In a career spanning three decades, Shayne Carter has been revered by fans and widely noted for his music, but largely ignored by mainstream radio and, by default, a big chunk of New Zealand.
Shayne Carter has just released album No 4 with his band Dimmer, and is soaking up the spoils of success.
"I'm revelling in a life of cocaine, European supermodels and a bright and glittering future," he says.
He's joking, but there is irony in his remarks.
His previous band Straitjacket Fits was honoured at the New Zealand Music Awards last year with the prestigious NZ Herald Legacy Award, and his four Dimmer albums have been widely applauded.
Most New Zealanders probably don't know a song from either band, and although most from Dimmer are unconventional in a mainstream context, there are some melodic gems which would appeal to any pop or rock music fan.
One of them is Degrees of Existence - the opening track and title of the new Dimmer album.
Carter's proud of it, but knows the masses will probably never hear it.
"Tell me about it bro," he says when asked why.
"I thought with that song - it's accessible, and anyone who hears that and likes rock music, I'm pretty confident they're going to like that tune."
While many would love the chance to get wider exposure, things are not likely to change, Carter says.
"Radio isn't there to break innovative music, it's there to play commercials and to play music in between those commercials that doesn't make the listeners switch channels.
"It's all about being part of the wallpaper and offering something familiar and cosy like a nice pair of slippers.
"It's frustrating mate, but at the same time I've just become completely philosophical about it."
Carter has plenty of thoughts on the wider topic of commercial media and goes into an amusing rant about how the masses seem to take what's "yelled at them" from the likes of TV screens as gospel.
"Most people will accept what's put in front of them, as long as it's drummed in to them that that's what they should be accepting."
But if commercial success has passed the Dunedin-raised Carter by, gratification has come from other corners.
"I tell you one thing that is quite important to me - is that I'm respected by my peers.
"You ask anybody - no matter what they do - you want to be respected by your peers because they are the people who understand what you're doing and who do what you do.
"If they rate you, then that's a good feeling - and I'm conscious that I've got that and it does mean something to me."
Carter's music has also been "rated" overseas, in countries including the United States. He played with Dimmer there a couple of years ago and heard 1980s music from New Zealand's famed Flying Nun label, which included Straitjacket Fits, playing in bars.
"There are actually a number of British and American indie bands coming out and picking that stuff out as influences," he says.
It's music which has stood the test of time and remains influential, and the internet age, with mediums like MySpace, has opened direct communication links where like-minded musicians can keep tabs on each other's progress.
Fans here and overseas have made the transition from Straitjacket Fits to Dimmer, but Carter still gets the distraction of people at Dimmer gigs calling out to play Straitjacket Fits gems like She Speeds (if you haven't heard it, do so).
"Bro, I've had that my entire career," he says.
"We played in Salt Lake City and I had people yell out for Joe 90, which is an old Bored Games (early Carter band) song. It's something that continues to haunt me everywhere I go."
With Degrees of Existence, Carter says it was the touring that inspired him to write something which reflected the live performances of the band, which has in recent years become the regular line up of James Duncan, Kelly Steven and Dino Karlis.
"The records, for all their comparative strengths or weaknesses, were studio creations," he says of the previous three.
"This band has been together for two or three years and we've done a lot of gigging and I think we've turned into a really strong outfit.
"So basically I really wanted to capture the excitement and sound of the band - so it's probably a more exuberant record than the previous Dimmer ones."
While Carter is the songwriter, he says he's conscious of working with people able to bring another dimension to the tunes.
"And I think on this record, everyone who played on it definitely brought their own thing to the table as well."
At home in Auckland, Carter says he's taking a deserved break following the album release and a handful of local gigs.
He's still feeling the sting of having been burgled a few months ago and losing his beloved 1960s Gibson SG guitar.
He says it was a heartbreaking discovery and takes the chance to send a message to whoever was responsible.
"Give me back my guitar. And if you can remove the racing stripes you put on it and re-string it back the right way please."
While managing to take the blow with a hint of humour, one can't help feeling for him when he puts it into context.
"Despite the mansion and European supermodels and all that, I actually haven't got a lot.
"But I treated myself to a wide-screen TV so I could watch soccer - they took that, and I don't actually give a shit about the TV, but the Gibson I have had for 15-years and have made all my records on it and it's really rare, and finding good left-handed guitars isn't easy. Yeah bro, that one cut to the core."
Carter says if he couldn't make music anymore, for whatever reason, he would have to rein in his life of "cocaine and supermodels".
But he's unlikely to give up the music any time soon.
"I just want to keep rolling over and keep doing this. I feel lucky I've managed to do it for this length of time."
- NZPA
