Rain on me

RUN FOR COVER: Sit Down In Front band members (front to back) Cory Newman, Roman Benson, Rikki Noble and Jackson Clarke. Picture by Sarah Kirkpatrick

A car runs a red light. Cream on the strawberries would be nice; getting rained on in a wheelchair, that’s no fun — these are the sort of everyday events punk act Sit Down in Front turns into two chords or more art.

What is a little more out of the ordinary for the lads is recording their new single Rain at Neil Finn’s Roundhead Studios with an international producer.

The idea for the song Rain came to Cory Newman — lead singer, wheelchair user and inspiration for the band’s name — after his experience of getting caught in a downpour at school.

“It’s hard because he gets really wet in his wheelchair,” says Cory’s dad and band manager Carl Newman.

“That’s where he got the idea. That’s the beauty of their writing about everyday stuff that affects their everyday lives. They get their inspiration from stuff going on around them and reading the paper.”

The repeated refrain in Hit By a Bus is “hit by a bus”. It’s funny because it’s so punk, so exaggerated. The song was inspired by the not-so-flash feeling sometimes on waking up in the morning. The band plays no frills, old school British punk in the vein of the Sex Pistols and The Damned.

“Even Rain has gone down that track,” says Newman.

“It’s quite punky and grungy with a lot of distortion and big, heavy beats.”

Having risen through the Smokefree Rockquest ranks the band has played with Kiwi hard rock royalty that includes the D4, Shihad’s Jon Toogood and just last weekend, Skinny Hobos.

Last year they released their debut album, Red Light Runner. Last month they opened the Future City festival in Hamilton.

“That was early on in the day and hardly anyone was there,” says Newman.

“But the organisers were so impressed they asked if they could close the festival as well. They went on at 1am and there was a big crowd by then.

“They brought the house down.”

Performing and hanging out with established musicians helps them learn about basic operations such as soundchecks, and about the industry, says Newman. The band now has a whole new learning experience behind them.

Before recording Rain at Roundhead Studios, producer Greg Haver (known for his work with the Manic Street Preachers, Spice Girl Melanie C, Tom Jones, and The Feelers) flew to Gisborne to work with the band on their song before they took it to the recording studio.

“He became their coach and helped them with their arrangements and timing.”

Then Newman and the band went to Roundhead.

“That was an amazing experience,” says Newman.

“The whole set-up and equipment is out of this world, the best in the country. The recording was self-funded. The boys have cracked open their piggy-banks.”

There’s the makings of a Sit Down in Front hit right there.

The band spent a full, 12-hour day on the recording. Without the preparation under Haver they would have needed two days, says Newman. Haver had an idea for a guitar sound that would be good for the song. He contacted Neil Finn who gave the OK for guitarist Jackson Clarke to use his Gibson SG.

The studio soundboard also has fine pedigree. The desk was once owned by British band The Who and used to record all of their albums.

“The cigarette burn on it was made by Meatloaf when he recorded on it. The stories that thing could tell you . . .”

Once the recording was done it was sent to mixer Clint Murphy in the UK. The mix went back and forth until everyone was happy with it, then it was sent to 2019 best rock album, and best song, Grammy nominee, Ryan Smith in the US who mastered the track.

“Again, massive learning about all of this stuff,” says Newman.

“We had access to the best guys in the world.”

Rain will be available from April 12 on streaming platforms Spotify, iTunes, Apple Music, YouTube, Google Play, Amazon Music, and Apple Music. Sit Down in Front’s first single Runaway Chair has had more than 45,000 streams on Spotify alone.

“Hopefully Rain goes the same way,” says Newman.

The band will release a music video for the track in May.