> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.emptyspaces.co.nz/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Butter Wouldn't Melt and the curious case of Nettle Song - URL: https://www.emptyspaces.co.nz/butter-wouldnt-melt-and-the-curious-case-of-nettle-song/ - Published: 2026-10-19T19:45:00.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-19T19:44:59.000Z - Author: Nick Raven - Tags: Interview I get sent a lot of music. Most of it is fantastic. Every now and then there is a song that really stands out above the rest. Last week I recieved a track called Nettle Song and it truly hit the mark. The song itself is delicate, beautiful and haunting all at once. It is melodically reminiscent of 70s cult hit Hotel California, but sonically it is from another world all together. Written and performed by Wellington based folk group, Butter Wouldn't Melt. The song was inspired by a deadly plant, and the band are known to perform live with only a single condenser microphone. These tales of yonder are curious to say the least. We got the scoop straight from the source to find out how a song like this comes to life, and what lies behind the world of Butter Wouldn't Melt. ### **The single was inspired by the dangers of a deadly plant found in Aotearoa's bush. Tell us more about this…** Andrea is a bit of a plant nerd and started telling everyone about the native nettle and how deadly it is which led us to a history of some unexplained deaths where hikers are suspected to have been killed by the nettle. Originally they had no idea how they died, the poison never showed up in the post-mortems and the bodies were found lying peacefully with no signs of a struggle. We thought that was quite spooky and mysterious which set the tone for the song. Usually we think about the weather as being our only real dangerous aspect of the wild in Aotearoa. We all learn about wearing the right layers etc. But we don’t think about brushing past the wrong plant. It made us think about the fragility of life and what you want to leave behind, what you face when you go and what waits for you on the other side. ### **You've landed on a sound that is part nostalgic, part sombre yet also very unique. How did the finished version of the track come about and how intentional were you about achieving the final result?** Nettle Song was the last one we wrote on the album. Originally there was another song in its place but something about it wasn’t working. We were all hanging out in the studio listening to the recordings and we knew that we needed something different. Our songwriting sessions usually look like this: Nick sitting in the corner staring into space, the rest of the band yelling out sentences, facts, word combinations, trying out riffs etc. Then out of the chaos Nick puts together a line, plays it for the rest of the band. It goes back and forth like that. By the next evening we were recording Nettle Song. We knew what we wanted it to sound like, kinda appalachian, little bit melancholia, little bit witchy mystery. I’d say it was pretty deliberate. We all have very similar tastes and listen to a lot of the same music so we understand the direction someone is going in very quickly. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5b/32/5b326593-f15d-4829-868d-c5cdac164009/content/images/2026/10/Butter-Wouldn_t-Melt-Photo-4-Credit-Den-O_Keeffe.jpg) ### **You're known to perform live playing through a single condenser mic. When did you first decide to do this, and what does it achieve that might be lost using a more typical live set up (individually mic'd instruments)?** We started out with a more conventional setup, individual microphones, spread out across the stage. We found it quite disconnecting, not seeing much of each other throughout a performance, not being able to feed off each other’s energy as much etc. The first time we all got behind a single microphone was at the auckland bluegrass club where you don’t have a choice. Everyone performs behind the same microphone in the traditional bluegrass style. We loved it! It all instantly clicked for us. There was a bit of shuffling and bumping into each other but the energy was infectious and the next day we bought our own microphone to use on tour. We think it is so much more natural in all aspects. With individual microphones there’s always an element of playing to the microphone, or the amp or the pickup. It’s like there’s a translator between you and the crowd. With the single microphone there’s no barrier between you and the audience. It’s like taking one of our living room jams and amplifying it in the simplest and most direct way possible. Big fans of the big mic. ### **Which local Aotearoa artists are inspiring you right now?** So many! Currently we’ve been really into The Beths, You Me Everybody, Mel Parsons, Fables, Ari Leason, Laurence Frangos-Rhodes, Tami Neilson, Albi & the Wolves and all of the Mitchell family, including Ron! ### **What is the most rewarding thing about being in a band?** The most rewarding thing about being in a band is the consistent feeling of growing and joining creative forces. SYNERGY. It makes us feel like family, in highs and lows and times in between. ### **You've got an upcoming show to follow the release of the new single. What's next for the band after this?** We have a north and south island tour starting in early 2027 at Dawn in Oakura, Taranaki alongside the release of our next single. Stay tuned for more information! Nettle Song is set to be released on October 21st. ****Have music you’re proud of? Submit it to Empty Spaces and get featured.** [Submit your music ](https://www.emptyspaces.co.nz/submissions/)