Shedheads: Nelson’s funk-rock revolution

In celebration of this year’s 25th New Zealand Music Month, Nelson Weekly is interviewing local musicians throughout May. This week Kate Russell speaks to JP Moynihan, who is the vocalist and bass player for local band Shedheads, along with Ryan Smith on guitar and Shoei Ito on drums. The funk-rock trio formed at Nelson College in 2022, and now aged 17 and 18, they have just released their new single Loathing with an album on the way.

How would you describe your sound to someone who’s never heard you?
It’s quite hard to give our sound justice when describing it, but we have a very upbeat, energetic, funky, 80s-90s rock vibe. The best description I have heard is that we encompass a kaleidoscope of genres with a modern alternative influence.

What’s the story behind your band name?
Our name came about from our humble beginnings, where we would practice in a red tractor shed that has been turned into a practice space. After using a lot of imagination and creativity, we adopted the shed’s character into the identity of the band and forged the name, Shedheads. Even today, the shed is at the heart of our band, and we still rehearse there regularly.

Who are your biggest musical influences?
We all draw from different musical areas, which makes it hard to determine a general influence. Currently, we draw from Muse, Alice in Chains, Tool, System of a Down, and The Police. But if we had to choose one over the rest, it would have to be our day one inspiration, Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Tell us about your latest release
Our latest release is a single called Loathing. Loathing has been a project of ours for a while now, and we are very happy with how it has turned out, thanks to Jack Rollinson, who produced and mastered the song with amazing quality. Loathing is a more Brit-pop orientated song about experiencing the cycles of love and loss, and the uncertainty you feel when you find new love.

Are there any upcoming concerts and releases we should look out for?
We have just finished recording our first album, and we are finishing up producing and mastering the last few songs. We are also getting ready for some gigs, including a performance with Imperfect Circles in August at The Boathouse. We are also trying to arrange some collaborative concerts with the Boondocks and Powder Chutes who are both currently touring the country.

What’s been your favourite live performance so far?
We have got a few performances under our belt now, which makes it hard to choose a favourite. For Shoei, it was our JB Hi-Fi grand opening performance, where with the help of a fellow musician and guitarist, Grace Palmer, we were able to win the opportunity to open for Papercity, Tiki Taane, and Drax Project at Appleby Vibes. Appleby Vibes is mine and Ryan’s personal favourite.

Where do you see the band in the next 5 years?
Over the next couple of years, we are hoping to have multiple albums under our belt and be in a position to tour and get a good start in the New Zealand music scene, as well as getting our songs onto the charts both nationally and internationally.

Any dream venues or festivals you’d love to play?
Our dream festivals to perform at would include the local Rhythm and Vines, Rhythm and Alps, and Jim Beam Homegrown. But we also dream of performing at Pink Pop and Lollapalooza overseas.

If you could collaborate with any artist, who would it be?
It would only be fair to say that our dream collaboration would be with the Red Hot Chili Peppers, who we have to thank for our funky up-beat sound.

You can listen to Shedheads on Spotify and Apple Music.