Cairo Knife Fight
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Cairo Knife Fight

Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand | Established. Jan 01, 2009 | MAJOR

Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand | MAJOR
Established on Jan, 2009
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"Song of The Day"

“Give me what I want / It’s not only the victim / Who wears the scars,” goes Cairo Knife Fight’s “Rezlord,” a tune about all sorts of forbidden sex. Things like bondage and suffocation. And the video shows you precisely what it’s about, but it’s not the video that’s made us select “Rezlord” as our #songoftheday — it’s the fact that it kicks some major ass and blurs all sorts of genres in the best way possible. There’s a hint of a grunge vibe and a dash of post rock, but mostly what it reminds us of is good, old fashioned heavy metal, the vocals a dead ringer for Twisted Sister’s Dee Snider. If Twisted made a new album today and didn’t try to sound like their old stuff, this is what it would probably sound like. And we do mean that as a compliment. A big one, in fact. So, if you like hard rock/heavy metal and you’re into videos about sex, click play above and check out one of the freshest songs we’ve heard in months. - Love is Pop


"Playmakers SXSW 30 Must See Bands"

If the Interactive and Film portions of SXSW are frontline of the event’s army, then the SXSW Music portion are the troops that bring the Guns of Navarone, ready to blow the Hell out of anybody who stand in their way. With hundreds musical acts invading the high ground and heart of Austin, Texas from March 13th-18th, you have a choice. You can either ride the wave of musical ecstasy or you can get out of town.
We could write 5,000 words highlighting all the bands we want to see, but then we’d never see the bands. That presents a problem. Instead, Playmaker Magazine offers a list of 30 Must-See Bands at SXSW 2012. And yes, we know Sleigh Bells played last night and they kick ass, that Bruce Springsteen will be at SXSW, and that Jay-Z is a musical champion. If you need to be told to go see them, we can’t help you. Enjoy.

The Ting Tings – Together since 2007, The Ting Tings have already sold two millions albums and four million singles worldwide including “Fruit Machine” and “That’s Not My Name/Great DJ”. Preparing for their upcoming album’s US release scheduled for March 13th, The Ting Tings threw out the rulebook while recording Sounds From Nowheresville. Inspired by The Beastie Boys’ musically indulgent Paul’s Boutique, The Ting Tings travel through every genre soundscape from synthy dance pop to 60’s doowop and even team up with fellow genre-hopping group tUnE-yArDs. Check out The Ting Tings at Stubb’s on Friday, March 16th at 1:00AM

Talib Kweli – Talib Kweli has been hailed as one of the most prolific and conscious rappers to come out of the scene since De La Soul. First gaining critical acclaim through his partnership with Mos Def and their group Black Star, Kweli has since been heard collaborating with Kanye West, Common and DJ Quik to name a few. Kweli’s Hemi-charged motor mouth style fed by Afrocentric and politically drenched lyrics make him a sight to be seen and heard. Check out Talib Kweli on Thursday, March 15th at the Kiss and Fly at 12:10AM.

M. Ward – M. Ward is a man of many voices and musical expressions, which can be heard in not only his solo career but with this fellow acts She and Him (w/ Zooey Deschanel) and Monsters of Folk (w/ Jim James and Conor Oberst). Ward’s alternative country-folk stylings and innate sense of melody is complimented his honey-soaked vocals and cleverly manipulated lyrics. The upcoming release of his newest solo album A Wasteland Companion scheduled for April 10th has already been hailed as some of the finest songwriting and strongest delivery of his career. Check out M. Ward at Auditorium Shores on Thursday, March 15th at 6:45PM.

MC LARS – Whether he’s rapping about poetry, Moby Dick or all your favorite Ska bands growing up, indie-rap artist MC Lars makes it work. His widespread appeal is evident by toured with and opened for such varied acts as Hip-Hop behemoths Lupe Fiasco, Nas and Ludacris to Wheatus, Say Anything and The Aquabats. To add to his off the wall subject matter and inspired wordplay, MC Lars is backed by a live band and accompanied by video projections keeping the crowd’s attention no what matters. The music. Check out MC Lars at Malaia on Wednesday, March 14th at 1:00AM.

Cairo Knife Fight- Hailing from New Zealand, Cairo Knife Fight could quite possibly be the next purest form of Rock & Roll since The Black Keys and they’re just getting started. With the release of their recent EP Cairo Knife Fight II, the drums/bass/guitar riff-driven duo is making a lot of noise in the rock scene. Their music has been called mix of Led Zeppelin and Radiohead after a three-day booze cruise and what could be more perfect for SXSW? Check out Cairo Knife Fight at BD Riley’s on Wednesday, March 14th at 10:00PM.

Neon Indian – Started by 20-year-old Alan Palomo, Neon Indian has become a genre-bending synth powerhouse and has even sparked a new musical genre called hypnagogic pop. Flaming Lips, Massive Attack and Phoenix are just a few of the big names Neon Indian has opened for in the short two-year span since their debut record. Their newest album, Era Extraña will showcase darker, more emotional synth-scape sounds and is scheduled to release on September 13th. Check out Neon Indian at Barbarella on Thursday, March 15th at 1:00AM.

Blitzen Trapper – Hard rock guitars, wailing harmonicas, plucking banjos and blasting drums is just a taste of what can be expected from Blitzen Trapper. Leaders of a dying breed of musicans, Blitzen Trapper is one of the last good ol’ American rock groups and they are not shy to take you home to their country roads. They’re newest album scheduled to be released on September 13th, American Goldwing takes you to their hometowns and drives you through their lives. Blizten Trapper provides a musical experience that can only be rivaled by their outstanding live performances. Check out Blitzen Trapper at Red 7 Patio on Friday, March 16th at 1:00AM.

