South Summer 2023 by Allied Press Ltd

T h e l i f e s t y l e m a g a z i n e f o r s o u t h e r n Ne w Z e a l a n d

South SUMMER 2023

www.southmagnz.co.nz

WIND OF CHANGE

How the 1980s changed New Zealand

MOVIE STAR The amazing

FIELD GUIDE Best of the

LIFE & STYLE Books, drinks,

film career of Tim Bevan

summer music festivals

events, fashion, and more.

Treat yourself Step into the bright and welcome space at Wall Street Mall. At Wall Street Mall you will find a mix of local fashion retailers like Maher Shoes and Suits on Wall Street, and familiar international brands like Levi’s, Country Road, Taking Shape, Pagani and Rodd & Gunn. Indulge yourself with a massage from the Rub or a treatment at Luxurious Spa & Nails. Try something tasty at Marbecks cafe while you are here and enjoy the open space of our wonderful atrium.

211 George Street, just down from the Octagon

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SOUTH / Summer 2023

Railway a tangible connection to Otago’s rich heritage The Otago Central Branch Railway holds within it a captivating history.

t is the rich remains of a bygone era in Dunedin when trains were king. Its origins date as far back as the 1860s when the famous Otago Gold Rush made Dunedin into New Zealand’s most prosperous city at the time. Railway pioneers began building the Otago Central Railway line to connect Wingatui with Cromwell in 1877. With little more than pickaxes, shovels, and

stone-haul sledges, the entire 236 km line took 44 years to construct. During its peak, the line was originally used to carry freight and passengers from the Dunedin Railway Station into the heart of Central Otago. As train popularity decreased so did the demand for a railway, and in 1990 the last train from Clyde departed. The 152 km stretch of rail from Clyde to Middlemarch has now been demolished

and become the Otago Central Rail Trail. However, there remains an allure to the Otago Central Railway line. Perhaps it’s the beautiful scenery as you travel through the Gorge alongside the Taieri River, or the tangible connection to Otago’s rich heritage as you enter hand-made tunnels and pass historical landmarks like thousands before you. Dunedin Railways now runs The

Inlander train, which takes you on a historical journey that has developed over the past century. The train crosses the iconic 197m Wingatui Viaduct, and past the original Parera Railway House – the only remaining station masters house in the Taieri Gorge. This trip is truly one of the most authentic ways to experience a piece of Otago’s majestic heritage.

4/ FOREWORD: Editorial

SOUTH /Summer 2023

The lifestyle magazine for southern New Zealanders

THE PAST IS A FOREIGN COUNTRY

“El Paso? I spent a month there, one night!” goes the Kramer gag from Seinfeld. To stretch the joke… the 1980s? I spent a millennia there, one decade. And it wasn’t all bungy jumping, breakdancing, pyjama cricket, and neon lights. Two versions of that decade exist in my memory. There’s a day-glo one populated by video games, Kiwi sporting heroes, Goodbye Pork Pie, and Split Enz. Alongside it lives a darker narrative, where the Springbok Tour, the Queen Street Riot, neoliberal reform, and violent crime dwell. While the former is in vivid colour, the latter strand is indelibly rendered in black and white. That’s symbolic of the hugely vexed social transformation this country underwent during the “decade of greed”. Of course, as a teenager of the era I was only vaguely aware of the bleaker

undertow to what seemed an okay time to be young. Later though, I came to see it as the prevailing theme. That’s why revisionist ideas about the 1980s are jarring. More so than any other, the culture of that decade has been mined for ironic value. Many of those shallow readings would have you believe it was all good. But at best that nostalgia for a past that never was is retrogressive; at worst it’s inhibiting progress. In his 2011 book Retromania, English critic Simon Reynolds pondered precisely that issue. “Is nostalgia stopping our culture’s ability to surge forward, or are we nostalgic precisely because our culture has stopped moving forward?” he wondered. Gavin Bertram (Editor)

South EDITOR Gavin Bertram gavin.bertram@alliedpress.co.nz DESIGN Mike D’Evereux ADVERTISING SALES MANAGER Nic Dahl (03 479-3545) nic.dahl@alliedpress.co.nz CONTACT Email: south@alliedpress.co.nz Online: www.southmagnz.co.nz Digital edition: issuu.com/alliedpress Facebook: @SOUTHMagNZ Instagram: @south_magazine_nz

General enquiries to South magazine, PO Box 517, Dunedin 9054. Phone (03) 477-4760. Published by Allied Press Ltd, 52 Stuart St, Dunedin 9016. © 2023. All rights reserved. Printed and distributed by Allied Press. ISSN 2815-7605 (Print); ISSN 2815-7613 (Online).

WHO WE ARE

Got your Christmas function sorted yet? What about work Lunch? Give us a call for options.

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5/ Sponsored content

SOUTH / Summer 2023

Behind the Wheel this Christmas Rally driver and Dealer Principal Emma Gilmour from Gilmour Motors Suzuki shares her five favourite tips for happy holiday driving.

1. Don’t break the habits of a lifetime. It’s summer! Time to relax, right? Yes! But not while you’re driving. Keep up your safe driving habits: always wear your seatbelt, drive sober, and keep your hands off that cellphone. 2. Keep your eyes busy. Seeing a potential hazard earlier gives you more time to slow down and to take evasive action. Look as far up the road as you can, then scan closer in front of you - side roads, footpaths,

intersections, changes in the road surface. Keep your eyes on the move, checking mirrors too. Constantly scanning, you can better anticipate hazards, automatically keep your speed down, and drive more smoothly. 3. Give yourself a break. Actively scanning and anticipating is tiring on long journeys. Give yourself a break. Stop often for a pee and a pie, stretch your legs, and get some fresh air.

4. Give others a break. A little courtesy goes a long way! Keep left, let faster traffic pass where you can, and give other road users plenty of room when overtaking. Give the vehicle in front of you a two-second space, four in the wet. Above all, stay calm and give other drivers the benefit of the doubt. We’re not the machines we’re driving. (Even if we happen to like them very much!) 5. Look out for the wee guy. In this case – pedestrians, cyclists,

and motorcyclists – all incredibly vulnerable on the road and out in force in summer. Slow down around these smaller road-users, look twice, especially around intersections, cycle trails and towns, and be generous with the space and respect you give them. From all of us at Gilmour Motors Suzuki, we wish you happy and safe driving this summer and a wonderful Christmas.

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S O U T H / #008 Summer 2023

C o n t e n t s FOREWORD 4 Editorial 7 Big Picture 10 WHAT’S ON: Five things to do this spring. 12 BIG ASK: With new Green Party MP Scott Willis. 14 FASHION: Dresses for the hot days of summer. 15 DRINKS: What’s good at Meenan’s Liquorland this season?

F E AT U R E S 16 Working out: Queenstown born producer Tim Bevan on making hit films. 18 Neon nights: Matt Elliott’s book Good as Gold reflects on the 1980s. 22 Bestivals: The south’s summer music festivals, and 1994 Big Day Out memories. 24 Word up: Dunedin’s connection to the birth of the Oxford English Dictionary.

