Feature Friday: The Transits
The Transits consists of Ryan Lunn, Tyrone Smith and Dom Antelme. Photo credit: The Transits website
Multi-national talented lads, The Transits, are back on the scene for the second time in 30 years after previously being called Cabbage and living out their teenage dreams under that band name.
The Transits have been rocketing up the scene and have made an impressive impact not only here in New Zealand, but also South Africa, Australia, the States and they have also had raving reviews written about them, and even featured on NZ TV show, The Project. Nice.
Consisting of Dom Antelme on vocals and bass, Tyrone Smith on drums and Ryan Lunn on vocals, guitar, synths and production, these three are loudly and proudly sharing their well-produced, versatile talents worldwide.
Cover artwork for Middle of The Night supplied by The Transits
While Dom and Tyrone are based in Auckland, Ryan is based over in Durban, South Africa, making the band even more unique as they are showcasing that you can do anything from a distance.
Therefore, I am proud to bring you The Transits for this week’s Feature Friday!
-
You’ve recently released your incredible new song, Middle of The Night! A huge congratulations on that. I’ve been doing a bit of research and can see from your website that Dom and Tyrone are both based in Auckland, while Ryan is based on Durban. That is quite unique, to be multi-national! How did Middle of The Night come together, and how do you make it work living in two different countries?
The Transits: Thank you! Since forming in late 2022, we’ve mastered the challenges of being based in two different countries. Being spread across continents means everything we do is intentional. Every message, demo, or video call matters. It’s a bit like time travel haha. Someone’s always working while someone else is sleeping. But it’s taught us to trust our instincts and each other. Our lifelong friendship, combined with technology, allows us to create as if we’re in the same room even when we’re oceans apart. Ryan, based in Durban, is our maestro who brings everything together. The songs usually begin with an idea, a theme, or a riff. It’s often guitar or drum-based, and we build the melody from there. Middle of the Night was no exception. Lyrically, the song is about the quiet chaos of love on the edge. We all have things that keep us up at night. And we like to write songs that speak to that.
Being in the music industry when you were teenagers, and then jumping back into it as adults, what challenges have you faced and what type of changes have you seen about the industry?
The Transits: I feel fortunate that we’ve played in bands across two very different eras, before the internet and camera phones and now in a highly advanced digital world. Today the world is saturated with bands, content and ads. While the internet makes it easier to be a global band, it also makes it harder to stand out. As teenagers it was all about the thrill and excitement. For us in the ’90s, it was such an exciting time to be playing in South Africa, a country that had been basically starved of original live music. We were having fun and figuring it out as we went. Coming back to it now, we’ve got more perspective. The industry moves faster now, but it also offers more creative freedom. Social media and streaming platforms give artists more control but they also mean you’re constantly finding new ways to cut through the noise. These days, we’re also in less of a rush. We use music videos as a big tool to find new fans. We use visuals to draw people into our music.
If you had to go back to the past, or go forward to the future, which would you choose, and what would you hope to change or see?
The Transits: We’d take a quick trip to the past—not to change anything, but to relive that feeling of making music together in a band room. Also, there was something incredibly rewarding and exciting about the way we discovered music back then. But if we had to stay somewhere, we’d choose the future. We’re excited about the possibilities as music, technology, and storytelling continue to collide. If we can crack the algorithm, we have the potential to reach a wider audience—across the globe. It already blows my mind when we see, through Spotify or Apple Music where people are listening to us. Some of the places are truly far-flung. It’s amazing. Ultimately, we just hope to keep making music that connects.
Photo credit: The Transits website
If your music was a meal, what would it consist of?
The Transits: Great question. Love that. Hmm… I’d say a spicy Durban curry. Durban, where we’re from, is a rich melting pot of culture. I think growing up in that environment made us creative, open-minded and constantly inspired. There’s always been something in the mix: music, food, people—those sparks ideas. And yeah, Durban is definitely famous for its curries.
Your music is highly captivating and enticing. Why do you think your work specifically captures audience's attention?
The Transits: Thank you! We aim for a cinematic quality to our sound—probably because, in a way, we’re scoring our own lives with it first. We usually write from real-life experiences but keep the lyrics broad enough for people to interpret in their own way. There’s almost always a truth at the core of it. Maybe that connection comes through because people can feel the chemistry between us, even across time zones. There’s history, heart, and hustle in every track. We’re super DIY. We also write music that speaks to us, not to follow trends. We love the idea of drawing on nostalgia but giving it a fresh spin. We’ve got a deep love for punk, rock, indie, and synth. So, we pull from all of those in our own way.
Seeing as it’s Friday, what are your favourite things to do on a Friday?
The Transits: In the morning, I love checking out the new Friday releases on Spotify, it’s the modern way of discovering new bands. In the evening, I might grab some dinner or catch a show, depending on who’s in town. But honestly, these days I’m mostly into keeping things pretty chill.
For more on The Transits, make sure you follow the links below -