Good Time
Our first ever single
It’s almost here
Written, recorded and ready for release
Good Time… One song,…one truly incredible journey…..
Jude Collings
a loving, loved wife
a loyal, loved friend
a nurturing, loved mother
a caring, loved school teacher
a passionate, loved White Chapel Jak follower…
Jude Collings
a truly amazing young lady who we were incredibly lucky and grateful to meet…
Jude Collings
a shining ray of deliciously warm light and love who has, after a long and courageous fight, succumbed to the terminal cancer that invaded her body…
Meeting people. This is naturally a huge part of what we do and it has grown into a segment of our music life that we honestly, whole heartedly love. Each and every week we are gifted with time, conversations and insights into the stories of the most wonderful souls of Aotearoa. Each and every human we meet enriches our lives that bit more. Jude Collings is someone special. Someone who very generously chose to share some of her precious little remaining time on earth with us and whilst doing so, shared so openly, intimately and lovingly that the impact was huge and shall never be forgotten by any of us.
From the outset, we knew that Jude was going to be someone significant to us even before meeting her. This was based on the huge amount of contact we received from various people around the country detailing their love for this amazing friend and whanau member who was inbound to a WCJ show, despite the finality and proximity of her terminal diagnosis. Seeing the amount of loving, determined contact we received, the surprise trips from friends afar to be with Jude and the sheer amount of protective aroha expressed by everyone who reached out to us was cause to be prepared for something special. Jude turned out to be every bit of that special we expected and then some.
“Stars don’t shine because they want o be seen; they shine because they are stars.” - Alexander den Heijer
Nurses talk sometimes of how privileged they are to share the latter stages of another persons journey. This is something that can be difficult to fathom when we think about dealing with someones departure, the sadness and associated fears but the time that Jude very generously shared with us taught us a little bit about that perspective. Understanding that this beautiful soul had very little time left in our world and that she would choose to spend some of that with us in the first instance feels like an immeasurable gift. No amount of money can buy that one irreplaceable thing. ..someones time.
Whilst meeting her and sharing a small amount of this precious, precious remaining life was an emotional experience, it also became a gift of sheer beauty. Despite all that she had been through and still had to face, Jude held herself with shining grace. She expressed nothing but gratitude for all of the people, experiences and aroha in her life and the time she has had. She spoke openly of her life, it’s imminent end and her journey with cancer and through all of this the strongest feelings conveyed were those of love and gratitude. The sheer courage and intimacy of all that she shared and the overwhelming sense of aroha as she spoke, was something invaluable. A beautiful gift. As nurses say, an absolute privilege.
‘The time to do what is right is always right’ - Martin Luther King
Our shows have grown in size and continue to do so. We love that they do. As they grow and the spaces that we play in fill up with more and more people our dream and focus is that every White Chapel Jak show should be a safe, welcoming space for everyone. EVERYONE. The world is currently fraught with enough challenges and we would absolutely love our shows to be a collective haven where people (as we are all the same and just that…people) can relax and enjoy being themselves safely and without fear of judgement or conflict even if only for a little while. We promise to give everything we have to this dream at each and every show and we are confident this is possible no matter how large the event. But the shows are growing in size and we do need some help.
And so we ask YOU faithful, supporter and reader for your help with creating a loving environment for all whenever share some cherished time together.
When a show is full, space is tight and there might be a stranger next to you. Let’s all take a brief moment and remember that this stranger, our fellow human being next to you has a life, a story, love and suffering of their own. They could be someone in a situation like that of Jude Collings. They could be a whanau member or a friend of someone in a similar position and this is their night, their moment to let their hair down and simply feel good for a little while. Regardless, we are all present for the same reason. To share some treasured time, some music, some laughter and love. This is irrespective of gender, race, sexuality, age or appearance. We are all humans bound together with too little time and that time should be spent loving one another. Jude was able to express this love in the face of the utmost confronting of situations. Despite her three and a half year battle, sixty six courses of chemo treatment to be followed with a short terminal diagnosis, Jude lived. She gave of herself, she danced, laughed and cried but most of all…she loved. Wholely, honestly and without fear and so perhaps, we should be inspired to learn to express a little more love in the smallest of situations and gestures. Don’t see the stranger next to you with the crazy dance moves, see the PERSON next to you, see their story, see their light and maybe try a smile, a hello or possibly even invite some conversation. Who knows, we may just get to share some very precious time with an incredible soul like Jude and have our lives that bit more enriched. At worst, we take steps towards creating a safe, loving environment for everyone. Now wouldn’t that be something special!?
Jude Collings
A star, our star. Now twinkling with all the other shimmering stars in the sky sharing their light with the world because that’s what stars do. They shine bright in the darkest of skies for us all because they are stars. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts for sharing with us your time, your grace, your courage and your light. We thank you for showing us how to love in the face of absolute adversity. This is an immeasurable gift that we shall cherish and do our absolute best to share in your honour.
Let’s all start sharing that gift together…
we can start right now…
with the person next to us…
Thank you Jude
Shine on
I’m tired Boss
Covid 19
A strange pairing. A word and a number. Mere months ago, the combination would have seemed just that.
Covid, 19
A word, a number. Meaningless.
Now however this term, this virus, has become a part of our everyday lives and it carries with it a weight that is more than just meaning. Covid 19 now bears an overarching impact in physical, mental and emotional realms. It is a sickness with serious health implications, it is controversy, it is fear, it is isolation and it is emotionally draining. Financially, for many it has been crippling….on a global scale and it’s not over yet. This crazy word/number combination, this surreal state of being that is readily being termed our ‘new normal’ is here to stay and any sane person should surely be forgiven for feeling somewhat overwhelmed by the current state of the world. Regardless of your belief on government decisions pertaining to this pandemic or perhaps, your beliefs in what might be the reality outside of mainstream media reports, the impacts of the word/number combination covid 19 are undeniably real. People have struggled, countless jobs have been lost, businesses have gone under and people, over one million of them in fact, have died. Our world is a little broken.
