Minuit started life as a covers band playing in Nelson bars, this November it will end as one of New Zealand’s finest electronic bands with five original albums and plenty of great memories.
Ruth Carr, Paul Dodge and Ryan Beehre are calling a day on their 15 year-old band with four gigs around New Zealand, the first in Nelson on November 1.
Ryan says the time is right to close the book on Minuit. Paul and Ruth now live in Wellington and have just adopted a child and Ryan is working on several other musical projects here in Nelson.
He says they began working together in Nelson with Ryan playing guitar, Ruth on drums and Paul on bass. Then along came electronic bands like the Prodigy and Chemical Brothers and Ryan began to experiment on a newly-bought sampler he picked up from Begg’s Musicworks. “The guy from Begg’s said with this machine I could produce something like what the Prodigy were doing,” says Ryan. “I was so naïve and green about it all, but still keen to learn how to do it.”
Those experiments led to a new sound and new style of music that didn’t require a drummer, says Ryan. “We then morphed into this electronic band and Ruth came out from behind the drums and became the singer and boom – we had Minuit.”
But it took the Nelson trio four years to write and produce their debut album. The process from Nelson covers band to an international quality original act wasn’t easy, but Ryan says it was well worth it when the album came out.
“Because we were in Nelson it was all very DIY, it took some time for us to get out of town, play some gigs and get noticed.
“But to finally get the album done and to be really happy with it was such a major step up. That was huge, and huge in the fact that it was received so well. It did exceed our expectations and it was hugely satisfying. It was also very different to anything that was on the New Zealand music scene at the time.”
Then came the tours, the music videos and the stories.
Ryan says playing in Europe was a highlight, although he may not have thought so at the time. “The memory of them is really good but at the time it was a bit of a struggle. But thinking back on it, all those adventures that we had were priceless. The experiences – the good and the bad – it’s so good to think back on those and say ‘yeah, we did that. We went to Russia and carted all our gear down the street and on the subway for two and a half hours, because it was the only way to get to a gig.’”
Ryan expects all those memories to come flooding out during their final shows in Auckland, Christchurch, Wellington and Nelson, in November. But the time is right to end the Minuit journey and start afresh. “I feel this is a really good thing that we’re doing. We haven’t played together since New Year’s Eve, and this tour is just a way to say thank you to everybody who has been involved with what Minuit has been and to say goodbye”
The Nelson concert is on November 1 at the Granary at Founders Heritage Park. Tickets are $35 from Ticket Direct or the Theatre Royal.
