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. After having spent over 10 years living between Wellington, London, East Sussex and Manchester, Hosford now resides in Los Angeles, California.

Career

Early Career (New Zealand) (1995-2007)

Born and raised in Hawke's Bay, New Zealand, Hosford started his first band "The Four Skins" (named by his father, Ade "because there are four skins on the drums")[1] while attending Havelock North intermediate school in 1995. Soon after this, due to embarrassment, Connan called an end to The Four Skins, and wouldn't start another band until several years later.

In 2003, after moving to Wellington, Hosford briefly played in a band called "Grampa Moff" (later to become a track title on "Please Turn Me Into The Snat"),[2] consisting of Blake Pryor (bass) and Christopher Chalmers (drums), before forming his principle New Zealand group "Connan And The Mockasins" (named after Connan's interest in making his own shoes).[3] Playing alongside Connan were Ross Walker (upright acoustic bass) and Seamus Ebbs (drums). It was with this band that Connan would relocate to London in May 2006 after releasing their second EP "Uuu It's Teasy". 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 – adopting his new moniker "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,[4] and received glowing reviews from critics including NME and Drowned in Sound.[5] It was also shortlisted for the 2011 Taite Music Prize.[6]

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.[7][8][9]

It was at this stage Hosford put together an incarnation of the existing Connan Mockasin live band; Matthew Eccles (drums), Nicholas Harsant (bass), Sam Eastgate (keyboards) and Rory McCarthy (percussion).[10]

Caramel (2013-present)

Mockasin at the Haldern Pop Festival in 2013

Mockasin and band toured with Charlotte Gainsbourg as her live band after Mockasin composed the song 'Out Of Touch' for her 2011 album Stage Whisper.[11]

Connan Mockasin toured with Radiohead in Australia and New Zealand throughout November 2012, playing sold-out shows in Auckland, Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne.[12]

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."[13]

Collaborations

Since as early as 2010,[14] Mockasin has made reference to an album he was making with Sam Dust (Sam Eastgate of Late Of The Pier), which will be called 'Soft Hair'. In an interview at the time Caramel was released, Connan announced that Soft Hair would be unveiled 'next year',[15] but is yet to be seen. In September 2014, Connan joined James Blake for his Radio 1 Residency, and played a song credited as 'Higher Grounds' by Soft Hair.[16]

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.[17]

After having toured the United States extensively with Australian support act Kirin J Callinan, Mockasin appeared on his November 2015 release "The Teacher",[18] released on French record label Record Makers.[19]

Connan recently began curating concerts under the title "Mockasin's Wet Dream", the first of which took place at London military veteran's club, Moth Club.[20]The night was a collaboration between Charnwood collective Tasty Morsels and Mockasin, and featured an on-stage appearance by James Blake (who recently announced a recorded collaboration with Mockasin contributing to his upcoming album, which will also include Kanye West and Bon Iver),[21] Hosford's father Ade, and Tasty Morsels members Infinite Bisous (Rory McCarthy of the Connan Mockasin band) and Sad Eyes. The second Wet Dream would take place at Texan festival Marfa Myths, organised by American label Mexican Summer, and would include appearances by Ariel Pink and Andrew Van Wyngarden. [22]

Equipment

Since around 2005, while with 'Connan and the Mockasins', Hosford has played his reshaped Fender Stratocaster, a sky blue 90s Mexican-made model which he hand-sawed (as he would later re-enact with a new Stratocaster on stage in New York at the National Sawdust).[23] Many have compared the shape to a Vox Teardrop guitar. Along with his second reshaped Stratocaster,[24] Connan has also recently been playing a black Silvertone 1448.[25]

Discography

With Connan and the Mockasins[26]