ENDNOTES 26 BOOKENDS 27 ONCE UPON A TIME: The 50th anniversary of Yes’ Tales From Topographic Oceans. 28 HOW YA GOING? Musician Leah Hinton writes home from Berlin. I WAS THERE: David Saunders on supporting U2 in 1993. 30 LOOSE ENDS

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7 / FOREWORD: Big Picture

"If you're in control, you're not going fast enough." (Parnelli Jones)

Photo:

John Cosgrove

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SOUTH / Summer 2023

8/Inspiration with Resene

How to use wood accents inside and outside your home Battens and slatted wood panels have often been confined to practical uses in interiors and exteriors. While wood battens and panels offer excellent functionality for things like privacy, draft prevention and noise absorption, they can also add architectural interest to an otherwise plain space. Paint them in vibrant Resene colours and you have the makings of an eye-catching visual feature, that might have a practical function, or could simply be a work of art. Practical installation tips Resene Colour Expert Rebecca Long has some simple tips for ensuring your batten design looks its best: • Start by drawing, either digitally or by hand, the type of look you want. • Choose your wood. If you’re colouring your finished battens with Resene Colorwood wood stains, remember the colour of the wood will influence the finished result. Use testpots to experiment first. You’ll also need to decide on the width and thickness you want for your battens. • Measure the length and height of the area where you would like to add the wood accents and work out what type of spacing you are after. Will the wood

1 accents be close together or spaced out? This can also help you work out how many battens you need. • To ensure you create a balance and symmetrical look, use a calculator to work out the spacing you will need between each accent to ensure it works cohesively in your space. • Use a level and pencil to mark where you want to install your battens. • Sand the wood to remove any rough edges or splinters or, if you’re recycling older wood, remove any old paint or stain. • Always use a spirit level when installing to keep your battens straight • Use a nail gun, screws or construction glue to attach the battens to the wall. • If your battens will be a contrast colour to the wall, consider painting or staining them before attaching to the wall. It will help avoid any paint splashes on the wall, though, if you’re attaching the battens with screws or nails you will need to fill and touch up those areas with a topcoat. Inside vs outside

Wood accents like battens or slatted screens can work beautifully both inside and out, whether to create a design feature, or a more functional space. The important thing to remember, Rebecca says, is to treat the wood differently for outdoors, than you would for indoors to ensure the best finished result and a long-life for your project. “Internal wood accents need to be protected for wear and tear such as scuff marks, knocks and dust,” she says. “If you’re looking for a painted finish, often wood accents are treated the same as the wall or joinery paint, depending on where they are located.” Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen will offer protection while delivering an aesthetically pleasing low sheen finish. whereas Resene Lustacryl semi-gloss will add further abrasion resistance to your joinery. Rebecca suggests turning to Resene Colorwood stain colours if you are looking to enhance the natural grain look of your chosen timber. Finish with a protective clear of Resene Aquaclear.

“Resene Colorwood Natural and Resene Colorwood English Walnut are great shades to try if you’re looking to achieve a natural look,” she says. Outside, wood accents need to be protected from UV and weathering so Rebecca recommends Resene Waterborne Woodsman stains and Resene Woodsman Wood Oil Stain as your go to stains for protecting your external wood accents. For painted exterior wood features use Resene Hi-Glo gloss or Resene Sonyx 101 semi-gloss tinted to your chosen Resene colour. Design ideas to try Room dividers: Break up a large living room, or a children’s shared bedroom with a wooden slatted screen. Attach your screen to the wall or try a more adaptable style with a classic folding screen or add some castors to the frame to keep it mobile. Try staining the timber in the caramel tones of Resene Colorwood Oregon teamed with Resene Eighth Drought and accents in Resene Dell for a pared back Scandi look. In a children’s bedroom, take the opportunity to play with

SOUTH / Summer 2023

2 colour and add bright gradient in pinks such as Resene Pompadour, Resene Scrumptious and Resene Pale Rose or aqua such as Resene Gulf Stream, Resene Java and Resene Surfie Green. Classic panelling: Rebecca suggests lending a study or living area a note of classic gravitas with wood panelling framed with wood battens. Go all in and take the panels all the way to the ceiling, opting for shorter wainscoting panels on the bottom third of the wall, with taller, oblong panels up to the ceiling to give the room a sense of height and drama. Stain the panelling in a classic shade like Colorwood Dark Oak and stain the wooden beading in a paler shade like Resene Colorwood Rock Salt for contrast. Alternatively, keep your panels as wainscoting over just the bottom third of the wall and paint the walls in a plush deep shade like Resene Red Oxide or Resene Cioccolato. Feature ceiling: A timber slat ceiling stained in Resene Colorwood Natural will add an elegant, eye-

catching and modern finish to your living area. If you have hard tile or concrete flooring it will also have the added effect of reducing noise. Patio backdrop: Soften a concrete or tiled patio area with a wooden slatted feature wall. Stain or paint it in a contrast colour to your patio backdrop, then add some shelves and hooks for plants, lanterns or outdoor art. Unique artwork: Think outside the square and play with offcuts of timber or upcycle older wood from a renovation project. Layer different types of timber together to see what works, and experiment with shapes, patterns and designs until you create something you love. Bring it to life with colours you love, or even leftover paint from your last decorating project. Visit your Resene ColorShop for advice on the right paint finish and colours to make your batten feature look it’s best, or ask a Resene Paint Expert free online, www.resene.com/paintexpert

1. A simple, well-thought-out batten design cleverly breaks up a long stretch of wall adding lightness and visual texture. The wall is painted in Resene Carpe Noctem with battens in Resene Epic, Resene Ocean Waves, Resene Boost and Resene Lakeside. The floor is finished in Resene Colorwood Shade, coffee table in Resene Epic, and planter in Resene Boost. Glassware from Bodum, sofa from Interior Warehouse. (Project by Megan HarrisonTurner, image by Bryce Carleton) 2. Floor to ceiling wood battens in a paler tone give this largely monochrome room a sense of extra space and texture. Walls painted in Resene Tuna, with battens and floor in Resene Quarter Tuna, sideboard in Resene Quarter New Denim Blue, coffee table in Resene New Denim Blue, side table in Resene Neutral Bay, DIY artworks in Resene Freestyling and Resene Neutral Bay, pendant lightshade in Resene Quarter New Denim Blue with stars in Resene FX Nightlight glow in the dark paint, bowl in Resene Quarter New Denim Blue, vases in Resene New Denim Blue and Resene Quarter Tuna, and tealight holder in Resene Quarter Tuna. Sofa from Nood, glass vase from Freedom, charcoal cushion from Bed, Bath & Beyond, throw and blue cushion from H&M Home. (Project by Vanessa Nouwens, image by Bryce Carleton)

Get decorating with Resene plant-based paints and stains! At Resene we’re committed to producing paints and stains that lessen the impact they have on our environment. Which is why we’ve developed a range of new plant-based products that are made using plants and minerals. Available now at your local Resene ColorShop!

To find out more visit: resene.co.nz/plantbased

10 / FOREWORD: What’s on

Zed Yonder, Queenstown 8pm, Sunday December 10 It’s been 23 years since Zed’s debut Silencer topped the New Zealand charts, with hits like Renegade Fighter and Glorafilia. The Christchurch band are touring this summer on the back of new single Future You, including shows in both Queenstown and Dunedin.

Dead Bird Books Yours, Dunedin 7pm, Saturday December 2 A showcase of three talented poets from the Auckland Dead Bird Books imprint. The award-winning Dominic Hoey’s new collection The Dead Are Always Laughing At Us has just been published. He’s joined by Isla Huia and Liam Jacobson, who both also have recently released books.

OF THE BE ST Russell Howard Dunedin Town Hall, Dunedin 8pm, Thursday February 1 Russell Howard’s previous Respite sellout tour was his biggest yet. The English comedian will no doubt top that on his 2023-24 tour, which takes in Australia and New Zealand. Get your tickets now to see the ‘uplifting comedy king’ put the world to rights again.

