The first time I saw Baptism O f Uzi was at the Birmingham Hotel one Saturday evening in July last year.
The first time I saw Baptism O f Uzi was at the Birmingham Hotel one Saturday evening in July last year. The then four-piece Baptism Of Uzi launched into a series of viscous psychedelic jams that ebbed and flowed across arid, sandy and the most fertile regions of Californian rock territory, leaving an indelible positive impression.
Reflecting on that same night, guitarist and vocalist Bojan and drummer Leif say it wasn’t one of Baptism of Uzi’s better nights. "You saw a real stinker," Leif says. "After the set we were standing around pointing fingers at each other – ‘it was you’, ‘no it was you!’" Leif laughs. "The emotions didn’t disappear, even after we discussed it," Bojan smiles. "But at the Old Bar, we thought we were the toast of the town."
Baptism of Uzi formed a couple of years ago when Bojan and Leif, then sharing a house, decided to form a band. "I went through a moral rejuvenation, and part of my therapy was playing music with Bojan," Leif says. "I had an opportunity to do a gig with another band, but that other band cancelled, so I had to put together another band," Bojan says.
In its earliest incarnation, Baptism Of Uzi was a three-piece, with a second guitarist (Tom) filling out the line-up. Subsequently, Gerald joined on synthesiser and general psychedelic space effects. While Gerald was travelling in Africa, Louis filled in on bass to give "some low end to help us get through some shows". The addition of bass worked so well that, upon Gerald’s return, Baptism Of Uzi became a five-piece.
The band’s distinctive and memorable name is an obvious focus of inquiry. "We were sitting around in the backyard thinking about a name that would be really ironic, and people would like it," Bojan says. "I think it was kind of an accident," Leif says. "And then it grew its own legs," Bojan continues. "People would say ‘uzi, uzi, that’s a Jewish name’, or ‘uzi, that’s a gun’ – but Baptism Of Uzi doesn’t make any grammatical sense. It should be Baptism by Uzi," Bojan says. "I tried to explain it to a couple of people along the way, saying it was cross-cultural referencing," Leif says. "And then people would say ‘is the uzi getting baptised?’ Bojan laughs. "Putting your gun in the holy water," Leif muses.
Critical to Baptism of Uzi’s musical style is the band’s belief in perpetual self-exploration. "The songs don’t feel like they’re ever really finished, because they’re always changing, and we’re also trying to grow them out," Bojan says. "We explore the set as a whole," Leif says. "We usually yell out songs and decide what we’re going to play as we’re going." Such a dynamic requires each member of the band to be attuned to the other members’ whims. "If someone starts playing something, the other guys will pick up with it and go with it – like listening to each other," Bojan says. "I’ve played in pop bands and I find this type of approach makes every gig really exciting – if someone goes off on a tangent, you just roll with it," Leif says. As for the dynamic within the band, Bojan’s description is succinct. "It’s complicated – there’s lots of variables," Bojan says.
Baptism Of Uzi’s first recording was a CD release distributed at the band’s shows, recorded using a Dictaphone. For its current release, Baptism Of Uzi went to Paul Maybury’s A Secret Location studio in Fairfield (with an additional track recorded with Jack Farley in Northcote). "We didn’t really know what was going to be on it until we finished," Leif says. "It was a case of winging it and seeing what happened. With any of our recordings, nothing is definitive – each recording will be just a snapshot of where we are," he says. Consistent with Baptism Of Uzi’s idiosyncratic approach to making music, the 6-track EP will be released on tape. "We like the sound of having it on tape," Bojan says, "and there’s something nostalgic about it – it’s a different way of discovering music. I like the idea of tape and dictaphones – there’s something cool about recording your own music. It reminds me of Home Alone 2."
With regular appearances on the local scene, a spot on this year’s Laneway Festival bill and a sojourn to Wellington in February to play the Campus Of Low Hum event, Baptism Of Uzi is on an upward trajectory. "We want to make a classic album," Leif says. "Actually, we want to make ten classic albums," Bojan corrects.
BAPTISM OF UZI will be joined by special guests Yiz, High Tea and Buried Feather as they perform at The Tote, this Friday March 25. See thetotehotel.com for more information.
