Hard News by Russell Brown

Read Post

Hard News: Real Gone

101 Responses

First ←Older Page 1 2 3 4 5 Newer→ Last

  • Richard Irvine,

    A branch of Kinokuniya would be a wonderful addition.

    I want a Muji.

    Auckland • Since Dec 2006 • 242 posts Report

  • Paul Rowe,

    Bring back Crawlspace, somebody

    Amen, Paul.

    I was gutted to come back to NZ and discover Stu & Gonzo had disappeared.

    I'd also put in a plug for Pretty on the Inside, in Palmerston North, though I believe Paul has decamped to Aus in the last few years...

    Lake Roxburgh, Central Ot… • Since Nov 2006 • 574 posts Report

  • Peter Darlington,

    Ah....Mr Tony Murdoch, who used to be in a killer band called Marching Orders.

    Yeh, that's right. I always got the feeling that Eric B & Rahim, Gangstar, Tribe Called Quest etc... were not totally his cup of tea but he was still very enthusiastic and could still confirm which were the goodies compared to the not so good.

    Nelson • Since Nov 2006 • 949 posts Report

  • Angus Robertson,

    NZ FIRST would be BB KING - hugely popular and influential in his day, but basically a cabaret act now that should just retire.

    NZ FIRST would be BRITNEY SPEARS - learning the moves early parlayed an ability to look good whilst lip-syncing pop into a high maintenance lifestyle. The last year has not been kind.

    Auckland • Since May 2007 • 984 posts Report

  • LegBreak,

    It’s hard to go past John Rowles for NZ First..

    For United Future I’m trying to think of something offensively Middle of the Road. Air Supply?

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1162 posts Report

  • philipmatthews,

    If NZ First is Britney Spears, then Helen Clark can only be Madonna. And that would surely make Jim Anderton Prince -- a huge burst of relevance in the '80s but playing to the faithful ever since.

    Christchurch • Since Nov 2007 • 656 posts Report

  • Paul Campbell,

    Yes thank you BB King is much maligned by the comparison

    Graham Capill on the other hand would nbe Gary Glitter ....

    Dunedin • Since Nov 2006 • 2623 posts Report

  • Grant McDougall,

    Ah....Mr Tony Murdoch, who used to be in a killer band called Marching Orders. Grant and I mused over him back here..

    An amazing individual. I could tell you stories about him that would make your eye-balls explode. It's thanks to him that I'm the music junkie I am. In Gisborne, back in the late '70s to mid-'80s, Tony had a msuic shop called Vibes and as an impressionable teenager that's where I first started to buy music. As Pete alludes to, he was superb at pointing people in the right direction.

    After literally almost being beaten to death by a Mongrel Mob associate in mid-'84, Tony left for Wellington and hasn't looked back. He opened up Soul Mine in Kilbirnie and flourished. He one told me he makes more money in Wellington in a day than he made in Gisborne in a week.

    Dunedin • Since Dec 2006 • 760 posts Report

  • LegBreak,

    And that would surely make Jim Anderton Prince -- a huge burst of relevance in the '80s but playing to the faithful ever since.

    The Politician Formerly Known As Promising ?

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1162 posts Report

  • Simon Grigg,

    not for my wallet it wouldn't. I spent SO much in there last time I was in Sydney. And I never got near the comics....

    Luckily I get to go to cities (Bangkok, Jakarta, Kl & Singapore) that have very large branches fairly often, and, yes, it's a dauntingly expensive thing..as well as overweight baggage. I love that on-floor computer that prints out a map of where the book is.

    Went to a bookshop in Shanghai that was five or six very dense floors..all in Chinese. It gave me a buzz to be surrounded by so many editions of all sorts of things but I was limited to the coffee table editions because of the language barriers.

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

  • Danielle,

    It’s hard to go past John Rowles for NZ First...

    Oh yes! Cheesy, bombastic, secretly rather entertaining.

    United Future should be something like... who's a kind of crossover, mildly Christian, shittily average band? The Jonas Brothers?

