NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Entertainment

Cairo Knife Fight: Just us two

Other
28 May, 2015 11:00 PM5 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Cairo Knife Fight has always been a fluid beast, crossing countries, swapping members and performing alongside a diverse range of acts. But at the heart of the band is a constant presence: Nick Gaffaney. The renowned drummer started the duo about six years ago as an outlet for his singing and songwriting, believing that just two people playing multiple instruments could still make impressively full, raucous, yet focused music.

Nick Gaffaney’s ongoing musical collaboration, Cairo Knife Fight, has been boosted by his recent time in LA and some new musical partners, including one of his idols, writes Lydia Jenkin.

Cairo Knife Fight has always been a fluid beast, crossing countries, swapping members and performing alongside a diverse range of acts. But at the heart of the band is a constant presence: Nick Gaffaney. The renowned drummer started the duo about six years ago as an outlet for his singing and songwriting, believing that just two people playing multiple instruments could still make impressively full, raucous, yet focused music.

In recent years, and on recent EPs, Gaffaney partnered with Aaron Tokona, ex-Weta frontman, incendiary guitarist, and all-round rock star. But Tokona has always had his fingers in multiple pies (AHoriBuzz, Fly My Pretties, even working with Kim Dotcom), and when Gaffaney started thinking about putting an album together around two years ago, he realised Tokona probably wasn't going to be able to commit sufficiently.

So he decided to open up the field and write with other people as well.
"I wanted to write more widely, because it just expands the songwriting base, and it was also a lot of fun.

It was pretty obvious that Aaron wasn't going to be able to carry on doing what we're doing. He didn't want to travel as much, and all that kind of stuff, and we realised that we needed to branch out a bit."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

He managed to get an Apra Professional Development Award, which would fund a trip to Los Angeles to write with an array of new people, and give Gaffaney a taste of the city, to help him decide whether or not to move there.

"I'd never been there for any length of time in a professional capacity, so that grant was such a great opportunity.

"The writing sessions went really well - even the awful ones, where it became clear that we just weren't meant to write together, because you learn a lot about what you do and don't want from those ones. Like guys who would start referencing bands like Bush and Velvet Revolver and Creed, and that wasn't where I wanted to go at all.

"I was like, 'Oh no, you're pretty much spelling out the opposite direction'. But that's useful, and worthwhile."
Cairo Knife Fight is still all about duo form though - the writing is mostly done with Gaffaney and just one other person at a time, and generally evolves out of a jamming environment.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Several big names, local and international, appear on Colossus, but one of the most meaningful collaborations for Gaffaney was with a musician he has long looked up to: Mark Lanegan of Screaming Trees and Queens of the Stone Age.

"The best thing about working with him really was just the idea that a guy who's been an inspiration to me was excited about actually doing it, and had so many ideas.
"It was a vindicating moment in my career really. I've seen him a few times since then, and it's pretty cool to have someone like that who feels like a pretty strong ally of the band in LA.

"On the first day, when he arrived in the room, he was initially a bit gruff, but he opened up once he heard the music and we started working on the song."
He also found fruitful partnerships with John Anderson (musical director for Banks) and producer Tyler Fournames (recently working for Marilyn Manson), as well as old friends Joel Haines, Laughton Kora, and of course Tokona.

One guy absent from the album but who has become integral to the band in recent months is George Pajon jnr, an American who won several Grammy Awards as a guitarist and songwriter with the Black Eyed Peas. Pajon is now the official CKF guitarist and will be on tour with Gaffaney in New Zealand and Australia.

Discover more

Entertainment

80s hit musical CATS returning to Auckland

20 May 06:00 PM
Entertainment

Chris Cornell to tour NZ again

20 May 06:00 PM
Entertainment

Getting back to Basie basics

23 May 05:00 AM
Entertainment

Lauryn Hill joins Soulfest

25 May 12:00 AM

They met in New Zealand a while back, and when Gaffaney moved to LA for good, he moved into a house in front of the studio Pajon owns.
"Neil Baldock [a Kiwi engineer and producer] told him about Cairo Knife Fight, and he looked it up, and he thought, 'Yeah I'd like to do that'. So we started playing together.

"It was actually incredibly easy to get going. Surprisingly. When you think about moving to LA, you think it'll be all drama and high tension to get anything going, but George was just right there."

If you've ever seen CKF perform live, then you'll know it's like witnessing some seemingly impossible musical magic trick, such is the mind-boggling nature of the way Gaffaney can sing and drum and trigger and play keys and loop things, doing multiple parts with every possible limb at the same time. It's ridiculously hard work, and you might think, given CKF's rising success touring with acts like Queens of the Stone Age, Them Crooked Vultures, Foo Fighters, Karnivool and Shihad, that he might consider expanding the band.

"I don't think that will ever change," Gaffaney says with a laugh. "That's the funnest part about it really, it's supposed to be a challenge. And it's part of our charm, I think, that we're only two."

Who: Nick Gaffaney, Cairo Knife Fight
What: New album Colossus, out now
Where and when: Performing at Whammy Bar in Auckland tonight night, May 29.

- Timeout

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Entertainment

Entertainment

Sudden exit: Radio host leaves mid-show due to family loss

Entertainment

'Rare gem': NZ film set for US debut after local success

Entertainment

Celebrity journalist opens up about mental health struggles in 'warts and all' book


Sponsored

Sponsored: Why heat pumps make winter cheaper

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Entertainment

Sudden exit: Radio host leaves mid-show due to family loss
Entertainment

Sudden exit: Radio host leaves mid-show due to family loss

Jade Robran left her show mid-air after receiving some tragic family news.

16 Jul 04:18 AM
'Rare gem': NZ film set for US debut after local success
Entertainment

'Rare gem': NZ film set for US debut after local success

16 Jul 01:00 AM
Celebrity journalist opens up about mental health struggles in 'warts and all' book
Entertainment

Celebrity journalist opens up about mental health struggles in 'warts and all' book

15 Jul 11:42 PM


Sponsored: Why heat pumps make winter cheaper
Sponsored

Sponsored: Why heat pumps make winter cheaper

01 Jul 04:58 PM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP