Playing Favourites with Waikato songwriter Arthur Ahbez

With his distinctive, high-pitched voice and laid-back melodies, Arthur Ahbez leans hard into the psychedelic-tinged California sound of the late 1960s.

On his beloved vintage guitar, the Tirau-based musician performs tracks on RNZ from his new album Arthur Ahbez & The Flaming Ahbez and a bonus Neil Young cover.

For Ahbez, the late 1960s - when a group of young kids who happened to be amazing musicians started experimenting with psychedelic sounds - was the most interesting time for songwriting.

To recreate the spirit of that era in his own music, he listens to their songs and takes study notes.

"I'll always be open to whatever the song wants me to do, but generally the aesthetic of it will lead me in that direction, because this is who I am."

The new album follows two solo, self-recorded albums, and is the first one with his band The Flaming Ahbez.

With many of his fans also being friends, he feels bad that the album has been seven years in the making, but says its calibre reveals the hard work that went into it.

"It's definitely the level of quality that I wanted to achieve. I couldn't have done any better."

A lot of the time, writing music is like drawing blood from a stone, Ahbez says, but he's got lots more songs at the ready for his next album.

"I've got such a back catalogue of songs that I really love and I'm passionate about, so I'm really looking forward to getting in the studio again."

Having two kids slows things down a bit, Ahbez says, but before too long he hopes to play some shows in the States, where his music is popular.

In the meantime, he'll keep persevering.

"I've been doing this for so long. My end goal is just to hopefully make a livelihood by making music and support my family by doing that."

Arthur Ahbez played:

'I'm A Ram'

'A Simple Medication'

'L.A.' (Neil Young)

'King's Shanty'

'Cool Water'

Arthur Ahbez performs at [Auckland's [ https://www.instagram.com/theotherswayfestival?fbclid=IwY2xjawGuHnlleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHdNeRbaX1efZ6P-6yHmIEIgFuwjdH_wDSoDrlk2emA3OJEpgrFIWM8lggQ_aem_GNt5ftvnlGlJK2704AyCdQ Others Way Festival] on Saturday 30 November.

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