Here in New Zealand the response to Covid 19 from the government was swift with a strong focus on preventative measures. From that we have definitely seen and experienced some positives. There was a general sense of banding together as us Kiwi’s tend to do as we entered into our first lockdown period. Streets that were previously heavy in traffic became peaceful and instead of cars, walkers, runners and families became the common sight. This also fed into a stronger sense of community in many areas. Neighbours that may have been strangers suddenly became familiar faces, waves were exchanged, conversations held from a distance and there was an overall sense of connection with everyone sharing similar experiences. Businesses were forced into implementing structures that allowed people to work from home. From this many found that not only was there no loss in productivity but actually, an increase and a better sense of well being and happiness amongst employees. Whanau connected. People rested. In the new found peace, wildlife and plants flourished amongst the lack of carbon fuels and condensed human environments. It almost felt as if the earth was sending us her guide to how we can fix some of what we’ve broken around the world.
I’m tired boss. Mostly, I’m tired of people being ugly to each other - Jon Coffey - The Green Mile
Sadly though, there has also been the types of behaviour that are not of those to be proud of. We have seen the slandering of politicians with useless derogatory statements that serve no productive purpose. There has been fear mongering and criticisms. There were fights in supermarket and liquor store lines where elderly were pushed aside in throes of anger and desperation. Then there was the unforgiveable ostracising of people and communities. Perhaps the worst case of this was related to a Pasifika family who contracted Covid 19 as it it resurfaced in NZ. The amount of misinformation and vitriol that surrounded this story was heartbreaking. Baseless rumours that were insidious and social media comments that were ignorant, spiteful and downright racist. It is shameful. It is also behaviour that has stretched beyond this story with many abusive, isolating comments and actions slung carelessly about the country. This is not who we are, it is not who we need to be and it does nothing to steer us towards a path of fixing ourselves so that we might slowly mend the world.
But we believe there is light and a pathway forwards. It is also not a complicated one at it’s core.
The White Chapel Jak whanau are incredibly lucky in that we are consistently exposed to the best in human nature and this has never been more evident than through this pandemic. The level of support we have received from you all has been monumental. Gifts of beer, bubbles, wine, merchandise purchases, donations and love. Most overwhelming however, has been the aroha in the messages and emails we have received. You have shown the sheer brilliance in the shine of humanity at it’s most beautiful. You have filled our hearts with joy and in doing so, you have helped us through our journey and personal challenges that covid has instilled in the music industry and inspired us to share love with others. Surely, this is who we are and how we move forwards together. These acts of kindness, of love could be spread quite simply beyond any bounds if we just seek to do so. We can do this in a way that costs nothing but a little effort. A chat with and a thank you to your courier driver who has worked tirelessly through every lock down whilst many have been at home connecting with whanau. Watch the smile this adds to their day. Your grocery delivery person, the local dairy owner, supermarket checkout staff, mechanics, all the unsung heroes whom have driven us through our lockdown periods with hard work and personal sacrifice. A smile, a thank you. An acknowledgement. The acts can be small but repeated, their effects huge.
We need to fix the world but just like any relationship, we need to first fix ourselves. Maybe the bandaid we start with is sharing simple acts of kindness. You have already shown us this works. You have helped us start to heal. Now let’s go out and heal a few more wounds together.
Covid 19
A strange pairing. A word and a number. A global pandemic. A test.
A choice.
Do we choose to heal ourselves and mend the world?
Yes,
we do.
The world is a little broken, she can’t remember her face
Her keepers are a touch unwell, they’ve lost sight of their place
But the broken could be fixed, the earth might find her zen
If only her keepers could unite, to make them well again - WCJ
This is cheesy, but…
I know you guys are busy and probably don’t have time, but….
I’m sure you don’t want to hear about my sad story, but…..
This probably sounds silly, but…..
As we travel Aotearoa doing what we love, sharing our musical passion, we receive a number of very personal messages and experience some emotionally deep, heartfelt conversations about people’s journeys and challenges in life, love and health. This is often after a live show and they come with a strong message of healing through the entertainment. There are people with stories of work place unhappiness or perhaps even severe bullying or sometimes, personal relationship challenges. We often hear that a night of musical fun has decluttered some thoughts and allowed moments of reflective insight to help clarify some life priorities. There are people whom have suffered abuse and have chosen to make one of our shows their first venture back out into public and we hear about their feelings of being safe, confident and loved in the audience (good on you guys and gals…jeez you are the best audiences and should be proud!!!). We have even encountered stories from people battling terminal illnesses whom have been able to forget about their symptoms for a time through laughter and dance, something no clinical medicine has been able to do. It is humbling, a huge honour and something quite stunningly beautiful. We love it.
So, why do we feel the need to precede these conversations with statements like ‘this is cheesy but’… This is a common thread when people talk with us or send through their stories. Talking ourselves down is a part of Kiwi culture and something that possibly threads into some deeper issues in our country and it’s people.
New Zealand has a terrifying suicide rate. A common misconception is that it has been slowly improving as our acceptance, facilities and open conversations around mental health issues have improved. Sadly, this is not true and in June 2019 we had our highest ever recorded annual number of suicides at 685. Yes, our conversations about difficult topics like these are becoming more common and our acceptance greater which is leading towards positive change, but we still need to get deeper into the core of how we communicate for things to further move forward. Talking openly about our stories, our journeys and what affects us might just be a part of the foundation of this.
