How did Retro Valley first come together as a band?

Retro Valley formed back in 2019 when Mitch, Ben and David decided to get together and have a jam, after having been mates in high school at Hamilton Boys. David and Mitch had been in heavy bands together through those years but it was Ben’s first band. Not too long after jamming together we brought Ethan and Josh onboard and Retro Valley was born!

Where did the name “Retro Valley” come from?

Originally we were called “Retrouvaille” which means a reunion or rediscovery. Often carrying a deep personal or emotional significance of finding something or someone again after a long time or separation. But too many people were calling us that “Ratatouille” band so we changed it in that first year to Retro Valley.

Growing up in Hamilton/NZ, what shaped your sound the most?

We’ve had a lot of influence from our time being in hardcore bands but I think inspiring one another over time is what’s shaped our sound the most.

How would you describe your music to someone who’s never heard you before?

If I had to sum up all of the vibes we have encapsulated over the years, depending on what you listen to there might be elements of funk rock, emo, pop rock, dnb. All slow roasted together to make Retro Valleys catalog. We like to think we have a little something for everyone. You can either dance or cry to our music.

What’s your usual songwriting process do you start with lyrics, riffs, or just vibes?

That depends entirely on what we hear first. Band members will sometimes come to practice with full written song and we tweak it or someone will play an ear worm of a riff and we just have to stop and assemble the rest to capture it. Some songs we have written on the spot and they’ve worked perfect like, “LIFELINE.” Some we have worked on for nearly a year like, “The Outside.”

Do you see your songs as stories, or more of a vibe without a narrative?

I think our songs describe the human experience and vulnerability whether that’s through strong emotions, sexuality or just existential crisis. But we have to be honest otherwise we don’t write it.

Can you tell us a funny or unforgettable gig moment?

Oh we’ve had too many funny mid show moments to count from chipping teeth on mics to the crowd squealing at my valley girl impression mid song. But I think the moments that are most engrained in our brains are making the crowds jump to the final drop in our set on the BadFlower NZ tour in Wellington and Auckland. Never seen so many people get so lit to our music before and since the amount of people there reflected what our listener count looked like it felt like a physical representation of all our listeners being there.

You are building a reputation around the city for having phenomenal fans at your gigs and really driving atmospheres in bars like Last Place. How much of that is organic, and how much do the fans impact the way you perform?

We like to put in 100% for every show we play regardless of the size of the stage or crowd. But even if there is just one person in the crowd that is visibly enjoying themselves then that always charges us up even more! But nothing beats seeing a bunch of smiles and laughs and hearing people singing our songs back to us.

What did The Wardrobe bring to your sound that you couldn’t have found on your own?

We went to The Wardrobe to record our song Moustache Man and he definitely helped us capture the raw live sound we were after. They have a brilliant space where they are with incredible equipment.

Was there a track that completely shifted in the studio after working with him?

We only worked on that one track with The Wardrobe but I think the most significant shift happened when we started recording with Scott Seabright with all of our latest songs from Backseat Lovers onwards.

Do you prefer the rawness of live gigs or the polish of studio recordings?

They both bring fulfilling experiences but for us nothing beats playing live shows!

If Retro Valley had a signature drink at the bar, what would it be called?

Sad Party in my Pants?

Where do our readers find you?

@retrovalleyband on Instagram/YouTube/TikTok/Facebook