Both sides now
Singer-songwriter Flip Grater is part of a new breed of musical entrepreneurs making the most of the potential of digital technology and the internet to build a career.
It was day two of the Italian leg of Kiwi singer-songwriter Flip Grater’s self-titled Cookbook Tour of Europe and her entire outlook on life had changed.
“Italy has ruined me,” she bemoans on her MySpace page. “Life just doesn’t get any better. Everything I eat is my new favourite dish; every gig I perform is my best yet. I might just be dissatisfied with everything else that happens from here on in.”
After a day of indulgence in the gastronomic specialities of the Piedmont region, Flip and touring companion Liz Smith made their way to La Spezia for a gig at a popular local restaurant. Although Flip was unsure what the Italians would make of her distinctive blend of alternative folk, pop and rock, they took to it with gusto almost immediately.
Show over, Flip and Liz got chatting to a local “vegetarian punk musician” who offered to drive them to their next gig in Cuneo. The only catch: they had to join him and his jazz musician mates for an island lunch the next day. “We said yes immediately,” Flip laughs.
Involved in the industry for nine years, Flip, 28, is something of a veteran. As well as writing, performing and recording her own songs (her third studio album While I’m Awake I’m at War was released in July this year), she runs her own record label, Maiden Records.
Flip has deliberately taken the independent route, saying she prefers to have complete control over her career, for creative and financial reasons. “I guess I’m a bit of a control freak,” she laughs.
Although Flip never deliberately set out to become either a musician or an entrepreneur, she appears to have a natural aptitude for both, boosted by a fierce determination to forge a career that will enable her to combine her passions for music, travel and, where possible, food.
Flip built up a loyal following in her native Christchurch and beyond on the strength of her EP Nameless, first two albums Cage for a Song, Be All and End All and full-on performance schedule. She has toured New Zealand three times and performed in 10 other countries. She has played support for a star-studded line-up of local and international acts and had songs featured on TV shows including popular local series Go Girls and Outrageous Fortune and US series Brothers and Sisters.
Although she adores Christchurch, she decided late last year that she needed to move to Auckland to realise her musical ambitions, something she concedes may have appeared hypocritical to many.
“I had always been adamant it was possible to have a musical career in Christchurch,” she says guiltily. “But the reality is that Auckland offers some opportunities that Christchurch doesn’t.”
In Auckland, Flip set about planning her new album with musician and producer Tim Guy, a locally based Aussie, who has worked with a veritable who’s who of the New Zealand music business. Suddenly, the until-now-solo artist found herself in the recording studio with renowned local musicians including Geoff Maddock of Goldenhorse, Gareth Thomas of Goodshirt, Matt Short of The Feelers, Dianne Swann of the Badds, Chris O’Connor of Don McGlashan’s band The Seven Sisters and LA Mitchell of The Dukes.
“It was very relaxed, but there was a more seasoned vibe than there’d been with my previous albums. I guess it was because the people involved play music fulltime. They just turn up, say ‘okay what needs to done?’ and get on with it. We drank a bit of whisky, ate some cupcakes and made beautiful music – it was a blast.”
Flip describes recording as her favourite part of the musical process but, as her albums are all self-funded, she has much forward planning to do to ensure she doesn’t exceed her inevitably tight budget. Fortunately, she enjoys the business side of things (almost) as much as the creative.
It’s a point well illustrated by the story of how she came to find a publisher for her second book, The Cookbook Tour of Europe. She was in Leigh, north of Auckland, to play a gig when friends introduced her to friends of theirs in publishing. She arranged a coffee date to discuss her manuscript, they eventually agreed to publish it and the resultant book is set for release next year.
“I’m very grateful to have found a publisher given the stigma attached to self-publishing. Independently released music used to have a bad reputation too, but the business model has changed. People realise independent music can be just as good as, if not better than, more commercial stuff.”
Flip’s desire to help other artists succeed on their own terms was another reason she set up Maiden Records.
“I help artists, whose work I believe in, get their albums out, find distribution and set up good business models. There are so many facets of the industry to learn about, from online sales opportunities to publicity.”
On the topic of publicity, Flip’s new album is attracting a good deal of the positive variety. Roger Marbeck, owner of Ode Records, called it “an album of rare sensitivity” while 3 News reporter Samantha Hayes described it as “languid, smooth and delicious.”
Flip is setting out on a national tour to promote the album this month and, in October, will head to France, where she has secured management with Juliet Rodwell, who also looks after fellow Kiwi musicians The Black Seeds.
“I met Juliet when I was in France in 2008,” Flip says. “We got on like a house on fire so when I got back to New Zealand, I emailed her to ask her if we could work together. Now we’re planning a tour for October. I’m going to spend part of each year touring Europe and the rest in New Zealand. Or that’s the dream, at least!”
Lorna Thornber
