Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Music! That one album

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  • Jason Kemp,

    I’m not sure that’s going to happen. I just don’t think the national charts are going to be a place for local artists to manifest.

    In the short term that is a fair assessment but just imagine we had as many people learning to be songwriters as we have playing rugby each weekend.

    Next year some high schools will be teaching Songwriting in seventh form and it will take a while but increasing creative / making skills can only help germinate some fine musical culture in my view.

    I wrote a bit more about that on my blog and I loved the idea that songwriting could be compared to a NZ sport and this is something practical we could do to uncover some new talent.

    In other news – any album of the year list has to include Leonard Cohen – and maybe the last David Bowie album and whatever happened to the Prince archive.

    I know that is probably too old school but it does seem like 2016 has had some not so good news but the music those three made lives on.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 368 posts Report Reply

  • bob daktari, in reply to Jason Kemp,

    and this is something practical we could do to uncover some new talent

    not sure about leaning music relating to finding new talent (not the greatest career choice)... but as a educational tool that benefits all other learning and skill in itself its awesome that music education is becoming a more formal part of the syilibus for so many

    The music chart thing is embarrassing but isn't unique to here, the fact consumers have access to such huge music libraries will always benefit the biggest artists and those with the biggest marketing budgets in which most local acts simply can't compete, even with all the help they get - offshore you see articles like the recent guardian piece about the vinyl resurgence hurting new artists and indie labels... articles on UK artists not getting enough BBC radio play and the like

    Cultural homogenisation is a real concern as our music and culture is really important to our sense of self

    auckland • Since Dec 2006 • 540 posts Report Reply

  • Rich Lock,

    Aaaah, Peaches. No. 1 on my personal 'probably shouldn't have absent-mindedly sung that catchy little number to myself in front of my 5-year-old daughter' list.

    back in the mother countr… • Since Feb 2007 • 2728 posts Report Reply

  • andin, in reply to Jason Kemp,

    just imagine we had as many people learning to be songwriters as we have playing rugby each weekend.

    Oh! that just rolls off the tongue dont it. Is our culture ready for that or do we have to look at that thing called culture change. I hear they take a few years unless you get ya mitts on the levers of power.
    Who’s grubby paws are on them now? I dread to think.
    that Peaches clip is cool

    raglan • Since Mar 2007 • 1891 posts Report Reply

  • Grant McDougall,

    Those are more or less my thoughts about Skeleton Tree, too.

    I'm going to the Wellington show, it'll be the fifth time I've seen he and the Bad Seeds in the past 25 years (Yes, they are indeed my all-time favourite band...).

    I'm really pleasantly surprised that he's touring at all - I thought he was going to lay low for a couple of years, given the circumstances. Plus, he hardly needs the acclaim or money these days.

    It'll be great to see PJ Harvey the following week, too !

    Dunedin • Since Dec 2006 • 760 posts Report Reply

  • Farmer Green,

    Talk about emerging from the void . . . 1975 St James Theatre Wellington.
    From my point of view (as the keyboard player seconded to the gig) this was all written in the moment, and if you want to say that it sounds that way , I’m comfortable.
    Powerhouse were notorious for writing new things on stage mostly by accident , or something.
    Not too much of this stuff around these days . . . not everyone's cup of tea , I guess.

    Lower North Island • Since Nov 2012 • 778 posts Report Reply

  • Alan Perrott, in reply to Farmer Green,

    so, just to be clear, you're saying you're playing keys on this album?

    that would be well cool. it also kinda means keeping your user name might have become a bit pointless. still, cool.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 438 posts Report Reply

  • linger, in reply to Alan Perrott,

    Looking at the relevant sentence in Wikipedia, anonymity probably isn’t entirely the point: FG has chosen an accurate function-based label.

    Tokyo • Since Apr 2007 • 1944 posts Report Reply

  • mark taslov, in reply to linger,

    Perhaps the monitor icon links at the top of posts need to be more conspicuous? FG you stealth you…epic

    Te Ika-a-Māui • Since Mar 2008 • 2281 posts Report Reply

  • linger, in reply to mark taslov,

    Hey, credit where it’s due: you want under-the-radar stealth, try listening for the keyboards in that mix! (Admittedly, YouTube over computer speakers is probably doing me few favours in that search.)

