I agree Robyn, music is so global that it overseas influence is inevitable, however even while growing up in Aus we were very aware tha kiwi music had a quality all of it's own. Bands like Split Enz, Dragon and the Dudes were very distinct in their sound. Dont get me wrong I personally have nothing against rap and hip hop as such I just think that it has such strong american foundations that no matter what treatment you give it it still remains very afro american, I guess the same way reggae is very obviously jamaican in feel.
I loved the sound of monkey puzzler they had very much that kiwi feel again.
Just so we are all signing from the same Hymn book, let me state where i am comming from: I am a thirty year old white women who is involved ( as producer) woth a recording studio. No we dont do music we di film sound tracks.
Now to what I want to say.
NZ get off your arse and show some guts!!!!!!
I am an Aussie but have lived here for the last 4 years and I am so shocked at the support you show to your local music. You should climb into a hole and pull th earth over you head.
Here are some statments: I have toured the world. The best muso's live in NZ. I have been to some of the biggest concerts ever and yet i have been moved more by kiwi music than any other.
You guys have the best there is, but do you support it???? No!!!!
Stop snaffling on about selling out, nz on air and all the rest and start putting you money where your mouth is and support this amazing talent that you have here. Go and see them gig.
I flew down to Nelson on Friday morning to se a band that i have faith in. They were in rockquest until two weeks ago. Kids really. But they missed out on selection. then i read that they are playing in support of those who have gone thru. And I thought any band that can put that sort o diss behind them and perform qualifies for me to spend $600.00 to go and see them (for the first time).
I am talking about The Housewives. Anfd man! if it had cost $1000 I would not have been dissapointed. I arrived and saw not just the Housewives, but, falter, Monkey puzzler and Somerset!!!!!!!
hre is where I am at I love NZ I love being here, but shit, you guys suck when it comes to supporting you supe talent! Only the support of the fans will get the pub circuit going again!
Letr's get there and do it. Big Up Kiwi music!!! Not Rap and Beebop, immitations of America. but good Kiwi Rock!!!
ps Monkey Puzzle did nobody ever tell you not to play with Pandora's Box see what happens (I refer to this topic, what were you thinking LOL)
Let me try and read the difference and ed this is not a bashing session.
I agree with Monkey Puzzle and it relates directly to what I meant with my last post.
The difference is this. Your statements are from an absolutist point of view. Art and money cannot co-exist etc....
The above piece takes a balanced view. Warns the reader that there is a certain amount of pit falls but then goes on to balance the view by recognizing that to be absolute about it is as dangerous as the mass produced side.
Being popular does not negate your art
being unpopular des not validate your art.
Only the quality of your art validates it.
Ed
Just read the above post and then reread yours see if you can tell me the difference between the two and then maybe this discussion can evolve
I dont know if lena o knows your age or if she has deducted it from your style of reasoning, but I have to admit that the more i read your posts the more it comes across as some-one who has not really experienced life yet and has a very idialistic point of view.
And that is really neat. it is good to have good ideals. However just examine what lies behind your reasoning. I think that you will find that you base your arguments on a school of thought that has been around for generations. It is not original. And it is a school of thought usually associated with students or fringe artists.
Spike Milligan once said that when he was 16 he thought that his dad was a fool and by the time he turned 21 he was surprized at how much his dad had learned in the last 5 years. Think about it.
Arguments are constructed on factual information. The only reality based points came from lena o oyster bokkie and monkeypuzzle, your arguments are the standard idealist rhetoric coated in emotive language. It just does not stack up.
Having said that, at least it does show that you are thinking and that is great.
Reread your posts and think it through then go and read some school mags and varsity rags from the 50's, 60's and 70's. it is all there. Then ask yourself why those people are not out there, now in their later life saying the same things.
A last point. If i was oysterbokkie i would be highly offended. You just rubbished his attendance to art school accusing him of selling out, then : //"oysterbokie's sculpture is art - because it's for himself - i don't care how well it might be executed - just the fact that he tells me it's for himself is enough... i'd like to see it//
tut tut
How sad to hear that. As I am still sitting at work I have their vid playing in the background and even I have not yet seen them live, they have to be my favourite up and commers..... Let's just hope that they get back to being the R&R nice guys rather than silly egomaniacs. it would send them into music oblivion......
And therein lies the answer blink to this whole discussion. You are a fan of his and that is great. You enjoy his work and that is even better. The only point ed is arguing is the number of fans one has I feel.
Oh yes!!!! 1QA, Mother Guru and My favourite young boys the Housewives in a gig
makes an old tart jiggle with glee
next time give us more warning guys and me and the concrete block will wing our way down for a
listen.
Ps Oyster we have to get together for a face to face and a chardonnay. email me.
I am afraid that i am with oyster and helena on this. Remember that art was always a way of speaking to the masses. Popular art and that includes music is certainly no different to ancient times. The only difference is that now we speak to more people at any given time.
Ed you use one of the most populist media to put your point across. packaged, marketed and sold.
I see you also have a website with music and images, recorded and then promoted. Marketed to gain a bigger audience. Hypocritical perhaps?
The question was about selling out. Well I work with muzos all day. it is my job. Some make a living full time, others do it part time. However all of them would love deep down to be able to make a good living from it full time. Make enough money not to have to worry. Feed the kids, be happy. Are they selling out or are they just more talented than those who scorn them? I dont know, but I deal with both types and I have to say those who actually make a living from their dream and passion are happier, more rounded and interesting people to be around as compared to some angst ridden lost soul. And that is only my opinion.
So sue me Ed I am one of the corporate packagers.