Kiwis have long been proud of our reputation for inginuity, a strong work ethic and an understated determination for successes in sports, business and all other fields on an international level. Rightly so. We like to work hard and quietly, let our actions speak for us. We do it very well. But with this, has also come an underlying sense that talking and expressing ourselves emotionally is somehow a weakening factor. Bundling everything up and trying to deal with our lifes journeys internally with a quiet, resilient attitude has traditionally been seen as a strength. Through White Chapel Jak we get to experience the opposite. The stories that people share with us are incredibly personal, often heart wrenching and sometimes inspiring but what we see in every one, is the courage it has taken someone to openly give of themselves fully in order to be able to share intimate details of their life. There is no level of measure for this. Each and every story means something to the storyteller and the sharing of each, has taken an incredible amount of courage that greatly supercedes any traditional belief of what makes us strong. We hear it, we see it and we thank you for your incredible bravery. If we could all embrace this kind of open communication, listen without judgement and also share openly without fear, however small it may seem, the ripples out towards change could potentially be huge. This could be a unifying fortitude and part of culture in Aotearoa that we could be truly proud of.
So please, share your feelings with us. Talk to us, email us, message us. We may not get the opportunity reply to all of you individually but know that every single message is read, valued and talked about. There is no topic that is trivial and there is no measure of any feeling that states it is not important enough to share. Your stories of any moment of light experienced through one of our shows means the world to us. It is perhaps, a somewhat unexpected layer of our dream to play music as a full time lifestyle, but it is something that has become an integral ingredient of the glue that binds us together and keeps our band pushing forward with vigour and passion. There is no immediate, quick fix for some of the deeper problems in this country and across the world, but maybe…just maybe, if we open our hearts, ears and conversations, we might start down the pathway towards a better home for everyone.
Tell us your story, send us your messages and please don’t feel the need for a disclaimer of any kind like this probably sounds silly. It’s not silly, it’s not cheesy and in fact, it’s very personal, very real, incredibly brave and potentially, a ripple that is part of a bigger wave of positive change. Besides, you have nothing to lose…..at the very least you make a band of happy little musicians’ day a whole lot better!!
Let’s make 2020 a year of beauty, aroha and positive change. That is something to be proud of.
Your White Chapel Jak Whanau.
Tears are a part of being human and we are human when we experience tears.
We should all shed tears sometimes. It could be a sad tear, a happy tear, one of sheer joy or perhaps one of pain. It could be an emotive moment in a movie, a shared nostalgic story with loved ones or even a moment of bliss witnessing that very special moment unique to each individual, that makes one’s heart swell.
Recently we had the incredible honour of performing our version of Pink Floyd’s ‘Another Brick In the Wall’ in front of 37,000 people alongside 68 amazing musicians from The Auckland Symphony Orchestra. There was a tear or two for us through this amazing experience. Not to worry, there wasn’t any crying from sadness, panic or fear and it also wasn’t anything quite as simple as the pure joy of experiencing this moment. The real meaning and volume behind a shed tear in a moment like this for us, is one of deep meaning and perhaps a tough one to put into words… but let’s try!
The moment when a first tear was spilled, was at our soundcheck with the orchestra on the day of the event, just a few hours ahead of the full performance. It is still a huge buzz for us every time we get to take to a stage and with a production as large as this one. Hearing the music pumping out at large festival volumes isn’t just a sound but something you feel on stage. It truly is exhilarating. It is addictive.
Mid song the orchestra starts in on their parts as expected but the tears at this point are somewhat unexpected. Getting to this point has already been a journey…in fact it’s been an epic one. It goes right back to the days when as children, we all first started picking up our instruments and singing and discovering our love for playing music. With that comes the dreams, the visions and the hopes. This moment of playing with an orchestra has been one of those. Now, decades later, after various jobs and career changes to find our way back to music as our first love, thousands of hours of playing, practicing, nerves, performing and traveling for the love of doing music, living music … the moment is now here.
We are on stage at a massive festival event with a world class orchestra behind us. It’s REAL!!! It is something quite incredible and slightly unreal as this dream starts unfolding as a reality in this precise moment. Then, there’s the sound … the sound!! A massive wall of goodness kicking in behind a song that we already get lost in every time we play it. The sensation is almost overwhelming and with a shiver and a momentous feeling of aroha, the first tears fall.
It’s incredible.
It shan’t stop there for this night though. This was the soundcheck. Just the soundcheck!! Next up it’s time
to repeat this live, in front of our audience, all 37,00 of them. No pressure right!? We want this to go well,
we want to be at our absolute best and we are challenged with what lies ahead. We like to flow in our performances, feel the energy of our audience and roll with it so songs morph night by night. When the orchestra joins us for our last song, this can’t happen. We have to be tight and structured, down to the last beat, otherwise we will end up out of sync with them.
We take to the stage, fire into a high energy set, feel the audience jumping on board with us… and it is spectacular. The time for our last song arrives with the orchestra joining us on stage and once again the sound and experience is huge, beautiful and moving. Something is slightly different this time however, everything is the same but it is compiled by the sight of so many people in the audience enjoying the moment. Then the thing that really brings it home and gets the ducts flowing again, is seeing so many familiar faces in this sea of humanity. It’s you, our loyal supporters and we can not only see you all and how many of you there are, but it’s the look on your faces that is the clincher. The excitement, the joy and even the pride! It’s amazing and the realisation hits, that this is not a moment just for us on stage, we are not just sharing it, instead, it is as much your experience as it is ours. You are experiencing this moment and feeling as we do.
