I dunno, when I was jamming with Neil and Riki, there def seemed to be a synergy between the brothers that they both obviously dug, given Riki's drumming on his new album. We'll just have to agree to dis-agree in regards to Riki's merits or not however in my opinion, I don't think it'll be Riki as well, not due to any percieved lack of skill but for other reasons.
Peace
Sorry Whanau
Hit the wrong button! Now, as I was going to say....
Kia ora
Friday 8 December
opensouls play at the San Francisco Bathhouse.
With support from Twinset and The Jewel School.
Tix $20 + b/fee from Real Groovy and Rex Royale or $30 doorsales.
and,
Saturday 9 December
opensouls play at the Phat Club in Nelson.
With support from The Jewel School.
Tix $15 + b/fee from Everyman Records or $20 doorsales.
Cheers
Kia ora
Friday 24th November 2006 @ Galatos
opensouls
w/guests Kolab and Cian
Tix: Pre-sales $20 + b/fee from Real Groovy, or $30 doorsales
And I ain't trying to stir anything either cuz. I find your posts more interesting than others coz you are doing what so many have asked for, and that is an opposing view. I just wanna make sure we're on the level coz I don't enter into debates to argue, just discuss.
Choice
Ha ha ha, you're awesome bro. You bring some theatre to the discussion. I def agree there is a level of parochialism involved, as I'm sure this would be received say in another market such as Oz or whatever. It is a natural human condition and whilst at times it isn't pretty, neither is an ethno-centric view in which opinion's proffered seeks to do no more than detract from people believing in what they do. Is there ignorance? Oh most def on some scale there is, as there would be no matter where this topic was discussed. However, whilst I believe at all times I was trying to be somewhat constructive, I must therefore ask, surely that derogatory label listed above is not directed at me? Surely not...
The only way I see me taking the bait is to also see my point in that you have added nothing to this conversation. Quoting other people's posts without adding nothing but that they are nationalistic tracts, has proven that you have added nothing. Moreover, by this even being discussed in this topic, which of course is far removed from the actual topic of this particular forum debate, it re-inforces my point. If we're arguing semantics, then we ain't arguing the topic.
I don't admit at all that I took any bait. I worked with a Welsh producer a month back for a few days, Greg Haver and thus have found the whole Producer debate in general very interesting since then. As I come from groups that don't rely on an external Producer, I have had a greater interest in their views, how they are viewed, how they are utilised etc etc. Therefore, to see such a post as this, for sure I wanted to wade into a debate as has come up. If that is taking the "bait", by entering into a discussion pertaining to music form my country and how it is percieved in our non-primary markets, then by all means let's go fishing.
Add to it, don't detract from it.
Why is it pandering to some nationalistic egoism when your argument seems based in upon tall poppy syndrome, seemingly requesting that we keep our opinions on our own music to ourselves when doing what? Blindly taking someone's view with no opportunity to add to the discussion? There is absolutely no problem I see in NZers adding views to an overseas based producer's insights into an aspect of our music. Doesn't mean automatically that we all disagree totally with the poster, and indeed, perhaps with more information posted by the original poster, then the debate can continue further.
I think you pretty much told everyone which path you're on when you mentioned your most important customer, the label.
In a country where the biggest selling album of the last year (7 x platinum or so at last count) was done by a group who released independently, with an almost nil-marketing budget. And it is not only NZ success. They have travelled internationally more than most if not all other NZ groups over the past year and more. Further, the greater amount of independently released music in NZ has limited the need for having the label being the call-point of direction. And, following on, a lot of these groups have done well overseas without the need of the label. I play in a group called opensouls. We are not a huge group, nor will we ever in all probability reach the top of the NZ top 40, but that isn't the point of why we do this. Our album is ticking along nicely, our own label has now released a few 7"s, a 12", and is looking at our further projects. In an interesting side, our latest 7's sold more in the UK than in NZ.
So where does this leave the production? Perhaps there is a different take on production over here (I refuse to see it as worse in any way possible!) and hence the views that you and a few of your colleagues have. But I think that your perspective comes from an angle that in all reality (and this is not a, well we can't make it on a label so let's set out to be nothing but "independent"), a large portion of NZ music is still done with the DIY attitude. But it relates to the primary market, that of NZ, and further, is gaining more and more of a following, especially in Europe where I for one see our music being a lot more relevant than the US market (except for the notable more indie based labels).
Fah, I dunno if I even made sense and I have now lost so much focus that i will post this ad-hoc and see how this whole discussion pans out.
Choice one
I have only heard the first single of his new album and seen the vid. In my opinion as a person who has travelled with, and known him for some time, he is truly one of the few NZ artists who could do "gangsta" hip hop. I still prefer Samoans Pt 1, which I think is one of the most under-rated and un-appreciated NZ hip hop albums, but I dig his style. It's easy for people to denigrate this style of hip hop, especially as the majority of us have no idea of what it is like to live in such an environment, however I would still suggest that this bro is one that can actually talk about this shit, the shit that he's lived.
Interesting post this one. Hmmmm, well, essentially I'm self taught, however at important times I've had a few lessons from people who set me in the right direction on some technique tips (cheers Mr Bryany, Kenny Pearson R.I.P., and Rangi Hadfield). All of this happened before I was 16 so I kinda had a bit of a foundation to work upon. Then as I started playing 'professionally' (for want of a better term), it became more self focussed, not so much on technique but sound, style, and the ability to communicate musically in a band environment. And then as the years has progressed, I find that if there's something I'm interested in, I'll ask the person about it, have a korero, and then work it into my established style of playing. It depends a bit on a couple of factors I reckon;
a) what constitutes a lesson? some of the best lessons learnt have been dead drunk chatting to another bassie at a bar, or sometimes you I'll learn about my instrument and it's place in the musical sphere by talking to a muso who plays another instrument.
b) lessons will usually have beneficial elements (like an analyst you need to take it all with a 'grain of salt'), but lessons don't necessarily teach a musician how to play, as in, how to be part of a functioning and communicative group, I didn't learn alladat kinda stuff until I began gigging constantly.
