After three years of travel on a kind of musical OE, Van Brookes returned home to the Bay of Plenty with plenty of song material – and a new found confidence to pursue his own uniquely-voiced blend of country, folk, blues and rock. Bottom Of The Bottle is his fizzing second single, a classic angry breakup tune about being on different moral paths, and wishing you got out sooner. NZ On Air Music included it on the June NewTracks compilation.

What’s your name and where do you hail from?

My name’s Van Brookes. I’m born and bred in Mount Maunganui, though I’ve spent the last few years travelling abroad, spending time down south, as well as Australia, England, and briefly Canada. I’ve now made the trek home to the Mount for stability and family while focusing on the next step of my career.

What instruments do you play?

My primary focus is on guitar and vocals, though I taught music for four years and can get by on banjo, keys, bass, drums, and most recently harmonica.

Any previous music projects we might know you from?

It’s been just me from day one! I tried a few collaborative bands when I was starting out, but have always had a strong vision on where I want to be, and the sounds that I want to create. The Van Brookes Band was the best decision, and I’m fortunate to have incredible people behind me who are happy to support the music and come along for the ride.

What’s the background to you becoming a solo artist?

Originally I began as a guitar player, playing for other vocalists at covers gigs. My attention span started to dip pretty quickly and I decided I should learn to sing to play for myself. I started singing at around 18 (I’m 24 now) and was NOT a natural talent. (I’ve got the voice memos to prove it, haha.)

After a few years of figuring out how to use my voice I booked some small gigs before promptly retiring due to severe anxiety. It was a huge block in the early days and something that’s impacted a lot of areas in my life. It was only post-Covid era when I started to branch out again and found a way to work through it. Since then it’s only gotten better and better, and now I’ve fallen in love with being on stage and having people connect with my music.

You’ve got a rich blues rock voice. Any key artist influences in your vocals?

Thanks! It was definitely a conscious decision, my early singing days I couldn’t project at all and having had no singing lessons I had to figure out on my own how to shape my voice into what I wanted it to be. The Icelandic rock band Kaleo has always been a favourite and was a huge inspiration to my sound in the beginning as there’s not too many baritone singers making the charts today.

As I’ve gotten older my control has definitely improved, with my main priority being on vocal health to ensure it’s sustainable long term.

What’s been the big music career highlight to date?

We just played a max capacity show at Palace Tavern with a queue of people waiting down the street! To have so many people come out for the release of Bottom Of The Bottle was incredible and something we never expected. It went incredibly well. Most of the songs we played haven’t been released yet but the crowd loved it. Having people screaming the lyrics to both Long White Cloud and Bottom Of The Bottle was nuts. I can’t wait until there’s a whole album’s worth out there for everyone to sing.

Another huge milestone was opening for Drax Project on New Years Eve, that was our first band gig since my return to NZ and definitely helped us feel like we were starting out on the right foot. Can’t wait to see what’s next!

What made Bottom Of The Bottle stand out for you as a single?

It was never planned to be! Haha. It was its cult following from our live shows that coerced us into deciding it should be the next single, and it’s gotten a lot of love so far.

And the lyrical story behind Bottom Of The Bottle? 

It was written freshly post breakup when I was teen about being with someone who’s on a different path and lives a different lifestyle. I don’t drink alcohol and have never been into the party scene, so as a young’n it created a lot of the confusion and resentment that was expressed in the song – though slightly exaggerated for storytelling effect.

Got a favourite moment, musical or lyrical, of the track?

The guitar solo is definitely my favourite part. I still class myself as a guitarist first, singer second, so making sure that the guitar solo was on point was top priority.

Who did you record/produce it with?

We DIYed it with a bunch of mates! The vocals and bass were recorded in my bedroom, with Ethan Shiriwastow coming through to lay down the keys. The drums, played by Andre Hood, were recorded and mixed with the help of Jacob Gerritsen. The guitar was recorded with the aid of Finn Lloyd, who also produced the song from his bedroom as well. It was then sent off to Kog Studios to get mastered and I couldn’t be happier with how it turned out.

What would you like listeners to take away from this song?

Hopefully inspiration. There’s not a tremendous amount of classic/southern rock coming out of NZ and with the country resurgence I think the market is growing. I’d love to see more artists exploring the genre and creating their own take on it.

