Posts by Russell Brown
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Hard News: Waitangi: Just enjoy the day, in reply to Tinakori,
I think Nick Russell is right, that there have been positive Waitangi Days in the past and they often coincide with the beginning of a government’s term. Well done to Labour for managing this one particularly well. Having lots of Ngapuhi in the government undoubtedly made a difference and was critical in the move away from Te Tii , the single largest factor, I think, in the changing atmospherics. The progress of the Ngapuhi settlement will have a big impact on how future Waitangi Days turn out.
Clark’s return was in 2002, the third year of the first term, and it went pretty well, even with Te Tii in play. Things deteriorated later, for obvious reasons, and Clark was jostled in 2004.
But I don’t think that moving away from Te Tii was the overwhelming reason Ardern had a good Waitangi. She’d been in the North for four days by yesterday, and that decision to spend time there was significant.
The big shift in sentiment away from the Māori Party was important too. A lot of people feel that the machinations of Tuku Morgan et al have damaged the mana of the Kingitanga in particular. Some of what Ardern said played into that feeling.
I do think it felt different this year though, perhaps in a way it hasn’t seemed to before. We’ll see.
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Hard News: Waitangi: Just enjoy the day, in reply to James Littlewood*,
You mean, some time when Clark and Harawira were on speaking terms? I must have been on sick leave that day.
Not really what I mean, although you're not the first to take it that way.
But some history is in order. Clark's unpleasant encounter with Titewhai Harawira was in 1998, before she was Prime Minister. 1999 was pretty bumpy too.
The first time she went to Waitangi as Prime Minister, in 2002, she was escorted on by Titewhai. They were definitely on speaking terms.
But I was really trying to make a non-partisan point: it's not just that National PMs couldn't have done quite what Ardern did, neither could the last Labour PM. She has some weaknesses – critics have endlessly pointed out that her one attempt at drafting a law wasn't very good – but she has an empathy that's part of her makeup as a leader.
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A word, too, for Mihingarangi Forbes, who spent her last day at RNZ helming the broadcast from Waitangi. It was great, engaging radio and it made me feel close to the events.
Nice to hear Chris Wikaira back at work behind the mic too!
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This is nice: the long-running New Zealand-based psych-rock blog The Active Listener gets an appreciation on Bandcamp.
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Capture: Laneway 2018, in reply to Simon Bennett,
I’m pretty sure he doesn’t use autotune. Lots of looping. Amazing virtuoso falsetto.
Yes, it's not autotune but delays and effects from the little console you can see in the pics. I thought it was incredibly effective, at times turning his voice from a vocal into an instrument. Seriously one of the best performances I've seen at Laneway.
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Billboard has a nice pre-Grammys interview with Lorde – along with a photoshoot of her gadding about a Pukekohe farm in various lovely frocks.
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Hard News: Friday Music: Rolling Funder, in reply to Moz,
Did they say something that makes you think this will be optional?
At the least, you’ll have to leave monetisation on in order to be considered for monetisation …
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Hard News: Friday Music: Rolling Funder, in reply to Hugh Wilson,
I saw Bill Brewster is also heading down under, and has shows in AKL and Waiheke on Feb 2nd and 3rd .
Oh, cool. He's visited before (and asked around for crate-digging spots) but didn't play.
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Hard News: Friday Music: Bar None, and…, in reply to TracyMac,
Moroder did some incredibly banal stuff
He played The Studio in Auckland as a DJ a couple of years ago and by all accounts it was ghastly. Kinda glad I was broke that week.
Unfortunately, I find Donna Summer’s 14 minute orgasm in Love to Love You Baby an embarrassment for all concerned (but I liked Berlin’s Sex, which was obviously influenced-by, go figure).
Awww ... but the groove.