The Phoenix Foundation

The Phoenix Foundation are a New Zealand indie rock band formed in Wellington in 1997. The core lineup consists of Samuel Flynn Scott, Luke Buda and Conrad Wedde who each contribute vocals, guitar, and keyboards, and collaborate on songwriting and arrangements. The Phoenix Foundation are known for their expansive sound, genre-blending style, use of homage and work on soundtracks, collaborating with directors such as Taika Waititi.

The Phoenix Foundation was formed in 1994 by Conrad Wedde, Samuel Flynn Scott, and Luke Buda while they were students at Wellington High School. Initially influenced by heavy metal, the trio later developed a more eclectic sound, drawing inspiration from artists including Air, Sparklehorse, Spiritualized, Pavement, Sly and the Family Stone, and The Ramones. They began recording on a school 4-track with the help of their future manager, Craig Pearce, and rehearsed in Wedde’s family garage. The group’s name taken from the fictional organisation featured in the 1980s television series MacGyver.

Following high school, the members leased a former Chinese mission hall on Frederick Street in central Wellington, which became a shared creative space for music, art, poetry and film. During this period, they experimented with a number of side projects, including one under the name Sauerkrauts, before developing a more psychedelic pop-rock sound.

By the late 1990s, the original rhythm section had departed and the group entered a hiatus. Buda moved to Zurich, while Wedde toured with the Indian Ink Theatre Company. Despite this, the band released its debut EP China Cove in 2000, but disbanded shortly afterwards.

A turning point came in 2001 when Buda returned to New Zealand and the core trio reunited to record "This Charming Van", which received airplay on BNet radio and sparked renewed public interest in the band.

In 2002, the Phoenix Foundation reformed with a new lineup, adding Will Ricketts on percussion, Tim Hansen on bass and Richie Singleton on drums. At a time when Wellington’s music scene was dominated by reggae and dance acts, and many rock bands had relocated overseas, the group began developing a more experimental and atmospheric approach to indie rock.

That same year, they began recording at The Surgery Studios in Wellington with engineer and producer Lee Prebble. The collaboration marked the beginning of a longstanding creative partnership that would continue across the band’s subsequent releases as well as numerous solo projects.

The Phoenix Foundation released their debut album, Horse Power, in 2003. The recording sessions featured experimental recording techniques, such as placing microphones in ovens, buckets of water, and other unconventional spaces. Blending elements of alt-folk, psychedelia, electronica, and country, the album introduced the band’s eclectic sonic identity.