SOUTH / Summer 2023

White Ferns v Pakistan T20 University of Otago Oval, Dunedin 1pm, Sunday December 3 It’s going to be a big summer of cricket in the south, with a handful of limited overs internationals in Dunedin and Queenstown. The Ferns against Pakistan with T20s in both centres and an ODI in Queenstown. Later the Black Caps will meet both Bangladesh and Pakistan in Dunedin

Design & Decor

EvErYthIng for Your homE

Moonshine Trail Dolamore Park, Gore 10am, Saturday February 10 Held around the stunning scenery of Dolamore Park near Gore, the MLT Moonshine Trail has built a reputation as Southland’s premier mountainbike and off-road running event. More than 500 people take on the 5km and 15km run, and 30km, 39km, and 50km MTB courses each year. 65 Yarrow Street, Invercargill. Ph 214 4079

12/ FOREWORD: Q&A

BIG ASK: Scott Willis

One of 15 Green Party MPs heading to Parliament after the General Election, Dunedin’s Scott Willis believes in less talk, more action. He’s worked on the frontline of climate and social justice efforts for many years.

SOUTH / Summer 2023

What inspires you? I’m both inspired and awed by the beauty of nature, whether it be the roar and crash of the waves in a storm, or the cacophony of birdsong in the bush, or the dew on high country tussock as the sun comes up. And what annoys you? When people let ego or competitiveness get in the way of working collectively to make good things happen. We don’t have the luxury of waiting for the perfect. The lack of climate action comes not only from lack of care but also from a desire for perfection which discourages and causes disengagement when we need collective action more than ever. Can you recommend a book, a film,

Dunedin’s Scott Willis is a new Green Party MP.

and an album (or song)? The poignant Tom Waits song Road to Peace on the excellent triple album Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers and Bastards. It is one of the most overtly political songs of his repertoire. The Rocket is a wonderful, thoughtful, sensual 2013 film set in Laos, written and directed by Kim Mordaunt. I recommend this little jewel to everyone.

Books: Green Earth, by Kim Stanley Robinson and The Dispossessed by Ursula Le Guin. What’s the most important thing that you’ve learnt? It is ecological overshoot which has delivered us the climate crisis (and it can be addressed with the right political and social will). Who do you admire? My good friend and mentor, the late Jeanette Fitzsimmons is someone I have great admiration for. She was both generous and humble, and led by example. Everyone recognized her integrity. Jeanette never stopped working for climate justice and I miss her dearly. What do you love about where you live? I love the green, the bush, the birds – especially the kākā, tūī, bellbirds, and kererū who keep us company. I love the proximity to the ocean and our beach with the cliffs along Doctors Point. I love our neighbourhood and the solidarity of family and friends. Where/when are you happiest? I’m happiest getting out into the bush or into the high country, especially

with my boys. Hosting friends around our table for an extended meal (prepared with love) is also a real pleasure. When (other than now) was the best time of your life? There have been so many best times. The birth of each of my boys – it’s an incredible thing to witness new life and to understand your own responsibility and capacity for love to grow. Another ‘best time’ was the two-year stretch Jenna and I lived in the Cévennes, in France, in a neo-peasant community, picking mushrooms, making cheese, wrangling donkeys, and working in a neo-peasant economy – a rich, beautiful ‘economy of enough’. What are you looking forward to? I’ve just come out of an inspiring MP retreat and I am fired up to fight for climate justice through my portfolios and with our amazing new Green caucus (the biggest ever!) I think everybody should… Climb to the top of a wind turbine at least once in their life to appreciate the beauty and power of clean energy.

P. 03 441 0125 | www.mactodd.co.nz Queenstown | cromwell | wanaka

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14/ FOREWORD: Fashion

Hot summer daze

SOUTH / Summer 2023

From festivals to family gatherings, it’s good to have some versatility in your summer wardrobe.

Ari dress in black by Leo + Be, available from Hype in Dunedin.

Daytona top in black by Ketz-Ke, available from Hype in Dunedin.

She’s Back dress in Bubbles by Curate, available from Hype in Dunedin.

Summer Vibes shirtdress in pink and blue by Coop, available from Hype in Dunedin.

Twist And Shout dress in blue stripe by Cooper, available from Hype in Dunedin.

Island in the Sun dress in leaf print by Cooper, available from Hype in Dunedin.

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A taste of summer

15/ Sponsored content

SOUTH / Summer 2023

Whether it’s a family gathering, drinks with friends, or a casual barbecue, Meenans Liquorland has something for every occasion this summer.

ith the warmer months upon us, Meenans Liquorland have some suggestions for your drinking enjoyment. With over 3,200 products in stock you’re sure to discover a flavour sensation that you never knew existed. MEENANS PICKS FOR SUMMER Gin: Meenans stock a huge range of gins, the base for many a classic summer drink. Alongside the well-known international brands you’ll find over 70 superbly crafted local gins. Have you tried Dunedin’s very own Sandymount Distillery’s range, or those from Dunedin Craft Distillers? And there are many other South Island gins, including Scapegrace, Broken Heart, Little Biddy, and Cardrona Distillery. Rose: There’s not a lot more stylish during summer than a good Rosé. These delicate wines are generally made from red-skinned grapes that are light inside, meaning a range of

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hues can be produced. As well as excellent French examples from Sacha Lichine, Whispering Angel, and Moët & Chandon, there are great local Rosé offerings from the likes of Rabbit Ranch, The Ned, Babich, and Montford. Beer: What’s better than a beer on a hot day? Go on, you deserve it… even if you haven’t mown the lawn yet. There are over 120 craft beers on offer at Meenans, with a massive choice of New Zealand brews, including from Dunedin’s Emerson’s, Wellington’s Garage Project, and Auckland’s Behemoth. And there are plenty of zero and low alcohol options, along with an expanding range of low carb beers. The team at Meenans Liquorland are here to offer great advice and solutions for your needs. We also ship nationwide. Reach out and discover the South’s best kept bottle store secret!

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16/ FEATURE: Film

Queenstown born Tim Bevan co-founded the hugely successful Working Title Films in 1983. (Photo: Working Title Films)

Making movies As Christmas classic Love Actually turns 20, the film’s Queenstown born producer Tim Bevan reflects on ascending the movie business. By Gavin Bertram

SOUTH / Summer 2023

EARLY in his filmmaking career, an industry colleague offered Tim Bevan some advice. Whatever you do, they instructed, don’t do comedy. “Very luckily I ignored that piece of advice completely,” Bevan says. “Because totally the backbone of what we’ve done has been dramatic comedy or romantic comedy.” The Queenstown born film producer has worked on some of the most loved movies from those genres, including Love Actually, Four Weddings and Funeral, Notting Hill, and Bridget Jones’s Diary. Bevan and business partner Eric Fellner have become the most successful contemporary British producers with their company Working Title Films. From its inception in 1983 until 2017, the company’s films had internationally grossed around $7 billion. As the 20th anniversary of Christmas favourite Love Actually is celebrated, the London-based Bevan was happy to reflect upon his incredibly successful career. AFTER the Second World War, Bevan’s father practised medicine in the Solomon Islands. He visited New Zealand on the way home, and discovered what was then a very quiet Queenstown. Back in the United Kingdom he met and married Bevan’s mother, and they returned to the lakeside paradise to live. “They set up shop in Queenstown,” he says. “I lived there until I was nine and went to primary school in Queenstown. And then came back and was educated in the UK.” But it was in New Zealand that Bevan eventually gained his first experience in the industry that he’s worked in since. Returning to this country between the ages of 18 and 20, he was fortunate when a family friend in Wellington who worked in television offered him an in. That first job as a production runner on Close to Home, this country’s first soap in the 1970s, was all he needed. “It was a chance,” Bevan says. “It gave me an introduction, and I just liked the smell of it as soon as I got into it. I thought, this is something that I could really enjoy.” After 18 months working on that show, he again headed for London. The then highly unionised British film industry initially proved difficult to break into, and so he completed a journalism course. Three changes in the early 1980s allowed Bevan to gain a foothold in the film industry. The union dominance was broken, the age of music video emerged, and the broadminded Channel Four was launched. Having started a production house to make music videos for the likes of Simple Minds and the Thompson Twins, Bevan and business partner Sarah Radclyffe

launched Working Title in 1983. “The music video company was the beginning of the real career,” he relates. “There was a lot going on. We thought it’d be fun to get some film directors to make music videos, because that was a new form. Derek Jarman and Nick Roeg did some videos for us, and then Stephen Frears. The latter director had been given Hanif Kureishi’s script for My Beautiful Laundrette by Channel Four. Working Title were instrumental in getting the 1985 film across the line. Now recognised as a British classic, it proved the ideal launchpad for the company. Bevan says such moments of luck are generally pivotal on the path to greater success. “I was lecturing some students the other day,” he says. “I said, ‘one of the things that you need to be aware of is that in any successful career there are always some big pillars of luck’.”