The Shins – Indie-rock elite The Shins have cemented themselves as one of the definitive groups of their genre and have plans to continue their reign with the release of their newest album Port of Morrow set to release on March 20th. With a new backing band consisting of Richard Swift, Modest Mouse drummer Joe Plummer and Yuuki Matthews of Crystal Skulls, The Shins are ready to erupt back into the scene in style at SXSW. Check out The Shins at Auditorium Shores on Thursday, March 15th at 8:00PM.

Jukebox the Ghost – One of the catchiest bands out there, Jukebox the Ghost elevates pop-rock to a whole new spectrum. The ability to write a catchy tune comes easy to such skilled musicians and their enjoyment transfers directly to their listeners like contagious laughter. With a more serious approach to their second album set to release on June 12th, Safe Travels keeps the up-tempo sound Jukebox the Ghost has become known for but with a more personal, thoughtful message coming through the speakers. Check out Jukebox the Ghost at Continental Club on Thursday, March 15th at 9:05PM.

Clap Your Hands Say Yea – To put it simply, Clap Your Hands Say Yea writes and performs a perfected form of Indie-rock. Catchy vocals, synth/guitar driven melodies and inventive drums blend together to form CYHSY’s distinctive, constantly changing sound. With their first release in three years Hysterical, Clap Your Hands Say Yea have once again renewed their sound with tracks that were intensely constructed, dismantled and rebuilt from the rubble to produce their most confident and creative album yet. Check out Clap Your Hands Say Yea at Bar 96 on Thursday, March 15th at 12:00AM.

Ingrid Michaelson – Indie-pop singer-songwriter Ingrid Michaelson is any music lover’s dream. Her uncanny ability to construct catchy, beautifully written songs is evident in such hits as “The Way I Am” and “Keep Breathing.” She has sold over 750,000 albums, three million singles, been recognized by VH1 as an “Artist You Outta Know” and has released a new album Human Again all as an independent artist. Check out Ingrid Michaelson at Central Presbyterian Church on Friday, March 16th at 10:30PM.

fun. – Never has there been a group named as appropriately as fun. who have made a name for themselves as the traveling circus equivalent to indie rock. From their organic, rocky, catchiness-is-key debut album Aim & Ignite to their newest hip-hop inspired release Some Nights frontmen Nate Reuss (The Format), Jack Antonoff (Steel Train) and Andrew Dost (Anathallo) continue to reinvent the wheel of indie pop-rock. Check out fun. at 1100 Warehouse on Wednesday, March 14th at 10:00PM.

Built to Spill – Together since 1992, indie rock veterans Built to Spill have released seven albums and five EP’s without even blinking a collective eye. Borrowing from Dinasour Jr’s style of catchy, heavy guitar hooks Built to Spill has created its own signature sound which has garnered an impressive list of followers naming Built to Spill as one of their influences including The Strokes, Brand New, Modest Mouse and Death Cab For Cutie. Check out Built to Spill at The Belmont on Tuesday, March 13th at 1:00AM.

Astronautalis – Self-proclaimed “historical fiction hip-hop” artist Astronautalis is just one many indie-rap acts scheduled to perform at SXSW. With the release of his fourth album This Is Our Science, Astronautalis has been noted for his rapping style which blends indie rock, electro and blues and has been described as “if Beck were a decade or so younger and had grown up more heavily immersed in hip-hop.” Check out Astronautalis at 512 Rooftop on Wednesday, March 14th at 1:00AM.

Big Scary – Garage rock is alive and it lives on in the souls of Tom Iansek and Jo Syme who make up Australian’s musical duo Big Scary. Electric guitar, drums, keys and dueling vocals are simply tools for Big Scary to constantly mold their sound from ashtray grunge to toothpaste pop while taking every note into consideration. With their compilation of four seasonally inspired EP’s cleverly titled The Big Scary Four Seasons and their recent debut album Vacation, Big Scary is one of only two Australian bands at SXSW and the only unsigned group to make the stage. Check out Big Scary at Beale Street Tavern on Friday, March 16th at 12:00AM.

Shiny Toy Guns – Whether you know them from their acclaimed debut album We Are Pilots or from your favorite Lincoln car commercial, Shiny Toy Guns has a sound that is hard to ignore. Hailing from Los Angeles, the alternative/electronic Shiny Toy Guns has already been nominated for a Grammy Award in the category of Best Electronic/Dance Album and is planning for their third major release, III. Check out Shiny Toy Guns at Auditorium Shores on Saturday, March 17th at 6:00PM.

The Belle Brigade – When your grandfather is multiple-Oscar-winning composer John Williams, writing classic California pop rock tunes described as reminiscent of The Everly Brothers and Simon & Garfunkel must come pretty easily… especially when you’re siblings. Barbara and Ethan Gruska, born only six years apart, are the brains and brawn that make up the charming duo The Belle Brigade. The brother and sister duo grew up immersed in all genres under the California sun, which is clearly evident in their self-titled debut album that has been described as “a dozen California pop gems…” by Los Angeles Times. Check out The Belle Brigade at Clive Bar on Saturday, March 17th at 10:00PM.

Miike Snow – Indie pop sensation Miike Snow is Sweden’s pride and joy, second only to the meatball. Their debut album, Miike Snow sold over 200,000 copies and has been compared to “if A-ha met Animal Collective” and in 2011 won a European Border Breakers Award for their international success. Their newest album Happy to You is set to be released on March 26th with the first single “Devil’s Work” available for download on Spotify. Check out Miike Snow at Hype Hotel on Wednesday, March 14th at 12:00AM.

