Elemeno P "Trouble in Paradise" 2005

The band signed a P&D (pressing and distribution) deal with Universal for the release of their debut album and were quickly thrown into their first gig, supporting US pop-punk band Sum 41. The remaining members were rallied. Taranaki-bred Scotty Pearson, who put his solid drumming style to use with a number of local bands, was recruited. The rhythm section was solidified by Paul Gerring on bass, though his presence was short-lived. After the release of ‘Fast Times in Tahoe’ he was replaced by Lani Purkis from punk-rock band Foamy Ed. She proved to be a valuable addition, also leading a large chunk of the band’s signature group backing vocals. In the gap between bassists, and for the sake of having a bass player in the video for ‘Nirvana’, Gibson’s longtime friend Julian Currin was enlisted temporarily...
...‘Fast Times in Tahoe’ was the song that put the band on the radar. In a time swamped with retro garage-rock, the song stood apart with its pop slant, inescapable sing-a-long chorus and Gibson’s almost spoken word style of singing. It spent three weeks in the New Zealand Singles Chart, peaking at No.32.
A flurry of high profile gigs followed, including the Summer Jam tour alongside Good Charlotte, and the True Colours Music Festival. The band’s instant success didn’t rub off well on fellow musicians that had been working tirelessly to try and get the same traction.
“That’s why we got a lot of shit in the beginning,” says Gibson, “... because we jumped the queue. I know we jumped the queue, but I never felt guilty because I knew we’d all paid our dues. I’ve worked my arse off in probably 15 bands before this one, the same with Lani, the same with [drummer] Scotty Pearson – holy hell, that guy’s played in a million bands, the same with Justyn.”
With a record deal in place and a solid line-up, the four-piece began honing their live show and writing more material for their debut album. Parts of tracks were lifted from the original living room recording sessions, however the bulk of the album was recorded across Auckland’s Revolver and York Street studios with Sam Gibson and friend Nic Manders as producers.
As Sam Gibson relocated to a studio in England for work, the second half of the tracking was produced by Pilbrow. Sam Gibson was later enlisted to mix the record, setting up camp in Nashville, Tennessee. He also set up a mastering deal with big name US engineer Howie Weinstein, known for his work with Nirvana, Ramones and Public Enemy. Following two separate trips to the States, the group returned to New Zealand with Love & Disrespect.Ahead of the album, four singles were released: ‘Fast Times in Tahoe’, ‘Nirvana’, ‘Urban Getaway’ and ‘Everyday’s a Saturday’. The album was released on 4 July 2002, making its debut at No.1 on the NZ Album Chart. Drawing comparisons to Weezer and The Exponents, Love & Disrespect overshot Universal’s initial sales expectations and sold around 45,000 copies, earning a triple platinum certification.
Despite the very strong sales and three NZ Music Award nominations, the critical response wasn’t quite as positive. Russell Baillie said in a two star review for the NZ Herald, “It's infectious for sure, but only if it had some personality to match all the positive energy, then it might well be on to something.” The band supported the album with an extensive 32-date tour around the country.Off the back of Love & Disrespect the band gained the management support of Teresa Patterson of CRS Music Management and Universal were happy to pay for international production on their second album.
The band decided to work with New Jersey punk rock producer Sal Villanueva, credited for work with bands Taking Back Sunday and Thursday, described by Gibson as “a crazy man”. Upon his arrival to New Zealand the band spent two solid months in pre-production in their Grey Lynn practice room. Together with Villanueva the band whittled more than 30 original songs down to 14 or 15.
The venue chosen for recording was Melbourne’s Sing Sing Studios, chosen for its extensive collection of gear, and to escape distractions back in Auckland. Gibson told NZ Musician magazine that once established at the studio their work rate “increased to 12 and even 14-hour days for the full six weeks they were there.” Of the 15 tracks, 11 made the cut.
Keyboardist Godfrey de Grut (another former member of The New Loungehead) was employed to play keys on the record. He became a rotating member of the band’s live line-up...to be continued... - audioculture
trax:
1 You Are 2 Pardon Me 3 Ohio 4 Burn 5 One Left Standing 6 11:57 7 Is This What We've Been Waiting For? 8 Death And The Maiden 9 The Day I Went Under 10 Life's Not Fair 11 Stay Go 12 S.O.S. (Bonus) 13 Stand Beside Me (Bonus) 14 Sad For You (Bonus) 15 Trouble In Paradise (Bonus)
…served by Gaius…