Connan Mockasin

Connan Mockasin

Mockasin in 2011
Background information
Origin Te Awanga, New Zealand
Genres Psychedelic pop, psychedelic rock, neo-psychedelia, dream pop, space rock
Years active 2006-present
Labels Phantasy Sound
Associated acts Charlotte Gainsbourg
Website Facebook page

Connan Tant Hosford, better known by the stage name Connan Mockasin, is a psychedelic pop musician from Te Awanga, New Zealand.

Career

Connan and the Mockasins

Connan originally started a "blues-pop" band whilst living in Wellington, New Zealand, known as Connan and the Mockasins. The group consisted of Connan Hosford (vocals, guitar), Ross Walker (upright acoustic bass) and Seamus Ebbs (drums).

In 2006, the band released their second EP, Uuu It's Teasy, and toured New Zealand to promote the album. They played a fundraising New Zealand show in Wellington on 26 May 2006, before relocating to London on the 30th. After a series of concerts in London, the band visited New Zealand again for a national 2006/2007 Summer tour.

In 2007, the band moved from London to a village in East Sussex in the south east of England. Ross Walker was replaced by James Milne, of Lawrence Arabia and Reduction Agents fame, on bass guitar. The band then played the CMJ festival in New York. Towards the end of 2007 Ebbs left the band to pursue his career, shortly before Hosford returned to New Zealand for a national tour in 2008 with a new lineup – becoming a solo act under the name "Connan Mockasin".

Solo career beginnings (2008-2010)

Hosford made his first solo recording with noted English DJ Norman Cook's Brighton Port Authority project in 2008. The song "Jumps the Fence" was included on the I Think We're Gonna Need a Bigger Boat album.

In August 2009, Liam Finn formed a new band called BARB for a small New Zealand tour consisting of Connan Hosford, Lawrence Arabia (James Milne), Eliza Jane Barnes, Seamus Ebbs, Jol Mulholland and Wild Bill Rickets. Their album (recorded at Roundhead Studios in Auckland, New Zealand) was released in August 2010.

In the early stages of his solo career, Mockasin played gigs supporting Pete & The Pirates, Late of the Pier, Liam Finn, The Veils, Micachu & The Shapes, Crowded House, Mystery Jets and Warpaint. Mockasin's UK tour with Crowded House resulted in him performing in huge theater-like venues with mostly seated areas. This proved an interesting challenge for Connan and his group as most would consider his music much more alternative or left-field than that of Crowded House, although Connan had expressed an interest in playing to seated crowds in places such as libraries or theatres.

Forever Dolphin Love (2010-2012)

Connan Mockasin released his first album "Please Turn Me into the Snat" in 2010 on Phantasy Sound, Erol Alkan's record label, and in 2011 on Because Music. The album reached No. 39 on the New Zealand album charts,[1] and received glowing reviews from critics including NME and Drowned in Sound.[2] It was also shortlisted for the 2011 Taite Music Prize.[3]

On 28 March 2011 the album was re-released as "Forever Dolphin Love" with a live bonus disc on Phantasy and Because Music. Mockasin has received favourable reviews for his unusual sound and musical style.[4][5][6]

Caramel (2013-present)

Mockasin at the Haldern Pop Festival in 2013

Mockasin and band have been touring with Charlotte Gainsbourg as her live band after Mockasin composed the song 'Out Of Touch' for her latest album Stage Whisper.[7]

Mockasin toured with Radiohead in Australia and New Zealand throughout November 2012, playing sold-out shows in Auckland, Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne.[8]

Mockasin announced the release of his second album, Caramel, in September 2013. It was released on 4 November via Phantasy Sound/Because Music in the UK and 5 November via Mexican Summer in the US. The artist describes the new record as a concept playing off his last LP: "It starts with the dolphin leaving, and the boss who is so in with love with the dolphin is sad, and then it kicks into the new album, and he is happier. But there’s a car race and a crash."[9]

In 2015, Mockasin and British artist Dev Hynes released the extended play Myths 001: Collaborative Recordings Captured in Marfa, TX March 9–16, 2015 through Mexican Summer.[10]

Musical style

Hosford plays a Fender Stratocaster reshaped to resemble a Vox Teardrop as his guitar.

Discography

With Connan and the Mockasins[11]

With BARB

As Connan Mockasin

Title Details Peak chart positions
NZ[14] FR[15] BEL[16]
Please Turn Me Into the Snat Self-released in 2010 39 — —
Forever Dolphin Love Released in 2011 by Phantasy and Because Music — 164 —
Caramel Released in 2013 by Phantasy, Because Music and Mexican Summer — — 195

References

  1. ↑ "Album Top 40 (for 8 March 2010)". charts.org.nz. Retrieved 5 November 2013.
  2. ↑ Smith, Jacqueline (4 March 2010). "Album Review: Connan Mockasin Please Turn Me Into The Snat". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 5 November 2013.
  3. ↑ "Taite Music Prize 2011". IMNZ. Retrieved 25 October 2012.
  4. ↑ Kennedy, Andrew (30 March 2011). "Review: Connan Mockasin, Forever Dolphin Love". Drowned In Sound. Retrieved 5 November 2013.
  5. ↑ Simpson, Dave (27 September 2011). "Connan Mockasin – review: The Deaf Institute, Manchester". The Guardian. Retrieved 5 November 2013.
  6. ↑ Thomson, Paul (9 August 2011). "Connan Mockasin: Forever Dolphin Love". Pitchfork. Retrieved 5 November 2013.
  7. ↑ "Charlotte Gainsbourg "Stage Whisper" with Connan Mockasin". Because Music. 21 March 2011. Retrieved 5 November 2013.
  8. ↑ "Connan Mockasin supporting Radiohead!". Because Music. 3 April 2012. Retrieved 5 November 2013.
  9. ↑ "Connan Mockasin Reveals November Album Plans". Little Indie Blogs. 7 September 2013. Retrieved 2 November 2013.
  10. ↑ "Connan Mockasin / Devonté Hynes - Myths 001: Collaborative Recordings Captured in Marfa, TX March 9-16, 2015". 1 November 2015. Retrieved 6 November 2015.
  11. ↑ "Connan And The Mockasins Discography at Discogs". Discogs. Retrieved June 23, 2015.
  12. ↑ http://www.discogs.com/Barb-Barb/master/697071
  13. ↑ http://www.discogs.com/Barb-Havin-a-baby/release/7805571
  14. ↑ http://acharts.us/album/53834
  15. ↑ http://lescharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Connan+Mockasin&titel=Forever+Dolphin+Love&cat=a
  16. ↑ http://lescharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Connan+Mockasin&titel=Caramel&cat=a

External links

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