The Big Pink – Take the infectious melodies of MGMT, add the musicality of Crystal Castles and mix in the interstellar soundscapes of The Thievery Corporation and you will begin to understand The Big Pink. Taking their name from the debut album by folk-rock legends The Band, The Big Pink has already won two NME awards for Best New Act and Best Track and has participated in nationwide tours of Europe, Japan and the United States. Check out The Big Pink at Radio Day Stage in the Austin Convention Center on Saturday, March 17th at 12:00PM.
Arkells – In a time where 5-piece rock bands aren’t playing around every corner, Arkells is meant to steer rock music back on course. While singer Max Kerman delivers an honest, emotional performance throughout every track with a vocal style similar to Dave Grohl (Foo Fighters) and Tim McIlrath (Rise Against), the rest of Arkells control the fervent rollercoasters from humble beginnings to intensifying ends. Check out Arkells at Trinity Hall on Friday, March 16th at 11:00PM.

Dragonette – 15 million views on YouTube, 2.9 million plays on Myspace, sold-out shows on 4 continents and touring with Duran Duran is more than most big name acts will ever achieve but underground Canadian synth pop group Dragonette can claim all that and more. Their music has been featured on numerous television shows like Grey’s Anatomy and Gossip Girl along with advertisements for Toyota, Target and Sony Playstation. Check out Dragonette at Friends on Friday, March 16th at 12:05AM.

Flosstradamus – Flosstradamus is a product of hip-hop and electronica music after the two have done beautiful and terrible things to each other. Consisting of native Chicago DJ’s J2K and Autobot, Flosstradamus is raising the bar to insurmountable heights considering electronica has not crossed so many boundaries that the music itself is too overwhelming to categorize since The Chemical Brothers or Aphex Twin. The duo’s most recent release Total Recall was released on February 23rd. Check out Flosstradamus at Club De Ville on Friday, March 16th at 9:00PM.

Grimes – Arguably one of the first lo-fi R&B or witch-house acts to explode into the music scene, Grimes has been described as “the marriage between the voice of a human and the heartbeat of a machine,” by Bullet Magazine. Grimes combines all the best aspects of The Knife, Scissor Sister and Aphex Twin with video, sound and 2D artwork to create some of the most creative and aesthetically pleasing pop music since Madonna. Check out Grimes at the Central Presbyterian Church on Thursday, March 15th at 10:45PM.

Grieves and Budo – Returning to SXSW 2012, Grieves and Budo are a Northwest hip-hop rapper/producer from Seattle. Grieves’ hometown, lovestruck lyrics backed by Budo’s mix of live instruments and produced beats resemble what a Gym Class Heroes/Atmosphere supergroup would sound like in a perfect world. Prominently featured in The Washington Post and Seattle Weekly, Grieves and Budo will make their mark at this year’s SXSW. Check out Grieves and Budo at Malaia on Thursday, March 15th at 1:00AM.

Motion City Soundtrack – One of the last surviving groups from the onslaught of power pop-punk bands in the early 2000’s, Motion City Soundtrack has sold over 500,000 albums in the United States alone and plans on adding to that number with the upcoming June release of their newest album. With an inspired, catchy sound stemming from influences like Sunny Day Real Estate and The Pixies Motion City Soundtrack has been described as too diverse to fit into just one particular genre suggesting that the band into “Scrabble Rock.” Check out Motion City Soundtrack at Clive Bar on Wednesday, March 14th at 1:00AM.

Keane – After achieving mainstream success and multiple awards for the release of their debut album Hopes and Fears in 2004, Keane continued their success as the number one British piano rock group with their second album Under the Iron Sea just one year later. Keane replaced the traditional guitar driven rock sound with a distorted piano, which immediately set them apart from any other rock band on the scene next to Coldplay. Check out Keane at Stubb’s on Saturday, March 17th at 10:15PM.

Madi Diaz – Being forced to listen to Metallica, Alice in Chains, Whitney Houston and The Beatles as a child may not be so bad after all. Madi Diaz brings all those influences and more into her time at the Berklee College of Music and the music that subsequently resulted from such schooling. After pairing with fellow student Ryan Kyle, the ice was broken and the warmth that Diaz was withholding from the world came spilling forth through their unique alt-rock collaboration. Check out Madi Diaz at St. David’s Bethell Hall on Saturday, March 17th at 9:30PM.
Matthew Barber – His music has been described as indie pop and pop rock with folk and alternative country influences, but Canadian singer-songwriter Matthew Barber considers his music hot adult contemporary. Barber has released five studio albums with numerous guest stars including Sarah Harmer and even Barber’s sister Jill Barber who is also a noted Canadian musician. Check out Matthew Barber at Stephen F’s Bar on Wednesday, March 14th at 9:00PM.

The Pierces – New York-based but Alabama-bred, sisters Allison and Catherine make up the irrestible, pop sensation The Pierces. Allison and Catherine were raised in Alabama and home-schooled with an emphasis on arts, which exposed them to music and dance at a very young age. Their fourth upcoming album YOU & I is set for U.S. release on March 27th, 2012and one can only expect huge poppy hooks and smooth-as-silk harmonies. Check out The Pierces at Stubb’s on Friday, March 16th at 12:40AM.

The Temper Trap – Australian indie rock band The Temper Trap have sold over 800,000 albums worldwide with singles like “Sweet Disposition” and “Fader” accounting for over 2.5 million singles sold. With influences like Prince, Radiohead, Massive Attack and U2 it comes to no surprise The Temper Trap has been nominated for four ARIA Awards and has won three of those four. Their self-titled second studio album The Temper Trap is scheduled for release on May 18th, 2012. Check out The Temper Trap at The Parish on Friday, March 16th at 12:00AM. - playmakeronline.com


"Cairo Knife Fight Album Review"

This four-track EP by multi-instrumentalist Nick Gaffaney and former Weta frontman Aaron Tokona invokes the sound of instruments that are about to fall apart - but you can be sure they never will.