With BARB

Collaborations

As Connan Mockasin

Title Details Peak chart positions
NZ[30] FR[31] BEL[32]
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. ↑ "Apéro avec Connan Mockasin | le Bonbon". le Bonbon. Retrieved 2016-03-21.
  2. ↑ "Connan Mockasin | Artists". Phantasy Sound. Retrieved 2016-03-21.
  3. ↑ "Barkers Sundae Sessions: Connan Mockasin". New Zealand Herald. 2015-04-03. ISSN 1170-0777. Retrieved 2016-03-21.
  4. ↑ "Album Top 40 (for 8 March 2010)". charts.org.nz. Retrieved 5 November 2013.
  5. ↑ Smith, Jacqueline (4 March 2010). "Album Review: Connan Mockasin Please Turn Me Into The Snat". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 5 November 2013.
  6. ↑ "Taite Music Prize 2011". IMNZ. Retrieved 25 October 2012.
  7. ↑ Kennedy, Andrew (30 March 2011). "Review: Connan Mockasin, Forever Dolphin Love". Drowned In Sound. Retrieved 5 November 2013.
  8. ↑ Simpson, Dave (27 September 2011). "Connan Mockasin – review: The Deaf Institute, Manchester". The Guardian. Retrieved 5 November 2013.
  9. ↑ Thomson, Paul (9 August 2011). "Connan Mockasin: Forever Dolphin Love". Pitchfork. Retrieved 5 November 2013.
  10. ↑ "Urban Outfitters - Blog - UO Live: Connan Mockasin". blog.urbanoutfitters.com. Retrieved 2016-03-19.
  11. ↑ "Charlotte Gainsbourg "Stage Whisper" with Connan Mockasin". Because Music. 21 March 2011. Retrieved 5 November 2013.
  12. ↑ "Connan Mockasin supporting Radiohead!". Because Music. 3 April 2012. Retrieved 5 November 2013.
  13. ↑ "Connan Mockasin Reveals November Album Plans". Little Indie Blogs. 7 September 2013. Retrieved 2 November 2013.
  14. ↑ "Connan Mockasin - recording a soft hair album with sam dust | Facebook". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 2016-03-19.
  15. ↑ "CONNAN MOCKASIN Q & A  : Newtown Radio". www.newtownradio.com. Retrieved 2016-03-19.
  16. ↑ "James Blake and Sohn, BBC Radio 1's Residency - BBC Radio 1". BBC. Retrieved 2016-03-19.
  17. ↑ "Connan Mockasin / Devonté Hynes - Myths 001: Collaborative Recordings Captured in Marfa, TX March 9-16, 2015". 1 November 2015. Retrieved 6 November 2015.
  18. ↑ Kirin J Callinan (2015-11-03), KIRIN J CALLINAN feat. CONNAN MOCKASIN ~ The Teacher, retrieved 2016-03-22
  19. ↑ Lanos, Helori. "Record Makers - Kirin J Callinan". www.recordmakers.com. Retrieved 2016-03-22.
  20. ↑ http://thefourohfive.com. "In Photos: Connan Mockasin Presents Mockasin's Wet Dream". The 405. Retrieved 2016-03-22.
  21. ↑ "James Blake says that Kanye West, Connan Mockasin and Bon Iver are on his new album". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 2016-03-22.
  22. ↑ Hundley, Jessica (2016-03-15). "The Most Magical Moments of Texas’s Remotest Music Festival". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2016-03-22.
  23. ↑ NYC, NO SLEEP. "NO SLEEP NYC - Connan Mockasin performance at National Sawdust,...". NO SLEEP NYC. Retrieved 2016-03-19.
  24. ↑ NYC, NO SLEEP. "NO SLEEP NYC - Connan Mockasin performance at National Sawdust,...". NO SLEEP NYC. Retrieved 2016-03-19.
  25. ↑ Inc., Equipboard. "Connan Mockasin's 64's Silvertone 1448". Equipboard. Retrieved 2016-03-19.
  26. ↑ "Connan And The Mockasins Discography at Discogs". Discogs. Retrieved June 23, 2015.
  27. ↑ http://www.discogs.com/Barb-Barb/master/697071
  28. ↑ http://www.discogs.com/Barb-Havin-a-baby/release/7805571
  29. ↑ Summer, Mexican. "Connan Mockasin / Devonté Hynes - Myths 001: Collaborative Recordings Captured in Marfa, TX March 9-16, 2015". Mexican Summer. Retrieved 2016-03-22.
  30. ↑ http://acharts.us/album/53834
  31. ↑ http://lescharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Connan+Mockasin&titel=Forever+Dolphin+Love&cat=a
  32. ↑ http://lescharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Connan+Mockasin&titel=Caramel&cat=a

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