It is a momentous feeling and at this moment, amongst this epic performance more tears are spilled. Spilled because of you and spilled with you. Simply beautiful.
This has been one of the most epic experiences of our lives. It felt huge. It felt like home performing on a stage and event like this, in front of such a huge capacity. It felt like a momentous journey and another major destination along the pathway of our music life. Our life of passion and love.
But every destination can only be as great as those with whom you share it and the travel will only be as special as the companions you ride with. We share this life as a band and you are our travel companions.
The realisation came through the journey to reach this next epic destination with you.
So on this night, we shed a tear or two. We don’t mind if you did too.
Music and people.
Our journey started with music. It was initially all about the music. White Chapel Jak was formed from the very simple ethos of loving music together. A few years down the track, a LOT of gigs later and we still do. The sheer joy of playing music has, and always will be, at the core of what we do. But there is another element that has become a strong foundation of fulfilment that we take from this journey…
…the people.
People are amazing. It might not seem it at times. Flick over to the the latest news reports from around the globe and you would be forgiven for feeling a severe lack of faith in humanity. Our environment is in a state of neglect, violent wars rage on, poverty still starves and strickens many whilst wealth and greed looks on from a self proclaimed illusion of contentment and superiority. This is only reflective of the minority however and we consider ourselves lucky that we get to witness quite a different picture of people painted as we travel around this beautiful country of ours.
Last weekend we traveled to the Coromandel to play at a festival in support of The Westpac Rescue Helicopter. This is an event we love, for a cause that is dear to us all set in a stunning part of Aotearoa amid blazing summer weather so it was always going to be a good time. The part of this trip that came slightly unexpected, was the warm welcome and hospitality of our amazing hosts. These guys don’t just know how to host visitors, they genuinely love it. Meeting some of our supporters that were actually rather excited to have the WCJ crew staying with them was something quite flattering and surprising but then, the real joy lied in spending some time with them all. We were greeted with love, our partners were welcomed like whanau, then our host’s friends came to join us and the fun began. Pre show drinks, chats and platters followed by the post show party….just brilliant! Amazing conversations, loads of laughs, cocktails, food and some spotify song selection games that will now be a part of our future road trips! It was humbling, inspirational and just darned good fun. We left there feeling we hadn’t just met some WJC supporters but more so that we had made some new friends. They didn’t host us or share their little slice of holiday paradise with us but rather, welcomed us into their lives. Just amazing and we thank you for such a great weekend. It was tough leaving.
It was a reminder of the beautiful side of humanity. The real side. The important side. The amazing thing is, we experience this every week. We meet beautiful hosts at places we stay, warm smiles and laughter at many a road stop for snacks and re-fuelling then there is all the stunning souls we meet at our shows whom each share a piece their lives and themselves with us. It truly is a wondrous thing that this is such a part of our travels and music. Sure, it is important that we tune in to the news, read our papers and our internet reports to know what is happening around the world. Absolutely. Knowledge affects change but… ALL knowledge. It is equally important to watch for those moments of true humanity. Create, witness, celebrate and learn from them. We may tend to forget sometimes but they are never far from us. And if they feel too far away, create them. It can be the smallest thing from a helping hand to a smile, to a drink and a laugh shared in a time of need.
People are amazing.
Do we believe that?
No…..we know it.
We see it every week during our travels. It enriches our lives and makes us better people.
‘There's a place in your heart
And I know that it is love
And this place could be much
Brighter than tomorrow
And if you really try
You'll find there's no need to cry
In this place you'll feel
There's no hurt or sorrow
There are ways to get there
If you care enough for the living
Make a little space
Make a better place
Heal the world’
Michael Jackson
Reflection
* serious thought or consideration
* an idea about something, especially one that is written down or expressed
We did our first ever tour in October. We have already travelled plenty and played our way around the North Island but this was something a little bit different. This was our first tour playing only public events and shows of our own. As always, there’s no way of knowing exactly how a new experience will feel until you give it a go. We thought we would love this trip and experience. We thought it would be great fun and we felt the shows would go well. How did that work out for us? Exactly as we thought!!!
We loved it. Travelling across this beautiful country of ours, Aotearoa is never a chore. It is stunning, the roads generally quiet, the scenery often breathtaking and the weather across this weekend was sensational with summer sun and the crisp smells of fresh blossom scenting the air. The shows were fantastic. Great venues, amazing turnouts with a rolling sea of smiling faces and dancing bodies at each one. We thank each and every one of you that made the effort to join us along the road. As always, your energy, love and laughter made this trip an absolute dream for us all.
Reflection
Now, we are not particularly reflective people and as a group we continually do our best to work sensibly for a bright future but focus largely on living in the now. This exact moment in time after all, is all that really matters. Nothing past this moment is ever guaranteed. Sometimes though, a moment of reflection can be enlightening. So, after coming down from the highs of this great playing experience and journey there was some reflection on this experience and why it was so much fun.
* serious thought or consideration
Why was it? What is it about travelling and playing music that really feels so good for us? Sure the scenery is amazing, the friendship and whanau love we share is an intrinsic part of it all but there’s something additional that is very hard to put one’s finger on.
* an idea about something, especially one that is written down or expressed
Our realisation is that there is something more than music, more than friendship and love but a shared experience and energy. This is what makes the journey so unique and special. It is about the delivery of music but is not limited to the musicians and in actual fact, couldn’t exist if it was. It is that shared feeling of enjoyment, love and fun. A communal experience. Something not physical but quite tangible at the same time. It’s not the band and it’s not you. It is US. Together we create this energy, this experience. Without the band it wouldn’t happen ….… without YOU it couldn’t exist. In essence it is SHARING. Something that doesn’t happen nearly enough and the lack thereof could in fact, be considered the basis for many of humanities problems. Something we could all do more of and certainly in parts of our world, some are in desparate need of. Plus, it feels darned good right!!??
