Upbeat tune belies grim song

Released last week, Hawke's Bay native Jonny Avery's new single is already receiving high praise from fans and music bloggers.

With his new single, up and coming musician Jonny Avery pays homage to the song's co-writer - his late father.

The Hawke's Bay native said he grew up around music and believes it was his father who taught him to play guitar when he was very young.

"[Dad] played most weekends around Napier and Hastings and taught at Lindisfarne College, and Mum played the piano.

"Dad always had people around practicing for the weekend while I'd be in the living room watching TV, so I couldn't escape it."

After winning Rock Quest in 7th form, the former Lindisfarne College student moved to Wellington to do a masters in music at the New Zealand School of Music.

The release of his new single comes off the back of a busy year for the singer-songwriter - he toured the country, opened for Pendulum on their Rhythm and Vines tour and released his debut solo EP, Atonement for Eden.

The first half of song Captains of Industry had been written by Mr Avery's father before he died in 2000.

Unaware the song even existed, Mr Avery found the lyrics in his father's briefcase while on holiday at his childhood home.

He decided to pay homage to his father by composing a melody and bridge, and penning the second half of the lyrics to complete the song.

The 25-year-old said finding the book of poetry had been comforting.

"He died when I was 10 so I didn't really know what he was like, and the song matched with how my political philosophy was at the time.

"It was comforting to know we shared the same interests."

Mr Avery said the song was about corporate greed and the unacceptable treatment of natural resources in exchange for profit.

"It's a difficult topic to sing about so I decided to drape the song in irony by adding joyful beats and instrumentation. The idea with the song was to be as happy as possible because the lyrics are so depressing.

"Sometimes people think I'm like 'yea I love the greedy one per cent-ers', because the song has such a happy, beachy sort of vibe."

Mr Avery said this single was "the first of many to come".

- To hear more of Jonny Avery's music and buy his new single, jonnyaverymusic.com. Or catch him live in April when he returns to the Bay as part of his 2016 tour.