Premiere: Arthur Ahbez Shares “Sister” Single
Arthur Ahbez comes forth with the third single from his new album, ‘Arthur Ahbez & The Flaming Ahbez.’ Hear his band, The Flaming Ahbez, in all their glory, unforgivingly punching through your speakers with their rock and roll ballad, “Sister.”
Arthur recollects: “I remember writing “Sister’” sometime around 2012. I was in my cottage, and I suddenly got a bout of moxie and wanted to sing something like Buffy Sainte-Marie would—loud, wailing, and with soul. I stuck to two chords (which basically make up the whole song) and let rip. What I ended up with is “Sister’”, a kind of absurd song, a song about murder and jealousy, abandonment, unconditional love, and indifference.”
FEATURE INTERVIEW:
What inspired the creation of “Sister”? Are there any personal experiences or stories behind the song?
“Sister” was born during an evening songwriting session, sometime around 2013. I tend to do my best work once the day is done, sitting on the edge of my bed with nothing else to focus on but my guitar. I remember vibing on a couple of chords and howling out some improvised lyrics, trying to channel the energy of Buffy Sainte-Marie, whom I had recently become enamored with.
My friend Michael had sent me a video of her performing “Little Wheel Spin and Spin” on the Pete Seeger show, and her intensity playing that song really struck me. I wanted to capture that same intensity in one of my own songs. While “Sister” has a rock aesthetic, at its core, it’s a folk song, with its subject matter revolving around a tragedy that befalls a family when a jealous sister commits an unspeakable act against her brother.
What do you hope listeners take away from the single?
After all the work my band and I put into making the album, I like the idea of releasing the songs into the wild and letting them find their own way, reaching audiences by virtue of their character and quality, and taking solace in the fact that I did the best I could with what resources I had, and being able to let go. “Sister” is the oldest song on the album, while “Reckless” (the first single) is the newest. I hope listeners will appreciate the variety of styles and songwriting when the full album comes out in November.
How does this project set the stage for your future work? Are there any new directions you’re excited to explore?
I’ve got a massive back catalog of material to record, so I am really excited about starting a new project and discovering how the songs tape shape and evolve along the way. My goal for this album release is to try to build a bigger fan base, and then eventually gain enough attention to make touring in the United States or Europe a reality. I love playing shows in New Zealand, but it is limited in that you can only tour for about 2 weeks and then that’s it.
Right now I’m right in the thick of parenting 2 young kids, so things are gonna slow down in the short term, but the long term dream is to make records for a living and continue to explore my creative capabilities and making music.
WATCH/LISTEN & SHARE: Arthur Ahbez – “Sister”
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WATCH/LISTEN & SHARE: Arthur Ahbez – “A Simple Medication”
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WATCH/LISTEN & SHARE: Arthur Ahbez – “Reckless”
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