Kiwi tunesmith Don McGlashan in session at The Kennel today!

We were surprised and excited when Rabid In The Kennel host Jack Rabid announced two days ago that noted New Zealand singer/songwriter Don McGlashan, of Mutton Birds fame, was in town and available for an exclusive performance and interview.

Don was singer and main songwriter in The Mutton Birds from 1991 to 2002, releasing 4 NZ top ten albums (two platinum) and two top five singles, including one No. 1 single “The Heater”. His song “Anchor Me” won the APRA Silver scroll in 1993. The group signed to Virgin Records UK in 1995, and were based in London from then until 1999, touring all over the world. The band’s third album, Envy Of Angels (1997), made the U.K. Sunday Times ten best records of the year list.

Since returning to New Zealand in 1999 Don has collaborated on theatre productions with writer directors Fiona Samuel, Warwick Broadhead and Ian Hughes, and scored Toa Fraser’s 2006 feature film “No 2”, (which won the Audience prize at the Sundance Film Festival, and netted McGlashan his second APRA Silver Scroll – for “Bathe In The River”, a song from the film sung by Hollie Smith). He also scored the features “Show Of Hands” (2008), “Dean Spanley” (2008) and “Matariki” (to be released in 2010), as well as two TV series. During this time, he released his debut solo album Warm Hand (May 2006, Arch Hill Recordings), and the follow up, Marvellous Year (March 2008, Arch Hill Recordings) with his new band The Seven Sisters – Maree Thom on Bass, John Segovia on pedal steel guitar, Dominic Blaazer on keyboards and mandolin, and Chris O’Connor on drums.

Here’s a video from Don’s 2006 solo debut:

Loyal RITK and Big Takeover fans will recall Don’s memorable performance during The Big Takeover 30th Anniversary show at The Bell House in July 2010, which we presented during a special series of RITK shows last fall (a photo from that show appears at the top of this post). Listen to that show on BreakThru Radio — Don’s number is first.