It's brilliantly unhinged, hallucinatory, and riff-fired music. Opener The Violence of Action - with its mantra "No one gives a damn" - has the most monumental, chest-beating riff to come out of Kiwi rock in years; hammering single The Origin of Slaves recalls Weta's Calling On and while The Opiate of the Living offers a chance for a breather it's still a heavy, agitating beast.

These songs will leave you feeling like a rock 'n' roll animal, also a little bemused about how two people can conjure up such a powerful and relentless racket - and you may even feel inspired to start wearing a psychedelic rock & roll headband a la Tokona.

Stars: 5/5
- NZ Herald


"Cairo Knife Fight Egyptian Revolution"

Nick Gaffaney doesn't consider himself a songwriter. He'll leave that to the likes of Neil Finn and Leonard Cohen because his two-piece band Cairo Knife Fight is about intense sonic power and a strength so solid "you can build a house on it".

Gaffaney, along with guitarist and loop pedal wizard Aaron Tokona (formerly of Weta and also of psychedelic rock and soul rebels A Hori Buzz), see themselves more as "orchestrators of sound".

"That's what Aaron and I both do. And I'm not sure if our stuff would stand alone without us. I can't imagine anyone playing any of our stuff with their mates in times of joy or sorrow on an acoustic guitar," he smiles over a pint at a central Auckland pub.


"We don't have that, and sometimes I lament that, and think it would be brilliant to be able to write those things, but everyone has their place. I don't write that kind of music and it's about the sound of it, the power of it, and the experimentation within it."

Take the band's second EP, Cairo Knife Fight II, which follows an album in 2009 and last year's self-titled EP, and its sprawling eight-minute opener The Violence of Action, the maniacal riffing of The Secrets of Sin (which Tokona christened), and The Opiate of the Living, a deep brooding beauty with the recurring mantra "feels like I'm dying here".

"Lyrically it's all very important for me too - and nothing is ever said lightly," says Gaffaney.

He wrote The Violence of Action after reading a book called The Lucifer Effect, about a bunch of Stanford University students who were made either prisoners or guards as part of a mock prison experiment in the 70s. "Within days it had to be called off because there were people hurting themselves, hunger strikes, and violence occurring. Basically it was an experiment about how human behaviour is attributed to conditions and structure rather than inherent evil."

For Gaffaney CKF II is not only a step-up in intensity, but also another step along the road of feeling comfortable bringing CKF's blistering and hallucinatory sound to life. Because it's a tricky art, with Tokona mangling all manner of riffs and loops, and Gaffaney singing, playing drums, and synth bass all at the same time.

"We get a chance to lie down in the music a little bit more, and let the big things get bigger, the wider things a little wider, and express ourselves a little more easily as a duo."

Up until II Cairo Knife Fight was more like Gaffaney's baby, with Tokona adding his twisted wares to the mix, but now it is an entirely collaborative project. Which could be the reason the chest-beating melodic rock of Weta creeps into a song like The Origin of Slaves.

CKF started out as a much bigger band four or so years ago but eventually as a duo "it just took on a life of its own as an artistic experiment".

The Christchurch-based pair are an odd couple, with the more refined and concentrated Gaffaney a stark contrast to the wilder, and self-confessed "emotional and mentally perturbed" Tokona. But it's these differences that help make the music they create together such a powerful force.

"We come from opposite ends of the world really. Personality-wise, in upbringing, and family backgrounds, but we just want exactly the same things out of the music we're making.

"And I think what we do best is stick to our knitting - he does what he does and I do what I do and we don't really muck around with each other's parts very much."

And over the years Gaffaney says they have built up a lot of trust in each other. When he first met Tokona he wasn't making much music following the messy demise of Weta in the early 2000s. The band broke up because of a combination of rock 'n' roll excess and the demands of being a professional band getting the better of them - and Tokona's battle with bipolar disorder was also part of it. "But I've taken that monster and looked it square in the eye and I've come full circle there," he told TimeOut in 2009.

"He's grown back into his role and life as a musician," says Gaffaney, "because that's obviously what he's meant to do with himself."

Of all the musical projects they have done over the years, with Gaffaney an in-demand drummer for many of New Zealand's best bands and musicians, this is the sort of music they have always wanted to make. But, he says, they are already moving on to creating new sounds and delving into new technology to make it happen. "It's ever-changing and we're wondering if we've come to the end of the big riff-based drum thing."
- NZ Herald


"CMJ Day 1: Cairo Knife Fight bring fresh kill to the table"

Slice and dice, baby, slice and dice. It’s time for the long shadow of The White Stripes to step aside for two new kids on the block. Cairo Knife Fight have chosen an appropriate name. Wielding the sharpest knife in the souk, they’ve carved themselves a musical niche only dreamed of by lesser mortals.

As happens more often than not in countries like New Zealand where the musical scene is genuinely tiny, drummer/lead vocalist Nick Gaffeney and guitarist/loop head Aaron Tokona jammed together one extremely drunken night in a Wellington bar. And much like many bastard children who were spawned in such circumstances, Cairo Knife Fight came into the world kicking and screaming. And they still are.

Looking like a refugee from some kind of serious acid trip, Tokona wears a headband that he could have found back in the 1970’s and Gaffaney sports a Zapata moustache than any 70’s rocker would have been proud of. But their sound is not from the 1970’s.

Well, not the '70's that spring to mind from that sartorial perspective. If we had to use that decade for musical reference points, I would suggest some bastard child of the Stooges and Neu! with a serious side of Zeppelin. Not when they were bloated parodies of rock n roll but when they were stomping their opposition into the ground with a glee the Pistols could only dream about.

