BUCKING THE TREND

GOOD things are supposed to come in threes, but when it comes to albums, that's rarely the case. Steriogram are determined to buck that trend.
Their new album, Taping the Radio, is already giving them their most success yet, and that's just off the back of the first single.
"I really do think it's our best album yet," says Steriogram guitarist and vocalist Bradley Hanan Carter. "It's full of singalong songs about girls and parties and drinking. I can't wait to play the songs live."
The group, who redefined Kiwi rock with their energetic, slightly manic style, will be touring New Zealand for the first time in three years, hitting all their favourite summer hot spots alongside Carter's side project, Pistol Youth, and fellow rockers Shotgun Alley.
It's been more than a decade since Steriogram first burst on to the scene with White Trash, a song that summed up their musical and personal sensibilities. In 2005, they were nominated for a Grammy for the video for Walkie Talkie Man and the world wanted a piece of them. Years of frenetic touring in the US, UK, Europe and Asia followed.
More recently, the group went their separate ways, following their own dreams in various corners of the globe, but Carter assures me the end is not in sight. "We will never split up - why would you break up something which is so great?"
Carter is living in Los Angeles and gaining good traction with some music projects, vocalist Tyson Kennedy is living in New York, where he has just released his own hair clay, Fat Boy Perfect Putty. Jake Adams also lives in New York, where he is opening a bakery to unleash the mince 'n' cheese pie on the world. Jared Wrennall and Tim Youngson have stayed in New Zealand.
The Steriogram boys were last together in 2009 when they recorded their new album, Taping the Radio, in LA. Carter says the album came together incredibly easily. "It was just great to be together again. We each wrote a couple of songs for the album and Movin On [the first single] was written in about five minutes, which shows you just have to keep writing and you never know what sort of ride you are going to
get out of it."
Despite the band's break from writing, recording and performing, the passion of their fans shows no sign of waning. "We still get messages from all over the world and, as long as there are people wanting to sing along with us, we will keep playing to them," Carter says.
But the boys are most excited about hitting the road, Kiwi-style, this month.
"We are like a family - there has been the same line-up for 12 years, we have seen the world together and when we get together we are doing it for the boys and for the great memories."