    Tokyo • Since Apr 2007 • 1944 posts Report Reply

  • Farmer Green, in reply to linger,

    The amusing thing for me is seeing on the album sleeve that we played a number of different songs ; I thought it was just one , with different movements.
    But my job was just to provide a sort of continuo for the soloist, and given the impromptu nature of it , I was never going to try anything flashy :-)
    The Fender Rhodes piano (which made it to Wellington in the back of a Morrie thou . . . don't try that at home ) can be used like an organ because of the long sustain.

    Lower North Island • Since Nov 2012 • 778 posts Report Reply

  • Ian Dalziel,

    Speaking of the ’70s+ continuum…
    No NZ home could be complete without a copy of Nick Bollinger’s award winning memoir Goneville
    Read the Stuff article here.

    "No stone (or stoner) unturned … New Zealand music history at its finest”
    KARYN HAY

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report Reply

  • Ian Dalziel, in reply to Farmer Green,

    Sustainable transport!

    The Fender Rhodes piano (which made it to Wellington in the back of a Morrie thou...)

    Fender Roads...?
    ;- )

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report Reply

  • Ian Dalziel,

    Do you have a licence for that minke?
    Thinking of Mammal, reminds me of these some underwater recordings...
    I especially like the whalers early culture adaption of 'Star Wars' sounds.
    this is wet, wet, wet at it its best!

    yrs the Punk Panther

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report Reply

  • Joe Wylie, in reply to Ian Dalziel,

    Attachment

    Thinking of Mammal, reminds me of these...

    flat earth • Since Jan 2007 • 4593 posts Report Reply

  • Ian Dalziel, in reply to Joe Wylie,

    reminds me of these…

    From my pod to iPod

    ps: is that the long-lost Greek Gibb brother?

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report Reply

  • Ian Dalziel,

    Speaking of Greeks...
    RIP Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou
    (aka George Michael)

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report Reply

  • Farmer Green, in reply to Ian Dalziel,

    "Goneville" ?
    Hey Nick! Come on now :-)
    It was all high art. All of it!
    http://tralfaz-archives.com/coverart/W/Weather_Report/weather_gone.html

    Lower North Island • Since Nov 2012 • 778 posts Report Reply

  • Farmer Green, in reply to Ian Dalziel,

    From the Stuff article that you linked to:-

    " The same Jaguars he'd side-swiped while on . . ."

    In the immediate aftermath of the "sideswipe", a rickety rickshaw , departing the scene somewhat the worse for wear , was identified by the driver of a passing Morris 1000, the same car that delivered the Fender to The Divine Light Concert featured above. He walked in my door together with the driver of the Morris. A surprise visit :-)
    True story.
    You wouldn't read about it.

    Lower North Island • Since Nov 2012 • 778 posts Report Reply

  • Ian Dalziel, in reply to Farmer Green,

    You wouldn’t read about it.

    The Kevin Bacon Effect is short circuited here - I've found NZ to be about two degrees of separation...

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report Reply

  • linger, in reply to Ian Dalziel,

    ... even less in Wellington
    (not due to windchill, but because the central city area is so small)

    Tokyo • Since Apr 2007 • 1944 posts Report Reply

  • Joe Wylie, in reply to Farmer Green,

    It was all high art. All of it!

    Who knows, that Billy T.K. album art might have provided inspiration for Yes's later Going For the One - or, as Rick Wakeman would have it, Going For the Bum.

    flat earth • Since Jan 2007 • 4593 posts Report Reply

  • andin, in reply to Farmer Green,

    You wouldn’t read about it.

    Funny but thats just the kind of thing, me for one, likes to read about.

    raglan • Since Mar 2007 • 1891 posts Report Reply

  • Farmer Green,

    The Archdruid seems to be his usual cheerful self :-
    http://thearchdruidreport.blogspot.co.nz/2016/12/a-leap-in-dark.html

    Lower North Island • Since Nov 2012 • 778 posts Report Reply

  • Ian Dalziel, in reply to Farmer Green,

    The Archdruid seems to be his usual cheerful self

    Well, he did pick a year of rampantly erumpent Trumpism!
    What’s to be happy about?
    ;- )

    a fun guy to be with?
    Donnie Darkhorse is spreading like some ulcerated rust
    if he looks like a fungi…
    …and he does spread in small explosive bursts
    and doesn’t embrace the ‘green world’ at all
    acts like a fungi…
    …thrives in darkness and rotted matter
    Must be a ….

    Welcome to the fungUS…

    I’m thinking we should Groundhog Day/Year 2016…
    Do it over and aver again until we get it right!
    – But not that far Right!

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report Reply

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