Micky Darp : 27 August 2003 - 2:01pm

so whats the best band then kitty?

Micky Darp : 26 August 2003 - 3:44pm

You're right. Everyone should go to this gig and you wont be dissapointed. They're the best damn band in NZ right now!

Micky Darp : 26 August 2003 - 3:42pm

Auckland: Kings Arms (best PA and sound in Auckland)
Hamiltron: Ward Lane (except you've gotta hire a PA)
Wellington: Indigo (best PA and sound in Wellington, great location - Wellington rules)

Micky Darp : 17 August 2003 - 2:03pm

Depends on the music. I would rather see sommerset in a pub with 200 people and a wicked vibe and killer sound. But give me Goldenhorse in a park on a sunny sunday just chillin on the grass.......ah summer.....

Micky Darp : 13 August 2003 - 1:48pm

Sam from Devil Gate Drive has got the technical skill and stage presence to be on this list. plus he does most of the lead vox which aint that easy while playing bass.

Micky Darp : 11 August 2003 - 4:54pm

Just wanted to say DGD go off!
In fact, I havent enjoyed straight up rock since the last Shihad gig I went to about 5 years ago (Im sorry - Shihad just arent the same anymore, but I was a fan since before Killjoy). Back to DGD: super tight, great stage presence, and wicked songs. Congrats guys - you deserve to go far!

Micky Darp : 11 August 2003 - 4:34pm

Just had my worst gig in memory at Palmerston Nth last Friday. Had a cold and tonsilitis and lost my voice after the 4th song and sucked completely thereafter. We did however have the redemption gig the night after in Wellington. The voice held out and we played much better.

The moral is having a shit gig is part of being in a band - just make sure you redeem yourself at the next gig!

Micky Darp : 11 August 2003 - 4:30pm

Po-ha is the best new band I have seen for about 5 years - end of story. If you are getting over the garage rock thing and want to hear some fresh fat guitars, super tight rhythms and great melodies you must get along and see them. Bloody nice bunch of people too!

(Wellington rules too - cant wait to get back down there)

Micky Darp : 6 August 2003 - 4:34pm

Jules Barnett from bfm is an exceptionally talented drummer.

Micky Darp : 6 August 2003 - 2:50pm

you are not allowed anywhere near the CD player on the drive down

Micky Darp : 6 August 2003 - 2:18pm

Just a final reminder before we hit the road:

Leonard / Vocoder / Devil Gate Drive @ Guvnors in Palmy Fri 8th August

then

Leonard / Vocoder / Devil Gate Drive / Po-ha @ Indigo in Wellington Sat 9th August.

Micky Darp : 6 August 2003 - 2:09pm

I third that vote (and Im from Auckland!). Wellington rocks.

Micky Darp : 30 July 2003 - 11:42am

The New Claire Swire video will be on TV4's most wanted this weekend. Tune in on Sat morning 9am or Sun arvo 5pm to check out the clip.

Micky Darp : 22 July 2003 - 3:16pm

ahh - robyn hit the preverbial nail! rule #1 is dont do a review for a genre of music you are not interested in!

Micky Darp : 2 July 2003 - 2:57pm

Hey - I like Ben Folds!

1. Beastie Boys
2. The Cure
3. Sparta
4. System of a down
5. The Datsuns
6. Sommerset
7. Led Zeppelin
8. Janes Addiction (again)
9. Goodnight Nurse
10. Public enemy
11. Tomohawk

and the usuals....

Micky Darp : 29 June 2003 - 4:48pm

The Bartlett comments sound like sour grapes to me. You would think the cut he made from being Hayley's agent when she sold over 100,000 albums would make him happy enough, but he wants an award as well?!?

And as far as racism in the music industry goes: while racism may be everywhere is some shape or form, I think you would find the NZ music industry one of the least affected by it. Its more sour grapes from any band out there thinking they are getting a raw deal from the industry because of race. The radio stations and record companies play and support music that sells - its as simple as that. And the current support for Maori and Polynesian artists is great news for NZ music in general. Its better that the kids are buying Nesian Mystic than Westlife and the money is staying in NZ (well, some of it is).

All that from a 6th generation (white) New Zealander who plays indie guitar pop in an unsigned band who's album was released without a record company....

Micky Darp : 23 June 2003 - 6:30pm

Ah - good point Leanne - seems I read the post to fast. There ya go Jimmy - get a PO-HA Shirt, and make sure you get a copy of the EP as well.

Micky Darp : 23 June 2003 - 4:18pm

Speaking of which......we've just remixed a radio edit of The New Claire Swire, and the video is due out next week, so hopefully this will help it get to radio. We've also just heard that The New Claire Swire will appear on the next Indie Hit Disc - sweet as!

Micky Darp : 23 June 2003 - 4:18pm

Speaking of which......we've just remixed a radio edit of The New Claire Swire, and the video is due out next week, so hopefully this will help it get to radio. We've also just heard that The New Claire Swire will appear on the next Indie Hit Disc - sweet as!

Micky Darp : 23 June 2003 - 1:25pm

Good lord...someone knows who we are?!?! And I thought only my mum listened to our music.
(actually, our guitarist is a slapper)
Cheers heather!
Leonard

Micky Darp : 22 June 2003 - 1:57pm

Sommerset have good T shirts. Ive also got a Mary one (c'mon Mary, where are the new songs?!). And Ive got 2 Shihad shirts from when they were good (Killjoy and a tour T shirt).

Anyway, the Leonard shirts are pretty cool too. Get a Po-Ha and Leonard shirt on the same night when we play in Wellington with Vocoder and Devil Gate Drive 9th August.

Micky Darp : 19 June 2003 - 4:35pm

interesting one this. I was a BIG Shihad fan back in the days of Killjoy. I think two things that may have affected their progression was 1. a move to more commercial music and 2. the name change. Maybe in hindsight they might have been better off keeping the name Shihad, telling the US industry to get fucked, and lapped up the publicity. Combined this with a return to their heavy roots and it just might have worked.........Killkoy was such a great album.......

Micky Darp : 18 June 2003 - 2:09pm

I was at the other Foo's concert at the Town Hall with Sonic Youth a bit before that one (maybe the year before?). Great concert - great town.

Micky Darp : 18 June 2003 - 2:07pm

Midnight Oil at the Supertop sometime in the mid 80's. It was about the time 10 - 1 came out and the Oils were in their prime.

Micky Darp : 8 June 2003 - 6:06pm

NZ music month was good - and bad.
Channel Z went back to full frequency in Auckland and bugger me if they werent playing 100% kiwi music in the last week! There were more gigs around town and an overall bigger profile for NZ music.

However, it seemed there as little in the way of new bands "discovered" in NZ music month - It was just radio playing more of the currently listed songs. We released an album on May 1st to tie in with NZ music month and to be honest it was more difficult dealing with radio than when we had previously released singles to radio.

Who knows - maybe we are just shit?