On a wave of success

ALICE COWDREY

READY TO ROCK: Tahuna Breaks say they are keen to road-test some new material over the summer.

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The funk-fuelled grooves of Auckland band Tahuna Breaks will bring a taste of summer to Nelson tomorrow night. Alice Cowdrey reports.

Things are moving onwards and upwards for Tahuna Breaks.

The band's bursting-at-the-seams formula of up-beat reggae, funk and soul has summoned Kiwis on to their feet during exuberant live gigs across the nation – and the party isn't over yet, says vocalist and guitarist Marty Greentree.

"We just want to get better.

"There's definitely at least another album in us because every time we do an album, it always feels like there's unfinished business.

"Everyone is keen and just wants to get stuck into writing new tunes and the over-riding feeling that everyone has is that the best of Tahuna Breaks is yet to come."

A machine is whirring in the background as the 32-year-old takes a call from The Nelson Mail about how life has been for the band since last year's successful release of the album Black, Brown and White.

Greentree is "quietly stoked" with how well it's been received. He reckons it's the sort of music Kiwis want to listen to during long hot days of summer. "The album kind of came about from just playing summer tours in beach spots and that sort of thing. The album was just developed live and we pretty much went straight off the road and into the studio and recorded. We were in and out in two weeks."

Since the release, things have been chaotic with tours, festivals and a stint in Australia. Juggling is Greentree's forte – he is between a young family, the band and a fulltime job at a water filter business to pay the mortgage.

It's been a mellow winter, however, and although the band is ready to get back on stage, it's taking it a bit more slowly this year.

"We won't rush anything – we are just going to take our time and slowly work up some new tunes.

"We have a couple of ideas we are toying with and will unleash on this tour – road-test a little bit and see what works and what doesn't."

Greentree says the band will stick with its "live direction" – keeping it upbeat, funky and party-like.

He says that it's always a challenge for the band's eight members to get together and rehearse but they set aside Tuesday and Thursday nights to do that.

The Auckland-based group, formed in January 2005, celebrated the release of their debut album Re-flections in October 2007. Since then, their popularity has exploded and the band has shared the stage with Fat Freddy's Drop, Salmonella Dub, Tiki Live, Katchafire, Kora and The Black Seeds.

Greentree is rapt. "Everything seems to be building. Everything we do, every year, seems to be a progression from the previous year or the last project. As long as we feel like we are making gains, big or small, like we are moving forward and keen, we will just keep going.

"We are happy but we are still not quite satisfied with what we are producing, so as long as we have got that sort of drive, we will keep going until we nail it."

• Tahuna Breaks play at the Phat Club on September 3. Door sales are $20 from 10pm.

- © Fairfax NZ News