NZ Musician August/September 2015 by NZ Musician

VO L . 19

NO.2

A u g u s t / S e p t e m b e r 2015

TPPA

FREE

GLASS VAULTS LOUD GHOST SHEPHERDS OF CASSINI ASTRO CHILDREN ISRAEL STARR RACKETS HOLLY ARROWSMITH AHORIBUZZ TAHUNA BREAKS

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Music Industry Training Courses Directory 2016

NZ MUSICIAN magazine PO Box 99-315, Newmarket 1149 Auckland New Zealand

VO L . 19

N O . 2 A u g u s t / S e p t e m b e r 2015

Phone: (09) 373 2572 Fax: (09) 303 3349 editorial@nzmusician.co.nz

www.nzmusician.co.nz Publisher / Editor: Richard Thorne richard@nzmusician.co.nz Assistant Editors: Silke Hartung Carl McWilliams editorial@nzmusician.co.nz Advertising: Carl McWilliams Website Contact: web@nzmusician.co.nz Designer: Silke Hartung Pre-Press & Printing: MHP Print Contributors Caitlin Smith, Briar Lawry, Poppy Tohill, Jack Woodbury, Mohamed Hassan, Darryl Kirk, Andrew Smit, Tim Gillon, Sammy Jay Dawson, Kevin Downing, Trevor Reekie, Ania Glowacz, Rob Burns, Amanda Mills, Martyn Pepperell, Tim Gruar, David McLaughlin, Andrew Rooney, Thomas Goss, David Patterson, Stu Edwards, Chip Matthews, Aleisha Ward, Liz Barry, Bing Turkby, Chloe Cairncross, Colin Selby, Chris Dent, Jesse Austin, Finn McLennanElliott, Kim Paterson, Eddie Dawn-McCurdy, Marcel Bellvé NZ Musician magazine is published six times a year. Available direct by subscription and free through selected outlets. For advertising or subscription enquiries please contact: editorial@nzmusician.co.nz or phone (09) 373 2572

Contents and design

Music Industry Training Courses Directory 2016 p24-32

FEATURES

REGULARS

LESSONS

Tami Neilson . . . . . . . . . .

Finding Your Voice . . . .

Guitar Cool . . . . . . . . . .

Loud Ghost . . . . . . . . . . .

Fresh Talent. . . . . . . . . .

Deep Thinking. . . . . . . .

AHoriBuzz . . . . . . . . . . . .

On Foreign Soil . . . . . . .

Shepherds Of Cassini . . .

Moments Like These. . .

The Lawful Truth. . . . . .

Get Yer Kit Off . . . . . . . .

Building Blocks . . . . . .

Fresh Cut . . . . . . . . . . .

Astro Children. . . . . . . . .

Glass Vaults . . . . . . . . . .

Israel Starr . . . . . . . . . . .

Holly Arrowsmith . . . . . .

Tutors’ Tutorial . . . . . . .

Rackets. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Ex-Pat Files. . . . . . . . . .

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She lays still, She has for ten thousand years or more, The lady of the valley’s Got a heart beat of stone. I’ve hidden many times, In her motherly arms Like a child cradled there Till the violent storm has past. Gold rolling through her cold veins, to the river down below. When I see her, I know that I am home – Lady Of The Valley, Holly Arrowsmith p50

COVER Tami Neilson

Photograph by Justyn Denney Strother

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Tami Neilson

New Soul Staple With the perfect figures of four from four, Tami Neilson rates as this country’s top album-for-Tui country artist. Arriving here from her native Canada in 2005, she has picked up the Best Country Album Tuis in 2009, 2010, 2012 and 2014, and is also the current holder of APRA’s coveted Silver Scroll trophy – for her soulful surprise track Walk (Back To Your Arms). Little more than a year since the release of her last Tui-winning album Tami is back with a new one, an album borne from the grief of a loving daughter losing her equally loving father, that finds the soul taking precedence over the country, as Richard Thorne discovers.