But those reference points don't even come close to describing the sheer ferocity this duo create with their wall of sound. They could almost be accused of being a prog rock band if they didn’t have that brutal guitar sound drilling its way into your head. There are very few times in my life I’ve felt sonically bludgeoned into smiling and dancing at the same time.

They recorded their second EP at Roundhead studio’s in Auckland using a Neve desk that had been custom built for The Who. Grace by Jeff Buckley and Bat Out of Hell by Meat Loaf were both recorded on this old piece of machinery (by todays digital standards). Serious standards have been set by this history and Cairo Knife Fight hold their own in this company.

Like every other band they have obviously been hunting for something original to create. In this instance, they've succeeded with blood sweat and tears. Cairo Knife Fight bring fresh kill to the table. And you can smell the blood on their breath.

Cairo Knife Fight will blow the cobwebs from your brain. They are playing one more CMJ show in NYC at midnight tonight at Local 269, 269 East Houston St. I will be there. If you are in NYC, I suggest you join me. - moreimages.net


"Cairo Knife Fight"

The last time I spoke to the mild mannered Nick Gaffaney, lead-songwriter/multi-instrumentalist/singer for the unfuckwithable soul rock beats sound construct known as Cairo Knife Fight, they had just released their debut album, Iron, and were performing as a six-piece. A year so later, Gaffaney, a dude who plays drums, bass keyboard and sings at the same time, has shrunk his band in size (but not sound) to a multi-layered musical dualism between himself and one of New Zealand’s wilder guitarists, Aaron Tokona of A Hori Buzz (and Weta). And in line with this redefinition of sound and roles (Cairo Knife Fight is now a complete collaboration between both parties); they have just released a scorching new self-titled EP.

“We went out on the road [together] and everything changed immediately,” Gaffaney says. “As soon as we started playing as a duo, everything was different. Then we met our manager Barry Blackler (of Blackout Music Management Ltd) at the gig in Auckland at the Kings Arms. He stormed the backstage with his wife Nancy and they just told us that we were going to work together. Then we did the Gomez gig in Wellington which was another one that got us a lot of attention and that was pretty cool. We got a standing ovation there!” Armed with a new soundform, new top-shelf management and new levels of confidence, soon afterwards, Cairo Knife Fight found themselves performing in front of massive crowds at The TSB Arena in Wellington and The Vector Arena in Auckland in support of; wait for it – Them Crooked Vultures!

Serendipitously enough, just playing before Them Crooked Vultures wasn’t even the tip of the iceberg. “Before we played, John Paul Jones (ex-Led Zeppelin mofos!) told us that he was really looking forward to seeing us because of the tracks that we’d sent over,” Gaffaney recounts proudly. “Then we heard from their crew that they never watched support acts and they watched our set in Wellington; and watched the sound check as well! Aaron and I spent most of the night after the first gig with Josh Homme (of Queens of The Stone Age and Them Crooked Vultures) and he was pretty forthright with his opinions. He seemed to really like us and they were in our ears for the next two days just telling us what they liked about it and you know, what were we going to do and we should find a way to make sure that they know what we’re doing whenever we are in a America or anything like that; so that blew us away really!”

While listening to Cairo Knife Fight’s new EP, and reflecting on opportunities I’ve had to watch them perform over the last year, it’s hard not see why Them Crooked Vultures took a genuine interest in the duo. On songs such as ‘Big face’, tonally vibrant and driving, yet unconventional guitar lines duck and swoop around almost dancehall ragga/reggaeton timed rhythmic drum sequences and a looping keyboard bass line. Then, one minute and forty four seconds into the composition, Gaffaney’s clear-voiced (and almost falsetto at moments) poetically informed sung lyricism flows smoothly through the centre of the composition, grounding Cairo Knife Fight as something accessible to many, yet distinctly singular in fundamental nature.

“There is this chemistry now [between myself and Tokona] which is just sort of quite unadulterated,” Gaffaney muses. “It’s pretty full on! The personal connection we’ve got now [is intense].”

Martyn Pepperell - ripitup.co.nz


"Alt Press Band's To Watch"

Cairo Knife Fight , New Zealand’s electrifying power rock duo, makes an impact on US ground as they announce the arrival of their sonic sound to this year’s 2012 SXSW FestivalAlternative Press Magazine chose them as one of their bands you need to know in 2012. in Austin, TX. Though the band is only comprised of two men, between the tom-tom attack of drummer/lead vocalist/bass synth man Nick Gaffaney and the blood-drenched axe work of guitarist and loop pedal genius Aaron Tokona, this duo deliver a tidal wave of complete sound that is both hallucinatory and imbued with an intense sense of urgency. A sound so intense that

In a recent interview, Gaffaney likened what they do to guerrilla warfare, turning their weakness into strengths in all respects. We could not agree more. And the proof is in the riff-churned pudding. Their new four-track EP Cairo Knife Fight II (released via Liberation Music in August 2011), and the first single and accompanying video off the album, “The Origin of Slaves,” are massive, chest thumping, and blood curdling without losing razor’s edge precision.

This is well-practiced recklessness at it’s best, and Cairo Knife Fight know just how far to push it before reigning in the assault. With a sound replete with metal riffs and prog-rock expansiveness that has been likened to elements of Foo Fighters, Queens of the Stone Age, and Them Crooked Vultures, Cairo Knife Fight have earned their fair share of admirers and shared the stage with all three of these like-minded bands, even finding themselves personally invited not once but twice to open for Foo Fighters in the past year—most recently at New Zealand's biggest musical event of 2011 at Western Springs.

