The Poetic Kiwi Rocker Who Turned Me On To 'The Butlers'

I sometimes sit and marvel at the mysterious ways in which life plays out and this particular encounter was a prime example. This story is set in the lead up to Gliding Barnacles, two days before the event got underway, and the setting was the Malibu Foz Hotel in Figueira da Foz, Portugal. 

The breakfast buffet is stuff of legend amongst veteran Gliding attendees, truly the best in town, and that’s where I reconnected with Ambrose McNeill for the first time in nearly a decade. Ambrose’s story is its own epic poem, one that will be shared more in the lead up to his Single Fin Mingle this March 26-29 in Somner, New Zealand. 

It was through Ambrose that I met Bradley Mervyn King, a close friend of his from NZ, whom I found instantly fascinating. Standing well over 6 feet tall with fast guy shades and long, sandy blond hair flowing from underneath a hat that read HOWL, in reference to Allen Ginsburg’s seminal poem (for our younger readers), and jean shorts. Soft-spoken but with a distinct voice and accent and a way of moving, thinking, and being that had me thinking,  “Fuck yes, this guy’s got to be good.”

Little did I know how legendary of a lad I had just met as we strolled out from breakfast and past the medieval tower** that’s next to the hotel. Our small group set off on foot to cover the 10 minute walk to the ferry that crosses the harbor to Praia Cabedelo, where Gliding takes place. Along the walk I learned a bit more about my two new accomplices and caught up with Ambrose on his life and journey since we last met. 

Turns out Brad is a musician and is part of a popular kiwi band called The Butlers, check him out in the video below. Also, it turns out that Brad rode his bike to Portugal from London, I was so incredulous I had to double take, “You rode your bike here?!”

“Yeah, I rode my bike here.” 

I imagined he meant Lisbon, at best, but I had to ask, "From where?"

"London."

"Holy shit, for real! You must be a big cyclist then, yeah?"

He laughed. "Honestly, no. I just picked it up a couple weeks ago as a way to enjoy England without having to spend so much money in London--I was going broke."

It wasn’t until after that festival that I began to dive into The Butlers and I was quickly hooked. I was making dinner and found myself dancing and bobbing along to the tunes. 

Call it indie rock or whatever you will but four-piece band from Somner, New Zealand has lyrics and rhythm that truly sound original on tracks like “Vodka’s What You're Drinking” and “No Good Nina”. In the mystic “Leopard of Sweet Dreams”, I almost found myself having psychedelic flashbacks, you know, good ones.

If it’s any indicator of their success in NZ, I heard two of their tracks play in the span of two hours while I hung in a hip Auckland bar awaiting my flight home. 

If you’re looking to spice up your playlists with some surf rock meets jazzy poetry, check out The Butlers on Spotify, Apple Music, or Youtube.