Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Mercury Special

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  • 3410,

    Gil Scott Heron has died

    May I highly recommend this set.

    Auckland • Since Jan 2007 • 2618 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    Publisher and friend Jamie Byng who wrote a recent Guardian story on Gil Scott-Heron is the only source so far, via Twitter.

    Gil Scott-Heron's death is NOT a rumour. I just called by Dorothy who is staying with Aunt Mimi in NY to tell me the news. I'm so sad.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown, in reply to 3410,

    May I highly recommend this set.

    Thank you!

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Simon Grigg,

    This perhaps needs a repost too:

    Full screen required

    Just another klong... • Since Nov 2006 • 3284 posts Report Reply

  • Kumara Republic,

    In the end, the revolution never got televised. It's going online instead.

    The southernmost capital … • Since Nov 2006 • 5446 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    Coming up shortly (after a piece on Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On" album), Radio NZ National talks to Dan Charnas about his book, "The Big Payback: The History of the Business of Hip-Hop".

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Simon Grigg,

    Just another klong... • Since Nov 2006 • 3284 posts Report Reply

  • dyan campbell,

    So, so sad to hear of Gil Scott-Heron's death - he was a hero of mine,.

    Whoever made the photo montage to "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised" was too young to know who "Julia" refers to in the song.

    The "Julia" Gil Scott-Heron was referring to was this:

    Wiki

    Though Julia is now remembered as being groundbreaking, while on the air, it was derided by critics for being apolitical and unrealistic. Diahann Carroll remarked in 1968, "At the moment we're presenting the white Negro. And he has very little Negroness." [2] The Saturday Review's Robert Lewis Shayon wrote that Julia's "plush, suburban setting" was "a far, far cry from the bitter realities of Negro life in the urban ghetto, the pit of America's explosion potential." [3] Ebony published a somewhat more supportive assessment of the program. "As a slice of Black America, Julia does not explode on the TV screen with the impact of a ghetto riot. It is not that kind of show. Since the networks have had a rash of shows dealing with the nation's racial problems, the light-hearted Julia provides welcome relief, if, indeed, relief is even acceptable in these troubled times." [4] The series also came under criticism from African-American viewers for its depiction of a fatherless Black family. Excluding a Black male lead, it was argued, "rendered the series safer" and "less likely to grapple with issues that might upset white viewers."

    auckland • Since Dec 2006 • 595 posts Report Reply

  • recordari,

    Very sad. I'm new here.

    AUCKLAND • Since Dec 2009 • 2607 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    Just went in and did some trades at Real Groovy. Picked up a very tidy 2nd-hand 12" of Gil's 'Re-Ron' for 10 bucks. Seemed very right.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Simon Grigg,

    I bought I'm New Here and Winter In America in the HMV in Hong Kong a short while back.

    They were in the Easy Listening section.....

    Just another klong... • Since Nov 2006 • 3284 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Simon Grigg,

    I bought I'm New Here and Winter In America in the HMV in Hong Kong a short while back.

    I grabbed the 'Live at the Bottom Line' MP3 that 3410 linked to above, too. It's great.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Steve Parks,

    Wellington • Since May 2007 • 1165 posts Report Reply

  • Steve Parks,

    Possibly not safe for work:

    Wellington • Since May 2007 • 1165 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Steve Parks,

    Possibly not safe for work

    Ja

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Steve Barnes,

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report Reply

  • Biobbs,

    Here's a curiousity. In 1980, Auckland University fine arts student Justin Keen designed, built and operated a campus TV station for Orientation.

    OMG! Orientation1980! I was there, a fresh-faced Stage I, and at the Toy Love gig!
    Thanks for the memory - terrible to think it is so long ago though.

    I love how articulate the students are in the interviews. "Did you like the film?" "It was OK". "Did you enjoy yourself?" "Oh Yeah". "Will you see any more of these films?" "I guess".

    David Merritt as Vitalstatistix

    That's a name I haven't heard in a long time. He used to do an amazing Fred Dagg impersonation too (especially the weather forecast sketch).