They’ve got the power of Zeppelin and an abject fearlessness that plants them firmly alongside Radiohead in terms of a willingness to shirk boundaries. They are finalists in the “Rock Album of the Year’ category of the 2011 New Zealand Vodafone Music Awards for their debut effort, Iron, and aside from the release of their follow-up Cairo Knife Fight II, they kicked down the door to headline a triumphant CMJ music festival showcase in New York in 2011. The New Zealand Herald calls the new album “…brilliantly unhinged, hallucinatory, and riff-fired music,” and Tokona insists, “The first EP was just a taste. This one sounds like we are on our way somewhere – we’re taking more risks and we are way more fearless.

Their 2012 debut appearance at SXSW in Austin, TX marks a milestone in the band’s career as they are officially invited to hypnotize the audience of one of the most prominent music festivals on US soil with their epic, hallucinatory rock ‘n’ roll sound. Get to know Cairo Knife Fight’s gritty, mesmerizing music and be prepared for their mosh-inducing live performances as they bring their heralded sound from down under to the USA - Alt Press Magazine


"INTERVIEW: Cairo Knife Fight Ahead Of GrassRoots Festival"

Are you looking forward to playing the GrassRoots festival?

Yes indeed.

Do you ever get nervous before performing?

Not in 'Cairo Knife Fight' I'm not the singer so I don't get nervous... Mean.

How do you feel about the other musicians on the GrassRoots line up?

The line up is amazing. I hope I get to walk past Grace Jones backstage! That will do me in.

What is your favourite album of all time?

Trying to pin down a favourite album of all time is dumb! It's like choosing which one of your kids you love the most. I have several favorites. facebook me if ya really care to know ! Ha.

What does the future hold for you?

Everything that is a meanbuzz I hope.

If you were a superhero, what would your super power be and why?

Thats easy, i wanna fly so its a superman buzz for me! - ripitup.co.nz


"Cairo Knife Fight EP Review"

Bloody heckballs – I just got hit by a mutha-flippin’ juggernaut. Hit in the ears, in an exciting and death defying kind of way, that is. To clarify, I’ve been listening to the Cairo Knife FIght EP. It seems impossible that just two guys can actually make noise this heavy and loud. The two guys in question are Nick Gaffafeny (Goldenhorse, Dimmer and Hollie Smith) and Aaron Tokona (Weta).

Imagine if Queens of the Stone Age were put in a blender with the chunchier bits of early Chemical Brothers and set on pulse till pureed; and then, the resulting chunky liquid immediately freeze dried into pellets that are then shot at you using some sort of musical machine gun. All while Gaffney’s sweet eerie vocals slice at your insides in the most gorgeously horrific and hypnotic manner.

While only a 4 track EP – it clocks in at a full 25 minutes of aural assault that has had me reaching for the repeat button on more than one occasion. - review by Andrew Tidball - CheeseonToast.co.nz


"Interview - Cairo Knife Fight"

TWD: Since this is the New Zealand showcase and I don't know a lot about New Zealand, if I were to ever go there, tell me something I should make sure to see. Something maybe not as obvious.

Aaron Tokona (guitarist): Oh ok. You should go to Rotorua, that's a really good place to go.

Nick Gaffaney (drummer / lead vocals): Yeah definitely.

TWD: You guys are familiar Spinal Tap and Almost Famous? In Spinal Tap, you have this band, everything's going wrong, especially the Stonehenge scene. Then on the opposite side you have Almost Famous and the "I am a golden god!" scene when he's on the rooftop. Could you tell me a Stonehenge moment and a golden god moment?

Aaron: Ok, I'll do golden god.

Nick: Oh, of course you will.

Aaron: There's a few of them. We supported Them Crooked Vultures. Did the soundcheck, walked off the stage, down the stairs, and into the waiting hands of John Paul Jones. That was pretty golden-y.

TWD: Yeah, that's a good one.

Aaron: (Laughs) He welcomed us to the tour. He was such a lovely guy. I was kind of in rock royalty shock.

Nick: The Stonehenge moment, we haven't had anything quite as funny happen to us, but we're currently in the middle of what could be considered a rather bizarre experience. When we landed here a couple days ago, we landed in LA, and by the next morning, we had separated from our manager. We came here with absolutely nowhere to stay 'cause we were supposed to be staying with him. We only really got it sorted out the second day we got here. This complete package of team ended up just him [Aaron] and I split off. And it was full on, too. It wasn't "Um, we're just going to go home." It was a big thing.

TWD: You don't mean you guys got to the airport at different times, you mean like -

Nick: Severed ties. With our manager of two years.

TWD: Oh my goodness.

Aaron: Yeah. One day into our US trip.

Nick: The night we arrived. We're in New York the very next day basically and we lost our place to stay. And he's got the money.

Aaron: He's got our everything (laughs).

Nick: Yep, it's full on.

TWD: Well nothing like playing a few shows, right?

Aaron: (laughs)

Nick: Yeah. What's ended up, man, is another golden god moment. The luck of the gods. We ended up staying with Gary, who's running this whole thing. We're here because of him. We'd never even met him, and he just took us in when he heard about our situation. Incredible.

TWD: Very cool. I'm always interested to hear about how people get into music. Particularly it seems like good stories come from when you share a moment with someone else that gets you into it. Maybe an older sibling or a girl you're interested in. Wondered if you could tell me a story of how you got into something you really like.

Aaron: My story is really easy: musical family. Everyone sung and played guitar really well. There were a lot of instruments always lying around the house. There wasn't any pressure, there were no music lessons, there was no obligation to go and do music. It was just like I picked up a guitar that was lying around. That was it really. And then the point comes when you start getting good at something and start getting attention for it and then you just kind of go your way.

Nick: Yeah, "This is who I am now. I'm that guy." Yeah. A guy came to my school and played theme songs from The Blues Brothers and that was it.

