I think if I had to walk around telling people I play "adult rock" I'd probably shoot myself.
Also, a while back there seemed to be this notion that all new zealand bands owe it to the feelers for bringing the mainstream focus back to new zealand music since they released supersystem. So why is it that there's this constant atmosphere of contempt for them? Maybe it has to do with having one garishly generic power-chord rock tune after another plastered all over high-rotate on the country's radio stations. How has that done anything for anyone but James Reid?
Haha, another year of Battle of the Bands, another slew of bitching and moaning on NZM.
I'm really surprised that Marlowe remembers (or did you just do some research?) our show at the Crook a few years back. It was our first show ever and we didnt know shit, but we were pretty confident that we'd at least get through our heat.
The problems that occurred on the night had me seething at the time (see link), and the judges' claim that we lacked originality (watch our latest video mate, see any originality lacking there?!) really stung the most, but in retrospect it was all a drop in the bucket eh.
The upshot of being in that competition was that we were determined to go it alone without any assistance (be it from BOTB, NZ On Air, whatever) and make shit happen. I think the best lesson bands can learn from such an experience is that they need to just rely on themselves and carve their own path.. it's the only way to keep their longevity.
And longevity is a hell of a lot more important than winning a band competition.
I've watched incredibly talented bands (Mystery Liquid for instance) take part in the battles and perform on the Intergalactic live circuit for several years, yet never do anything outside those circles, which is really unfortunate.
Several years ago, Blindspott was knocked out by Mamasaid (who like Stardunk were a really good band that just didnt deliver in the years that followed, even though they tore it up on stage and had great songs... fuck i miss those guys) and look where they are now.
None of the bands that we played with at the Crook that night are still around, yet Battle Circus has more momentum than ever and I'm excited as fuck about what next year holds for us.
We even made up with the soundguy- who now owns Hysteria and is bloody supportive of us, and ironically (again, check the link) enough makes us sound great when we play there.
I guess bottom line is, dont freak out if your favourite band (or your band) gets ousted by reasons or bands that you think are shit. If they're really such a good band they'll use it to fuel their ambitions from then onward. I'm sure Blindspott dont think twice about their BOTB competition these days, I know we dont.
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Thanks bro, sounds good- lemme check the requirements again and I'll let you know. Unfortunately the line up is all set (otherwise i'd be trying to get my band on it!) , and I'm not organising the tour.. just being the equipment monkey ;)
Hey all, im helping to organise some parts of a tour in september by two well-known bands (an australian and an american band), and while I can supply a backline in Auckland for them, I'm not able to take all the equipment down for the Wellington show.
Can anyone recommend where's good to hire backline in Wellington (Blink, this might be a good addition to the next Local Knowledge) and if there isnt one, suggest some bands down there who might be willing to hire their gear out?
Thanks,
Ryan.
Will there really be any difference between the two 3 months down the track? Both will be chock-a-block with the same licensed American SHIT programming. Do we really need two stations with the same formats competing against eachother?!
The concept of playing GOOD music videos all day every day seems to be lost on people now, meaning 3 hours of music videos a day, supplemented with 21 hours of intelligence-insulting mindless crap like ashton kutcher playing pranks on method man who`s actually playing pranks on justin timberlake who`s playing a prank on the cast of the OC (while he`s making a cameo appearance performing his new single).
I really cant wait.
SEX, MONEY, AND POP MUSIC!!!!
Seriously though, Likely Story know their stuff. I've worked on a couple of projects with them.. high standard of work and their technical know-how is second to none.
ooh one more... maybe not worth the price of admission alone, but the stereo bus opening for supergrass at the powerstation was awesome simply because i was blazed and 'lie in the arms' completely blew my mind for some reason.
wish i could remember why.
oh i have plenty of those....
undercarriage opening for filter at the powerstation. do the fuck are these guys? the most generic angst-rock band we could find in auckland at the time? they were dreadful. and what a shit name
savant opening for audioslave at the town hall. if these guys hadnt broken up im sure they'd be opening for scott stapp and loving every minute of it, but auckland had far better bands at the time to share the stage with guys from Rage and Soundgarden (it's the principle, audioslave's music is pretty average, but those guys are legends).
my all-time favourite support band moment was shihad opening for filter in australia, kicking SO MUCH ASS and then richard patrick sneering after filter's first song "those guys may kill us on stage but we've SOLD MORE RECORDS".
dick.
bwahahaha! there is a god! and not the silly one scott stapp is always wailing his salvation to..
brilliant- there's such a sweet irony in covering cities in posters of yourself posteuring all rock-star in front of a mic, only to have absolutely fucking NO ONE (obviously they couldnt give enough tickets away on The Rock) buy tickets
now if only the hotel room he and kid rock had filmed their porno in had exploded 'fight club'-style due to some freakish gas leak, the world would be a better place
im gutted i spent all of my merchandise money on booze. i would have loved one of those t shirts.
