Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: It's not OK to just make stuff up

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  • Sofie Bribiesca,

    I wish people stopped reminding me that they've been to see Leonard Cohen. (The lucky bastards.)

    I know what you mean. I feel the same about those lucky bastards who saw Neil Young at BDO.

    Some of us were lucky enough to see both (breaks into muttley style laughter about now)
    After noting that Cohen was $140( and not just the $170 everyone used as excuses to decline such a pleasure, selfish admittedly) I promptly hit the buy button. And, may I just say ,worth every penny . :)

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report Reply

  • Sofie Bribiesca,

    Sheeesheesheeshee. I think that's how it goes. (my dog just explained it to me)..... you had to be there.

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso,

    After noting that Cohen was $140( and not just the $170 everyone used as excuses to decline such a pleasure, selfish admittedly) I promptly hit the buy button. And, may I just say ,worth every penny . :)

    I see you're not letting my bitterness spoil the experience. Good.

    I don't envy you Neil Young, much as I'm sure it was wonderful. What gets me about LC is that I didn't even know he was coming until we had people over for lunch last Saturday and asked them what they were doing in town (they're from Christchurch). That was a blow to the self esteem. But no matter, we couldn't have gone anyway - the babysitter who can deal with our middle child ain't born yet.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso,

    O, and I really like a large number of Cohen's songs.
    When my younger sibling Mary Emma died last year, "Halleujah" was *her" song of exit at the crematorium.

    The aforementioned middle child (3 years old) is really affected by music, and whenever she hears Hallelujah (which is never, these days, we stopped playing it) starts sobbing incontrollably. We have the Buckley version in a compilation CD that starts with Malvina Reynold's Little Boxes - that she used to love - and the reaction has extended to that song too, so now she screams whenever she hears Little Boxes (even if it's not on the same CD) in anticipation of the fact that Hallelujah might come on a few tracks later. If that isn't the definition of a song's emotional punch, I don't know what is.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • Sofie Bribiesca,

    What gets me about LC is that I didn't even know he was coming until we had people over for lunch last Saturday

    Actually I didn't buy tickets until Wednesday afternoon after reading the reviews. I had heard bad stuff about quality of sound at Vector Arena. Was definitely proved wrong.

    the babysitter who can deal with our middle child ain't born yet.

    Ahh, whatever happened to the good ol' daze of valium. My friend's mum reckons they worked like a treat in the milk. ;)

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso,

    Ahh, whatever happened to the good ol' daze of valium.

    That would only make her angrier.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • Jackie Clark,

    I am so sorry that Mary Emma died, Islander. So sorry.

    When my younger sibling Mary Emma died last year, "Halleujah" was *her" song of exit at the crematorium.

    This made me cry, as I sang the song to myself in my head. Beautiful song.

    We were estranged from a long time back.
    We were starting to come to - an understanding- in 2007.
    She died in September that year.
    I dont know.
    I really dont know.

    That sucks so badly. Cyber hugs to you, my friend.

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

  • Sofie Bribiesca,

    angrier.

    Perhaps determined? At the age of 3, I made my first real friend. This girl was 84 and lived down the end of our street. I went to her house for cups of tea. One day she took me down to Mission bay, introduced me to one of her other friends and he took us down underneath the fountain to show us how he made the fountain light up at night. I will never forget that. Sadly, don't think Mrs Page is around now.

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report Reply

  • Sofie Bribiesca,

    This made me cry, as I sang the song to myself in my head. Beautiful song.

    Yes it is. Where I was Friday, one of the guys I spoke with informed me that 1/2 his crew had gone to the concert and one of them admitted he had cried also. It is one of those songs. i get a bit teary with a few of Neil Young's also

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report Reply

  • Sofie Bribiesca,

    Billy Bragg can be that good too. Imho.

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report Reply

  • linger,

    That would only make her angrier.

    I shouldn't laugh, but the image that comes to mind is:
    "If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you could possibly imagine."

    Tokyo • Since Apr 2007 • 1944 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso,

    I shouldn't laugh, but the image that comes to mind is:
    "If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you could possibly imagine."

    Yeah, that'd be no use, she has Sue Bradford on speed-dial.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • linger,

    Also... has she seen Shrek ? If so, how did she react to the use of the song there (that real tear-jerker of a scene, when S. has given up on marrying Fiona)? I guess what I'm really asking is, could that be what she's reacting to rather than the song itself, given the lyrical content would normally be a little over 3-y.o. level.