TWD: Really, that's cool.

Nick: Yeah, and he started giving lessons. I was about 6 years old. He was one of those guys who taught everything. He played everything kind of averagely. But back then he was a god to us.

TWD: I was listening to your latest EP, Cairo Knife Fight II. Listening to the music and reading the titles and listening to the words, there are some heavy or intense feelings. Like the first track "The Violence of Action." What's something you think worth fighting for? When might violence actually be necessary to accomplish something? Have you ever experienced that?

Nick: Yeah. Protecting the honor of a woman seems to be something that's worth fighting for.

Aaron: Absolutely. Obviously family. There's lots of ways to fight for something.

TWD: How about on the opposite side of that, there's that one line that says "We'll wonder how we came to this." Is there something that people are obsessed with and putting their energy into that you just don't get?

Nick: Yeah. I got lots of people that I know in my life that make me wonder if I'm unaware of myself living that same life. Someone who's putting their obsession and their time and their intense passion in something and you look at them and go, "Can't you see where you're going? It's not going where you think it's going, it's going somewhere completely else." So I'm constantly wondering, "And I'm doing that?" That's my little anxiety thing that spins around in my head at night. Am I blind to my own path in what I'm doing? 'Cause it's part of the thing that happened with our management. We were going in different directions and we didn't even realize until about 48 hours ago. So it's freaky, it's scary to think about how you could be completely looking at things the wrong way, or a way which isn't good for you, but you don't even know.

TWD: You guys have had a lot going on in your heads and lives lately, it sounds like.

Aaron: Yeah, it's been intense.

Nick: It's been a full on year, this one.

Aaron: We're both from Christchurch, we both suffered the Christchurch earthquakes. So you talk about the intensity of the album, you can connect the dots there. We were right in the thick of it. It was disastrous, that whole thing. And it's still going on.

Nick: We almost didn't make the EP. We were almost like "Oh, this is just too full on." I was having really bad wrist problems. I did the whole EP with wrist braces on. I couldn't move my wrists at all. I had to play like that (gestures stiffly). We almost called it off 'cause we were thinking "Man, everything at home is so fucked up."

Aaron: We were driving to practice through a city that was completely in rubble.

TWD: Wow.

Aaron: But we're just trying our best to carry on. In those situations, the best thing you can do is try and carry on.

Nick: Yeah, it's what you do.

TWD: What was something you read or saw, maybe when you were a teenager, that was very eye-opening that changed how you viewed things?

Nick: It sounds kind of wanky, but I met this girl who was much older than me and she was a really big fan of that writer Milan Kundera. She gave me the book Immortality to read and it just completely blew my mind. I never had any experience like that before, and the fact that it was coming from an older woman, it's making you so much more grown up and so much more aware of the world and that kind of stuff. That really spun me out. It's really profound. I bought that book again since that time just to see if it would do it again.

TWD: Did it?

Nick: Yeah, it always does. The same with The Age of Reason and those European stories of love and loss, that kind of thing which I was dealing with at the time. That was a big experience. Classic, I guess.

Aaron: I'm a native New Zealand Maori, I grew up in a Maori upbringing. We had these things called tangis, which are basically funerals, but our funerals last three days. Lots of people come and we take them into this traditional house called a marae. I've grown up going to those things. Very interesting experience. Like one day I was talking to my grandmother and the next day going to a tangi, it's quite full on. Death in modern culture is quite a full on process, I think this helps a lot of Maori kids.

TWD: On the opposite side of that, there are all these distractions and things we sometimes escape into, maybe for fun sometimes. What's something like that for you?

Nick: TV shows.

TWD: What do you like?

Nick: Oh man, The Wire, The Sopranos, Battlestar Galactica, Deadwood. (Aaron laughs). I love that shit, man. I chop a whole season a day. 13 hours, just like that. My girlfriend is kind of obsessed with Battlestar Galactica. But when I told her I was into it, she was like "Fucking gay aliens in space." And I was like "What?" "Fucking gay aliens in space, it's just stupid." And then I show it to her and she's absolutely obsessed with it now. She wants to be Starbuck. So that's my thing. Just obsessively watching TV shows and DVDs.

Aaron: Same here.

TWD: There are a lot of good ones. You mentioned aliens, I'm going to try and do this with all the bands, see if we can make a little playlist: There's an alien spaceship that comes to earth, you have to give them a song or two to represent humanity. What would you want that to be? What would you give to the aliens?

Aaron: I'd give them "Third Stone from the Sun" – Jimi Hendrix.

Nick: Yeah that's a good idea. Hmm, I don't know, man.

Aaron: You're going to get that a lot.

Nick: I've been obsessively listening to for about 3 years that song "Burning Beard" by Clutch. It's kind of crazy, but I'm just completely obsessed with it, man. I love everything about it. I'd probably want to play that. If you want to represent the Earth, I think you'd have to go back to someone like Jimi or the Beatles. They got to make it in.

Aaron: Yeah, the Beatles.

TWD: Give me a random question and I'll ask the next band, I'm going to make a chain.

Aaron: (Laughs) This is great.

Nick: Hmm…

Aaron: Who would you shag…No, that's a dumb one.

Nick: It's a good idea, I'm just drawing a blank, man.

Aaron: What about something like "On Episode 19 of The Wire, what did blah-blah mean," something like that.

Nick: Ok, yeah. Something from Battlestar would be good. Ask them "Who was the 13th Colony?" Don't give them any references.

*** - thosewhodig.net


"Interview - Cairo Knife Fight"

Rarely is it that rock is reformed and you have to take another look at what you are listening to – to actually believe what you are hearing.