Take a moment to reflect yourself. Within what we love, what we do and enjoy, have we shared enough? Even when we think we have nothing there is always something to share and it is always undoubtedly good for you. Something as simple as a smile shared can have a positive impact on someone’s day. Someone having a positive day might go on and share a smile themselves, that smile in turn, may change the shape of another persons day. Such a small, simple thing but here is no limit to how many times this might repeat itself and how far reaching it may become.
Your sharing reflects itself and could ripple out into the world creating positive change. So it’s not just good for you…
It’s good for us all.
We find ourselves saying thank you a lot in this band. Maybe even too much and too often? So, we're going to hold back this time. No more thank you's....it's been said enough...
...or has it?...
...are we sure about that?...
One blog...no thank you's...it's a challenge...let's see how this goes...
We played live on Radio NZ a couple of weeks ago. There was a feeling amongst us that this was going to be something special. Heading into the studios of National Radio to meet well known presenter Jesse Mulligan for an interview ahead of playing a live set feels like a big deal.
In the first instance, we were incredibly humbled to be selected. Radio NZ ran a competition to uncover the national covers band of 2018. Some wonderful supporters of ours notified us of this and suggested we enter. Being announced as the winner was an amazing moment and we are intrinsically proud of this achievement. Some of our countries best musicians work in covers bands. They work hard. The gigs can be long, challenging and require a level of professionalism and musicianship that can only come from hours crafting specialist skills. We had heard most of these bands that made the finals of this comp and they are all amazing. Very, very high level musicians, tight groups that have played together a lot and some truly astounding arrangements of well known songs. It is an honour to be considered alongside these incredible musicians and our utmost respect goes out to them all.
Now, playing live on air was always going to be something challenging but cool and exciting. It was all of that!! Although more in the order of exciting, cool then challenging. We seriously loved every moment of it. The sound, the feel, the experience...everything felt amazing. The challenge we thought we may have, was playing to an audience for the first time without the visual aspect of our show. We are a band that doesn't shy away from expressing our enjoyment on stage. Smiles, laughter and movement are all intrisic parts of a WCJ live show and are things that have become synonymous with who we are musically. Radio was never going to allow that. It's audio only, so this was going to be a test of getting across the vibes of what we do without the visual elements.
Did it work? We felt it did. The sound and energy really felt right to us and we were proud of how the performance went and how the song arrangements sounded. It sounded like us!! In fact, it was actually quite liberating to be focussing on purely the audio and smashing out the best possible sound we can. So it was, we headed to a bar afterwards to share an excited celebratory drink. This was when things only became more exciting...
What happened? YOU happened! Our Facebook page and website exploded with amazing feedback and messages of support from you lovely people. Even Jesse Mulligan himself posted that Radio NZ were also receiving more feedback than they had ever seen before for a Radio NZ live session...ever! It was you amazing folks making the time and effort to send some feedback. Long term supporters, new listeners and even some international response. It has been amazing...almost overwhelming.
We are very aware that this is something quite special. This kind of pro active support is not a common thing. We are honoured, flattered and blown away and want to scream thank you to every one of you but this time, we're not going to. That is because this experience has brought us to the realisation that we REALLY are doing this all TOGETHER. We work hard at our craft. We gig a lot, travel a lot and sacrifice time with loved one's to pursue our passion and we are proud of our achievement here. But it's not just us. You guys are doing it with us and are just as proud as we are. Taking the time, money to see a show. Making the effort to email, message and send us support. Then you all seriously took time to let Radio NZ your thoughts. This turned a very special day for us into something much bigger and beyond successful. We played some music...you guys made us stars for the day and raised our profile to a whole new level. It's a team effort here right!? Alone we wouldn't have achieved this.
So let's stick together. Let's do this together. We have been inspired and motivated by this experience beyond any level we could have foreseen. Our plans for future progress and growth are underway and we feel nothing is unrealistic or out of reach. That is because we are doing it with all of you. We'll do our music, you do your thing and there is seriously nothing we can't achieve.
Let's stick together. Let's do this together.
Oh, and......
......thank you.....
Whoops!!
Love the journey ... the journey is life
We love our journey.
Love the music ... the music is soul
Our journey with music is one of enjoyment, passion, reward and one thing that stands tall, strong and proud for us...friendship.
Love the friendship ... our friends love us
We spend a lot of time working together in this band. A LOT of time. Time onstage performing, time setting up, packing down, rehearsing and sharing accommodation. Some very late nights followed by equally early starts to hit the road for the next show and then long hours packed into one vehicle before we start the process all over again. So yes, it is vital that we are able to spend this time together without conflict and it is a question that often surfaces when chatting to people about what we do - "do you guys always get along when you spend so much time together?"
The answer is, yes we do. Sure, there are tired times, quiet times and times when a quick break for a solitary moment might be beneficial but nothing more than that. In fact, through playing music, our friendship has become such a strong part of our lives that even when we have precious time off, it is not uncommon that you can find us...well...together. .
Take our mid winter Xmas celebration a couple of weeks back. We booked a cool space (The Speakeasy at Annie O's in Matakana is a place you need to see!) wandered Matakana Markets grabbing some tasty produce, bumped into some friends for a couple of espresso martinis then headed off to The Speakeasy for the real reason we were there - time together. We listened to vinyl, made cocktails, laughed, chatted and danced.
