As part of NZ Music Month, Nelson Weekly is featuring local bands and musicians throughout May, showcasing the talent and stories behind the region’s thriving music scene. First up, Kate Russell speaks with Nelson-based band Runaway – brothers Drew Sparks-Cropp and Bryn Crop – who have spent the past decade developing their alternative pop/rock sound infused with electronic elements and are now entering a bold new phase of their music journey.
Q: You’ve been playing together for around 10 years now - how did it all start?
A: Growing up, there was always music around us, so we were always playing music/learning our instruments. In our teenage years we had different projects going on separately that kind of fizzled out, so the next thing naturally was to join forces and try something together.
Q: As brothers, how does that shape your dynamic as a band?
A: It lets us be more vulnerable and real in our writing and lets us collaborate honestly. We have similar goals and ideas and, because of this, it allows us to push each other and get the most out of everything that we are working on.
Q: How has your music evolved over the years?
A: In our early days (2016 onwards) we played a lot more indie/rock music. We got very inspired by bands implementing electronic elements into their music which led us to lean pretty heavily into that direction. Over more recent years we have found a sound that we can call our own and our songwriting has become a lot more authentic.
Q: You record and produce your own tracks – tell us about your releases so far and where people can listen to them
A: We have a collection of singles/EP’s available on all streaming platforms including Spotify and Apple Music under ‘Runaway’. Our most recent track released is titled ‘Backseat Ghost’.
Q: You’ve played some big local events recently, including Marchfest and New Year’s Eve on the Steps. What were those experiences like?
A: These were big moments for us. We created our live shows with the big stage in mind. It was amazing to see our show performed at this level. And it’s particularly special to be playing to local crowds and events and seeing people connect to songs that we created ourselves.
Q: How would you describe the Nelson music scene at the moment?
A: Nelson has a lot of great musical talent - especially in the younger up-and-coming bands! There are some really passionate locals keeping live music going in Nelson. It can be challenging because the scene here is a bit smaller, but it’s been amazing to see so many people come out to enjoy local music!
Q: What’s been one of the biggest challenges of doing it independently?
A: A big challenge of it just being the two of us operating independently is wearing all the hats. Writing, recording, producing, booking gigs, social media (big these days) and promoting.
Q: What keeps you motivated to keep pushing forward?
A: We love to create art that we are proud of and that we can leave behind as a legacy. We also love to create things that people can connect with - even if it was only a few people that we can do that for it would be worth it and we would keep going!
Q: What’s next for Runaway? Can fans expect new music or more shows soon?
A: Definitely - we’re working on new music at the moment with a release of a concept EP titled “Lowlight” planned for later this year, and continuing to build the live show with the hopes of playing some bigger stages!
Q: What bands/artists are your biggest influences?
A: Twenty One Pilots are a big influence for us, especially the way they blend genres and build a world around the music. We’re also influenced by alternative, electronic, rock, and pop artists generally, as well as smaller bands that punch above their weight class!
