Coromind - Issue 34 - October25 - Coromandel's Collaborative Magazine - Flipbook - Page 26
A Lifelong Note
in the Coromandel
Songbook
If we’re talking pillars of the Coromandel music scene,
Dylan Wade Lajunen deserves a mention. Living on
the peninsula for 38 years, Dylan has had a long and
rewarding career as a singer-songwriter/guitarist,
performing/recording artist and music teacher. He has
toured and travelled extensively and helped to encourage
Coromandel musivcians in multiple ways.
Music was ubiquitous for Dylan growing up in the 1970s.
His parents were musicians and music lovers who had a
band together.
“There’s a picture of me as a baby, maybe six months old.
My father, Kai, laid his favourite records in a circle on the
昀氀oor and put me in the middle. When I was about seven
years old, there were times when we had a 昀椀ve-piece band
rig set up in our lounge and loud practices happening a
lot. Dad and his bandmates built the PA (sound system)
because good PAs were rare back then. There was this
huge red 1970s style drum kit living there at one stage,
and I used to love playing it. And there were always
guitars around, as Kai was a guitarist with wide ranging
musical tastes.”
Born in Tokoroa and frequently moving around New
Zealand and Australia as a child, Dylan moved to
Whitianga in 1987 aged sixteen. He arrived to 昀椀nd a
vibrant music scene which inspired him. Over the years
he’s lived on the peninsula, he’s seen it grow.
“A lot of the events now are more mainstream than what I
was experiencing when I 昀椀rst came. What was happening
back then was pretty loose, like big parties, and things
were less commercialised, but that didn’t make them less
attended or amazing as far as the music went. There’s still
not really events based around the musicians and bands
on the peninsula. I think it would be great to have an
annual event based around real Coromandel music.”
In his 20s, Dylan formed the band Castle Rock, which
performed regularly on the peninsula and around
New Zealand. He recalls concerts at the Tapuaetahi
community in Whenuakite, where the band’s bassist
Bruce Peachy lived.
“He built a stage, and we’d do all-night music sessions
with multiple bands. They were small, but they were
really cool events. We were also playing at festivals, pubs,
parties and halls.”
Coromind.nz | 25
Castle Rock, which played a diverse repertoire of
psychedelic rock, funk, blues and reggae in昀氀uenced
originals and covers, toured the South Island four times.
They were the only Coromandel act doing this at the time.
“That 昀椀rst trip was epic for us. My sister Tanja did the
big job of travelling around Te Waipounamu promoting,
organising and booking the tour in advance. We hired this
incredible house truck that was our home for two thirds
of the trip. It wasn’t just a tour. It was an expedition and
an exploration of that amazing island. There was a lot
less happening, particularly in the more remote areas, so
audiences were so happy to have us, and they had us back
multiple times. We recorded our 昀椀rst album upon our
return at the legendary Aerial Railway recording studio
in Sandy Bay (north of Coromandel town).”
Dylan started the Whitianga Music Club around this
time. The 昀椀rst event of its kind, it was held at PJs, a
former venue on Albert street.
“I started the music club
to create a regular event in
Whitianga that would foster
other bands and artists. My
friend Sean Fahey printed
up some membership cards,
which some people still
have, I think!”
In 1994, Dylan left the
country for an extended
overseas venture which he
says was eye-opening, both
musically and in terms of
his worldview. He visited 15
countries, notable among
them being America, India
and Finland, where he has
ancestry. Some key memories
include attending the historic
Woodstock Two in New York
and North Sea Jazz festival in
Den Haag near Amsterdam.
“I had my backpack and
guitar, and spent a year
and a half exploring the
Images (in order of appearance): Jude Calder, Vegan Food Fair,
Peter James Quinn, and Stella Michaels.