    Another obit: Yvonne du Fresne, one of our best and most underrated novelists. Wrote wonderfully about the experiences of Scandanavian immigrants in the Manawatu. Can recommend "Motherland" to those who haven't read it

    The River Mouth, Denmark • Since Jan 2011 • 114 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    The Standing in Silence show was pretty magical last night -- I don't think I've seen anything like it before.

    And, oh my, that Mercury Theatre is nice. What's the deal there? It was a base for Equippers church for a long time, and they seem to have looked after it well. Who manages it now?

    Were the downstairs seats removed for the recent Fat Freddy's Drop show? And has the seat pitch in the venue always been like that? I don't have long legs, and yet I couldn't sit with my knees together -- there wasn't enough room between my seat and the one in front.

    But still ... I'm very glad to see this venue return to public use and be available for gigs. Mikee Tucker literally had to bring in a bar for the show, but that worked fine. Yay.

    PS: What is the deal with the public car park off Cross Street behind K Road? It's bizarre. After taking a ticket and driving in, we had to search around for a pay stations. When we found one on the ground floor, it had the usual instructions about pressing the button to select Prepay -- but no Prepay was actually available and the machine kept trying to charge us for the 5 minutes we'd been in the building.

    And then there was the issue of how long we could leave the car there. One sign said the car park closed at 10pm. Another puzzled punter said he'd seen a sign saying 9pm. Near the exit, one chalkboard sign said "This car park will be closed and secured at 11pm" -- and 10pm on the other side. One guy said the bloke at the bar round the corner told him to ignore the signs -- the place was actually open all night.

    Although we were running a bit late, we decided we shouldn't risk being locked in. So I went back up two floors to get the car and bring it down to the exit. As I got down I realised that I still hadn't paid the dollar owing on the parking ticket. But it didn't matter -- because there were no barriers and the exits were wide open anyway.

    WTF?

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Ken Sparks, in reply to Russell Brown,

    We had our car locked in overnight at that carpark whilst at the Fat Freddy's Drop show (excellent I thought but couldn't they do with a drummer?). There were a few other disgruntled punters around but it was a fine night and we just walked home. There was a $9 fee to pay to get out the next morning - but it seems to be a very user unfriendly operation.
    I loved being back in the Mercury Theatre again - it's such a great venue but could obviously do with some sensitive refurbishment. Didn't think the seats were a problem - mind you we weren't sitting down for long.

    Cox’s Creek • Since Apr 2011 • 60 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Russell Brown,

    One sign said the car park closed at 10pm.

    Because there's no nightlife around there, eh

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Jackie Clark, in reply to Russell Brown,

    Hamish's pronouncement was that it was the best concert by a NZer he has ever seen. Which went then into his "NZ is a cultural wasteland these days. The arts are dying here. The artists who make it don't take government money. The whole funding mechanism is broken down" etc. Believe me, this argument went on ALL DAY.

    Mt Eden, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 3136 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Jackie Clark,

    Hamish's pronouncement was that it was the best concert by a NZer he has ever seen. Which went then into his "NZ is a cultural wasteland these days. The arts are dying here. The artists who make it don't take government money. The whole funding mechanism is broken down" etc. Believe me, this argument went on ALL DAY.

    Rhian's had $15,000 in video funding and been on three hit discs, but basically is the kind of artist who can pay the bills with film and commercial work. Note his extensive experience there.

    Not everyone has the skills or makes the kind of music to be able to do that. There's no shame in getting a little help from NZ On Air, at all.

    Let's look at Ladi6 -- who won a Pacific Music Award last night and the Taite Music Prize last month, and is playing shows across Europe. She's had two rounds of album funding plus several videos, hit discs, etc. Funding has no bearing on the quality of her work.

    Feel free to use this in arguments with Hamish.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Ian Dalziel, in reply to Steve Parks,

    Lars Out Loud
    everyone loves a Trier...

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report Reply

  • Jackie Clark, in reply to Russell Brown,

    I knew you'd know all that! Ta xx

    Mt Eden, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 3136 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Jackie Clark,

    Is Hamish based in NZ or the UK at moment?

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

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