Touring New Zealand is in musician Barry Saunders’ blood – he’s played everywhere, he says. The bard of the back roads talks to Cityscape before his gig with Delaney Davidson at February’s Nostalgia festival.

You’re known for your relentless touring, either solo or with The Warratahs – any plans to slow down? I’m touring less these days but it’s still good to be out there. You can run out of land pretty quickly in New Zealand so it’s good to do different things.

Is there anywhere in New Zealand where you haven’t played? Do you have a favourite? I’ve never played Stewart Island or the Chathams but I’ve been everywhere else. I don’t really have a favourite, just the last show.

What’s your go-to spot in Christchurch? Banks Peninsula bays – I spent a lot of my teenage years around there and I have just written a song called ‘Tumbledown’, which is a picture of those times. I’m also a big fan of the poet Denis Glover, who wrote about a lot of the places.

Any plans to return to the recording studio? Yes, this year – I want to record some new songs.

Tell us about the first Warratahs gig? It was a rainy Thursday night at the Cricketers’ Arms in Wellington – seven people, of whom two were bar staff. We had put a band together to play some of our favourite songs for a month and sure didn’t think that we would still be playing 30 years later!

What’s one thing people probably don’t know about you? That I watch Coronation Street.

What’s your favourite way to spend a Sunday afternoon? Walking through Wellington – such a good walking town. I have a lot of history there now.

Any new Kiwi artists that have caught your attention? Caroline Easther and her album, Lucky – great poetic songs.

What album do you have on high rotation at the moment? Early Stones – High Tide and Green Grass. I really like English bands’ take on the blues, and you tend to forget how acoustic they were in the early days.

Do you have a pre- and/or post-show ritual? Roll a ciggy and talk to myself: Can I do this? I’m shit! No! I’m all right! Will anyone like this? Stop, it’s all OK, and out of your hands anyway. It’s all cool!

Who are your musical heroes? Jimmy Rogers, Joe Strummer and anyone out there doing it. All the good people I have played with – Adam McGrath, Delaney Davidson, Sam Hunt – and many others, known and unknown, all people who lived for the song, were who they said they were, and took it to the people.

Nostalgia, Ferrymead Heritage Park, February 15, 2020
nostalgiafestival.co.nz