This is an essential part of who we are and what we do as a band. Without the friendship there isn't the love. Without the love, the music isn't the same. Should the music fail, we would loose you, loyal listener and supporter.
This is the same for us all. Our friends matter. Without them, the love isn't the same. Without the love the journey is not complete. This is true of each and everyone of us wherever we are, whatever we do.
Embrace the love ... it makes us whole
So think of those friends that are important to you, your work, your journey. Value them, love them and spend time with them. They are a huge part of who we are, what makes us human and completes our journey.
Ko te aroha te huarah ki te oranga
Ko te aroha te pūoro ki te whatu manawa
Ko te aroha nui ko tātau, tātau
Puritia te aroha, hei tānga manawa
Love the journey - the journey is life
Love the music- the music is soul
Love the friendship - our fiends love us
Embrace the love - it makes us whole - WCJ
"I don't know how you do it"
This is a comment we hear often. It arises in conversations about music as a full time lifestyle and the question comes when people stop to think about the hours, days that we have to operate and the travel involved. There is many a late night for us followed perhaps with an early start then often, followed with a long day of travel to get to the next gig.
How do we do it? It's a relevant question and understandable that it gets asked.
So, here's the thing...it's not difficult!
Firstly, a late night playing music for a cool bunch of people never feels like hard work or for that matter, work at all. We get to share a little slice of different peoples lives each night in the form of celebration. It is something we consider an honour and a treat. Something that we love. There is an incredible energy that an audience generates with dance, laughter and singing that is something infectious and addictive. Up comes the adrenaline and away goes the tired. Simple! Sure, sometimes we can be a little tired if it's our fifth night running and we've just traveled another six hours to get to the next gig but when that crowd energy begins, we are swept away and the night disappears in fun.
Travel around Aotearoa is also not a chore, it's a privelege. Look at this beautiful home of ours. Our roads are generally quiet, the people relaxed and friendly and the scenery is something to behold no matter where you are. We are never far from an ocean, a lake or a space where you can be away from people for a little solitude should you choose. Every road trip we see stunning places, meet fantastic new friends and get to know our wonderful country that little bit better. So a six hour drive is not that, it's a six hour adventure with amazing sights and some cool new friends to meet at the other end.
Take a moment yourselves, look around for the next stunning location, the next friendly new face to meet or friend to make. Or just stop, take in that beautiful, quiet moment in a gorgeous place with no-one around. We are privileged to do this every week but in actual fact, we all are. In New Zealand it is never very far away...
Thank you.
We use these words a lot as a band. This is because we are continually grateful to be playing music as a full time lifestyle and feel genuine thanks to those around us that support our journey. Sometimes though, words just don't do justice to the weight of a feeling. Our last sold out show at The Leigh Sawmill Cafe is one of these occasions.
Playing at this venue always feels like a special occasion for us. It has personal history with some wonderful memories, a rich musical past that makes one feel as if they are stepping on hallowed ground when walking on stage and lastly, it is a venue that has supported us on our musical journey from the right from the start. So, seeing a sell out crowd here is something for us that feels somewhat surreal and incredibly humbling.
After sound checking and setting up for the evening we walked out the front door to a queue of people that had arrived early to see us. What an experience this is in itself. Opening the doors to a line of smiling faces that are there to waiting to gain entry to share a night of music with us...just incredible! We were even spoilt with some little backstage snacks dropped off early by a beautiful supporter. This was all followed with meeting a fantastic crew from Rotorua the next day whom had been at the show and some of whom were sporting our new WCJ t shirts. What a wonderful experience this was for us also meeting some new friends and hearing some positive feedback from the other side of stage after what felt like an epic night from our perspective!
On stage with us we had the mad skills of keyboardist Mark Stevens jamming some sweet rhythmic sounds for the night. Mark has played with some of New Zealand's biggest names and having him not just playing with us but sharing his love for what we do was another wonderful feeling for the evening and man, did he pump some great sounds!
Then there was all of you wonderful folks there supporting and enjoying the night with us. Amazing. We first started playing at farmers markets to whomever might be passing for the day with a dream of one day playing bigger shows. Our fan base slowly grew from none, to one to ten, then more and now, feeling the energy that pours out of a sell out crowd at one of our all time favourite venues is an emotion difficult to describe.
It is one of accomplishment, love for what we do, excitement and pride but above all, it is an overriding love and thanks for those of you that make this happen for us and with us. It is down to you and only you that these moments happen and mean so much to us. So how do we say it? There are surely no words that can encompass all that we feel so...
...for now....all we can find to say is...
thank you.
Inspiration.
Inspiration is something that affects us all at different points and parts of our lives and to varying degrees but when it really hits, it is certainly a shift of motivation and persuasion.
This month, we were back at Whitianga opening the Summer Concert Series Tour for the second year running. The fact we were able to be a part of this amazing event again is in itself, an incredible honour, joy and inspiration. We would like to once again, thank Greentsone Entertainment for having us along to open for Fairground Saints, Colin Haye, Alanis Morisette and ELO.
Now, Fairground Saints is a name you may not be familiar with just yet and one that we also weren't aware of until this tour came about. They are an acoustic group that were a part of opening this tour throughout New Zealand. Based in Nashville Tennessee, they are a young trio signed to Sony Music and......
....they were incredible!! It became a very special moment for us watching these guys play from the side of stage just after we had finished our set. They are amazing musicians with a level of musicality that blew our minds and as it turns out, they are also very nice people that were keen for a chat. We wandered off stage feeling a huge spike in our inspiration to become better musicians, a better band and felt the need to try and have a moment to converse with them. We weren't disappointed.
