Computers Want Me Dead
Computers Want Me Dead are a two-piece electro-synth pop band consisting of Sam Harvey and Damien Daniels. They guys are being billed as the next big New Zealand band since their song “We Walk In Circles” featured on the C4 promo advertisements. The duo will be performing during reorientation and sharing their “erotic pizza music” with Unitec students.
Q: The first big question is: Why do computers want you dead?
Sam Harvey: If you've ever seen the movie Terminator, you'll already know why... But to cut a long story short, I'm Arnold Schwarzenegger’s illegitimate child.
Damien Daniels: Or, it could be that I got my Gmail password wrong three times in a row the other day, so naturally we must all be exterminated now.
Q: How did you two meet and start working together?
Damien Daniels: I first saw Sam at an office Christmas party, he had massive long black Goth dreads and was wearing a Nine Inch Nails t-shirt, it kind of stood out from the Santa hats and elf costumes.
Sam Harvey: Damien introduced himself and we instantly started talking about music, 20 minutes later we ditched the party to go play each other demos in my car.
Q: You've described your sound as "erotic pizza" can you give a detailed description of what erotic pizza sounds like for those readers who don't know?
Damien Daniels: Well, the logical answer here would be, it sounds like Computers Want Me Dead and thus begins the infinite paradox.
Sam Harvey: I want to say cheesy, but that'd be about the worst way to describe your music! We're an Electro Synth Pop duo, with various other genres thrown into the mix that change track to track.
Q: Sam, you've been in punk and Goth bands before, what prompted the genre change into electro-synth?
Sam Harvey: A lot of the industrial Goth music I listened to was synth based anyway, so it was a natural evolution to follow an electronic path. Plus, a lot of synth artists sprang up in the 80s when I was a kid, so there's a nostalgic push that way, which is why I particularly love the vintage synth sound too.
Q: You've been in the recent C4 Promo ads, how has that raised your profile?
Sam Harvey: Yeah we've had a huge response to our debut track “We Walk In Circles” last year, and again now for the new track “In Your Blood” it's been really great to have that support from day one. All publicity is good publicity for sure!
Damien Daniels: Except for that time we we're on Police Ten 7... Err, moving on.
Q: Where are your favourite locations to play gigs at?
Damien Daniels: We just did a small tour with The Naked & Famous + Kids of 88 and played at the San Francisco Bath House in Wellington. I don't know what it is, but there's something quintessentially rock n roll about the venue. The sound, the space, the grime, it's just a solid set up to see live acts... and the green room is littered with, just the most amazing artwork.
Sam Harvey: Anywhere there's a huge sound system, the louder it is the more fun it is performing and the bigger the crowds.
Q: What can we expect to see from you in the near future?
Sam Harvey: We're opening for 30 Seconds To Mars in August and we'll be touring across New Zealand & Australia over summer.
Computers Want Me Dead will be playing live at the Mt Albert Campus with Kidz in Space, P-Money and North Shore Pony Club on Friday 30 July. Click here for more information.