ur hour long conversation over, Tami Neilson allows herself the luxury of a quick wipe under those huge brown eyes, and an admission of relief that she managed to get through the first interview for her soon-to-be released album without breaking into tears. ‘Don’t Be Afraid’ is an emotion-laden album, written, as it was, almost entirely in the immediate aftermath of her beloved father’s death, earlier this year. Both songwriters and performing musicians, their father/daughter bond was an unusually strong one, perhaps strengthened – certainly not lessened – by the geographical distance between the Neilson family seat in Ontario and her own growing family’s Auckland home. Inside the last 12 months Tami has given birth to a second child, watched her dad Ron pass away in a Canadian hospital, written, recorded and now (mid-September) released a profoundly personal album of loss and grief – and hope. Within that period she also picked up NZ’s highest songwriting honour, the APRA Silver Scroll, for Walk (Back To Your Arms) off 2014’s ‘Dynamite!’, which also won her (yet another) Best Country Album Tui in May this year. “Last year was an insane year, I had the highest of the highs and the lowest of the lows all in one year – and I guess that is what the album is, it reflects that constant cycle of life.” The reflection is strong; lit overhead by gospel, from behind with country music, and from both sides with classic soul. “There are a lot of reasons I chose ‘Don’t Be Afraid’ as the title, and one of them is that musically as an artist it’s a departure for me. There are definite moments where I have had to go, ‘Don’t be afraid of this, this is

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who you are.’ This album is the guts of me.” ‘Dynamite!’ showed Tami dipping her toes in the waters of soul music, its Silver Scroll-winning single and Dynamite flagging a move away from the various country styles of her previous three albums. But it was still very firmly a country foundation as she says, whereas this album has almost flipped that – it’s solidly of a soul foundation, flavoured with elements of country music. “I guess ‘departure’ is the wrong word because it’s all the same palette and same family, but whereas ‘Dynamite!’ was a lot of light, bright colours, ‘Don’t Be Afraid’ is deeper, richer colours – still in that same family but a different level.” Fans of the country-Tami will still find her on several tracks like Lonely, Heavy Heart, Only Tears and Laugh, Laugh, Laugh – but even so, her collection of Country Album Tuis may be already complete at four – as she herself admits with uproarious laughter. “Holy Moses was the one. It’s kind of like a Tina Turner throwback! I sat in the studio after we played it back and went, ‘Well, I guess I won’t be winning the Tui for Best Country Album this time!” While three of her previous albums had won her Tuis in 2009, 2010 and 2012, it’s ‘Dynamite!’ that will be remembered as Tami Neilson’s breakthrough album. Apart from the Silver Scroll win and all that has meant for her audience, profile and status as an artist domestically, it’s the first of her albums to attract any international label interest, at last giving her a release back in Canada and the States (early September this year), as well as distribution in the UK.

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In planning a follow up she sought to replicate the ‘Dynamite!’ experience as much as possible – same studio, same production team, same musicians. Securing this winning combo dictated recording in Lyttelton in mid-April 2015 – less than a year after the NZ release of ‘Dynamite!’. “I’ve always been prolific with my albums, my past three before ‘Dynamite!’ were all put out a year or two apart as well,” she explains of this fast turnaround. “The birth of an album is a long process and you don’t know what’s going to be happening when it comes to life. I didn’t realise the life that ‘Dynamite!’ would have, and so it’s quite funny that the new album’s release in NZ will be the same month as the old one gets released overseas for the first time! I hope that doesn’t confuse people [on social media] too much. “Another element that played a big role in the decision was wanting to have Delaney [Davidson] and all the boys that were on ‘Dynamite!’ involved again. That meant planning it for a specific time, it was going to be tricky to find an intersect when everybody was available. Delaney [guitarist, co-songwriter and producer] has his own full-fledged international career, Dave [Khan – anything at all with strings] and Joe [McCallum – drummer] are in numerous bands, Ben [Woolley – bassist] was moving overseas to be in Marlon’s band full time, so all of the boys were in a state of transit. It was a matter of locking in the studio time when everyone was available, and that window was April of this year. So that was my deadline, I had to have everything written and ready to record in April.” Along with Davidson, Marlon Williams has been another major contributor to Tami’s live and recorded music in recent years. “Marlon was heavily involved on the last one, but he is on such a trajectory at the moment himself that he only popped in for one day. We managed to get a little cameo on Lonely. I am singing about this character – which is loneliness really – and he embodies the voice of loneliness! Plus he adds all the beautiful harmonies, the ooos in the background, which nobody can do like Marlon.” She laughs about the natural male awkwardness in knowing how to handle and respond to her jangled emotions just a few months after her dad’s death, but clearly felt their love. “There were definitely a lot of tears shed, but the energy was powerful and special. I felt very surrounded and supported by the boys.” In January last year the Neilson family (mum, dad and Tami) had toured Aotearoa, playing 10 dates from Gore to Leigh. In that time most of her studio musician friends had met her father and played with him. Delaney, she says, had only emailed and skyped with Ron, but had evidently impressed him. “The night before he died, Dad said, ‘When I get my new lungs I’m gonna fly to NZ and I’m gonna get Delaney and the boys to record this new song with me.’ I guess that was also a big part of making it the title track, and that was the first song we recorded.” No new songs were written in the studio this time, and there’s only one co-write with Davidson. Tears talks about the recipe for tears,