“In any successful career there are always some big pillars of luck’.” Meeting Frears proved to be one, as was meeting Eric Fellner, who joined Working Title in 1991. However, meeting Richard Curtis was perhaps the biggest stroke of luck. Also born in New Zealand, Curtis is the screenwriter and director behind most of the company’s biggest hits, including Love Actually and Four Weddings. Creating some of the biggest British produced movies ever, it’s been a highly fruitful union. ALTHOUGH there have been some mammoth successes over Working Title’s four decades, it hasn’t all been easy. The company made plenty of films during the 1980s, but often they were unprofitable. As Bevan says, it was a downward spiral that wasn’t going to end well. And so in 1989 a deal was done with Polygram, which several years later acquired a 100% stake in Working Title. A decade later Universal took over Polygram, with Bevan and Fellner able to commission projects with

budgets up to $35 million without consultation. “It’s now 20 something years old,” Bevan says. Which is one of the longest term active deals where there are several productions a year going through. It’s certainly the longest term one that’s not within America, because we’re very much based out of London.” Four Weddings and a Funeral was the first big success, in 1994. Bringing in almost a quarter of a billion at the box office internationally, it instilled a lot of confidence in Bevan and Fellner’s abilities. The movie was made for just $5 million, but the timing was right, Curtis’s script was superb, and the casting was excellent. “It hit the zeitgeist basically,” Bevan recalls. “And it was distributed through the embryonic Polygram, who really needed a movie to work. They’d set up a distribution structure but nothing was feeding into it. So they over-resourced the marketing of Four Weddings.” On the back of the film’s success, Working Title realised there was a hole in the market that they could fill. For the next decade, they produced hit after hit, with Notting Hill, Love Actually, Bean, Elizabeth, Billy Elliott, Bridget Jones’s Diary, and others. The company was also involved with American producers the Coen Brothers on films including Fargo, The Big Lebowski, and O Brother, Where Art Thou? OVER the decades, Working Title has developed effective quality control when it comes to knowing what projects to put energy into. They’re also adept at convincing people to take risks, and at constantly nurturing new talent. Keeping a duty to the audience at the centre of everything they do, the company runs what Bevan calls a slate, so the risk is mitigated. “If we’re wanting to make a more artistic movie that’s got a greater risk, then we better have a Mr. Bean to balance that out,” he explains. “We always say it’s the size of the bullseye. If you want to run some small bullseyes, you need to have a big bullseye in there too.” Big changes in the film industry and the emergence of streaming mean that those bullseyes are constantly moving these days. Both have affected the viability of the kind of movies that Working Title built its name on. That hasn’t tempered Bevan’s interest in the industry though. “I like a good story, and being able to put a good group of people together - that’s definitely gratifying,” he says. “And I still really enjoy new voices. Cinema has changed a lot, and many more women are directing and writing material. There’s far greater diversity, and if there’s an audience somewhere for a story then it can probably get made.”

18/ FEATURE: History

Ne w g o l d d re am s Good as Gold by Matt Elliott charts New Zealand year by year through the colour and tumult of the 1980s. By Gavin Bertram

1. Comedian Billy T. James lit up New Zealand screens during the decade. (Photo: TVNZ) 2. Video games arcades became an increasingly popular haunt for teenagers. (Photo: Otago Daily Times) 3. AJ Hackett Ltd launched the bungy jumping industry at the Kawarau Bridge in 1988. (Photo: Archives New Zealand) 4. The 1981 Springbok Tour tore New Zealand’s social fabric apart. 5. Breakdancing in Wellington’s Manners Mall in 1984. (Photo: Alexander Turnbull Library, Evening Post and Dominion newspapers collection) 6. The Rubik’s Cube occupied idle hands - and minds. (Photo: Getty Images)

SOUTH / Summer 2023

"There were things that happened in the 80s that weren’t all fun and great."

n 1980 Otago’s population was 188,000, a Brighton house sold for under $15,000, and The Knobz were in the charts. Viewed through that lens the 1980s seems like the dark ages; a time of Think Big schemes, the furor of the Springbok Tour, Rogernomics, Split Enz, and bad architecture. Matt Elliott’s new book Good as Gold paints a more kaleidoscopic version of the 1980s. It brightly depicts an era in which New Zealand had a coming of age and began to embrace its unique identity. “A lot of people tend to dismiss the 80s as just bad fashion and big shoulder pads,” the author says. “But there was actually so much more happening in New Zealand at the time which made life seem really exciting, but also quite dangerous too.” Elliott has previously written over 20 non-fiction books for both adults and children. The idea for Good as Gold came from his publishers at Bateman Books. Having started high school in 1981, the writer was perfectly placed to reflect upon the decade of his adolescence. That he’d held onto a lot of ephemera from that time was a bonus; much of it appears in the book. “Things that my wife had said ‘do you need to keep that?’” Elliott laughs. “And I’d just kept saying ‘it’s research material’. Now I’ve got a 10-year-old who’s interested in all those sorts of things too, so a lot has found its way into his bedroom.” There are sports programmes, adverts, badges, books, and collector’s cards scattered around the photos and text. Good as Gold dedicates a chapter to each year of the 1980s, traversing both the hard news and pop cultural tropes. Elliott certainly has an eye for details that will be familiar to anyone who lived through it. He began by compiling a list of the events he could remember, before expanding it out to friends and colleagues. Poring over newspaper archives filled in the gaps. “It took quite a while to make the list because I wanted to have a balance,” he says. “Because there

Good as Gold author Matt Elliott.

were things that happened in the 80s that weren’t all fun and great. There were some pretty dark things that happened too.” New Zealand entered the 1980s during a particularly gloomy period in the country’s history, thanks to the Mount Erebus Disaster in November 1979. Things didn’t improve much in the new decade, with the 1981 Springbok Tour tearing a gaping wound in the country’s societal fabric which saw neighbour fight neighbour. That fissure eventually brought about some painful but necessary change. “There was really no middle ground; you were either for it or against it,” Elliott concludes. “I think it was really important in terms of our own race relations; how were we treating Māori in New Zealand, as well as this issue in South Africa?” Another less focused ruction occurred at Auckland’s Aotea Square on December 7, 1984 - the final day of the school year. The large crowd at a free concert featuring Herbs, The Mockers, and DD Smash turned feral in the face of some police provocation. Causing almost $3 million worth of property damage, the Queen Street Riot was the worst public disorder incident in New Zealand since the Depression. Elliott believes it was a freak event rather than being symptomatic of greater societal disquiet. “I think it was just perhaps part of this growing excitement about things that were happening in terms of youth,” he says. “I didn’t go into Queen Street, but I remember there was an interesting feeling in the air before the concert even started.” Through such seismic events, and the sweeping economic reforms of Rogernomics, New Zealand was a place transformed by the end of the 1980s. In parallel with the big social changes were big shifts in culture too, especially in terms of national identity. Shaking off both the colonial shackles and the cultural cringe, we embraced what made us unique with a sense of pride for the first time. The landmark Te Māori exhibition toured the United States sparking international interest. Its impact overseas saw the place of Māori culture reexamined