This was the case for Ryan Crawford when he saw Cairo Knife Fight open for one of the biggest so-called ‘supergroups’, Them Crooked Vultures. He caught up with founding member Nick Gaffaney ahead of their Orientation gig at Bodega.

RYAN CRAWFORD [MAGNETO] Who is Cairo Knife Fight?

NICK GAFFANEY [CAIRO KNIFE FIGHT] It’s myself and Aaron Tokona, formally of Weta and currently of A Hori Buzz

MAGNETO What inspires you?

NICK Mostly it’s the other musicians I have the good fortune to work with.

MAGNETO You’ve recently completed the recording of your debut album – tell us about this.

NICK Well the album was made when we were a six-piece band. Now that we’re a duo, the album seems like it was made by a completely different band!

It was a true labor of love – that album. It took two years of recording, late at night, at friends’ studios, during their downtime and hustling to make the whole thing happen. Even though we sound nothing like that now, as a duo I’m proud of what we achieved.

MAGNETO Do you have any tips for those looking at recording their first album?

NICK Start; then finish. Sounds easier than it is sometimes.

MAGNETO There aren’t that many front-men-drummers around, how have you found leading a band from the ‘throne’?

NICK It comes with its own unique set of challenges – not being so able to move around the stage can make it harder to connect with an audience but driving the band from the ground up, as a drummer, helps you set the tone for each song just how you want it.

MAGNETO What gear assists you in this hostile two-person environment?

NICK I use an extra set of drum mics and a mixer running to a loop station to create drum loops when I choose.

On my left-hand side, I use a bass keyboard. So often I’m playing drums with my right hand, bass with my left hand and looping with my left foot. All loops are created live and some songs are played without loops – completely live… As if we were a trio of bass drums and guitar.

MAGNETO You recently opened for the ‘supergroup’ Them Crooked Vultures on the New Zealand leg of their Australia tour, tell us all about how that has affected you guys as a band and personally?

NICK They were possibly the best 2 shows we have ever played.

The sheer professionalism of the whole experience and the exposure to musicians of such quality was a revelation.

The reaction we gained from the audiences, crew and indeed Them Crooked Vultures themselves took us by surprise and it was a vindication of all the hard work we’ve put in to develop this new project and it only served to increase our resolve and determination that we are on the right path.

MAGNETO Bingo, man. Where to from here?

NICK More shows. More Recording. More Travelling. - Magneto Magazine online


Discography

2014 Cairo Knife Fight 'The Isolator' scheduled for October 2014 release

First single 'Rezlord' due July 2014

2011 Cairo Knife Fight 'II'
Released August 2011

First single 'The Origin Of Slaves' Released August 2011:

#33 New Zealand Top 40 Chart

Second single'The Violence of Action' released October 2011

2010 Cairo Knife Fight EP
First single 'Big Face' released April 2010:

A Rotate College/University radio

Second single and Video 'This is Love' release July 2010

A Rotate College/University radio
A Rotate 'Juice TV' New Zealands main Music Channel

Photos

Bio

Two musicians, one loop station, a synth and a couple of guitar amps can generate massive noise in the right hands.

Cairo Knife Fight is Nick Gaffaney, a man who has drummed his way around the place for many of New Zealand’s leading songwriters, and Joel Haines, one of New Zealand's most prolific composers and live performers.

Forming as a duo in 2009 Cairo Knife Fight try to redefine what two musicians can create live with Nick combining the responsibilities of playing drums, keyboard bass, creating live loops and lead vocals with Joel's seemingly limitless guitar soundscapes and incendiary riffs.

In short order the band shot to the attention of the public after gaining a standing ovation from a packed Opera House in Wellington following their support set for UK act Gomez in late 2009 and being hand picked by Them Crooked Vultures to open for their New Zealand tour in early 2010

July 2010 saw CKF release their self titled EP. The first single ‘This is Love’ was included on the NZ Radio Hit Disk for mid 2010 seeing it rated as one of the songs of the year. The EP went on to be nominated in the 'Best Rock Album' category at the New Zealand Music awards in 2011.

2010 also included a trip the NYC to perform during the CMJ festival (while not actually a part of CMJ the band came to the attention of several members of the team and found themselves on a CMJ bill at the Bowery Electric) and touring Australia.

2011 was an extraordinary year for CKF. It began with a NZ tour with NZ's rock hall of famers Shihad in January before Them Crooked Vultures frontman Josh Homme once again requested CKF to be the opening act for his Queens of The Stone Age NZ tour in February which was disrupted by the deadly earthquake in Cairo Knife Fights home town of Christchurch. While dealing with the aftermath of such an horrendous event the band took solace in recording the follow up EP 'II', released in August 2011 to 5 star reviews and top 40 chart placings, and to appear as special guests of the Foo Fighters for an earthquake benefit concert in Auckland, NZ.  

CKF rounded out the year by again joining the Foo Fighters onstage at Western Springs in Auckland, New Zealand in front of 45,000 people for the band's Wasting Light tour. The concert is considered one of New Zealand's biggest ever stand alone shows

2012 saw Cairo Knife Fight return to the USA to perform at SXSW. The band was named as one of Alt Press' 'Bands to Watch in 2012' and made several 'Best of SXSW' lists following several well received performances at the Texas festival. 

Since returning to New Zealand the band has been hard at work writing and recording their debut full length record 'The Isolator'. The album is due for release on Warner Music in October 2014 and was produced by NYC based New Zealander Justyn Pilbrow whose diverse credits include chart topping Los Angeles Pop act The Neighbourhood and notorious Flint based metal act King 810. 

A must see live act of power and excitement, Cairo Knife Fight are pushing the limits of what two musicians can do on one stage. The future is certainly bright for this New Zealand duo.

Band Members