A very interesting topic, I look forward to seeing what other people think.
Cher.
The name of the band is the Krates. Regarding live shows, you'll be looking at towards September before the new tour will happen. Album drops around August, and tour should follow that.
Dunno if you've heard the Submariner remix of this track but it's the shizzle as well. WWill be coming out I belileve on the 12" for Dust. And look later in the year for his live band, it's gonna be dope as.
Hip Hop to me is just like most other music. It is an introduced genre which like most other genres, and in turn has been (on most occassions) utilised in a NZ way (see early Breaks Co-op, Dam Native, Che, DLT, UHP etc etc). Yes, it suffers from complete Americanisation in this country and is therefore simialr to a lot of our music where many seem to have to pronounce some words with an American slant (like the word can't etc). This exists in most genres in this country, yet in many instances it can still be completely NZ influenced (you may not like Hamo's singles etc, but some of those songs on his album can be nothing but NZ influenced).
To assume that a lot of these musicians do it purely to reflect an American way is therefore to assume that all Reggae is created to sound nothing but Jamaican, which I would tend to disagree with. You're gonna have this in any genre which is not totally unique, but is that too much of a problem? Yes, our kids are listening only to the pop orientated stuff, but there remains class acts producing quality NZ work.
Therefore, Hip Hop to me is like any most other music in NZ, a valid form of expression that in some cases is not being as authentic as it could be. It isn't a Hip Hop thing, it's a music thing.
Feelstyle - Break it to pieces
Kora - Volume EP
Trinity Roots - Home, land and sea
Del Ray - Just for that Dallas track
Opensouls - In your hands 12"
Conscious Roots
Friday 11 June at 4:20
opensouls and Misfits of Science
Support from DJ LoKey
Doors open at 10pm
$10 on the door
Choice
What an absolutely crap topic. I-man is not a Christian, yet following your almost phobic distaste for Xian music, I may not be able to listen to Bob Marley, Che Fu, Buju Banton, Tribe Called Quest (if you wanna take your small redneck mid-west American town attitude to other religions), Sizzla, Cat Stevens etc etc etc. I dunno bro, if you're playing all these great Rock n Roll shows, yet all you do is sit at home, instead of getting out of town to play, and further your version of correct music, then that seems to be an inditement on your ability, not theirs.
I love Reggae, it remains my favourite groove of music, yet 95% of the material I listen to is Rasta, and therefore an extension of Xianity, however that is one of the reasons that I listen to it. It provides hope and inspiration to a heathen like me, as opposed to listening to idiots glorify the excesses of life. 'Ooh, i can drink a forty with my bad ass blunt yeah yeah, i wear my pants down low, cause I wanna show my c*ck to your God!!!' wah wah wah wah. Music is a tool of communication and should always be used with that in mind. It does not however, give you an excuse just to be a tool.
Rascal Management Presents:
Kora and opensouls - Two shows
Friday 23 April - Town Hall/Raglan
Saturday 24 April - Galatos/Auckland
Pre-sales $15.00+b/fee from Traks (Hamilton), Dept of Food (Raglan), Real Groovy (Auckland) and Conch (Auckland)
R18
Should be a choice night of Reggae/Soul/Hip Hop/Rock
Interesting thoughts on the pros/cons of this event. From a perspective of a performer, I see it like this.
The evnt was $35 and all ages, which meant that for once, kids got to see a hell of a lot of music live that they don't usually have the oppurtunity to do. My gripe here is that it, like the BDO serves to provide punters with a musical sampler of bands as opposed to a live show thus bringing down a little the chance of getting these kids to come to a full all ages show. However, it gave them a chance to get out there and see these groups.
For a band such as us (Che), it was a chance to get back onstage and play to a crowd after our break which was cool. On a personal tip, it meant that we could get to hang out with our friends from other groups that do not fall under our genre. A rarity these days. To be able to finally meet and hang out with the likes of Steriogram, or to hang out with my old school mates (Justyn and Dave) is a bonus. Not areason to put on a gig obviously but if we enjoy what we're doing, hopefully we enjoy our gigs more.
Regarding the sound, someone has already likened it to a BDO and i think that's totally correct. You have over 10 bands all performing with no soundcheck, and barely a chance to get any monitor mix sorted out. So if it seems that the band are flying nlind sometimes, they are. This is something that we have to deal with too. Unfortunately, the crowd must suffer, but this is a result of the way these events are set up.
Regardless of whether people like this event or not, or listen to this radio station or another, the event was a chance for many people to experience the highs and lows of live gigs, a chance that many of our crowd don't get regulary. With all the negative posts regarding the crowd, the times in the autograph tent meeting a lot of these young peeps was a joy for all the bands I talked to about it. We all saw it as a chance to have some fun playing to a crowd we don't usually get to play too.
If people are so pissed regarding all bar their favourite band, then I would suggest that the fault lies with them. They themselves decided to go to this venture, and with that many bands, if people didn't forsee the inherant things that go along with it (average sound, short sets etc) then that is not the fault of the organisers. When you see that many bands advertised on the telly, one would think that people could make somewhat informed decisions to go. Otherwise you just paid $35 for a rant, and I'm sure the Edge don't really care about that. You just helped line the pockets of the people whom you apparently despise.
ha ha, word!
Choice