Indicator Dogs

Anschluss: "It's German for assimilation, but not in a nice way. Like a virus or something – an aggressive take over." So explains guitarist Dan Young about the title of the Indicator Dogs' debut album, due out early May.

"Silly me," confesses bass playing band co-founder Val Hunting, as I look a tad concerned. "I argued that radio announcers would totally murder the title – but since we're not going to be played on radio anyway..."

Aye, there's the rub. 'Anschluss', contains musical brilliance, depth and complexity – but despite such strengths it will appeal to a relatively small audience. To be fair the bNet, Channel Z and The Rock have all aired singles Zookeeper and/or the current Contained Within a Box, so it's not that bad, but Hunting is wise to be realistic about radio. Indicator Dogs are (so far at least) a live act and unlikely to attract NZ On Air single or even video funding – though Dial In features on the latest Indie Hit Disc. On stage they don't so much rock as stonk, and if you like it hard 'n'heavy – without histrionics – they are well worth catching.

My interview with the four Indicator Dogs members takes place in the Auckland studio of Malcolm Welsford. It is preceded by a 20 minute home video of the recording process at the Kare Kare home made famous by Crowded House's 'Together Alone' (a decade ago already). For a couple of years former York St co-owner Welsford operated his studio from there, and for the Indicator Dogs his role extends to producer/engineer/facilitator, ohh and head chef.

The daily swims and nightly barbeques captured on video indicate it was high summer, and when January is mentioned I reasonably assume all this took place just a few months ago. I'm wrong – it was the summer of 2002.
"It's taken us three years simply because of the amount of cooking that Malcolm did during the time that we were recording," jokes Hunting (whose name you may recognise from occasional NZM bass reviews). "I'd just like to say that I did my bass tracks in one night!" she adds.

The 'Anschluss' recording process actually started late 2001 and was originally finished early last year. Despite being mastered it was never released, and this summer five of the 12 tracks were reworked with new vocalist 'Wolf'. The album is now imminent, brought to you with a promotional campaign for which someone will have earned themselves $1000 through the competition run from the band's website. But let's look
backwards a little first.

Young and Hunting got together with singer Thomas Henry (Bloomfield) in late '97 to form Indicator Dogs. The three remained constants but went through a succession of drummers until Aaron Reilly took the stool at the end of '99. Once they had settled the recording happened, the album was mastered, a record company deal was signed and then Henry was asked to leave.

"Tom unfortunately had come to a stage where he was unable to give the full commitment that he had in the past – and that we required going forward," explains Hunting. "It was a decision that wasn't taken lightly since we had just signed to Antenna and had taken the album overseas and got some interest. If there was a time to let him go it was best done then rather than after the release of the album. We were relatively unknown still, though our hardcore fans were obviously shattered by the news. It was tough, but the best thing to do."

Enter Wolf, a rock covers band musician/vocalist, who was in contact with Welsford about his own music over the time the Indicator Dogs were looking for a replacement vocalist.

"I've been in a lot of bands, and all the way through that I've been writing my own stuff. I wanted to get my own band going but it never took off so I jumped into this one. It was exciting to get involved with the existing album recording, I was chafing. At the moment I am taking a heavier delivery but keeping the roots – I'm still learning here."

Having Wolf rework all the songs didn't make sense, and besides the others wanted to pay respect to Henry, saying they weren't going to have him contribute for all those years and not be on the album. As it turns out he is still singing on most, Wolf's more melodic style considered to better suit just five tracks.

The way he has taken to the material and takes control of the stage you could think Wolf owned both. Nervous front rowers regularly back away from his intensity, (rightly) expecting him to leap into their midst at any moment as he exhorts them to believe – or at least to dance. The gentle guy transforms into an aggressive metal vocalist par excellence, committed and convincing.
"I'm probably scaring the hell out of them. Sometimes it gets a bit frustrating (that audiences shy away), but it works. I've performed like that ever since I was young. I'm quiet, but put in the limelight I go off."

Wolf's own complexity is more than matched by the Dogs' music which, always quirky, has become heavier over the years.

"I s'pose the line of progression wouldn't be straight, but you would still be able to track it," says Young. "The reason we went through so many drummers was we kept blowing them up! We were always exploring different time signatures and the whole way we have approached the music is from outside the box – and we've kept adding more heaviness to that! You give drummers something outside of 4/4 and a lot don't know what to do."

It's probably a good thing that Aaron Reilly works at Auckland retail outlet Drum City and has lots of time to practice those odd time signatures, alternating 13s and 15s and the like which Hunting and Young conceive.

Reilly was asked to audition and five weeks later was thrown in the deep end playing the 2000 BDO, not long after their first release had made it to bFM's Top 10. Their midday set engendered considerable interest but their only big stage performance since was for APRA's 75th, where they did a cover of Voom's King Kong, the normally jean-clad Hunting wearing a monumental white dress which required her to be lifted on stage. They've toured as far south as Dunedin with regular support from fellow Auckland band Subtract and lately avant metal act Cripple Mr Onion from Christchurch.