    Tokyo • Since Apr 2007 • 1944 posts Report Reply

  • Sofie Bribiesca,

    given the lyrical content would normally be a little over 3-y.o. level.

    linger, she's got Sue Bradford on speed dial!

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso,

    No, she hasn't seen Shrek. And of course she doesn't understand the words - if nothing else, her English is very limited - it's purely the music that does it. There are a couple of classical pieces that have no lyrics and have similar effect (we're probably the only family in the universe that have to listen to Gorecky in secret, as if it was radio free europe).

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • linger,

    I'm not sure if this will work (I can't see YouTube content on my computer, so I'm having to place blind trust in a URL from a Google search), but with any luck this should be a clip of Mitch Benn from the Now Show, attacking a recent cover of Hallelujah, but using the same tune. Might make an interesting test case for your daughter's reaction.

    Tokyo • Since Apr 2007 • 1944 posts Report Reply

  • linger,

    Well, damn. That at least established that the embedding didn't work.
    Do you have to put the URL in square brackets like so?

    [Nah -- you just hadn't pasted in the URL correctly -- it had funny characters in it. -- RB]

    Tokyo • Since Apr 2007 • 1944 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso,

    but with any luck this should be a clip of Mitch Benn from the Now Show, attacking a recent cover of Hallelujah, but using the same tune.

    Nice. With a different tune, though, which I think makes his point about not cannibalising the song. Also saved the show a bit on royalties I would imagine.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson,

    Gawd, that's tragic. Really tragic.

    Indeed it is. A better idea would be calling the guy up, offering to buy him a drink, to chat about what's really going on. You might end up friends that way. If he refuses, at least you tried. This approach has worked for me with workplace 'enemies'.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    Indeed it is. A better idea would be calling the guy up, offering to buy him a drink, to chat about what's really going on. You might end up friends that way. If he refuses, at least you tried. This approach has worked for me with workplace 'enemies'.

    I think even that's a bit much. The last time I saw Ralston (at Prego, naturally) I said hello, and that was after_ his unfortunate afternoon radio episode. I'd probably do the same thing if I saw him tomorrow.

    You can be rude about the other guy's rhetoric without actually disliking the person. New Zealand is too small for feuding.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • mark taslov,

    ...especially over this subject matter.

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

  • BenWilson,

    By 'a bit much' do you mean he might find it offensive, or use it as an excuse to hack into you again?

    I'm not posing the idea as a duty for you. It's just a better idea than boxing, if you would like the public snipes between the two of you to either end, or at least be explained. But I understand it's a really hard thing to do, I definitely struggled every time I did it. It was on par with calling up a girl and asking for a date, something that carries the nerve racking fear of rejection. But at the end, I think it's better to be rejected than to never know if it could have been. That's just me. In your case it could just be better to have this minor antipathy forever, it definitely gives you something to write about. But I take your word as true that you actually think he has some real talent, which could be turned to good. Surely there's an opportunity there?

    My take on Ralston is that he's a bit lonely, and understandably bitter about his fall from TV.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • Kyle Matthews,

    That was a blow to the self esteem. But no matter, we couldn't have gone anyway - the babysitter who can deal with our middle child ain't born yet.

    Apparently, you should move to Hawkes Bay. Voila! No babysitter needed.

    I'm amused that people feel the need for Russell and Bill to resolve any real or not real differences in a public place.

    It's the result of reality TV. Not only do we all need to step in, but we need to do so publicly on live TV raising money for Ronald McDonald House, or something.

    All because the two people are world famous in New Zealand.

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso,

    Apparently, you should move to Hawkes Bay. Voila! No babysitter needed.

    It takes the complete lack of a village to raise a child, you mean? We did our best in that regard, by preparing her to the arrival of the third child by establishing well in advance a solid foundation of neglect. Didn't work.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    By 'a bit much' do you mean he might find it offensive, or use it as an excuse to hack into you again?

    Nah, just that from my point of view the problem that might warrant such an action doesn't really exist.

    In your case it could just be better to have this minor antipathy forever, it definitely gives you something to write about.

    The alternative would be that it's a small country and everyone just gets over it eventually.

    But I take your word as true that you actually think he has some real talent, which could be turned to good. Surely there's an opportunity there?

    Heh. I'm seeing a whole new social marketing campaign taking shape here:

    Don't let duff rhetoric and hackneyed opinion-writing get the better of you, or your media-wanker friends. I you see someone making absurd claims without benefit of evidence, don't just let it go. Pick up the phone and make that call.

    Find out what's wrong before that person turns into Michael Laws ...

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

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