Saw Bullfrog Rata and Midge about a month ago and it made me think.
We have some truely great Blues and Jazz musos in NZ
But it seems that the ever decreasing pub gig scene is sending this great wealth of talent into the wilderness.
Bring back the glory days of arriving at a pub at a beach and in the garden bar you might see Hammond Gamble, Midge Marsden or any of the legends playing in the garden bar.
What has happenend to these guys. Shane Wills, Bull Frog and the like.
And is there any new ones comming through?
Summer is almost here and this old tart is getting nostalgic.
But please tell me there is still hope out there.
i would love to see that gig! Housewives supporting sideshifter.
Talk about eneegy plus!
Even an old cow like me would get a bit of a rev up.
I have sort of stayed out of the discussions lately but have kept an eye on it. I think that if there were more bands like M Guru and Sideshifter around who supports new talent rather than jealously guarding their patch, NZ music wil always be at the cutting edge. We are small but by Christ we have had some major influence on world music. And I think we tend to forget the likes of M Guru and Sideshifter/monkey puzzle who contributes so much.
Good on you guys
hey schmash I take it from your website that you are connected to anime. When are you guys posting some music?
If I am right then it is amazing that those who support and encourage are sucessful and talented bands and musos ie Mother Guru, Monkey Puzzle and the like..
And those who try to break down a band are ...well work it out yourself. There is a very interesting thread on sour grapes later on this board.
From what i have heard from oysterbokkie, this band is in for the long haul. Apparently they have arrange their uni plans so that they can stick together. And again according to OB they have a very heavy rehearsal and gig schedule for both incarnations of the band.
Now correct me if I am wrong but this sounds like hard work to me and perhaps dedication...
And that is what the music industry is about.
If any of the housewive read this post.... keep it up guys I look forward to meeting you guys in person in October... and schmash if you are from anime you guys rock as well. get that music on the net
Mother Guru is worth listening to. Very distinctive sound.
It is long overdue that we start using local bands to produce our soundtracks rather than lib music.
Most of the bands that really want to make a living out of their music would love the opportunity and at the cost of library music there has to be scope to use these guys.
Is the series about music oysterbokkie?
This is turning into a very interesting post. There is so many bands around that is worthy of assistance but I have read posts on this site where any-one who does anything to promote their music seem to be cut down. Take the telecom ad for one. Every-one saying that these muso's are selling out to"the big corporate" What absolute crap!!!!
The same critics run off to text their mates on a service provided by "the big corporate" after spouting their jealous little whinging comments on a computor built by "the Big Corporate" over a net provided by "the Big Corporate". And later they sit down with a beer or a RTD and spout on about how much integrity they have.. Give me a break!!!
Let's get it straight. Any artist that believes that they are to good or their music would be demeaned have a look at those who had gone before:
Micheal jackson, Eric Clapton, Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, Led Zeplin and even pavaroti has performed in or have their music used in ads.
Creed, POD, Eminem, and the list would go on forever has had their music used in films....
But these poor wannabe's are to good and have too much integrity!!!???
Good on you Housewives take every opportunity you get.
I could not agree more.... Let's get these guys out there and known. I would love to see
(And I will trust me) Falter , Moses and The housewives slog it out for the top spot in the Bruce Mason Theater.
I also predict that these three bands if they stay together will elclipse some of their predecessors on the international scene.
lets just hope that unlike the Datsuns these guys does not have to go and find fame overseas before they are picked up here.
This year Rockquest once again promises to deliver to the NZ audience an extraordinary number of potential world beaters. The interesting thing is that the South island is stepping up to the plate in a big way. I have had the good fortune to see some of the bands they have to offer and I was blown away.
For example, I saw the CHCH finals and man! The band that ended up second in the National finals (now know as Falter) ended up with a second in the regionals this year. Both Falter and Moses and the Mufflers will be tough to beat. However Nelson has delivered 2 bands that even offers more. Monkeypuzzle (they share the name with an Auckland band so don’t get confused) by all accounts is a strong contender. Unfortunately I have not heard them personally, but I have only heard good things.
The Housewives has international success written all over it. I was sent a video of their performance this week and trust me each and every song is hit material. These guys are some of the best I have heard. I was blown away to discover that I had seen them in their Jazz band The Groove Collective in Auckland last year. They were stunning then as well.
And then there is Wellington. Another gig I was able to attend. Watch out for Anime as well. These guys can play.
Like the days when Dunedin and CHCH stepped up to take the lead in NZ Music the south I believe will once again make NZ music theirs. From what I have seen up here in Auckland, bands like the Housewives, Moses and Falter write better, tighter songs and work harder at performance. There seem to be an attitude that making music it fun rather than cool. And because of that attitude even an old woman like me in her late 20s just want to get into the pit when these guys play.
I am only glad that I was in the privacy of my office when I watched The Housewives video, I am sure that I would have made a complete fool out of myself if I was at the gig. However something tells me that I will get plenty of opportunity as far as this particular band is concerned.
Their website is also worth checking out at housewives.nz.cx.
I have to agree Aka they are good, we saw them (Groove Collective) at a bar called Sangria in Dec last year and they packed the place out. The drummer and Bassist were pretty mindblowing as well. We bought their CD and it has taken a beating. Would love to get more of their music.
Help anyone please.
S.Destructo and Aka, it would have been great to catch up, but i have to admit that as me and my SO does not get time away together much, other than the great gig we spent the rest of our time down there visiting restaurants and vineyards.... Maybe next time. I spoke to oysterbokkie on the phone this morning and him and his lady would have loved to go down as well.