at home. Contemporary homegrown music, literature, and film also experienced a broadening acceptance. “We were seeing ourselves on the big screen, and on television too,” Elliott says. “People forget how big McPhail and Gadsby were, and I think Billy T James was getting over a million viewers per episode.” As a fan of the Dunedin Sound bands of the 1980s, Elliott remembers well the splash some of them made internationally. He took pride in the glowing review that The Chills’ Kaleidoscope World compilation gained in the UK’s revered music weekly NME in 1986. A couple of years later Straitjacket Fits and Snapper scored ‘Single of the Week’ status in Melody Maker and NME respectively. Seeing New Zealand athletes perform on the world stage also made the heart swell. From Chris Lewis in the 1983 Wimbledon final, Susan Devoy’s dominance in squash, and the first foray into the America’s Cup, there was much to be proud of. But those were the sideshows during a decade of upheaval that saw many suffer under the machinations of a new political regime. Academics are still arguing the merits of that, and Elliot has his own misgivings. “I think New Zealand did have to change from all the restrictions that had been placed on the economy by Muldoon,” he reflects. “But I think all of it went too fast and it really affected small towns in New Zealand. They probably started to feel quite abandoned by the government. Personally, I think things went too far.” • Good as Gold: New Zealand in the 1980s by Matt Elliott is published by Bateman Books.

20/ FEATURE: History

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The south in the 1980s During a decade of international upheaval, the south had its own triumphs and tragedies.

1980 Independent State of Aramoana declared in response to aluminium smelter plan. The Arai Te Uru marae opens in Dunedin. Dunedin born poet and publisher Denis Glover dies. Mosgiel Woollen Mills goes into receivership after 110 years. 1981 Filmed in Otago, the big budget Race for the Yankee Zephyr is released. Amid protests, the Springbok Tour visits Invercargill and Dunedin. Christopher Lewis shoots at the Queen during Dunedin royal visit. The Clean’s Tally Ho single launches the ‘Dunedin Sound’. 1982 Work on the huge Clyde Dam begins, ultimately drowning part of Cromwell. The TSS Earnslaw sold to private enterprise by the Railways Corporation. Dunedin’s Civic Centre opened by Mayor Cliffird Skeggs. Sam Neill stars alongside Martin Sheen in the thriller Enigma. 1983 The British Lions are beaten by the All Blacks at Carisbrook. Southland’s Judith Hazlett gives birth to quads in Dunedin. The Prince and Princess of Wales visit the region on an extensive tour. Janet Frame’s To the Is-land wins at Goodman Fielder Wattie Book Awards. 1984 Invercargill inundated during massive flooding in Southland. Former Otago Boys’ student Russell Coutts wins yachting gold at the LA Olympics. Tapanui suffers an epidemic of chronic fatigue syndrome. Invercargill’s Suzanne Prentice is New Zealand Entertainer of the Year.

1985 Netherworld Dancing Toys clean up at New Zealand Music Awards. New Zealand cling on for a test win against Pakistan at Carisbrook. The Remarkables ski resort opens near Queenstown. Former Dunedin swimmer Philip Rush sets a two-way English Channel record. 1986 Prime Minister David Lange mobbed by angry farmers in Mosgiel. Otago golfer Greg Turner plays in the Open Championship for the first time. Mosgiel footballer Michael McGarry debuts for the All Whites. Queenstown’s Skyline Gondola undergoes $2.5 million redevelopment. 1987 Baldwin St recognised as the world’s steepest for the first time. University of Otago alumni David Kirk captains All Blacks to World Cup glory. First commercial release of Central Otago Pinot Noir. Lois Muir coaches Silver Ferns to the top of the netball world. 1988 World’s first commercial bungy jumping operation opens near Queenstown. Burnside Freezing Works closure sees 800 jobs lost. Straitjacket Fits’ Life in One Chord is single of the week in UK Melody Maker. Hallensteins move head office from Dunedin to Auckland after 115 years. 1989 New boundaries make Dunedin New Zealand’s biggest city. The Fourth Labour Government introduces university tuition fees. Announcement of the closure of the Otago Central Railway beyond Taieri. Southland are Second Division winners in rugby’s National Provincial Championship.

Summer Southern Roadie

Milford Sound

Queenstown

When the summer days feel like they’re never-ending, which is easily explained by the abundant 14 hours of daylight, an epic road trip is the ultimate way to make the most of them. And the Southern Scenic Route is the perfect choice for any traveller, whether you’re an adventure seeker, a foodie, or a bit of a history buff. This 665-kilometre-long route is one of the world’s top-ranked drives.

FIORDLAND Te Anau Manapouri

Start your adventure in The Catlins where you’ll be greeted with many cascading waterfalls such as Pūrākaunui Falls and McLean Falls and wonderful wildlife, like the rare Hoiho yelloweyed penguins. Catch a wave down here and there’s even a chance you’ll be joined by a pod of Hector’s dolphins. During Waitangi weekend, soulful tunes can be heard at the Niagara Falls Bluegrass and Roots Festival, with musicians from all over the country coming down. Travel further along the rugged coastlines and you’ll find yourself in Invercargill. Highlights include the world-class vintage motor vehicle displays at Bill Richardson Transport World and Classic Motorcycle Mecca, the drivable Oreti Beach and magnificent Queens Park. If you’re into motorcycles, then the Burt Munro Challenge is the event for you, an iconic event dedicated to the God of Speed. After getting that Instagram-famous snap at Stirling Point in Bluff, make your way to Aparima Riverton, the “Riviera of the South”. This seaside town is a fantastic family destination but also a wave-riders’ paradise with Colac Bay, one of New Zealand’s top surfing spots, just around the corner. Music fans can rejoice, knowing Revitalize Music Festival is held in early January in a majestic Western Southland setting, under the Takitimu mountains. All these adventures are sure to stir up your appetite. Being a true food lovers’ paradise, you can take your pick of exceptional tasting, grass-fed lamb, prime pasture-fed beef, and the finest Fiordland venison at vibrant cafes, picturesque country pubs and fine-dining restaurants in down-to-earth settings. However, a Southland road trip is incomplete without savouring a cheese roll! Lumsden’s Route 6 Cafe is your go-to spot for that. Afterwards, head west into the majestic Te Rua-o-te-moko Fiordland, where mountains and fiords await. Taking it slow provides a chance for genuine rejuvenation. Te Anau and Manapouri make excellent base camps for further exploration and provide the perfect launchpad to explore the iconic fiords. Drive the stunning route to Piopiotahi Milford Sound or traverse Lake Manapouri to reach Patea Doubtful Sound. Ensure you embark on a cruise to fully experience these remarkable environments and glimpse the local fauna.

Dunedin

Lumsden

Gore Riverton

Balclutha

Invercargill THE CATLINS

Bluff STEWART ISLAND Home to three Great Walks – the Milford, Routeburn, and Kepler Tracks – Fiordland invites you to journey through ancient rainforests, past waterfalls, and alongside serene lakes. Each step immerses you in pristine wilderness, a rare opportunity to connect with Fiordland National Park’s unspoiled beauty. If lugging a multiday backpack and bunking in huts isn’t your style, many sections of the Great Walks can be tackled as day hikes. As each action-packed day ends, remember to cast your gaze upward. You’ll witness a mesmerizing tapestry of twinkling stars, unlike any you’ve ever seen. The minimal light pollution in this region creates perfect conditions for stargazing. For a summer road trip like no other, come down south and discover New Zealand’s best-kept secrets.