+1
although technically it was tool opening for the melvins. but hardly anyone knew that ;)
amina (opened for sigur ros) on monday night were simply incredible.
im so pleased nickelback got so much shit when they were here. sure they're the cash cow for every other (good) artist on Roadrunner, but they're everything that's wrong with popular rock music today (well, them and limp bizkit/korn/switchfoot/yellowcard would be everything)
big ups to venue managers who argue their case like this (ie respectfully!). after reading through this topic i was admittedly a bit more wary of booking a night at the schooner, but after reading this post from a venue manager who is willing to communicate with bands and not just harass them and give them shit (what a concept!) im all up for it.
if bands are doing stuff like sneaking in drinks, they dont deserve to be playing there. shit like that can ruin a venue. it's just dumb. sneaking a hip flask into Dylan Moran at the Aotea Theatre tonight is a completely different story however...
big ups to tall beers also. nothing makes a great beer like a big fuckin (preferably ice-cold) glass. ive had it with going to bars where everyone just slaunters around stroking their fuckin bottles of Becks.
god im thirsty
i wouldnt say popular usage.. just an iconic phrase of my dad's that's somehow made it's way into my vocabulary.
must say, i kinda like it..
quay street- just down from queen elizabeth square/britomart. used to me a seedy hangout for ex-swashbucklers and true characters of auckland's yesteryear.
i loved the irony that it was just minutes walk from where the kids where donning their tight white pants and polo shirts and lining up at float.
i havent been to the new place, but if the fanatics are playing a show it might be the perfect time to go have a jack
i must confess his posts drove me up the wall til i met him in person. quite possibly one of the nicest people in the wellington music scene.
jamesmcleay.com perhaps?
whoops, i just re-read your post and your combophobic.. doh!
GK's prices have come down heaps and I can really recommend them- so much punch, great tone. Played an RB1001 head for about 4 years and absolutely loved every minute of it.
t-dub, check this out...
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Music-instruments/Instruments/Guitar-bass/Bass-...
these ampeg combos rock hard. if i had two grand for a combo i'd buy this (and no, im not the one selling it). but failing that, go for an ashdown or gallien krueger- both make fantastic combos
wainuiomata, you lucky lucky man, i love hearing about your job. jealous as hell, but i love it.
to me it's a similar statement to something in a spam email psuedo-personalised....
"check this out! a friend told me about this GREAT website where you can make heaps of cash REALLY QUICK. ive used it to make five grand so far, and you can do the same!"
get my drift? if you wanna tell everyone about something like this, just be straight up about it
wow, what a coincidence! you were just *walking* past one day, and now you're promoting the hell out of it (no pun intended)
crafty
what kind of bass gear are you wanting to purchase? for premium stuff such as ampeg it's probably worth buying it overseas. the quality of workmanship ensures that even without an active warranty it'll be reliable enough. and i know plenty of master electronicsmen who can do the voltage conversion.
we were considering buying a Roland Fantom XR rack off eBay, but in the end decided to spend the extra $700 at the rockshop (yes, I hate to do it as well.. two minutes in the shop and we already knew more about the product than they did) simply because we knew the unit would get loads of use on the road and a warranty would come in handy (ive been able to upgrade it for free several times because of that too).
for pedals etc, sweet as- you will save loads of money buying them from overseas.
what kind of amp were you thinking of buying?
Hey all,
I have a ticket to Freddy's sold out gig at Galatos in Auckland on Saturday night, but it turns out I won't be able to go now... I'd still really like to catch the gig, so if anyone has a ticket for the Sunday show that they'd like to swap, get in touch!
Email: ryan (at) schmoove (dot) co (dot) enzed
Ph: oh21-673-7oh9
Cheers