    Charo World. Cuchi-cuchi!… • Since Nov 2006 • 3828 posts Report

  • Jackie Clark,

    re real groovy - I'm another one who will miss them. Although I prefer to go to Musiquarium in Dominion Rd for most of my purchases, I used to like to rummage around RG for great jazz and funk CDs at reasonable prices. Earth, Wind and Fire remixes anyone? And as for the service, it never really worried me. As a middleaged woman, I've been invisible in worse places.

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

  • Peter Darlington,

    The Jonas Brothers?

    Too young. Would have to be a 50 year olds equivalent.

    Nelson • Since Nov 2006 • 949 posts Report

  • Josh Addison,

    who's a kind of crossover, mildly Christian, shittily average band?

    Evanesence? Peter Dunne as Amy Lee - there's an image.

    Onehunga, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 298 posts Report

  • Stuart Coats,

    United Future should be something like... who's a kind of crossover, mildly Christian, shittily average band?

    Evermore?

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 192 posts Report

  • Peter Darlington,

    Luckily I get to go to cities (Bangkok, Jakarta, Kl & Singapore) that have very large branches ...

    kunokiniya in Singapore was a highlight for my youngest son who is a mad manga fan. He couldn't believe the range they had, he was nearly hyperventilating. Came in very handy before long plane flights, it did.

    Nelson • Since Nov 2006 • 949 posts Report

  • LegBreak,

    United Future should be something like... who's a kind of crossover, mildly Christian, shittily average band?

    That band that used to play on The Herd ?


    (OK, showing my age)

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1162 posts Report

  • Belt,

    "NZ FIRST would be BB KING - hugely popular and influential in his day, but basically a cabaret act now that should just retire."

    I am DEEPLY offended.

    About BB.

    Of course.

    Winston Peters is stealing oxygen other people might need one day.

    Nelson • Since Nov 2006 • 49 posts Report

  • Craig Ranapia,

    NZ has some wonderful smaller bookstores but has a big gaping hole when it comes to the large comprehensive variety, of the sort that most cities the size of Auckland have elsewhere.

    A branch of Kinokuniya would be a wonderful addition..

    I can't disagree with you there -- I spent three hours in the Sydney Kinokunyia last time we were there, and came away profoundly thankful that I don't have a credit card. But being cold-eyed about it, I just can't see how that kind of operation would be economically viable here. An indie like Unity or Marbecks does well because they're comprehensive, but serve a niche market they know very well. I'd be a bit more comfortable talking a punt if, at worse, I had half a dozen copies of which four might end up on the sale table. Two or three hundred? Not so sure.
    If there was reliable formula for what works and what doesn't, bookselling would be a less interesting trade -- but a much less stressful one.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report

  • Russell Brown,

    For United Future I’m trying to think of something offensively Middle of the Road. Air Supply?

    Savage Garden.

    Burn.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • Gareth Ward,

    Savage Garden.

    Burn.

    I wish they would.

    United Future has a bit of a Dave Matthews thing going on as well. Incredibly bland, but the Stones and U2 keep inexplicably getting him to join them on stage...

    Auckland, NZ • Since Mar 2007 • 1727 posts Report

  • linger,

    For United Future I think you can't go past Supertramp.
    Internal divisions, "sensible" voice ("The Logical Song"), vaguely religious message (e.g. most stuff off "Brother Where You Bound" and subsequent albums)
    (actually I think The Herd's house band covered them?)

    Tokyo • Since Apr 2007 • 1944 posts Report

  • Geoff Lealand,

    To be honest though, Borders isn't a shadow of it's past.

    I agree. Visited there on Tuesday and it seemed a bit down-at-heel--great gaps in the magazine section and unexciting DVD specials. Upper Queen Street visits will never be the same,.

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

  • Jeremy Andrew,

    United Future should be something like... who's a kind of crossover, mildly Christian, shittily average band?

    Creed.

    Hamiltron - City of the F… • Since Nov 2006 • 900 posts Report

  • Robyn Gallagher,

    Here's an observation - most main street music shops now seem to have more of a focus on DVDs rather than CDs. The DVDs are the exciting displays up the front that lure the punters in, while the CDs are the specialist section down the back.

    Since Nov 2006 • 1946 posts Report

First ←Older Page 1 2 3 4 5 Newer→ Last

Post your response…

This topic is closed.