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Biography
Starting out in Wellington New Zealand, Connan was initially in a blues-pop band called “Connan and the Mockasins”. They were a three-piece band that endorsed upright basses and jazz standards. In April they released an EP called “Uuu It’s Teasy” and toured around New Zealand in promotion of the extended play. It was May 2006 that the band relocated to London, UK. They moved to a village in East Sussex, and it was in the UK that the band began to take off more than they had done before in NZ, simply under Connan’s full name, “Connan Mockasin”.
In 2008 that Mockasin started to earn more accolades, collaborating with Fatboy Slim for the Brighton Port Authority album and also finished a tour with Pete & The Pirates and Late of the Pier. In 2010, he toured with fellow New Zealand natives, Crowded House, on their UK tour, and then the Mystery Jets and Warpaint that same year.
“Please turn Me Into the Snat” was the band’s full-length album, released in the last quarter of 2010 on a record label called Phantasy Sound, making it to number 39 in the New Zealand charts. The album would go on to receiving fantastic reviews from critics’ ad NME and Drowned in Sound. Following the release of the album, the band toured with Radiohead in Australia and Connan’s native New Zealand in November 2012.
Live reviews
A Connan Mockasin gig is unlike other gigs. The first time I saw him was supporting Crowded House in a biggish venue.
A man he'd apparently met the day before, and who looked like he'd come straight from his office job, played keys and danced peculiar moves across the stage whilst Connan played his singular jazz influenced psychedelic guitar music accompanied by his unique vocals from behind that mass of blonde-white hair.
The audience at large seemed bemused. I was hooked. I bought his album, then called 'Please Turn me into the Snat*', later reissued as 'Forever Dolphin Love', and played it on repeat for a long time. I then saw him support Warpaint at an O2 Academy. He claimed the whole band was drunk, but this seemed to mean that the band (now featuring a middle aged man he claimed to be his Dad) just played the complex music with even greater speed and energy.
The first solo show I saw was in a noisy, and pretty tiny, bar. He had the packed room in the palm of his hand and finished the gig playing a new track sat on the sticky floor with the whole crowd seated around him, singing backing vocals in hushed tones. It was pretty special.
This year (2014) I saw him at the Soup Kitchen in Manchester at what BBC 6music's Marc Riley called one of the best gigs he'd ever been to. A packed room, dancing, singing and at one point, once again, joining him on the floor. Incredible. My brother-in-law, dubious after watching a couple of videos on YouTube was an instant convert... I'd recommend you take the opportunity to see him live, even if his records aren't working for you.
Random Trivia? 1. Connan Hosford had a band called the Mockasins. When the band disbanded, he kept the name and recorded his debut album at home under pressure from his mum to do something productive. 2. Connan Mockasin recorded an album with his Kiwi friends Liam Finn, Lawrence Arabia, Eliza-Jane Barnes and Seamus Ebbs under the name BARB. It's well worth a listen. 3. Connan is featured on the most recent Charlotte Gainsbourg album, also worth a spin. *half snake, half rat.
beardedmatt
I saw Connan Mockasin, effectively, by accident, at Glastonbury in 2014 whilst arriving early to see St Vincent. CM turned out to be both the most memorable performer and performance of the entire festival and a band that has continued to inspire and attract me. I happened to be standing next to James Blake in the crowd by the Park Stage whilst watching CM as he had left the exclusive band-vip area specifically for this performance and his words at the end of it were "that was absolutely phenomenal!" Indeed, Blake was right. CM is one of the most exciting, enigmatic and unique bands that exist at this moment in time and working backwards through their discography has been one of the most engaging and uplifting experiences I have had listening to music. I´m grateful to St Vincent for that encounter.
mcuk22
this was such an awesome show. i will be seeing him the very next time he comes to SF. and i love every musician in the band...the Jassbusters? i know that's the name of the new record, but he kept thanking his awesome band the Jassbusters which made me wonder if they do separate projects. but i can't find...oh wait, what?!... i just found something on you tube! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SD16V6MHqHw ...they seriously fuck with space time continuum. take me there. deep reverent bow.
tod-overstreet
A charismatic musician in front and on stage. His whimsical style only made all the more exuberant by the amount of fun the musicians seem to have while playing with him. James Blake was a really awesome, almost theatrical, guest appearance. Felt like unseen but surely very real math professor from his film.
Played his grooves but allowed them to be disassembled and reconstructed like some kind of Kiwi-jazz’d-Frankenstein. Loved every minute of this show.
markusrussell
This is my first Connan Mockasin-concert but still one of the top five in my life. Musicians were superb, the songs were brilliant and Connan Mockasin is a true genius of tension and release. The acoustics were fantastic and the audience in high moood. It was also sexy and funny! The only thing I did not like were the friends who suddenly appeared on the scene. It was distracting and destroyed some songs.
jakob-ryngen
Top 3 performances I've seen so far. The band is really in sync and Connan is a wizard as far as I'm concerned. I've never seen someone play a solo with one hand. The drummer has god-tier timing and energy. The keyboardist was a sexy fellow and the bassist drove the whole act. Holy sh%#, what a great show.
josh-noble-2
Absolutely phenomenal. Connan is an amazing performer and gave a wonderful show. But hands down to the rest of his crew too! (drummer, bassist, guitarist) They had a lot of fun on stage, which I personally think contributed to the overall coolness of the atmosphere of his set. Bravo.
Timsberland
Big fan. Connan knows how to put on a show! Exceeded my expectations! For the price, unbelievable. Will see this artist again when I get the chance. Even with a nice, long set (1.5 hrs +) we were still left wanting more.
amandagarza0919
Weird and unexpected! Like Connan <3
There was a long sort of Q&A part, I wasn't sure what it was about, and we heard few songs after, I just wished there would be more songs, but as always, Connan's music was awesome.
luciell
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