Terry

Rip It Up, Issue 95, 1 June 1985, Page 20

Terry

In case you didn’t notice, Chills’ bassist Terry Moore took the cover shot for this issue. He also took the sleeve photo for the ‘Pink Frost’ single and has snapped the shutter for Rip It Up a number of times. He agrees that being a photographer has made him more aware of the visual side to the Chills, "or of the lack of it. It's not an area we’ve been very concerned with so far obviously the music has taken priority. But you do reach a point where you have to become more visual especially when you’re playing big stages, like we have doing supports.” Terry was in the Chills which recorded ‘Pink Frost’ before disbanding after the death of drummer Martyn Bull, and rejoined this year after the departure of Martin Kean from the band. In the meantime he became a competent soundman and still keeps his hand in by mixing for the likes of the Verlaines when he’s in the same city. "It’s made me a lot more aware of the relationship between front-of-house and the stage when I’m playing," he says. He doesn’t consider he’s had as much success working in the studio “it’s been very rushed,” but he has produced the Doublehappys’ ‘Double B-Side' and the forthcoming debut EP from Look Blue Go Purple. “With the Chills it’s not really a matter of producing you’re just part of four peoples’ ideas," he says. But he does go into the studio with a very definite idea of what he wants his part to sound like: “Of course, you never get it quite right." The interesting thing about the

English trip is that, with sort-of manager Doug Hood and mixer Andrew Frengley, the party will have three experienced soundmen: "I think that’ll work out really well actually well be able to make suggestions, point out any problems.” For Terry the trip will be a return home he came to this country in 1974. After 11 years he’s not really sure what to expect, “but I think in a lot of ways it’s not going to be that different from playing here." Saving the money for the trip has meant fairly intensive playing: “Which can be really good for you in that repeated playing helps you work out exactly what works in a song. But on the other hand,songs can reach a pinnacle and then slide as you keep playing them." Touring has been a strain, "but it depends on the way you play. I can imagine some groups touring all the time and not really playing hard finding it pretty easy.” He agrees that things within the band and his playing relationship with Martin are beginning to gel: “It’s taken quite a while to get things going there was a lot of bad feeling and animosity after Martyn’s death. But it’s coming together now. I really respect Martin’s ability as a songwriter.” The position in which the Chills are finding themselves with this trip is as that of a flagship for New Zealand music but that’s not something Terry dislikes. "I think it's really good I like the idea of going over and representing Flying Nun and other New Zealand bands. The way Flying Nun has been built up, there has been a lot of respect among everyone for the other bands involved." And pressure to achieve? “I don’t feel under any pressure to 'be something’ well just continue to be ourselves. I’m always confident that what we’re doing and what other New Zealand bands are doing is good enough.”