Posts by Dastardly Bounder
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Hard News: The uncooling of the inner West, in reply to Sam F,
I have a number of friends in Swanson - the next suburb north west of Ranui. They have easy access to rail, live close by large parks and rural blocks and can be at Bethells beach in 15 minutes. Pretty good option by Auckland standards.
I often work in Ranui and it can be a bit rough. There have been some eyebrow raising incidents over the past year, a regular Police presence and some extreme deprivation. Ponsonby used to be the same 30 years ago though. Pick your street and it can seem like a nice leafy suburb, drive down another one and try to spot the burnt out meth labs.
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Hard News: The uncooling of the inner West, in reply to Rich of Observationz,
back blocks of Avondale
I'd be surprised if you can find anything in Avondale - it's relatively central and has already shot the gate with prices. More like Ranui (Auckland's currently murder capital) if you're looking for a back blocks cheap area.
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If it was not a deliberate attempt to intimdate a journalist, it unquestionably functions as one.
It hurts to read this. Hager arguably has a done New Zealand a service by publishing Dirty Politics and it’s pretty hard not to see the police actions as intimidation. I’ve been in three police searches, two at flats and one where American intelligence authorities searched the offices of the Silo Theatre and Lava Magazine during APEC. After each search I felt invaded and a loss of sovereignty, not unlike the feeling you get after being burgled. In all three instances my respect for police and ‘authority’ fell through the floor.
It may be apocryphal but I also remember a story about Police raiding a Canterbury based student magazine to seize photographs of police beating revellers at an illegal event in the 90s. The ripples that sent around the music scene further undermined what little trust we had in the police.
In a time where locally and globally we have issues with police abusing their power and seeming to protect the interests of business and politicians, this raid seems an unwise decision. Certainly to have done so in such a heavy handed manner. Ten hours is a very thorough search.
The police’s priorities certainly need to be questioned. Why hasn’t Slater’s property been seized over the Labour party hacking? Why immediately after the election? Is this the most important thing they could have done with their resources, were there no other crimes that needed to be policed with such thoroughness?
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“And now we come to a crossroads” intoned the golem, “Do you want to live in a self-referential paradigm or a metafiction narrative?”
The trio stared into the literary device’s maw.
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“But we’re on the second floor” stated Stud, getting on his hands and knees to inspect the filth closer.
“Has this stuff somehow made it up the stairs of its own volition?”
The ooze continued to flow into the room, Stud and Clint joined Tatiana on the bed.
“It’s not natural” said Clint, while checking his reflection in the ceiling mirror.
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1984 - Kraftwerk released Tour de France and Run DMC released their debut album. It was a year for change.
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Last Night a DJ Saved My Life: The History of the Disc Jockey by Bill Brewster is also a great investigation into DJ culture - without focusing solely on one culture or one genre of music. I found out in this book that the DJ's 'set' probably comes from Jamaica, taking your grammaphone set to the dance, where records would be played from Tannoy speakers purloined from ex-military ships public address systems. Brilliant. Come play your set.
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Hard News: Friday Music: Original Beats, in reply to Russell Brown,
Many Americans don't get the connection
Or the understanding that their culture doesnt exist in a bubble. Hendrix playing in England, Led Zeppelin, Punk's UK roots, electronica's German roots (a gross over simplification)...
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Hard News: Friday Music: Original Beats, in reply to Russell Brown,
Jamaican in New York
Pretty sure it wasLloyd Bradley in a book called Bass Culture: When Reggae Was King who points out some of the most influetial sound systems that played early New York hip hop parties were inspired and run by Jamaican sound bwoys. Coke La Rock's early toasting style was straight out of the Jamiacan Dancehall - "Ya rock and ya don’t stop!" and "To the beat y’all" became hiphop staples.
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Hard News: Friday Music: Original Beats, in reply to Craig Ranapia,
Well, hip-hop culture has redshifted. The pitch has dropped. Innovation may exist, but it’s not the dominant characteristic anymore. It’s moving away.
Nice. A beloved genre going the way of all things.