The Renegade Fighters set our souls on fire with their perfect weekend playlist.
Twenty years on from their last album release, Christchurch rock band Zed has a new body of work: Future Memory. Reuniting just before Covid, the band “hunkered down” when the live music scene slowed, and ended up with the “song-writing bug”. They describes their reunion record as “an eclectic smorgasbord of songs and not end up with an album that was too same-same, so there are hints of pop, rock, funk and folk hiding in there.”
“It’s hard to squash the song-writing bug once you have it … When we reformed and began playing live again, it felt like a natural progression to get in a room and throw some new ideas around,” they say. “Plus, as much as we love playing ‘Renegade Fighter’ and ‘Glorafilia’, we’d all been itching to try some new sounds and directions and incorporate that into our live set.”
If a play of Future Memory or a trip down the band’s discography is on the cards this weekend, the band has a recommendation for the best method in which to enjoy it. “It’s a cross between a Saturday morning, when you’ve risen early and are lacing up some runners (tracks like ‘Future You’, ‘Running’ and ‘Play’ would be perfect here) and then shifting to a Sunday afternoon with some friends over for a BBQ and jamming ‘Meant To Be’, ‘Never Be Lonely’, and ‘Into The Ocean’ as a more chill, laid back vibe.”
Resist your 10000th re-listen to Renegade Fighter, and instead enjoy Zed’s picks of the ten tunes they rely on to create the perfect weekend vibes.
AHoriBuzz – ‘Turnaround’
Captures the essence of Aaron Tokona’s energy, one of NZ’s funkiest and most enigmatic music producers of the last 20 years. I’m especially fond of this track knowing it was recorded in Ōtautahi Christchurch using local musicians and studios, killer summer vibe track … timeless. /BC
Lou Reed – ‘Perfect Day’
Growing up, our parents always played this song to wake us up on Christmas morning. Classic Lou Reed brilliance. /BC
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit – ‘If We Were Vampires’
I love the lyrical integrity and the feeling of nostalgia that this track evokes. A “new fav” for me after watching a dear friend sing it as a duo with his daughter, which has given the track special meaning. /BC
Stone Temple Pilots – ‘Still Remains’
I’ve always loved this slow washy track, it transports me right back to my surfing trips when I was 16. /AL
Jamiroquai – ‘Two Completely Different Things’
I love the chord changes in this song. Brilliant stuff! /AL
The Beach Boys – ‘God Only Knows’
Hearing this song as a young kid blew my mind. Primarily the vocal arrangements, but also the use of orchestral instruments – heavenly. And I’m a complete sucker for a French horn. /NK
The Beatles – ‘In My Life’
I’ve no idea how John Lennon wrote such an achingly nostalgic song at only 25 years of age. /NK
Radiohead – ‘High and Dry’
Formative teenage song that sends shivers down your spine when the guitar solo and outro hits. /AP
Pearl Jam – ‘Alive’
Once again, evokes those formative teenage years. This track just summed up the cultural zeitgeist of the time. It’s just such an anthem that still makes me run faster when I hear it. /AP
U2 – ‘Where the Streets Have No Name’
Love them or hate them, this transcendent poem still cuts through any mood I’m in. /AP