We had just been totally blown away by the performance from these guys then suddenly we find ourselves back stage having a great conversation and receiving wonderful, positive feedback from them about our set....wow!! The inspiration levels for us all at this point just sky rocketed. It is something quite surreal to be playing in front of musicians that you hold in such high regard and then receive an amazing response from them.
Inspiration.
That is what we have taken away from this experience. New ideas, motivation, self confidence and a refreshed view of where we are heading, along with what we need to do to get there. Brilliant!
We thank Fairground Saints for their music but also for the gift they have given us by taking the time to talk with us and share some thoughts. We encourage you to check these guys out via the links below and show them your love. They play some wonderful music and are wonderful people that love music.
But on top of that, find out what it is that inspires you and regardless of what form it comes in, pursue it. For us, it was as simple as starting a conversation. Now we feel our entire year will be taking a new shape because of it. You could do the same.
Find it.
Follow it.
https://www.facebook.com/FairgroundSaints/
https://www.fairgroundsaints.com
Credit to Greenstone Entertainment for the cool pic.
What a Sunday afternoon!
Our session here at The Riverhead Tavern was simply brilliant. We have never been witness to this place being so packed out and the number of people that came along to support our show was somewhat overwhelming and truly humbling.
It is shows like these that drive us and keep us continually coming back for more. The energy that you, the audience brings along is the invisible, undefinable thing that changes a day of music into something special that can bring together a room full of strangers into a collective state of enjoyment and fun (and some of the antics that take place on stage because of it can be quite interesting too!). There is nothing quite like feeling that energy and the direction it takes the music into. Looking out onto an audience and seeing such a cross section of beautiful people dancing, smiling and singing together with us is an addictive rush that cannot be replaced in any other way.
And so we thank you. It doesn't matter what sex you are or what your sexuality is, it doesn't matter what culture you are from or what language you speak....we love seeing you and we thank you for being you and all that you bring. It is because of you that we love what we do so much.
So......
...just....
...thank you.
Photo credit - Chrysler Carlow
Photo credit - Chrysler Carlow
You know for certain it's a great weekend of music ahead when it begins like this!
With Christmas fast approaching, our gigs have been almost non stop and of course there has been a load of Christmas functions to play at. This superhero themed party gave us the perfect excuse to bust out some dress up for the evening and what a load of fun we had in doing so. A Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle climbing up on his bass in the middle of our rendition of Thunderstruck by ACDC is quite a sight to behold believe us!
We encourage you all to let loose, let your hair down and really get into any of the celebrations ahead for the holiday season. Kiwi's can sometimes be a little reserved and our laid back approach can almost verge on a lack of enthusiasm for standing out that little bit. We found dressing up for this event was not just a load of fun and laughter for us, but for our audience also and it was very well received. The effort was much appreciated and the show and laughter between us carried across to our listeners and infected them with that same sense of fun that we were experiencing.
So, go out and enjoy all the upcoming celebrations that the end pf the year brings and don't just be present, be the life of the party. Dress up, dance, sing and enjoy yourself. After all, you've earned it through the year and you might just find that you're suddenly having a load of unexpected fun along with those around you!
The Leigh Sawmill Cafe is an iconic music venue that has played host to a plethora of incredible musical acts from all over the world. It is also a venue that we used to dream of one day being 'good enough to play at'.
And so, what a remarkable day it is for us when we get to see that we have a show here that has totally sold out! This inspired in us a huge drive to create a show for this date that would be fun and exciting for old and new listeners alike. This meant extra rehearsals, writing, planning and arranging which culminated in a show that was something a bit different to anything we've done before and a step out of the normal comfort zone of what we do. We hope you enjoyed it, we certainly did and meeting so many of you afterwards for a chat was a highlight for us.
There are some silent supporters that are an integral part of a show like this coming together effectively and we would like to take this moment to recognise them.
Firstly, the venue. Susan and The Leigh Sawmill have been supporting us for some time now. Since our very first show here they have greeted us with nothing but smiles and warm fuzzies that always make us feel at home in their fabulous space. Thank you guys to all the staff there for your amazing personality and ongoing support.
The Leigh community. Leigh feels like home every time we arrive. Locals recognise us and greet us with big friendly smiles and welcome us into their community as if we lived there. The bowling club for a quick game and a cold beer has become a regular stop for us when we are in town now!! Thank you Leigh.
Then of course there is our partners and whanau at home. Full time music is a fantastic lifestyle that we love but one that certainly comes with it's own challenges and of the biggest of those could perhaps be time. We spend long hours/days away from home travelling and playing and without a supportive team at home this would be impossible. Our wonderful home support teams were not only tolerant of the extra hours this show generated but supported it in every way that they could. Stage design and creation, travel, photography, videography, door sales....it all was taken care of by our lovely whanau's. Thank you to all the WCJ whanau for your work, patience, support and love for what we do. You guys and gals are all amazing.
We all have whanau and/or friends in our life that help and support us on our journeys. Next time you think of who that person is, give them a thank you. We all know they deserve it!!
We love the Whitianga Scallop Festival!!
We loved being there, loved playing for an amazing crowd in a seriously beautiful location and loved the relaxed, friendly vibe that was present throughout the day. Plus, the various incarnations of scallops on offer were absolutely delicious! Despite the major squalls of heavy downpours blowing through, our audience stuck with us from the first note right through until the last. Good on you guys. We even saw chairs being welded as umbrella's by some folk keen to stick out our show with us. Just brilliant and what a very cool experience for us playing on a stage set out over the ocean. The walk out was an exciting experience within itself!
