the kitchen was crowded with people (including real-life Mexican mystics in ponchos) singing “Down to the River to Pray” acapella style (you know, the gospel song made popular-ish by O Bro Where Art Thou). The night quickly evolved into a dance/jam session akin to my wildest fantasies of parties that Herbie Hancock would stage in his own living room. Complete with a fender rhodes keyboard. It restored my faith in jam sessions I tell you. Can’t get much better than a room full of people GETTING DOWN to themselves and eachother. huh. To top it off we met some friends-for-lifers and destiny scored yet another point.

Jake played his first show in town at Happy, a little venue with a lotta love and with a very talented line up of local musicians: Seth Frightening, Ashes of August, Peneloping. For all you spirograph afficionadoes, check out the poster.

And just in time for a bit of promo, the Kitchen Sink (Wellington’ friendliest gig guide) published an interview:

“We wrote a song called “Gravy Train” which was absolutely terrible, and after bombing the end of year dance party with some prepubescent Jimi Hendrix covers and not getting any girls, we decided that we’d never be as good as Silverchair and the band broke up.”

James Beavis interviews Jacob Perkins:
Musician.
Fool for internet scams.
Space age gypsy.

READ MORE…

Meanwhile, plans are underway for a new stop motion short, which we’ll be working on from June to July in France at the Performing Arts Forum (PAF), an ex-convent just northeast of Paris in a very tiny village. It’ll be nice to crack down and crank out a visual extravaganza that explores and celebrates the idea of Home.

Speaking of visual extravaganza, here are some treats from New Zealand