so fits neatly with the album’s theme – though it’s much more of a perky, swinging country number. Davidson provided Tami with another complete song in So Far Away, sent to her while she was in Canada. “It’s about that awful feeling of being away from family and the time lapse you find on your return from touring. He wrote it from his own experience, but captured very much that feeling of constant pull and struggle created by the musicians’ touring lifestyle. It definitely fitted into the family of songs.” Back in the familiar surrounds of Ben Edwards’ Sitting Room studio, the songs were again recorded live, the musicians all in the room playing together. Overdubs were needed only for some of the layered harmonies and some Red McKelvie steel guitar. “We tracked it all in three days, then added the overdubs and mixing, so it was 10 days in total. ‘Dynamite!’ was five days in total, so I’ve gone rockstar haven’t I? Doubling it, really

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extravagant!”, she laughs. Being heavily pregnant in the middle of last year didn’t seem to slow Tami in promoting the release of ‘Dynamite!’, but by the time of recording, with new baby Sam and toddler Charlie, she had her hands more than full. As any parent of youngsters would guess, getting an album of tracks ready by the end of March was always going to be a tall order. And Tami is very much a hands-on mother. “Because I am a full time mum, and a full time musician, unfortunately gone are the days of writing an album when I feel inspired! I was writing all the seeds of the songs near the end of last year, and getting some shapes and ideas. Most of them were done very percussively ’cos I had a baby in one arm and couldn’t even pick up a guitar – so it would be a melody and rhythm that drove it. I’d be feeding him while recording it on my phone. [Cue that hearty laugh again.] I have so many demos of me singing and hitting something, like my leg, or doing this hideous

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beatboxing, to get the rhythm and tempo. That was just borne of necessity.” In the middle of February things changed dramatically, with the news that her dad Ron had been unexpectedly hospitalised with pulmonary fibrosis. “I had completed two songs, and had booked in my mother in-law and husband [as babysitters] to clear two or three days a week, for six weeks of dedicated writing days when I could sit down with a guitar and fully focus. Everyone was pitching in to help. I’d had one session, when I finished Loco Mama, and the following week I got the call about Dad being really sick.” The decision was made for Tami to leave immediately for Canada, taking the new baby to her father, who had yet to meet him. “I jumped on a plane and got there, and within a week Dad passed away, which none of us was expecting at all. He was only 65. He died on the 26th of February and had done his last gig on New Years Eve, rockin’ out – so it was a very, very fast spiral. “So we were at the end of February and I had just lost my father, and mum asked me what I was going to do about [recording] the album in six weeks time? I had only written two songs and said that I would just have to cancel it. She immediately started crying and telling me that my dad would be so disappointed if this stopped the momentum of what’s been happening. She said that she felt it was really important and this could be my way of honouring him.” Having her two young boys in Canada denied her time to wallow as she might have. “I had to process my grief in some other way than lying in bed and crying for weeks on end. So I decided to give it a go.” She would be staying in Canada until the end of March and set that as the cut off date for possible studio and musician cancellation. Her father had always been her sounding board, pretty much the first person she would play anything to. By now sniffling back tears, Tami averts her eyes as she tries to keep her

