Shedheads
Nelson-based funk-rock trio Shedheads are quickly becoming one of the region’s most exciting young live acts. Made up of JP Moynihan, Shoei Ito, and Ryan Smith, the band trace their roots back to Nelson College, where all three first connected through music class.
“Me and Shohei had known each other for a while and were pretty keen to make a band,” JP recalls. “Then Ryan came along, and he seemed to take the ball pretty well. That’s where it kind of started.”
Music in Their Blood
Music has been part of their lives for as long as they can remember. JP’s background spans everything from classical and jazz to rock: “It’s really been my life as long as I can remember. I’ve been playing in bands and all sorts.”
Ryan’s journey started a little later. “I played when I was younger, but it wasn’t really a big part until I was about 12 or 13. When I hit college and met these guys, that’s when it took off for me.”
Between them, the Shedheads cover an impressive range of instruments — bass, guitar, trumpet, drums, viola, and keys among them — and they’ve all been active in music both in and outside of school. JP plays in Nelson College’s jazz combo, jazz band, concert band, Shoei is in the orchestra, while Ryan studies music full-time at NMIT, performing at student gigs and local shows.
Shaping their Sound
Before they were Shedheads, the trio performed together under a few short-lived names, “Air Poison” being one they still laugh about. Their “we’re a real band now” moment came after entering Smokefree Rockquest. “After Rockquest we thought, yeah, we should give this a good crack,” says Ryan. “That’s when we became Shedheads.”
Ask Shedheads who their biggest influences are, and the answer comes quick. “Definitely the [Red Hot] Chili Peppers,” JP grins. “But we’re always still experimenting, pushing into more edgy, punky stuff.”
Songwriting
When it comes to songwriting, Shedheads like to keep things spontaneous. “We’ll organise a rehearsal, and we’ll sit in a room and we’ll just start working on a song. And we do a lot of it live as well. If you see our shows, we do lots of jamming and it’s just on the spot. A lot of improv.” JP says. “Or else one of us will come to the band with an idea and we will work on it from there” Ryan adds.
Other times, inspiration comes from unexpected places. “Some songs like Actium were written about a historic event,” he notes, “while others might be a bit more lovey-dovey or give off more of a ridiculous energy.”
Playing Live
Their first official gig as Shedheads was at Valley to View, a Hira School fair in September 2023. “We got to play on the back of the Talleys truck,” JP remembers. “It was about an hour-long set. We did some Nirvana, some Chili Peppers, and that was the first time we played Let Me Know.”
Since then, the band have returned to the same event multiple times, noticing how much they’ve grown since that first nerve-filled show. “Looking back three years later, it’s crazy how much more laid-back we are now,” says Ryan.
When it comes to setlist favourites, Actium, Funk It Up, and Analysis Paralysis are clear highlights. “Funk It Up is just real energetic, it’s easy to get into,” Ryan says. JP adds, “We’ve got a few new songs that you might not find on Spotify yet, but the fact we like playing them probably means they’re a bit better than what’s already there.”
What’s Next?
The band have already played local favourites like the Boathouse and Theatre Royal, venues they clearly hold close. “Every time we play the Theatre Royal, it inspires me for us to have our own gig there one day,” says Ryan. “We would love to play Wembley. Or the O2 Arena. Or the Tokyo Dome” they all say with a laugh.
They’re also looking ahead to more recording and live shows. “We’ve got another single sitting here waiting,” says JP. “We’re working on a few more songs, maybe another album, plus playing Schools Out and Summer Sounds later on.”
With university on the horizon, all three members are heading to Victoria University of Wellington. Even with the move north, their momentum doesn’t seem to be slowing down.
You can find Shedheads on Instagram @shedheads_
