From busking at Botany Town Centre to winning SFRQ in 2017 as punk rock trio Minimal Silence, Cherry Blind is now preparing the ground for their upcoming self-titled debut album with a new same-named single. Though the song itself sounds catchy and energetic, Cherry Blind is written about the uneasiness and struggle young people go through in their teenage years. NZ On Air Music featured it on their NewTracks compilation this December.

Where are you from and who is in the band?

Cherry Blind is based in Auckland, New Zealand.

Logan Anderson // Lead vocal and bass guitar 

Sabastian Munro // Guitar 

Mark Tohovaka // Drums 

Was any high school or other music training especially important to you?

We competed in Rockquest and took the national finals out in 2017, consequently we gained mentorship from Chris Mac. This gave us a good foot in the music industry.

What’s the background story of how Cherry Blind came to be? 

We started by playing shitty punk music at Sab’s dad’s place and got complaints every day. We used to busk at Botany Town Centre and also got complaints for being too loud. We ended up getting enough money from busking to buy two amps and a drum kit. This is how the band started.

How has your music evolved from your beginnings to now?

We wrote our self-titled album ‘Cherry Blind’ in high school then recorded it when we were 18/19. The music that we’re writing now is more complex with deeper lyrics and different instruments. 

What is the story behind the song?

Cherry Blind was written in a time of teenage revenge and rebellion towards the naivety and shortsighted views of the world. Logan has consistently turned to music during times of struggle and depression and this song is no different. Written when Logan felt anger towards authority figures and felt that nobody agreed with him, this song was written to be a punk anthem.

The phrase ‘cherry blind’ stems from the idea that the majority perhaps have a corrupt view on the world, and an overly idealistic perspective filtering their mindset. The band liked the name and concept so much we changed the name and rebranded from Minimal Silence to Cherry Blind in 2018. 

What makes Cherry Blind stand out for you as a single?

It stands out because it’s a radio summer hit with catchy pop melodies mixed with a high energy punk rock sound. 

What’s your favourite moment, musical or lyrical, of the single?

Mark  – Cherry Blind is my favourite and most challenging song to play on drums.

Sab – “Chur the drums.”

Who did you record/produce the single with and where? 

The song was actually written by Mark to be a different song named Cherry Bomb, but there was a line that stood out with the words cherry blind. Sab then came up with the opening riff and the song just fell into place with Logan finishing the writing duties. The song was finished just about a week before going into the studio. It was recorded, along with the rest of the album, at The Lab Studios. We had Chris Mac on board as producer and Joel Mulholland as engineer. 

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

The song itself is essentially about not conforming to society’s pressure of needs and perspectives. We want listeners to feel inspired to break out and think for themselves.

How do you generally work out what song would make a good single?

We felt like Cherry Blind was the obvious single choice from the album because of its catchy chorus.

Who else is in your team 

Marcus Powell and Riccardo Ball are our managers.

Is there anything coming up that we should keep an eye out for? 

We have a huge announcement on the 11th of January. We are also planning another single release and then an album drop in 2021. 

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

Shihad – My Mind Sedate  

Melanie – No Shoes

Villainy – IFXS

Got any advice for others about NZOA applications? 

Actually, fill out the forms on time. Do the mahi kids.

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

Truant reacts is funny.

Who did you make the video with?

We made the video with Dave Thompson from Imaginary Friends. The video was shot in Sabs’ dad’s garage.

Any last words?

Thanks to all the people that helped us out in making the album.