SOUTHLANDNZ.COM • FIORDLAND.ORG.NZ

22/ FEATURE: Music

One day international As music festival season approaches we look back at the 1994 Big Day Out, a show bookended by Dunedin bands. By Gavin Bertram; photos Grant McDougall

A hot Auckland Saturday 30 years ago witnessed the first big international music festival in New Zealand for a decade. Earlier festivals like Ngaruawahia and Sweetwaters festivals had drawn large international acts. But other than a Rainbow Warrior memorial gig and the failed Neon Picnic, there’d been a famine for local music fans. The Australian Big Day Out festivals of 1992 and 1993 had hosted alternative rock royalty including Nirvana, Sonic Youth, and Iggy Pop. Auckland was added to the itinerary for February 5, 1994. That was largely thanks to former Dunedin music promoter Doug Hood, ONZM, who had a long standing relationship with Big Day Out founders Ken West and Vivian Lees. With his Looney Tours company, Hood had worked with them to bring acts including New Order and The Fall to these shores. “The big thing I brought to the Big Day

Out was the double stage,” Hood recalled in 2011. “We had to be quite creative here in how we could actually present it. It was nerve wracking; there were a lot of doubters about.” As it turned out, that inaugural Auckland Big Day Out at Mt Smart Stadium was a huge success. With thousands of tickets sold, the way was paved for the festival to become a summer staple for many Kiwis. In 1994, there was a feast of both international and local acts performing across the main and two smaller stages. Along with nascent headliners Soundgarden, Smashing Pumpkins, and The Breeders was homegrown talent including Shihad, Head Like a Hole, Muttonbirds, and Headless Chickens. There was also a large contingent of Dunedin bands. Between The Bats launching the event and The 3Ds drawing the curtain down were Kid Eternity, David Kilgour, King Loser, the Verlaines, and Straitjacket Fits last ever show as a going

concern. While The Bats opened on the mainstage, Kid Eternity were first up on the smaller Stage Four, behind the stadium’s West Stand. The quartet had somehow neglected to bring their instruments on the trip from Dunedin. Guitarist Matt Heath, now of Radio Hauraki fame, has written that the stage manager couldn’t believe how stupid they were. “With nothing to play the gig with and one hour till we were on stage, we had no choice but to steal The 3Ds gear from the main stage,” Heath remembered. “We got yelled at and chased by security but managed to grab everything we needed.” Ultimately Kid Eternity played well in front of a large crowd, with RipItUp magazine calling them “fresh and unpredictable”. The music publication praised all the Dunedin bands that performed, especially Straitjacket Fits. It was a poorly kept secret that this would be their last show, so

SOUTH / Summer 2023

their set sandwiched between Smashing Pumpkins and Soundgarden was much anticipated. In the Auckland dusk they unquestionably rose to the occasion, the consensus being that they not only matched their international rivals, but surpassed them. On the eve of releasing their huge Superknown album, Soundgarden were the biggest drawcard on the bill. The Seattle band took advantage of their status, playing long beyond their allotted time and into that of The 3Ds. Having the noisy Dunedin quartet conclude the festival had been a vaguely controversial move, but Hood wanted a local act to close the show. “I can remember at the time we all thought it was a really stupid idea,” The 3Ds’ David Saunders says. “Who the hell are we to be closing the show? Then it seemed like there was quite a bit of pressure as Soundgarden kept playing into our set. It just seemed to be nuts to be playing last.” Earlier in the day the guitarist had enjoyed the unfamiliar experience of a large music festival. He watched Smashing Pumpkins, Straitjacket Fits, and The Breeders, whose frontwoman Kim Deal had borrowed his amp. At some stage the 3Ds’ other guitarist David Mitchell had got into a backstage

Sounds like summer

Rhythm & Alps Cardrona Valley December 29-31 Hosting around 10,000 punters in the Cardrona Valley, Rhythm & Alps has been a festival fixture since 2011. This year’s line-up is inevitably a quality mix of international and local acts, including Benee, Bicep, Calibre, Fat Freddy’s Drop, Home Brew, and Ocean Alley.

altercation with Soundgarden’s Kim Thayil that almost turned physical. Clearly there was some animosity between the two final acts, especially as The 3Ds set was ultimately cut to just 20 minutes long. Despite being fleeting it was an enjoyable experience. “It was great,” Saunders says. “It probably made it even more exciting because it was short.” The following year The 3Ds played the entire Big Day Out circuit, taking in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide, the Gold Coast, and Auckland. Saunders had particularly fond memories of the huge Melbourne show, where Nick Cave helped The 3Ds climb over a fence with their instruments to find the stage they were playing at. The Big Day Out ran until 2014 before being cancelled due to dwindling ticket sales. Three decades on from the first festival in Auckland, Saunders reflects on its place in the New Zealand music landscape. “What was so great about the Big Day Out was that it brought local bands along and gave them equal billing with the international bands,” he said. “It hadn’t happened like that before.” For more on the Big Day Out in New Zealand, see www.audioculture.co.nz

1. David Saunders during The 3Ds’ brief appearance in 1994. 2. Dunedin’s David Kilgour performing in the midafternoon. 3. Straitjacket Fits played their last show as a going concern at the festival. 4. The Auckland summer was a perfect backdrop to the music on offer at Mt Smart Stadium.

The south is hosting a feast of music festivals this summer.

Bay Dreams South Queenstown Events Centre January 5 After five years of being hosted in Nelson, Bay Dreams South comes further south to Queenstown. The festival features a contemporary line-up of acts including rappers Destroy Lonely, Yelawolf, and NLE Choppa, along with electronic producers Luude, Riton, and Sigma.

Gibbston Valley Summer Concert Gibbston Valley Winery February 3 Glaswegian stars Simple Minds will be playing south of Christchurch for the first time, with hits like Promised You a Miracle, Waterfront, and Don’t You Forget About Me. Fellow Scots Texas will join them, along with Collective Soul, and Aussie New Wavers Pseudo Echo.

Carl Cox Kawarau Bridge February 4 DJ Carl Cox was there from the beginning of the rave scene in the UK, playing on the first night of the legendary Shoom club night in 1987. He’s remained one of the world’s most in demand DJs since. At Kawarau he’ll be joined by Josh Butler and Juliet Fox.

Electric Avenue Hagley Park, Christchurch February 24 While Christchurch is stretching the southern brief a little, the inclusion of Chemical Brothers to the annual Hagley Park gig means it must be added to the list. The British electronic behemoths are joined by a roll-call of local legends, including Six60, Shapeshifter, and L.A.B.

24/ FEATURE: Books

Defining the word A new book by Dr. Sarah Ogilvie charts the development of the Oxford English Dictionary - including its Dunedin connections. By Gavin Bertram

ecided by public vote, the Oxford Word of the Year for 2023 will be announced this week. Last year’s word was ‘goblin mode’, while previous winners have included ‘omnishambles’, ‘bovvered’, ‘youthquake’, and ‘posttruth’. Which just goes to show that new words and ideas are constantly entering the lexicon, and that the English language is anything but static. The Word of the Year is administered by Oxford University Press, publishers of the esteemed Oxford English Dictionary (OED), first issued in 1884. Dr. Sarah Ogilvie’s new book The Dictionary People explores the crowdsourced compilation of that first edition through the people who submitted words. Spanning the globe, the colourful collection of contributors included several notables from Dunedin. But the offerings of both Thomas Hocken and Frederick Chapman had largely been obscured by time and distance. Hocken, who had New Zealand’s largest private book collection, submitted many words. But as they went through the Australian based Edward Ellis, OED editor James Murray wasn’t aware of his contribution. “I particularly wanted to reveal that Dr. Hocken wasn’t thanked in any of the prefaces of the OED,” Ogilvie says. “I wanted to reveal his incredible contribution and shine a light on him in the book.” The result of much detective work, The Dictionary People came about after Ogilvie discovered Murray’s address books in the Oxford University Press basement. While that find didn’t immediately spark the book, she saw it as an opportunity to answer questions about the people who had contributed.

