Like Chuck Taylors, leather jackets and graphic t-shirts, bands and denim go hand-in-hand. 

The appeal of a perfectly worn pair of jeans spans decades and genres: think of the album cover of The Rolling Stones’ Sticky Fingers, The Ramones in their signature stovepipe jeans, Kurt Cobain in his ripped ones, or the Texan Tuxedo rocked by almost every country artist ever. 

Today local creative indie band Mermaidens join the fray, with the new music video for the first single off their upcoming self-titled album acting as a larger than life ode to the hard wearing style staple.

I like to be alone, directed by the band’s vocalist Gussie Larkin, sees her and bandmates Lily West and Abe Hollingsworth exploring a whole denim world while wearing a host of patch perfect blue ensembles. 

We asked the band to unravel the inspiration behind the crafty video and tell us about the vintage shops they head to to source their most treasured jeans. 

Tell us a bit about your new single I like to be alone – what inspired it?

Gussie Larkin: Being alone gives me this really fulfilling contentment that, at the time of writing the song, I was trying to figure out how to explain to my partner. 

Hanging out by myself is genuinely a good time, and I think the chorus lyrics are a sentiment that probably resonates with people: “You know I like to be alone. Is that so much to ask? No matter what I do, always come back to you”. I liked the directness and honesty of these lyrics, and I had a bit of cheesy fun with the obvious “always come back to you” line.

I don’t really like the whole introvert/extrovert system, but the song was a way of exploring my own confusion around which of those I fit into. I need a bit of both, like a perfectly normal person.

The music video is so great, it has a real Michel Gondry DIY art vibe to it. Where did the artistic direction come from and who’d you work with to bring it to life?

GL: You got it, we love the absurdity of Michel Gondry films and music videos, particularly the giant handmade props. I was also thinking about the video I art directed for The Phoenix Foundation song, Landline, which involved a giant phone and a giant ear costume. 

We always like to have tactile, human-made elements in our music videos. We’ve been playing the song live for a while now, and people in the audience really latched onto the “back pocket” hook, and started calling it The Pocket Song. That sent us on a band brainstorm of outlandish ideas involving jean pockets, which we distilled down to the simple and (we hope) heartwarming story you see in the video. 

Lily West: We worked with craftsperson artist extraordinaire Hannah Webster to bring our denim dreams to life. She has been working in the art department on films for the past few years and lucky for us, the industry is in a bit of a wobbly patch so we got to employ her incredible skill. 

To create the M pocket and denim world she scoured op shops for the finest blues and patchworked the whole thing together on her living room floor.

‍There's also a heavy denim theme going on. Why, in your eyes, is denim so great?

GL: Until recently I felt denim was reserved for my past self – the try-hard punky teenage Gussie. I would be hesitant to wear a denim jacket for fear of invoking that teenage angst! But I think there are a lot of brands doing great denim these days, denim for grown ups if you will.

I’ve recently bought some dark blue jeans and I’m on the quest for a 70s denim blazer. I like the way denim compliments other colours in an outfit. Reds look incredible with most shades of denim, as do loud patterned shirts and retro turtlenecks.

There are so many different eras of denim to explore as well. JT and Britney’s iconic 2001 double denim ensemble featured on our moodboard of course. I’m drawn to the laid back 70s style, perhaps a vintage t-shirt with wide leg pants or short shorts. 

Good denim will last a lifetime too, and I try to only buy vintage as new denim production is a shocking pollutant. 

Do you have any formative denim memories?

LW: This is kinda band related, it’s actually pre-band… and we’re going on a decade so that means high school. Gussie was the coolest girl in our year by far, and on mufti days I’d always want to take notes on her outfits. She had these jeans that she’d distressed herself with a cheese grater and I want to say there were also safety pins (such a badass). I just thought she was the craftiest gal ever. 

GL: Oh man, I hadn’t thought about my cheese grater era in a long time. There were definitely safety pins – and there were also studs which I painstakingly applied. It took hours but I guess it was worth it, Lily thought I was cool. 

I also remember a denim patchwork printed bikini my mum had. From memory the fabric was an OTT patchwork of various shades of denim, perhaps with some roses added into the mix as well. My mum always has fun with her style, and that has influenced me a lot. 

Do you each have a go-to jean style you're drawn to? 

LW: Our drummer Abe used to be a light blue double denim boy. But had actually just gotten rid of his denim right before the shoot. Identity crisis? You okay Abe? 

Me, I like a high-waist, wide-leg with a bit of room for lunch. 

GL: It’s gotta be high-waisted and flared. You won’t catch me in a low waisted Y2K style, although stranger things have happened - I wear Crocs these days. 

Can you give us some recommendations for the best places to find second hand denim? 

LW: Wairarapa op-shops. Love any excuse for an op-shop crawl over the hill [from Wellington]. Just commit to the search and make a day of it. 

GL: Search and Destroy on Ponsonby Road [in Auckland] is great, and it’s close to my work so it often distracts me when I go for a walk. They mostly have vintage Levi’s jeans and jackets; you will need a bit of time to find the one.

I also look on Etsy, and Instagram sellers in the US. Some faves are @boppervtg, @laretrogirl and @70sstacks. 

I also discovered a great shop when I last went to Sydney, called The Wilde Merchant. They sell mostly 50s - 70s clothes, and a lot of hardy denim that has seen a life but still has a lot to give.

This isn’t a vintage one but I’ve been swooning over Judi Rosen New York, who makes limited edition jeans that have been worn by Britney Spears and Mary J Blige. Better start saving!

Mermaidens' self-titled album will be released on Friday November 3, and is available for pre-order now.