Jon Toogood acknowledges that some of the haircuts along the way have been bad, and some of the musical takes were straight-up terrible.
Despite the misses, three decades gives a lot to celebrate. The frontman for nationally-renowned rock band Shihad spoke to Top South Media recently about their humble beginnings as “inner-city bogans from Wellington”, as well as their upcoming ‘Loud Forever’ farewell tour.
The band formed in 1988, and over its tenure it racked up six number one studio albums, as well as at least 25 singles in New Zealand’s Top 40 chart. ‘The General Electric’ and ‘Pacifier’ albums provided plenty of early-2000s anthems to cement them as rock royalty, and the band was inducted into the New Zealand Music Hall of Fame in 2010.
After decades in the public eye, the band members announced late last year that the current national tour was to be its last.
When asked if the farewell tour was for the sake of the band or the fans, Jon says it is very much for both. He reckons they made their name rocking hard in live gigs, and 37 years later, “we wanted to go out not with a whimper but with a bang, and on our own terms”.
However, he and his bandmates are looking to spend more time with family and enjoy “just getting off the rat race”.
“It’s an interesting thing, spending your whole life in the public eye,” the vocalist and guitarist says. “It’s quite confrontational at times.”
And yet lucky, he adds, being able to make music for a living.
“We’re very fortunate,” he says. “I’ve still got to make magic happen out of a plank of wood and six strings.”
His relationship with music continues to grow and unfold, and the conversation tumbles with fragments that could just as easily be song lyrics – “the alchemy” of settling a needle into a piece of black plastic; the way that Bob Dylan is “coming into focus” for him as the years pass.
“I’m more in love with music than I was, ever,” he summarises.
Jon has done some highly-regarded solo work, but he knows that there is something magical about the push and pull of collaboration.
“That’s like riding a dragon. You make a sound that’s much bigger than you can make by yourself.”
Although each set in the Loud Forever tour will look and sound a little different, fans at the Trafalgar Centre event can expect a playlist that pays homage to Shihad’s longevity. “It’s a real deep dive into our own past and own history,” Jon says.
“We’ve got to rep every record. Everything will be there that needs to be there.”
Shihad is performing at the Trafalgar Centre on Friday, 7 February. Some final release tickets were still available at the time of posting.
