1 million dollars well spent in my opinion.

In the early hours of this morning there was a small fire in the laundry
of the Wellington SPCA. We lost three washing machines, the massive
industrial dryer and all of the bedding that we need for the animals
that we look after. The fire was started by faulty wiring and now we
have no beds for our charges.

We would really appreciate any old blankets, towels, jerseys, tshirts or
random bits of fabric that you have lying around and don't use any more.
And please, spread the word among your friends and co-workers - The more the merrier, and we'd be eternally grateful.

Our address is 305 Mansfield st, Newtown, and we're open from 8-5 Monday to Friday and 10-3 Saturday and Sunday.

the show was rad. arena rock in a box as you said it.

i think i may go again tonight, and i possibly won't be such a 'cool cunt' at the back this time.

just kidding.

i'd just like to thank everybody who was touched (both emotionally and intimately) by my story.

there was some tough competition but music was the winner on the day.

ps. for those interested the best present that petra ever gave me was a beautifully packaged collection of lost and long since forgotten concert posters from my high school band for my 25th birthday. what a rad bitch.

once upon a time......

I was 14. my brother had given me a dub tape of ‘churn’ for christmas. it made me realise that new zealand music was as good as anywhere else in the world. they instantly became my favourite band and the fact that they lived just 40 minutes up the road made it even better.

my sister got me the ‘you again’ single the day it was released and i thrashed the fuck out of it. then killjoy was released and she kicked my ass even more by buying me a ticket to the album release show at the legendary james cabaret.

i went to school with karl kippenbergers sister petra and she asked me a few day before the gig if i was going and i said ‘fuck yeah!’ so we arranged to wag school, meet on the last carriage of the 11am train and kick it to wellington. it was the first time that i'd ever skipped school and proved to be a turning point in my life.

we arrived in the city and cruised around a few cafes, getting high on caffine and sick on cigarettes. petra said that we had to go and meet up with some friends of hers so we headed to an apartment on cuba st. we got buzzed in and as the lift opened and with pubescent hormones raging i was greeted by at least 5 of the most beautiful women that i’d ever seen in my life.

i was super shy in those days, not the ladies man that i have since become, and was totally nervous. if i did say anything it was along the lines of “jibabababa” or “nafapapa”. i was just happy to be there. the apartment was like a dream come true. hot ladies, band gear set up in the corner and a big screen tv with the latest in home entertainment, sega dreamcast, plugged in and ready to rock.

the hottest girl in the room asked me if i’d like to go out to dinner with her. i gulped which she took as a ‘yes’.

we entered the top malaysian dive of the day, satay kampong, and found ourselves a cosy seat at the back infront of a huge print of a german castle. i was getting hungy at this stage and thought that we shoud order but petra and the hot girl said that we shoud wait a few more minutes.

the next thing i know, “oh my gawd it’s shihad’s bass player!”, walks over to our table and outstretches his had. “hey nathan, i’m karl”. i shat my pants and blamed it on the meal being served next to us. just kidding, i was totally blown away though. this was crazy and not part of the deal. i’d skipped school to go to the gig, not to have dinner with a member of my favourite band in the entire world. somehow i didn’t put two and two together that petra could pull these strings and / or keep it a secret from me. it was the second best gift that she has ever given me.

karl opened me a beer and we had some food. i didn’t say much. it was outrageous enough just for him to know my name. one thing led to another and we all started taking our clothes off, hold on that’s a different story. we finished our meals and headed back to the apartment. i felt pretty cool walking down the street with the guy.

when we got back to the apartment things got a bit crazy. there was a party going on so we had some drinks and some laughs, smoked a little and talked shit to each other. i was quite stoned too and was trying to work out why the fuck karl kippenberger would want to hangout with me when hot chicks were swarming the place and a great party was going on.

i decided to pluck up some courage and gurgled “what’s that chord at the start of ‘derail’?”

we headed over to the band set up and i instinctively picked up the guitar as i was a flash guitarist back in the day. we had a little jam with him on bass then i asked him again about the mysterious ‘derail’ chord. he asked for the gat. he gave me his bass. i liked the way it felt in my hands and in my loins. in the past the bass represented something that the shit guitarists at school would play. something felt different this time and i liked it.

it turns out that the mysterious ‘derail’ chord was just an A7 moved up a fret. awesome dissonance but fuck that, the bass was making me feel empowered. a sense of power that would one day corrupt me. no it wouldn’t, i just thought that sounded cool.

we jammed together a bit more then the buzzer rang. a dude with long dark hair entered the room and said to karl “it was time to go.” i thought 2 things: “shit, i’ve totally forgotten about the gig’ , and secondly, “i don’t get to hang out with karl anymore.”

i was crushed. the best night of my life had come to an end. musical dreams come true and a friendship struck with an idol.

”nathan, you’re getting a ride with us”.

my new buddy got me through the R20 security and we entered the james cab and it was seething.

i was escorted through the crowd and led backstage. karl showed me the drinks rider and i was told to help myself, then he directed me to the side of stage right next to his bass rig.

the crowd was chanting the chant at the top of their lungs and i had tingles down my spine. then karl strapped on his bass and the band rocked up onto the stage, tearing into ‘you again’. i felt something electrifying. an energy like i’d never felt before. a band connecting with it’s audience throwing back twice as much as was being fed to them and vice versa.

it’s a feeling that i’ll never forget. and one that i’m still striving for.

every story should have a moral so here it goes.

that night shaped who i am both as a musician and as a person. if you are privileged enough for people to appreciate and respect what you do it should never be taken for granted. playing music to people who love what you do is one of the most amazing feelings imaginable. don’t be a cock. and don’t get arrogant. i will never reach the heights of karl but i know that what ever i have achieved so far has been aided by the friendship and kindness that he showed me that night and that he continues to show me till this day.

i still hold dear to me the lessons that i learnt that night.

and nato played bass happily ever after.

the end.

that was me. bloody office computers and people not signing out!

i had a dream about aka last night.
i saw her outside the pub in paekakariki and i really wanted to go surfing but we talked too long then it got dark and then i missed the train back home.

get well soon!

thanks guys. 6 day party finally over. or should that be 10 year party finally over?
please don't be scared.

it's part of motel/chow. tory st, by burger king on courtenay.

you're choice dj blink!

people should come see blink dj at indigo on saturday night. only $10. and some bands too.

what the fuck is up with christchurch losers and there unstoppable urge to hang out of cars yelling and wolf whistling at people on a friday or saturday night????

i find it all very strange.

//Lol ??????

dude, i'm totally serious.