Can you name three other local tunes that would fit well on a playlist alongside your song.

Cherry Siesta: Stop Beeping Now
Joe’s Van: Misty
Zac Griffith: Sunday Sober

Have you got a regular band you perform with?

Yeah! I’ve played with Andre Hood on drums for years now. He was my teaching assistant back in the day and is one of the most incredible drummers in NZ. He’s only 20 and his musicianship, passion, and natural stage presence makes him the perfect fit. The band wouldn’t be the same without him.

Logan Tanner has jumped on board recently on bass, having just played his first gig with us. While he’s new to the instrument, his drive and ability to pick things up quickly has made him a huge asset. We’re staying as a three-piece for now. The Jimi Hendrix Experience was always a massive influence  and we like how it’s harder to hide your sins with only three on stage. You have to be very conscious of how to occupy space without it sounding empty and we all love the challenge.

Anyone else in your team? 

It’s just me at the helm, I do all promo, socials, booking, and songwriting. I’ve just been superfortunate to have an amazing group of friends around me who are happy to jump on board with their experience and help take the weight if I need support or knowledge in a certain area. We all support each other and it’s amazing to have such a tight knit community to lean on.
A huge shout out is owed to Finn and Jacob. Their help has been paramount in the development of this track and I can’t thank them enough. They’re in a band called Cherry Siesta who I highly recommend checking out!

Are there any other musical endeavours you’re working on that we should keep an eye out for?

Our top priority at the moment is recording. I’ve got a whole album’s worth of songs that I can’t wait to share with the world. While there’s no approximate date, we’re slowly chipping away at it and will keep you posted!

Long White Cloud reflects on leaving NZ and realising what you’ve left behind. Were you performing while overseas?

Travelling abroad was one of the best experiences of my life, and while it wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows. (Especially living in England, haha). It taught me a lot about what I want to achieve in life, and provided plenty of material to write songs about. Just after landing in the UK I entered a Battle of the Bands as a solo act and came out victorious. This gave me a festival slot at England’s Kenfest, and a day in Woodbine Studios, where we recorded Long White Cloud. 

The passion for music in the UK is undeniable and I miss the amazing people I got to meet there. I also became the first call for Jeremy Clarkson’s private events with Hawkstone, which was a very surreal experience! Unfortunately, the long, cold winters, and homesickness took its toll and I decided to move home to focus on recording the original music I’d created.

Are there any musical blogs, Youtube channels or podcasts you’re super into?

The God’s Country Podcast I’m a huge fan of and it got me through some terribly monotonous jobs I’ve worked in the past. They’re USA based and interview country artists. The insight into the industry and seeing how others have struggled and flourished is extremely educational and motivating. It’s refreshing to hear from the world-tourers about how they had to slug it out on the pub circuit and how the battle with mental health is something that the majority of artists experience in their journey.

How can we find you on social media? 

Instagram
Tiktok
Facebook

You directed and edited the song’s music video. Where did you develop those skills?

Before pursuing music I was a full time photographer/videographer and editor in the automotive space. I was raised at racetracks around NZ as my dad was a successful racecar and motorcycle racer. I picked up a camera and it evolved from there. In the past I’ve worked with Porsche and Lotus NZ, and was briefly making courses on how to build and tune racecar engines in the South Island.
It’s definitely been an essential skill, and with how visually dependent the music industry has become, is a huge asset to my career.

Tell us a bit about the intriguing guitar you’re playing in it?

I built that guitar from scratch when I was 18! It’s made from a very aged piece of NZ pine that was sitting in our backyard for probably 20 years. My favourite features are the 10 cent coin selector switch and the Woodstock Bourbon knobs that was a favourite drink of my Grandad’s. I’ve built a few, but that’s definitely a favourite. I also build all my own pedalboards. I’ve always been handy and love the design and build process of having things custom made to suit a unique purpose.

There’s also a behind the scenes making-of video. What was the purpose of that?

That was really just for memories sake, the process of making the music video was so much fun and having it all recorded is something I look forward to looking back on in the future! I also think as an artist that having a slightly more personal element to your online presence lends people to supporting and connecting more with the music.

Any last words?

I’ve never been so in love with music, the places it’s taken me, and the people I get to work with. I can’t wait to see what opportunities lie ahead and hope to see everyone come along for the ride. Thanks for the support, there’s plenty more to come!