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emotions in check. “I actually inadvertently wrote the title track (without realising it would be for the album) the week Dad died. Don’t Be Afraid was the last song Dad wrote, while in the hospital. He had written the melody, lyrics and everything, but he was on oxygen and could barely breathe to speak. He told me that it was driving him crazy that he had this new song stuck in his head, but had no way of offloading it. “It’s an awful feeling, I know, so I said I would bring him in his guitar so he could play it and I’d record it on my phone. He did a verse, so I got the melody, but then his levels dropped dramatically (that’s the hidden track on the album, Dad’s Demo), but we didn’t get the chorus, or the melody for the chorus. “He was just real adamant about this song, and Mum even wanted my brother Jay and I to sing it at the funeral. No pressure!” she laughs at the family craziness. The siblings (Jay co-wrote her Silver Scroll-winner) decided to finish the song and see if they could get past the tears to perform it as per their mother’s wish.

work through it, you know? In that time span, I don’t know how, but I did manage to write an album. I guess once those floodgates were opened everything came out so naturally.” “There’s some really uplifting songs as well. At first I was worried this album was going to be all doom and gloom, very heavy. I don’t know that it’s heavy, I think it’s deep, but in this funny way it becomes uplifting. It’s this weird kind of irony, but that’s what this album definitely has been for me, singing out my grief in order to process that grief.” Covering different phases of grief the songs are far from all sad. The rowdy Holy Moses covers the frustrated angry part while the cynical Laugh, Laugh, Laugh – a performer’s take on having to smile and entertain people when you are in the process of grieving. The upbeat, theatrical Loco Mama was one of two tracks she’d finished in Auckland before Ron’s hospitalisation. As the name suggests it’s about the craziness of parenthood. “I’ve got two children, so if I can keep slobber off the keyboard that’s a good day! I’ve already had to replace a laptop because of spilt milk

“I have always related to Mavis Staples, being on stage with her father her whole life. Growing up singing in a family band is a very unique thing, because you are surrounded by all the trappings of the music industry, yet you are in this sheltered kind of family bubble.” “So that’s how that song was born and it immediately felt natural for it to be the title track.” Don’t Be Afraid also opens the album. Five minutes long and dripping with emotion, it’s an epic song that, as she says, really feels like an album closer. But it perfectly sets the tone for the remainder of the album. “From there I just started writing and actually it became such a wonderful way to process my grief. I felt that I could do something physical to

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– multi-tasking, writing and feeding the baby and the cereal bowl just went all over it!” Bury My Body was the other. “I had written that as an uplifting Staples Singers-kind of feeling, to encourage Dad when he was feeling so sick. I sent it over to him from NZ and he absolutely loved it. It was special to have that on the album because it was the last song he heard as well. “I have never ever written a note in my

life that has not been heard by my dad, so that was really hard part of recording and making this album. There was a part of me that really wanted him to hear these songs that were written about him, but he wasn’t here to hear them. Not that I always took his advice, but I always valued his opinion.” On her prior album it was the swagger of Big Mamma Thornton that Tami sought for Walk (Back To Your Arms), this time it was the Staples family providing a broad template. “I was listening to a ton of gospel music when he passed away. I’ve always been a massive Staples’ fan and loved Mavis’ work especially with Jeff Tweedy on the last couple of albums, and I had ordered the new Pops album. It was released days before Dad died, and I ordered it in Canada so I could take it into the hospital for him to listen to. It [‘Don’t Lose This’] arrived the day after he died, and of course I sobbed about that, but I will always be so grateful for that album helping me get through that grieving process.” Being on stage with her own father her whole life, she has always felt a link to Mavis Staples. “I grew up in a gospel singing family – we then switched to mainstream country, whereas the Staples were mainstream pop/soul. Growing up singing in a family band is a very unique thing, and can be a strange dynamic as an artist, because you are surrounded by all the secular trappings of the music industry, yet you are in this sheltered kind of family bubble. “For her it ended when her father died, for me it ended more when I moved to NZ and had to find my own identity as a solo artist. So that album had so many layers for me to relate to.” One readily apparent difference lies in the fact that despite her apparent domestic success (if we take her NZ Music Awards as a measure), Tami remains a self-managed artist. She says it would be great to have someone take on all the “unsavoury parts”, and leave her just to sing, write and be a mother, but fully knows that’s not the way it is in the industry these days. “There’s always the fantasy of handing the reins over and letting someone else drive things when the daily grind gets real overwhelming and discouraging as a self-managed artist. You are the only one pushing and can feel like no one else is in your corner, you know? Now I am starting to have more of a team here, with Southbound Distribution, and within the local music industry there are some long time champions of my music.” It was Southbound owner Jeffrey Stothers who seeded the interest from Canadian label Outside Music, who have sinbce licensed ‘Dynamite!’ and will release it in Canada and the U.S. mid-September. Similar approaches have been made to the Australian, UK and German markets, where Tami already has an established fan base, following glowing reviews for ‘Dynamite!’ from influential sources like The Observer, The Guardian and plays on BBC radio. She’s enjoyed those accolades but maintains she isn’t concerned that things are moving only slowly on the international release front.