Murray had taken on the OED project in 1870 from a group of intellectuals who had instigated the idea as early as 1844. Initially from his backyard ‘Scriptorium’, and later at Oxford, Murray began appealing for the submission of words from around the world. “They wanted to create a dictionary with every word in the English language in it,” Ogilvie says. “They realised they couldn’t do such a massive task by themselves, so that’s why they decided to crowdsource

The Dictionary People author Dr. Sarah Ogilvie. (Photo: Robert Taylor)

it. They thought let’s just democratise this and open it up to the public in general.” A noted lexicographer and linguist, the author was raised in Australia before working in the United States and Britain. She was on the team that developed the Kindle, has been an editor at Oxford English Dictionaries, and has taught at Stanford, Cambridge, and Oxford. Interestingly, Ogilvie came to linguistics through her early interest in mathematics. She says there’s a particular niche in the discipline for those from maths and physics backgrounds who form an interest in the patterns and structures of language. In stumbling upon Murray’s address books, Ogilvie immediately recognised the work of an obsessive, and that here was a trove to be explored further. “When I saw the names and addresses I just wanted to find out about the people, and I didn’t even think about a book,” she says. “But the people were so colourful and interesting and captivating, and I realised I really had to share this story. They devoted weeks, months, years to this project, and it’s about time we gave them credit for that.” That fascinating cohort included murderers, pornographers, a cannibal, mental patient William Minor, Karl Marx’s daughter, archaeologists, astronomers, suffragists, and many others. Collectively they submitted the more than 400,000 words that appeared in that first 1884 edition. In general, the submitters had to show five examples of the words being used in a written source for it to be viewed as legitimate. With a vast amount of information to include, Ogilvie appropriately structured The Dictionary People via the alphabet. “I reached a point where I was really struggling with how to tell this story,” she says. “I was awake worrying about the structure, and it just came to me. Once I got that structure then writing the book was

SOUTH / Summer 2023

very quick.” The ‘N is for New Zealanders’ chapter details Ogilvie’s search for those from these shores who submitted words. Due to false leads there was some real detective work required. Ultimately, the author was thrilled to uncover the Dunedin connection of Hocken and Chapman, as well as contributions from Edward Tregere, and the Colborne-Veel sisters in Wellington. Murray was under pressure from his Oxford University Press bosses not to include ‘outlandish’ words (those from outside Britain). The editor ignored that, using many words from America, Australia, and New Zealand - including Māori. “He definitely had a wide view of what is classified as English,” Ogilvie says. “And he didn’t let the pressures

of Victorian attitudes towards culture affect his decision making.” Due to the “comprehensive and inclusive” tone that Murray engendered, the OED has had an enduring influence on the language at large. The venerable publication continues to accommodate new words and meanings as the lexicon rapidly evolves thanks to contemporary modes of communication. “As lexicographers today we can track words in real time,” Ogilvie relates. “You can see how words and new meanings of words and new slang words are spreading at an incredibly fast rate thanks to social media and the internet. And also the borders and the boundaries of language are disappearing. New words are spreading at a much faster rate.”

• The Dictionary People: The unsung heroes who created the Oxford English Dictionary by Sarah Ogilvie is published by Chatto & Windus Dunedin’s Dr. Thomas Hocken submitted many words for the Oxford English Dictionary.

B O OK ENDS

26/ ENDNOTES: Books

Vintage Aviators: Aircraft of the Great War Gavin Conroy Published by Potton and Burton Photographer Gavin Ronroy has spent 20 years shooting the WW1 aircraft owned by Sir Peter Jackson’s company The Vintage Aviator Ltd. Also a pilot, he’s been a crew member in every type of two-seat aircraft that they operate. In Vintage Aviators, Conroy’s images are complemented by the words of David McDonald, detailing how these primitive warbirds were developed. With unparalleled access to one of the most significant collections of WW1 planes including replicas, reproductions, and originals, it’s a spectacular tribute to both the collection and the early era of combat aviation. With the peaceful New Zealand scenery as a backdrop, the likes of the Sopwith Camel and Fokker D.VII are striking subjects in this lavish coffee table edition.

SOUTH / Summer 2023

Living Between Land & Sea Jane Robertson Published by Massey University Press Subtitled ‘The bays of Whakaraupō Lyttelton Harbour’, Robertson’s well illustrated edition examines the various settlements of the harbour. Having lived in Governors Bay for two decades, the academic is well placed to document this unique, beautiful part of the South Island. Living Between Land & Sea began life as a blog in which Robertson wrote about the small settlements served by the various jetties around the harbour. “While jetties were the physical starting point, I realised that they were just a portal,” she writes. “A way of stepping back into harbour communities whose reliance on the sea was so much greater than ours today.” A comprehensive history in all senses, this book will be of interest to many with no connection to Whakaraupō.

Tramping in Aotearoa: New Zealand’s Top 45 Tracks Shaun Barnett Published by Potton and Burton Spanning the length of Aotearoa, Barnett’s guide could be the ideal companion for those planning summer walking adventures. An experienced tramper, he is the country’s preeminent author on the subject. Already a bestseller, this republished edition of Tramping in Aotearoa is fully revised with new material. Each of the 45 tracks is covered in detail, with a breakdown of the stages, great images, and overview maps from Wellington company Geographx. While the North Island offers many great trails, the South is where the real action is. Otago, Southland, and Rakiura have some of the best in the country, if not the world, with the Milford, Routeburn, Hollyford, and Greenstone Tracks, and the North West Circuit.

27/ ENDNOTES: Music

SOUTH / Summer 2023

Once Upon a Time

double album with an iconic Roger Dean gatefold sleeve, one track per side, themed on Eastern mysticism. English band Yes’ Tales From Topographic Oceans certainly ticked a lot of progressive rock boxes as it peaked the UK album charts 50 years ago. Having grown out of the more expansive threads of 1960s popular music, prog rock was at its peak in the early to mid-1970s. Emblematic of the times, the movement was prone to selfindulgence, overreaching, navel-gazing, gratuitous virtuosity. Yet out of all that excess came some of the greatest totems of 1970s rock: Dark Side of the Moon, Tubular Bells, The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, Thick as a Brick, Close to the Edge… The latter 1972 effort from Yes is often viewed as the greatest of all prog albums, a perfect evocation of the broad themes within.

By Gavin Bertram

When it came time to record the follow up, the band chose to double down, literally. Again leaning on ideas cribbed from the East, Tales From Topographic Oceans took its guide from classical music when it came to appropriate duration. The shortest track spans 18 minutes and 32 seconds, while the other three exceed 20 minutes. Before Yes visited New Zealand for the first time in April 2011, I spoke to bassist Chris Squire. A member of the band from its beginnings in 1965 until his death in 2015, he reflected on what they were endeavoring to achieve with that 1973 album. “It definitely was an experimental type of record,” Squire said. “It was the first album where we made it in the studio as opposed to everything we’d done until then we’d learned in the rehearsal room. With Topographic Oceans we went to the studio for about four months and

Closer to the edge: In December 1973, Yes released what was surely the self-indulgent peak of progressive rock.

did everything there. “It was a fairly ramshackle approach and definitely very experimental in the way we were working. Because of that it had a few faults in not being bound together as cohesively as say maybe Fragile or Close to the Edge had been.” In retrospect he and other members of Yes viewed the boundary pushing experiment as something that ultimately defined the band, even as it radically evolved into the 1980s. With the album nearing its 50th anniversary, guitarist Steve Howe recently said “I don’t think we’d be the same group without it”. Of course, the extravagances of prog rock were often cited as one of the main triggers for the advent of punk in the mid-1970s. Bands such as Pink Floyd and Yes were viewed as the enemy of good taste by the new regime. Squire was philosophical about that era, believing that it’s all just music and that

Yes performing in London in late 1973, Chris Squire second from right. (Photo: David Warner Ellis/Getty Images)

elements of everything get rewoven into the fabric of what comes afterwards. “Anyone who was invested in the punk rock movement obviously thought it was all very pompous,” he said. “For those people it was; there was a bit too much going on, and it wasn’t really rock’n’roll enough for them I suppose. But rock’n’roll has many faces.”

