Jordan Arts
Encyclopedia
Jordan Arts is a New Zealand pop keyboard player, songwriter, vocalist, programming specialist and member (with Sam McCarthy
) of the duo Kids of 88
.
. He was educated at St Peter's College
. Arts and McCarthy met at St Peter's and quickly realised that they were on the same wavelength. They were in the same English class. McCarthy has said: "As an icebreaking exercise we were told to bring in our favourite song. Everyone brought in Limp Bizkit
, but the thing that linked Jordan and myself is that we were wanky enough to bring in Jimi Hendrix
songs. We were both trying to be as cool as possible so we rummaged through our parents' CD collection as opposed to our own". With McCarthy, David Wong, Graham Scherer and Michael Pomare, Arts was a member of "Incursa", a St Peter's College band which won the Smokefreerockquest in 2004.
. In releasing the first Kids of 88 album, Sugarpills, McCarthy said that the duo tried to produce a variety of material rather than just the familiarly slutty "My House
" and "Just A Little Bit
". Their style is broadly a fusion of electro-pop and 1980s style dance music
. They describe it as "a cross between a late 1980s police drama intro theme and a sophisticated super hussy". A reviewer has said "while reminiscent of early 80s synth pop, they aren't a direct copy of their antecedents. There's also a touch of 2010 punk
swagger and adrenaline
, where dance can't ignore what's been achieved in R&B and hip-hop
". McCarthy and Arts produced the album themselves and worked with a simple technical set-up out of a bedroom. As far as their respective roles are concerned, McCarthy has described himself as "more of a classic songwriter" with Arts "hunched over computer, a technical, stumble-across-aloop, get-inthere-and-make-some-beats kind of guy". At the 2010 New Zealand Music Awards
, Kids of 88 won "Single of the Year" and (with Tim Van Dammen) "Music Video of the Year" for their single Just a Little Bit
.
Sam McCarthy
Sam McCarthy is a New Zealand songwriter, pop vocalist and member of the duo Kids of 88.-Early life:McCarthy was brought up in Auckland in the suburb of Weymouth. He was educated at Weymouth Primary School and St Peter's College. McCarthy and Arts met at St Peter's and quickly realised that they...
) of the duo Kids of 88
Kids of 88
Kids of 88 is New Zealand New Wave music duo based in Auckland City, New Zealand, consisting of Jordan Arts and Sam McCarthy. They are best known for their 2009 single, "My House"...
.
Early life
Arts was brought up in Auckland in the suburb of OnehungaOnehunga
Onehunga is a suburb of Auckland City, New Zealand and the location of the Port of Onehunga, the city's small port on the Manukau Harbour. It is eight kilometres south of the city centre, close to the volcanic cone of One Tree Hill, Maungakiekie....
. He was educated at St Peter's College
St Peter's College, Auckland
St Peter's College is a Catholic college for year 7 to 13 boys . The school, located in Auckland, is one of the largest Catholic schools in New Zealand and is an integrated school under an integration agreement entered into by the Catholic Bishop of Auckland and the Government of New Zealand in...
. Arts and McCarthy met at St Peter's and quickly realised that they were on the same wavelength. They were in the same English class. McCarthy has said: "As an icebreaking exercise we were told to bring in our favourite song. Everyone brought in Limp Bizkit
Limp Bizkit
Limp Bizkit is an American rock band from Jacksonville, Florida. Formed in 1995, the group's lineup consists of Fred Durst , Wes Borland , Sam Rivers , John Otto and DJ Lethal . The band achieved mainstream success with their second studio album Significant Other, released in 1999...
, but the thing that linked Jordan and myself is that we were wanky enough to bring in Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
songs. We were both trying to be as cool as possible so we rummaged through our parents' CD collection as opposed to our own". With McCarthy, David Wong, Graham Scherer and Michael Pomare, Arts was a member of "Incursa", a St Peter's College band which won the Smokefreerockquest in 2004.
Career
Arts and McCarthy later formed Kids of 88Kids of 88
Kids of 88 is New Zealand New Wave music duo based in Auckland City, New Zealand, consisting of Jordan Arts and Sam McCarthy. They are best known for their 2009 single, "My House"...
. In releasing the first Kids of 88 album, Sugarpills, McCarthy said that the duo tried to produce a variety of material rather than just the familiarly slutty "My House
My House (song)
"My House" is the first single from electropop band Kids of 88. It was released on 20 April 2009. The song was on the New Zealand Singles Chart for 17 weeks in 2009, peaking at #3.-History:...
" and "Just A Little Bit
Just a Little Bit (Kids of 88 song)
"Just a Little Bit" is the second single from electropop band Kids of 88 . This song was released digitally through the New Zealand iTunes Store on 15 February 2010.-History:...
". Their style is broadly a fusion of electro-pop and 1980s style dance music
Dance music
Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement...
. They describe it as "a cross between a late 1980s police drama intro theme and a sophisticated super hussy". A reviewer has said "while reminiscent of early 80s synth pop, they aren't a direct copy of their antecedents. There's also a touch of 2010 punk
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
swagger and adrenaline
Adrenaline (album)
-Personnel:Deftones*Chino Moreno – vocals*Stephen Carpenter – guitars*Chi Cheng – bass guitar, backing vocals*Abe Cunningham – drumsProduction*Kim Biggs – art direction*Victor Bracke – cover photo...
, where dance can't ignore what's been achieved in R&B and hip-hop
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
". McCarthy and Arts produced the album themselves and worked with a simple technical set-up out of a bedroom. As far as their respective roles are concerned, McCarthy has described himself as "more of a classic songwriter" with Arts "hunched over computer, a technical, stumble-across-aloop, get-inthere-and-make-some-beats kind of guy". At the 2010 New Zealand Music Awards
2010 New Zealand Music Awards
The 2010 New Zealand Music Awards was the 45th holding of the annual ceremony featuring awards for musical artists based in or originating from New Zealand. Finalists for the three technical awards were announced on 16 August 2010 with winners announced on 1 September, the date on which finalists...
, Kids of 88 won "Single of the Year" and (with Tim Van Dammen) "Music Video of the Year" for their single Just a Little Bit
Just a Little Bit (Kids of 88 song)
"Just a Little Bit" is the second single from electropop band Kids of 88 . This song was released digitally through the New Zealand iTunes Store on 15 February 2010.-History:...
.