The fourth coming of NZ music legend Shayne P. Carter as Dimmer (following Bored Games, DoubleHappys, and Straitjacket Fits) is probably the era of his 40 year catalogue that is least well-known overseas. I could start an argument by saying it’s his best era. But ‘best’ is always meaningless, subjective, caught up in judgements where the emotional resonance of music in a particular time and place for listeners rightly over-rules any attempt at objective assessment. So let’s just take a deep breath and allow 10 minutes of a live version of “Seed” which appears on the newly released double LP “Live at The Hollywood” envelope the senses:

“Seed” was one of the songs on the first Dimmer album “I Believe You Are A Star” in 2001, a revolutionary album at the time, marking an evolution into smooth and slinky groove-based futuristic soulful rock music, yet still clearly identifiable as being Shayne P. Carter.

Carter notes these live recordings: “included angles and extrapolations on the tunes that aren’t on the original recordings.”

“Seed” includes new angles and extrapolations from Carter’s Gibson SG guitar, helped by it’s 10 minute hypnotic groove locked in by original Dimmer drummer Gary Sullivan (Jean Paul Sartre Experience/ JPSE, Solid Gold Hell).

Carter also notes: “Although I stand to financially gain from the exploitation of this artefact I wholeheartedly recommend the item to the general listening public.”

I do not stand to financially gain from the exploitation of this artefact, however, I also wholeheartedly recommend the item to the general listening public.