Before the foreplay

THREEPLAY: Guitarist/singer Bruce Reid (left), drummer Mark Stichbury and bass player/singer Matt Jennings of covers band Threeplay look forward to getting back together in Gisborne again for a gig at Smash Palace. Picture supplied

When covers band Threeplay moved to Wellington, guitarist/singer Bruce Reid, bass player/singer Matt Jennings and drummer Mark Stichbury realised they could make a living from their music, says Reid. Threeplay began life as a blues band with songs by artists such as Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughan in their repertoire.

Reid and Jennings moved to Wellington for work. They were later joined by Stichbury who wanted to keep the band going.

The move to Wellington entailed expanding their song list with Top 40 material for the dance floor.

“That was living the dream, but it was quite a repetitive dream,” says Reid.

Threeplay’s musicians eventually went their separate ways. Reid went to Japan to work, Jennings has been living in London where he was part of hard rock band, Wolf Cellar. Now Reid is back in Gisborne and Jennings is returning to New Zealand, Threeplay took the opportunity to regroup.

The band’s gig at Smash Palace next week takes the band full circle. The last time Threeplay performed there was in 2010.

“The first time we played there we were a bit nervous because we thought it was a bikie pub. We learned songs like Born To Be Wild and they loved it. The bar manager came out and asked if we could play another two hours so we played all the same songs over again.”

With a more extensive repertoire at their fingertips now, Smash Palace patrons, and bikies, need not fear repeat sets.

“It’s rare for us to be together,” says Reid.

“Matt lives in London and has a band there, and I was in a band in Japan. We’re excited about the Smash gig,

“We can play some Jimi Hendrix, blues, a bit of Red Hot Chilli Peppers, whatever we feel like. After eight years we can read the crowd and it’s up to any one of us on stage that chooses what to play next. We decide on songs between songs and keep the music going.”

Threeplay perform at Smash Palace on June 29, 8pm. Free entry.