Aside from being an amazing experience for us (and one we certainly hope to repeat!) it also served to remind us of what a stunning country we live in and why we should be making real ditch efforts to care for our home. Across the globe, pollution and climate change are very real issues and both are problems that we can all affect in a positive way. Less waste and more care. This is not a difficult consideration for any of us and the benefits are untold. Aotearoa is a stunning place to live in and we should stay conscious of how privileged we are to share this beautiful home.
Let's keep our oceans clean, our bush lush, our streets litter free and let's all cut down on our waste as best we can. Our home will love it, our oceans will love it and in turn we will love it too.
ONLINE TICKETS TO OUR SHOW AT THE LEIGH SAWMILL CAFE ON OCTOBER 22ND ARE NOW SOLD OUT!!
We are flattered by your support and say a gracious thank you to everyone who has bought tickets.
As a result, you have inspired us to set this as the date when we will be performing a whole new show! You can expect everything you know and love from White Chapel Jak but a whole load of new songs and surprises are on the way. We are rehearsing long hours and challenging ourselves musically to push upwards to a new level. We are super excited to share this with you in October for the very first time!
There will be a VERY LIMITED number of door sales on the day. So, if you know of someone who missed out on tickets and is keen to catch the show, we strongly encourage you get there when doors open at 3:30pm for a chance of entry.
Let's do this!
We love what we do.
We love playing music, we love traveling our homeland and meeting so many fun and interesting people along the way but above all, it's about sharing our love of music with those that take a moment to listen, laugh, sing and dance with us. Regardless of what you do however, and what your journey in life is, it's always important to be able to step away for a little while and relax. This past winter month has allowed us time to exactly that.
As July is one of our quietest months of the year and this past summer has been our busiest one to date, we decided it was finally time to actually take a break from music and have a few weeks off performing. I know.....crazy right?! It is a blessing and a valued reward to spend some quality time with our friends and whanau and share some amazing experiences away from our homes.
But where do you go when it's cold, rainy and dark in New Zealand? Well, a few of us decided Tonga was a good idea! What a beautiful place this country turned out to be. Gorgeous weather, warm, clear tropical waters, amazing surf, topped off with friendly and welcoming locals. Of course a guitar was always close to hand and even in our time off a tune or two was well received over an evening drink and new friendships were formed.
So how does it feel taking time away from doing what you love? Perhaps a moment shared best describes it.
"Sitting on a surfboard in warm water waiting for the next amazing set wave to fire across the reef. A glance downwards through the water reveals unworldly, beautiful coral growths highlighted with ethereal spikes of bright colours and flurries of tropical fish. A glance upwards in time to catch a humpback whale with her calf breaching the surface to suck an enourmous breath of air only 100 metres away before plunging back into the ocean in an explosion of white water silhouetted against a coppery sunset."
It feels good. Very good. Yes, we have missed playing and yes, we will be returning with a renewed energy and excitement for the coming months but stepping back, relaxing, reflecting and re-energising is cleansing for the soul. Thank you Tonga and your beautiful people for reminding us of this.
So wherever you are and regardless of what you are doing, if you are feeling it might be positive to take some time off, grab a hold of your loved one's and do it. You're not going to love what you do any less but will simply love life that little bit more.
Do what you love. Do it with love.
Once again we have been reminded how this simple motto applied with background hard work can lead to truly great moments.
Ronald LaPread was the bass player for Lionel Richie and The Commodores through some of their most golden years of recording and performing. He is also a highly regarded songwriter and is the composer of two of The Commodores' biggest hits 'Brickhouse' and ' Easy like Sunday morning.' What an absolute treat for us to not only meet this legend of the musical world but also perform these two legendary hits with him!
That's right, we shared the stage with Ronald at a wonderful private function in Auckland and we had the honour of performing these two iconic songs with him. Just amazing. These are songs that each of our band members has grown up with and can recall individual, nostalgic memories of listening to them both at varying times. And so, it felt very special to be sharing the moment of performing with Ronald and we thank him and the organisers of the event for such a memorable and special night.
A week after this, after arriving on a flight back to Auckland, we walked in to arrivals to hear 'Easy like Sunday Morning' playing across the airport which brought home again what an epic piece of writing and history this song really is and how fortunate we are to experience these incredible moments.
So to you we say; next time you are getting off a flight, maybe sitting in a cafe, cruising the radio airwaves whilst driving and you hear Lionel singing 'Easy like Sunday morning', think of us and think of doing what you love with love and think about what it is that you love and go on out and get doing it!!.....with plenty of love of course.
This is love...
Love of music, love of people and a love for sharing our passion.
The Leigh Sawmill Cafe is an iconic music venue that has played host to a deluge of amazing musical acts. When our band members all moved to Auckland it didn't take long to learn of this venue and it shot straight to the top of the list of venues we wanted to one day perform at. Since then, The Sawmill has become one of our biggest supporters and the local community of Leigh have been behind us showing their love and loyal support for years now. As such, when a gig comes up here we are always filled with excitement and anticipation. And wow, this latest one did not disappoint!
Sell out crowd, a tonne of love and an amazing energy to the place. What an honour and a treat to play for such a an amazing collective of wonderful and warm people. We had the best time!
So, love what you do. Genuinely love it and that love comes back in different ways and forms. For us in comes in smiles, laughter, dance and energy. We thank you all for that. The Sawmill and their staff, the Leigh locals and each and every person that made an effort to share such a wonderful afternoon with us. A special shout out also to the lovely couple that travelled all the way from Te Awamutu to share some music with us. What a gift you gave us! Lastly, apologies to those that couldn't get in as the place was full but fear not, we will be back there for another Sunday session soon!
'Is this love, is this love, is this love that I'm feeling' .......