• A Super Deluxe Edition of Tales From Topographic Oceans remixed by Steven Wilson was released in 2016.

28/ ENDNOTES: Expats

SOUTH / Summer 2023

How ya going? Leah Hinton Leah Hinton departed Dunedin after completing a music degree at the University of Otago and playing in avant metal act El Schlong. Touring for the next decade, she eventually became a Berliner. In the German capital Hinton immersed herself in recording, producing, and mixing. Her solo project Murmur Tooth this year released No Time to Explain, a collaboration with house DJ and producer Lars Moston. So, how are you going? Yeah, not too bad, how're you? Where are you and how’s the weather? I'm in Berlin, and although the sun is still peeking through, the air temperature is letting us know winter is reeeeally close. Berlin winters can be long and bleak – it gets dark before 4pm and all the trees lose their leaves, so it's a good four months of dreary concrete jungle. I'm coming home to New Zealand for Christmas this year though, so that will help break it up! What’s been keeping you busy recently? I'm here making music under the name Murmur Tooth and I've recently released an album called No Time to Explain with my collab partner, Lars Moston. The album sits somewhere in the alt-pop space, but we've also released remixes of some of these songs by prominent German electronic

producers like Chris Luno and Rich Vom Dorf. And we've just signed a track to legendary house label Nervous Records in New York, so I find myself working on music from all over the genre spectrum at the moment. I also manage operations at one of the fastest growing startups in Europe, so between that and music there's not much time for anything else! You can listen to the album on Spotify. When you have visitors, where do you take them? In summer I take them to the parks. Nobody has gardens in Berlin, so in summer the parks become great big barbecues with hundreds of people – it's a really nice buzz. Or we hire a barbecue boat and float down the river being merry. What do you miss about New Zealand? Family and friends, obviously, but also Pinky Bars. Ze Germans don't understand marshmallow…

I was there: U2 New Zooland tour 1993 Dunedin band The 3Ds were in high demand in 1993, the year they released the excellent The Venus Trail album. Even U2’s Bono wanted a piece, personally requesting them for the New Zealand dates of the monumental Zoo TV tour, 30 years ago this month. The 3Ds guitarist David Saunders looks back on that experience, including being accused of stealing a bottle of champagne from U2’s dressing room. “It was so bizarre being on that. It seemed like all of a sudden we were playing stadiums, and I don’t think our music really translated very well to a stadium - but it was good fun to do. With U2 it really felt like the crowd

was so far away. With the Big Day Out it was much closer, much more in your faces. You can’t be too intimidated though, because people can hear you and they can’t hear anyone else. The whole thing was such an eye opener for me. The whole U2 set up was just so insane. Under the stage they had five or six computers set up, hooked into the money markets, with accountants investing their money. Their catering was like a seven course restaurant. And being able to see Bono’s backstage space where he obviously got into the persona… he had a throne and stuff. The whole thing was just so surreal. Cars hanging from the lighting trusses. Crazy, and a lot of fun.

A still from Andrew Moore’s video of The 3Ds supporting U2 at Auckland’s Western Springs.

But it wasn’t much fun being basically told that we were in all this trouble for something we had nothing to do with. But in the end it worked out really well for us, thanks to one of the promoters mentioning it in front of Bono. Apparently Bono said pay them double and sent us a bottle of wine. What a guy, what an awesome dude.”

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30/ ENDNOTES: Loose Ends

SOUTH / Summer 2023

One thing about…

Rakiura

QUIZ TIME 1. Who did New Zealand beat at Carisbrook in the 1992 Cricket World Cup? 2. Built for hydroelectricity workers, in what year was Twizel founded? 3. Where in the south was former Poet Laureate Bill Manhire born? 4. When was the official opening of the Haast Highway? 5. Which New Zealander performed at the International Festival of Country Music at Wembley Stadium in 1983? 6. Southerner David Strang invented what in 1890? 7. Later F1 champion driver Denny Hulme won the Dunedin Road Race in which year? 8. What is the largest island in Lake Wakatipu?

‘South’ has numerous meanings, but for Keiko Agatsuma it meant escape from the megalopolitan hell of Tokyo. Escape from the urban chaos, from a cleaning job, from family, and from a crushing culture. With a determination to travel as far south as possible, Agatsuma eventually lit upon Rakiura and a kind of solitude she’d never conceived of. In late 1978 she arrived in Oban with a backpack and two boxes of groceries, before taking a boat to

the head of Paterson Inlet. Having traversed the challenging tramp to Mason Bay, Agatsuma first settled into the Forest Service Hut. Here she got to know local farmers Tim and Ngaire Te Aika. “Lots of things impressed us about the woman,” Tim said. “She would’ve lived here forever if she had the chance.” In time, she battled over Adams Hill to Doughboy Bay and a new home in a cave on the beach. However Agatsuma’s stay was short lived, as some deerstalkers found

her ill after a week there. During a stay at Invercargill Hospital, the police discovered she was an overstayer. Her time in New Zealand was coming to an end. However, police returned with Agatsuma to Rakiura so that she could recover some hidden money. It’s now believed this was a ruse so she could have a final look at paradise lost. Niki Caro’s 1998 film Memory and Desire was loosely based on the legend of Keiko Agatsuma.

9. Filmed around southern ski fields, the cast of 1987’s The Leading Edge included which comedian? 10. Which Dunedin born artist was part of the first official New Zealand representation at the 2001 Venice Biennale?

5 TRUTHS IN 5 WORDS Answers: 1. India; 2. 1968; 3. Invercargill; 4. 1965; 5. Suzanne Prentice; 6. Instant coffee; 7. 1961; 8. Pigeon Island; 9. Billy T. James; 10. Jacqueline Fraser.

Turns are for fast drivers. (Colin McRae) Time heals what reason cannot. (Seneca) People want you to fail. (Lady Gaga) Tom, I am not everybody. (Mark Twain) Dreaming ties all mankind together. (Jack Kerouac)

31/ Sponsored content

SOUTH / Summer 2023

It’s time for a visit to Tūhura Otago Museum

ūhura Otago Museum’s frontdesk staff sometimes struggle with the question, “What is there to see here?” It’s not easy to answer – the list is so long that visitors often require a seat halfway through the recitation. Between the galleries, planetarium, tropical forest, and New Zealand’s largest science centre, there’s a staggering amount to do. Staff members have their biases, though. Some of them will direct you to the Maritime gallery, where a colossal fin whale skeleton hangs from the ceiling and model ships are poised in the act of parting painted waves. Others will send you to ancient Egypt or suggest a sojourn in the South Pacific. Often, the best experiences are those you stumble across, and that’s how most people find themselves standing in the Victorian-era Animal Attic, taking in

The biggest science centre in New Zealand Three-storey slide Hundreds of live rainforest butterflies in an indoor tropical forest 45 hands-on interactives and hours of fun and discovery

its singular collection of taxidermy and questioning everything they thought they knew about kangaroo anatomy. The butterflies are an enduring favourite of staff and visitors alike – having one land on you is worth at least ten points towards your Disney princess accreditation – and the winding walkways of the tropical forest are a pleasant change of pace after exploring the science centre, which usually entails several trips down the three-storey slide, a couple of volcanic eruptions and unleashing at least one tornado in the name of scientific inquiry. You can still watch planets and stars whirl overhead in the planetarium while a presenter shows you Earth’s place in the cosmos. And if you’d like to see another universe entirely, the virtual reality exhibition TERMINUS will be at the Museum all summer long.

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