Ringlets Unveil New Single & Video 'Street Massage' - Undertheradar

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Ringlets lead the NZ Music Month / Te Marama Puoro o Aotearoa pack with the feedback-shredding, post-punk pummel of 'Street Massage’, the second single revealed from the Tāmaki Makaurau firebrands' forthcoming Flying Nun record The Lord Is My German Shepherd (Time for Walkies). "Don't cock it up / Get it perfect" passionately yowls lead vocalist Leith Towers against almost screamo backing, ruminating on the undervalued and underpaid daily toil of care workers in our community, in this case "a low-wage masseur who plies his trade on the streets of Point Chevalier".

Gathering together a street gang featuring members of Dale Kerrigan, Cruelly, Cold Ceiling, Mullbrain, Awning and Blunt Dog, the bolshy clip for 'Street Massage’ directed by the group's László Reynolds and filmed around Point Chevalier reminds me of numerous parties / gatherings I attended in the area during the '00s (including the lo-tech animations). Aptly enough, Michael Logie (The Mint Chicks) is on deck as co-producer of the new record. Launching in full on 27th June, preorder The Lord Is My German Shepherd (Time for Walkies) on vinyl LP HERE, and don't miss Ringlets letting rip at JUNK Fest on 7th June...

"('Street Massage’) was originally about the International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative (IDDSI), and the plight of a clinician in trying to encourage support workers to adhere to mealtime plans and feeding safety protocols. As the song evolved, it became a reflection on the broader struggles faced by low-wage workers in care roles. It highlights the emotional and physical toll of jobs that often go unnoticed and undervalued, despite the immense responsibility they demand. The masseur in the song is an allegory for the overlooked nurturers". - Leith Towers


JUNK MAIL presents JUNK 2025
Saturday 7th June - Whammy, Double Whammy and Public Bar, Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland
Featuring... CABINET, DROPPER, GEORGE BARNEY ROBERTS, GIRLS FACTORY, HŌHĀ, OFFICE DOG, PEARLY*, RINGLETS, SALT WATER CRIMINALS, SCRAMBLINE (Eveline Breaker & Scramble 204), THE EMPTY THREATS (Aus), TWINE (Aus), VERA ELLEN

Tickets on sale HERE via UTR

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'Street Massage' is out today on major streaming platforms via Flying Nun Records.