Payton Taplin Begins Greatsouth Era

Payton Taplin moved from the FABLE name to Greatsouth and changed his musical direction. His self-titled EP, released in 2024, formed a bridge between the FABLE and Greatsouth identities. Greatsouth’s debut album, Hellhole of the Pacific, was released last month. A shared point between FABLE and Greatsouth is an approach that places kaupapa Māori at the centre.

The title Hellhole of the Pacific refers to a historical expression dating from the 1830s. The album’s opening track features a conversation between Taplin and Silas Futura. The title track is shaped around the perspective of a 28th Māori Battalion soldier. Taplin says Held My Own is about longing for Papatūānuku.

For tracks connected to specific places, field recordings from those places were used on the album. Taplin says using taonga puoro helped him think differently about how he composes and makes music. He says he wants to contribute to creating space for Māori artists in the alternative rock and indie scene.