Hard News by Russell Brown

Read Post

Hard News: Friday Music: Good News

45 Responses

First ←Older Page 1 2 Newer→ Last

  • Russell Brown,

    Actually, this raises a question: what became of Cha Cha? Who owns that archive, which must also include some significant photographic work?

    I'm presuming Shake!, Murray's pop mag (which I think I can claim credit for naming), is considered part of Rip It Up's IP.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Ian Dalziel, in reply to Russell Brown,

    And of course there was Denis Cohn gallery just up a few steps.

    For the life of me I can't remember what any of the shops at groundfloor in that building were - apart from the Dickensian cobblers / shoe repair place in the alley that went under us...

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report Reply

  • Ian Dalziel, in reply to Russell Brown,

    what became of Cha Cha? Who owns that archive, which must also include some significant photographic work?
    I’m presuming Shake!, Murray’s pop mag (which I think I can claim credit for naming), is considered part of Rip It Up’s IP

    Max Thomson would still be part owner of the Cha Cha archive though wouldn't he?

    and Shake! was possibly a missed opportunity for Murray to have sold at the time - c'est la vie - with twenty twenty hindsight - those were turbulent times in many ways, lots going on ...

    We threw a waste-taker full of stuff out when the exodus from Darby occurred, including the mechanical paste-ups, I know I cut out a bunch of stuff from those that I thought might be worth hanging onto for future generations - like all the original 'wax-ups' Flying Nun and Looney Tours ads and similar, mostly by Chris Knox - which I am in the throes of sorting out now while I'm up here...

    It's great that Simon has taken that RIU resource under his wing - only good can come of it.

    I still reckon there is room for Audioculture publications (magazines or books) collecting certain symbiotic scenes or artists, etc and creating future artefacts for people to find and engage with - anything can happen with cyberspace, nothing is real or forever there to my way of thinking - great that it is there now though.

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report Reply

  • Joe Wylie, in reply to Ian Dalziel,

    For the life of me I can't remember what any of the shops at groundfloor in that building were - apart from the Dickensian cobblers / shoe repair place in the alley that went under us...

    Stones shoe store was right on the Darby/Queen Street corner. and went all the way along to the Darby Street entrance.

    flat earth • Since Jan 2007 • 4593 posts Report Reply

  • Joe Wylie, in reply to Ian Dalziel,

    I’m pretty sure I remember Willie Keddell editing The Maintenance of Silence in that space…

    Spooky that you should mention Maintenance of Silence, just last week it came up in a discussion and I found it online. A pity that the print(?) is so dark, though the flying sequence has retained its edgy dream quality.

    flat earth • Since Jan 2007 • 4593 posts Report Reply

  • Matthew Goody,

    Just an FYI that San Francisco label Dark Entries has just reissued Phantom Forth’s EEPP LP (Flying Nun, 1984) with extra demo tracks, the Last Rumba track on LP and artwork by Paul Luker.

    Details are on their website.

    Toronto • Since Mar 2015 • 24 posts Report Reply

  • Alfie, in reply to Russell Brown,

    Oh! I didn’t know David worked there. We met years later via our children.

    Dave and I went halves in a 16mm Steenbeck edit bench out of Oz and resigned from TVNZ on the same day. We made a rather good resignation film and shared the office at Darby St for 3 or 4 years.

    For a while, I took a small office there that had been vacated by Geoff Steven.

    And the world just got a tiny bit smaller! Geoff was an integral part of Phase 3 at that time and produced several films out of Darby St. He was a committed left-wing filmmaker back in the day and made some decent docos on Rewi Alley. Leon Narby also used to hang out in the Darby St enclave from time to time.

    When I returned from the UK over ten years later, Dave was editing feature films and Geoff had become a TV wanker, commissioning docos for TV3 and driving a clapped out Porsche 924.

    Dunedin • Since May 2014 • 1440 posts Report Reply

  • Alfie,

    If you'll indulge me, one other small story from Darby St.

    The graphic artist who shared our offices was called Colin (McLaren, I think) and he was a top bloke. Art NZ was one of his regular clients. It was Colin who introduced me to the concept of the eternal kettle element.

    Back in those days when the world was still in B&W, electric jugs didn't have automatic cutoffs. Because we were all busy, someone would inevitably leave the kettle switched on and burn out the element. Luckily, there was a Woolworths directly across the road on Queen St.

    We always kept the box and guarantee for our elements, so whenever one died you'd just pop it in the box and bowl over to Woolies where they'd exchange it for a new one. No questions asked.

    Because he was into typography, Colin delighted in pointing out that the third O in Woolworths had been hung sideways. Nobody else would have noticed that. The last I heard he'd planted several acres of olive groves on a small island in the gulf. Hopefully that venture paid off grandly for the lad.

