//all the grants are dished out by the Govt. and they dictate what we 'should' sound like.

Thats Helen and Labour for you, what else do you expect from a Communist Party like Labour?

//Thats Helen and Labour for you, what else do you expect from a Communist Party like Labour? //

You really haven't got a clue have you Sam? Do you actually know what a communist looks and sounds like? Have you any real idea of where in the political spectrum the NZ Labour Party fits? Do you know that today is Tuesday?

Oh, and I like rap and hip-hop along with a lot of other types of music ... you are just boring ... I liked the old Sam better ... hang on ... the old Sam was boring too ....

Heh, Trillion you should read Aka's post on the Klezmer / Raï Debate in The Bar.

I think it's very noble that you go on and on (and on and on) about the need for New Zealand to find its own voice, but I also think it's pretty much impossible to find that on such a grand scale as a whole country, particularly now in the globalized, media saturated environment of NZ.

I think hoping that some individuals sound like individuals is as good as it gets. And a more noble aim for that matter.

oh yeah and JET,
my 'on and on'ness is not soley about NZ having it's own voice, more like what is happeninig to our cultures?

our youth want to be American, our Polynesian and Moari music artists want to be American because they are the only role models that are 'cool', and it's all aplauded on by the Govt. and their funding bodies.

It's a totally fucked situation and if this goes on for another 20 - 40 years there will be virtually no separation of cultures, instead we will be merged into one conglomerate culture 'pop culture' - easy to shape and market to.

I take an extreme view because I have to balance up the lack of understanding.

all this and more - new album out early next year! hahaha

[ http://www.trillion.co.nz ]

// NZ On Air was established in 1989 by a National government (Maurice Williamson was Minister of Broadcasting back then, incidentally, although as Jonathon Hunt, Minister of Communications, was the first politician responsible for the organisation before it became part of the broadcasting portfolio). //

This reply is a little tangential to the debate, but Labour was in power in 1989, with Jonathan Hunt being the first minister responsible for it. Williamson took over responsibility with the incoming National Government in 1990.

hi grumpy Jet,
a few things. I think style is different to content.
I can be influenced by something but still be fully myself.
other people seem to copy style and content and delivery - this is what i dont agree with.
your talking voice should be the one you rap or sing with.
if your words are extremely you, but your accent isn't, how can you be taken seriously - it's not really you - it's you being a character. acting. it's false. you are a phoney!

if you listen to the album the track off 'earwork 4' is off, you will find it is the only instumental. I like instrumental and I think there is a place for it.
if having a that track was an invitation for people to search out the album, thus hearing other things I have to say, then it did it's job.
It was also chosen by the people who put the thing together - perhaps because it was the most appropriate for the compilation.

the often mistaken staunch kiwi stance is not being nationalistic it is being self aware.
the thing that is not american about dark tower and trillion is that it is personal, if it is personal then it is real and a true reflection of me in my surroundings. my surroundings are not america they are new zealand. i am a NZer and this is obvious when you hear my voice in my songs. some other NZ rappers/singer could be mistaken as american.

hopefully this clears a few things up without me sounding like a tosser?

thanks for asking...

lucy?? you get that cd yet? also the library will probably have that other track you want.

[ http://www.trillion.co.nz ]

yo Chops - check out my website and see f you can work it out??

[ http://www.trillion.co.nz ]

it wasn't sarcasm - rather a task set out for you to complete as I don't really like to list my projects.
to me it feels too much like self promotion or blowing my own horn, somethng us NZers are not too good at.

soap boxing is slightly different.

Trillion, excuse me if I sounded a bit grumpy, I do have a lot of sympathy for your view. I think the idea that America is the modern Rome is generally very sound, and I do agree that the funding bodies support commercial music (which incidentally corresponds with styles of music popular in America).

That said, I haven't heard any piece of music (ie. if you take the vocals away) that you've written that doesn't sound like it could have come from America. Even way back in the day, the more tongue in cheek Dark Tower stuff, it's only my knowledge of the theme from 'Country Calendar' that made the music sound kiwi. Jumping forward, your track on Earwork.04 is steeped in funk traditions from certain parts of America, and of course the subsequent influence of hip-hop, which again is historically American (and Jamaican, I guess).

I think this is absolutely fine and presumably you must too, but it leaves me confused by what it is about America you're concerned about aping in music. Is it more to do with vocal delivery and content? (and the way that might reflect underlying pride in your local culture)

My biases as an instrumental writer are probably showing loud and clear...

Hahah.. yeah cheers for injecting some humour in. Online debates are dumb, but I never learn to keep my mouth shut! *sigh*

Yeah, that's a better way of putting it.

Fucking A Puzz. When you comin to play in the big smoke buddy? NZM.Com sure does rock like a berlin key car tho, RIBroast got that mother fucker bang on the head!

[ www.mp3.com.au/stlucy ]

//"New Zealand on Air Don't Gimme no Props"

nice wee tale st lucy -