Opshop

Opshop
Opshop at the TechFest, Auckland in 2008
Background information
Origin	Auckland, New Zealand
Genres	Alternative rock
Occupations	Music
Years active	2002–present
Labels	Siren Records
Members	Jason Kerrison Bobby Kennedy Matt Treacy Clint Harris
Past members	Tim Skedden Ian Munro

Opshop is a New Zealand rock band formed in 2002. Their first album, You Are Here was released in 2004. Their second album, Second Hand Planet was released in 2007 and received Triple Platinum certification. It produced the successful single, One Day. Their third album, Until The End Of Time was released in 2010 and debuted at number one on the New Zealand Album Charts.

History

Opshop was formed by Invercargill born, Christchurch raised, singer/songwriter Jason Kerrison. He based himself in Auckland, writing music while at a residency in a backpacker's bar in Auckland.

Growing tired of the solo shows, he invited guitarist and old school friend, Tim Skedden to join him and share the acoustic vibe that the club and its punters had come to enjoy. In the following year, Kerrison met up with another old school mate and long time drummer, Bobby Kennedy (also from Christchurch) and invited him to join the newband. In the following few months, another long-term friend crossed Kerrison's path. The band's name was GST (Goldfish Shopping Trolley), but was soon changed to Opshop.

Guitarist Matt Treacy (yet another Cantabrian) was also living in Auckland and was soon to be a member of this emerging act. So with four members in place, jamming, interacting, along with plenty of nostalgia and catching up on the Christchurch days, the Opshop bandwagon was now rolling.

It was then that the band recruited a friend of Jason's that he had met while studying ethnomusicology at Auckland University. English born Ian Munro became Opshop's bass player.

Some of Opshop's success is thanks to the ZM radio station where during the winter of 2003, Opshop were the winners of Project NZM a competition designed to help small bands make it big. Project NZM helped Opshop with the release of their single Saturated by giving the song airplay on the ZM network.

As the band remained behind closed doors, a demo recording of their work found its way into the hands of friends Adrien de Croy and Tracy Magan, of the newly founded label Siren Records, who are also the record label of Goldenhorse, who liked the band's music.

Siren then offered Opshop an opportunity to record some of their material at York Street Studios in a 'live' demo session. The following night, Opshop played their first ever performance alongside Che-Fu and Ted Clarke at the then Leftfield Bar on the Viaduct in Auckland.

In the weeks that followed, Siren approached Opshop with a deal that would provide both opportunity and artist integrity with the benefits of an independent label, alongside the distribution capabilities of major label Capitol/EMI.

They became a signed act and they continue to receive a good deal of support from NZ on Air and New Zealand's broadcasting community. Opshop finished their new album You Are Here in 2004 and have done many large concerts all over the country. Their first single "Nothing Can Wait" was recorded by Malcolm Welsford at York St Studios.

The single "No Ordinary Thing" did very well in the charts and made it on to Now That's What I Call Music Volume 16.

The Band went through some drastic changes that proved to be very challenging to deal with. Tim Skedden unfortunately had to leave the band due to family commitments and Ian Munro decided to head back home to his native Britain.

This left a gap that was eventually filled by Bobby Kennedy's former band mate Clinton Harris on Bass guitar. Clint and Bobby first teamed up as part Christchurch's Hornby High School rock band called Outer Control. The lead singer of this band was Pearl Runga (sister to Boh Runga and Bic Runga). Outer Control was the first ever winner of the New Zealand National High School Rock Quest competition. Bobby and Clint continued together on the Christchurch Music scene in another band called Gorilla Biscuit with Jason Kerrison singing lead vocals.

Jason Kerrison, the singer, auditioned for Rock Star Supernova but even though he impressed, he wasn't selected for the finals. At the auditions, he was talking to Tommy Lee, who was saying that he loves Snow Patrol, which inspired Jason when making Second Hand Planet (He said this during an interview with The Rock radio station). Coincidentally, Opshop supported Snow Patrol in September 2007 for their 2 New Zealand shows.

With the single "Maybe", they are the first New Zealand band to go to the #1 position on iTunes New Zealand in its history. Beating out Mika, Regina Spektor, Avril Lavigne, Beyoncé & Shakira, The Fray, Silverchair, Fall Out Boy, Justin Timberlake and Snow Patrol. "Maybe" is the first single off the album Second Hand Planet, released in April 2007.

When they were on tour with Luke Thompson in New Zealand in 2008, they came up with a song for each place they visited on the day of the concert. In Auckland, they forgot the words to it and made it up on the spot.

Opshop have been voted New Zealand's favourite band according to readers of the EDC magazine. The poll was conducted on 19 April 2010. Two days after they released their newest single "Pins and Needles" which was released 17 April 2010.

Opshop's latest album was released in August, 2010, and is called 'Until the End of Time.'

In 2011, Kerrison was made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the Queen's Birthday Honours, for services to music.^[1]

Discography

Albums

Featured appearances

The group have appeared on a few compilations since 2002. The following is a list of these albums that have featured tracks by the Opshop.

• (2004) - State Of The Nation: Fresh New Zealand Rock (EMI) - "No Ordinary Thing"
• (2005) - Broken Dreams (Warner Strategic Marketing) - "No Ordinary Thing"
• (2005) - Lazy Sunday 5 (EMI) - "No Ordinary Thing"
• (2005) - Now That's What I Call Music 16 (EMI) - "No Ordinary Thing"
• (2007) - Now That's What I Call Music 24 (EMI) - "Maybe"
• (2007) - Outrageous Fortune Westside Rules (WM New Zealand) - "No Ordinary Thing"
• (2009) - Merry Christmas Baby (Plunket/Rhythmethod) - "No Room, No View (Only You)"

Singles

References

External links

• OPSHOP artist website