    With the Len Lye Foundation also being run out of the premises, it was a magical and inspiring place to work.

    Dunedin • Since May 2014 • 1440 posts Report Reply

  • Pete white,

    My favorite Cannabis song.

    " Come and sit with me where it's peaceful,
    escape the rulers to all evil."

    Wairoa healing ............... https://soundcloud.com/pete-dnanz/vlc-record-2016-05-07-15h27m52s-track-6-copy

    wellington • Since May 2016 • 10 posts Report Reply

  • Mike O'Connell,

    Just had to do it. If you want to know the meaning of meaninglessness then I'll see you ...today... in The Other's Way, courtesy those lads in gladwrap!

    And for good measure, this live compilation - three tracks: I Don't Want to See You Again, The Other's Way and Anyone Else Would. I hadn't seen this before (ufortunately just segments - can;t find them in their entirety

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 385 posts Report Reply

  • Ian Dalziel, in reply to Mike O'Connell,

    Attachment

    Just had to do it.

    Me too, I’ll see your ‘Others Way’ and double your Doublehappiness with the ever fun ‘Needles and Plastic’ – that ’sickening sideshow’ over sway lighting effect is me waving a floodlight around – looks like a gig, but the armchairs give it away – filmed in one take – in the lounge I am sorting in at the moment…

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report Reply

  • Ian Dalziel, in reply to Joe Wylie,

    Attachment

    Stones shoe store

    Of course it was - with a name like that how could I have forgotten, working at a music mag and all...
    here's your prize above - a piece of your past as well
    :- )

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report Reply

  • Ian Dalziel, in reply to Russell Brown,

    Attachment

    a copy of Abba

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report Reply

  • Pete white,

    Attachment

    truth

    https://soundcloud.com/pete-dnanz/truth
    "whosz is the mouth with the say, hey ?
    who has all the force in the games that power play?"

    "square gin take the pain away ....... for real " https://soundcloud.com/pete-dnanz/vlc-record-2016-05-02-06h39m01s-track-13

    wellington • Since May 2016 • 10 posts Report Reply

  • Pete white, in reply to Pete white,

    Attachment

    " who has all the force in the game that struggles play".

    I typed 'power', my error.

    wellington • Since May 2016 • 10 posts Report Reply

  • Mike O'Connell, in reply to Ian Dalziel,

    Just marvellous, something fabulous (and free) to attend within walking distance of home and I’m in bleedin’ Auckland, ain’t I!

    It was marvellous Ian! John gave a nice little introduction, explaining theremin history and who has used it and media where it's been popularly used. There was the obligatory question,'can you play the theme from Midsomer Murders?' Short answer. No. Why? it's technically difficult. John 'dabbles, said he's need 10hrs a day practice - something which Celia Sheen is highly proficient at.

    John's theremin is a $1,000 Moog job (Moog BTW have a nice little tribute to its founder, Leon Theremin). The man himself was no slouch, as you'd expect (a brief demo piece, in Russian):

    But the gremlins are stopping me uploading for the moment a bit of evidence of how good the performance was. The variable pitch on the theremin allowed John to move above the more-or-less steady pitch of Anita's violin. So at times it sounded like he was playing bass cello (as he does in Dark Matter) and then higher than the violin, Both instruments were equally compelling in a 20 min odd performance.

    What was really good, in the unusual daytime setting for a performance like this, in a busy public library, was more folks gathered to watch as they came in and the bunch of kids watching were enthralled by this 'magic' hands-off instrument. it was a pleasure watching these younguns of all walks come up give it a go with some came back for seconds as if free icecreams were being dished out!

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 385 posts Report Reply

  • Geoff Lealand,

    A pal of mine Andrew Johnstone (ex Hamilton) was writing a considerable amount of copy for RIU, in the last throes of its published life. Largely unpaid, I believe (he is a noble fellow).

    Has anyone else noticed that the Rialto Channel is screening performances by NZ musos around 8pm virtually every night through May? Tami Nielson the other night and Anthonie Tonnon coming up on May 20 (really looking forward to this one). All directed by Marty Duda of 13th Floor.

    Screen & Media Studies, U… • Since Oct 2007 • 2562 posts Report Reply

  • Kumara Republic,

    And 2016 has sadly seen yet another passing - Isao Tomita.

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

  • Ian Dalziel, in reply to Geoff Lealand,

    RIU, in the last throes of its published life.

    and then there's this:
    http://ripitup.com.au/
    Bloody Aussies, eh?

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report Reply

  • Hugh Wilson,

    Attachment

    Turns out I did salvage a half dozen copies from my oldies garage!

    Melbourne • Since Feb 2013 • 168 posts Report Reply

First ←Older Page 1 2 Newer→ Last

Post your response…

Please sign in using your Public Address credentials…

Login

You may also create an account or retrieve your password.