Hard News by Russell Brown

Kody Neilson’s Silicon, whose debut album is out today

Kody Nielson's new project Silicon does compute! I note Kody is support for the upcoming Tame Impala shows.

Here's God Emoji

I liked this mea culpa from a rock journalist today

I see the Street Chant tour poster has the Flying Nun logo on it.

Does this mean that Hauora will be on FN and not Arch Hill ?

Given that both are ran by Ben Howe it's just a bit puzzling. I'm curious, that's all.

“The new album Hauora will be released in November 2015 on Arch Hill/Flying Nun.”

I assume Arch Hill in NZ, the Nun for the world... but then again maybe not - its all rather confusing really

Auckland Zine Market
– Check out works from 60+ zine makers!
FREE entry, bring cash to buy the cool things on offer
Saturday 29 August 12-5pm,
Pitt St Methodist Church

Turns out I wasn’t the only one a bit mystified by Sony NZ’s big local signing Maala. It seemed the mystery was strategic, but who exactly was he? Melody Thomas’s Music 101 interview with Maala (real name: Evan Sinton) explains a lot.

I'm so glad he's out! I worked out his secret identity when the Silver Scrolls long list was announced but I kept quiet because I figured it was being kept a secret because NZers can be such bitches about contestants on TV talent shows.

From the RNZ interview, it's encouraging that Sony have given him time to develop his sound (the TV show was three years ago). This ain't no Jackie Thomas/Beau Monga quickie covers album for fans of the TV show. The result - "Touch" is easily the best New Zealand pop song of the year (so far).

And the video for his new song "In the Air" has been released today. So good!

In town to grab the new Foals album, which I predict will be the one which makes them so popular, we'll have to start pretending we don't like them;

For ‘What Went Down’, written in their Oxford “stinkbox”, they have found their fulcrum. Riffs. Massive, fucking heavy cavern rock riffs, the size of cathedrals and the weight of God’s balls.

sayeth NME,

I was distracted by the release of Jean Paul Sartre Experience I Like Rain, in a mouth watering, wallet busting, vinyl box set.

Wow. The download code gets you 54 Flac files. 3 hours and 20 minutes of JPSE goodness.

Flex.

Have to say, Foals have never done much for me, but I’m liking what I’ve heard of the new album so far. Speaking of good new stuff from the UK, Urth, the debut album from Nottingham band Kagoule (released last week) is pretty damn great:

RIP Graham Brazier. What a dude! One of the only kiwi celebs I saw in the late 80's who would walk down the main street engaging randomly with everyone who took his interest. There may have been great drugs involved, but he approached me at least five times like this - just reaching out to people, interested. One of a kind.

So long Graham - and thanks for all the music ...

RIP Graham Brazier.

the others way - TONIGHT!!

Don't miss The Bats.

..and yes, so long Graham Brazier
Sayonara Sailor...

Thought that sold out?

aaah, could be, dunno
- have to be a 'thought-gig' then...

prime the pumps with these:

Hmmm, 5 years on today...
...this time 5 years ago I was making a cup of tea on the BBQ in the oddly quiet back yard...

back when you could walk on the wharves

back when ya could throw any old rubbish on the back roads near Chchch
(Nah, they picked it all, quick smart, honest...)

North by north has become my favorite tune since first hearing back in '87.
Mesmerisingly melodic and simply superb.

back when ya could throw any old rubbish on the back roads near Chchch

Reminds me. I have been hearing the phrase "Christchurch is the city of cranes"
Nicky Wagner said it first about a year back
and I recall it being used last week in Parliament.
Every time I see footage of the Christchurch skyline I look for all those cranes only to see three or four.
Could you or anybody for that matter, get a shot of the skyline and post it, I need to see what the truth is.
When I first came to NZ in '86 I was told that all the cranes on the skyline, about 40 of them, showed how successful Auckland was at that time.

“Christchurch is the city of cranes”

Mind your manors...
Cranes?
Cranes!
Ptui! on your cranes...
We use telekinesis down here!

...or that other natural resource
available in abundance: Hot air!
Ok this isn't hot air, per se: http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/arts/71417713/architects-of-airs-exxopolis-welcome-to-the-pleasuredome.html
it is kept up by that other mainstay of
Chchch infrastructure - 'heir pressure'
but do go have a look...

...meanwhile I'll go hunting derricks downtown

Aye lad, I'll head into the
blocked and tackled city
hoisted winchwise at the
mercy of the windlass
on a crane quest...
more moribund than
over abounding
- they may've bolted!

:- )

</breakfast in the ruins>

down town...

Every time I see footage of the Christchurch skyline...

Here's some recent before-and-after shots of the city
http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/71704047/september-4-2010-then-and-now
and suburbs
http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/71738662/september-4-2010-then-and-now-in-the-suburbs
not much in the way of cranes there either.

The before after shots are interesting.They made me think of these shots of Japan 2011 Tsunami The difference in 2 years is fascinating. I also like the click for before and after shots.

Thanks Ian. I still need some kind of proof about the City of Cranes though. Any takers?.

Any takers?.

Canterbury Employers' Chamber of Commerce CEO Peter Townsend - "I can smell the money" - would probably be a goer if he wasn't so flat out predicting next year as a sure-fire cert for the impending boom. Only problem is he's been doing it since 2011.

No doubt you're familiar with the tales of fake aircraft and landing strips built from local vegetation by cargo cultists, in an attempt to attract the real thing. Canterbury's cranes are a bit like that, only less substantial

Meanwhile, where the light of environmental democracy has been quietly extinguished, things are booming for some.

Did find this one....

"I can smell the money"

Hasn't that been the driving force of the re-build?, the profit has spoken.
I wonder if the BOOM to which he refers is the sound of a new tranche of demolitions to make way for a Merrill Lynch building or maybe a Bank of America branch.
I note the ''Deloitte'' building is already looking wobbly, is it held up by Bankers Trust?.

I note the ''Deloitte'' building is already looking wobbly, is it held up by Bankers Trust?.

O ye of little faith....

I see they have been at work in Christchurch...