“All that was through fans and people loving the album – and that’s the most rewarding way it can happen for an artist, I think. Fully on the merit of people loving the music. I don’t really have this urgency to ‘get big’ or whatever. That’s not where I’m at at this stage in my life. I’m not 20 anymore, and with two little ones I’m not able to tour endlessly – I have a family to run as well!” Asked if she feels she has gained spirituality from this experience of death, Tami answers that she has always been very spiritually aware, but there has been a change. “It’s not an airy-fairy thing anymore, it’s something that is a part of life now. There are definitely a lot of elements of hope that I see him again, or even feeling his presence now. “I’ve lost people before in my life, but never anyone this integral a part of who I am. I’ve never known a day in my life without him in it, so I felt really untethered. I think for anybody who loses somebody close it tinges the way you look at everything, not just spiritually, your perspective changes a lot I think. No matter what your beliefs are, I think everybody grasps at the hope that they will see their loved one again in some way.” With that perfect record of four NZ Music Awards Tuis from four albums Tami is our most highly awarded current country artist – indeed the most so awarded artist of any genre category – yet it was the perfectly executed soulfulness of Walk (Back To Your Arms) that won her the APRA Silver Scroll in 2014. On tour with the Topp Twins at the time, she says because she having no inkling she would win, she just relaxed and really got to enjoy the night. “Winning the Scroll is special because there is no genre attached, it is simply on the merit of the writing and the song, so to be the first country artists that ever won it in 40 years was a pretty amazing feeling. Walking up on stage to receive the award from Lorde was surreal. “Even though my music had been recognised by the NZ music industry and awarded, which was thrilling for me as well, it was still very much restricted to country music – I was very much aware of that glass ceiling which kind of goes with the territory of being a country musician in NZ and I had kind of gotten used to it.” Billed on the cover her last album (by friend Delaney Davidson), as ‘… the hot rockin’ lady of country, soul and rockabilly’, it seems her many fans will need to get used to Tami Neilson putting the soul first in the future. “In the beginning of the recording process I wondered if this would totally alienate people? It’s the most personal album of songs I’ve ever written, and it is very daunting to put such a raw, exposed, vulnerable part of yourself out there. However, I find as a fan of other artists, when they really expose themselves like that I treasure that more. “Also it’s that irony that the more personal you are the more relatable the songs are. I think everyone has experienced heartbreak, whether it’s loss of a person or something else, and I think the more intimate the songs the more relatable it is, because you are tapping into something everyone has felt.”

“Most of the songs were done very percussively ’cos I had a baby in one arm and couldn’t even pick up a guitar – so it would be a melody and rhythm that drove it. I’d be feeding him while recording it on my phone.”

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GJOEJOH ZPVS WPJDF with Caitlin Smith

A Long Time Between Drinks (How To Sing When We Haven’t Been…)

hen we haven’t sung in a long spell we can be disheartened when confronting our singing voice. This column deals with how to get back on the horse and ride like the wind. Having the courage to rebuild your voice initiates new appreciation and love for singing, music and free expression. Personally, I am strangely grateful for the damage, set-backs, struggle and difficulty with my voice and music career. Why? Because these challenges have led to greater understanding and higher regard for the instrument, my self and great vocal technique. The voice is 100% physical… 100% psychological and 100% spiritual. (As you can tell, I’ve never been good at maths.) Work on wellness in your life and your voice will reflect this. Similarly, establishing a joyous daily singing practice radiates positive influence in all other aspects of our lives. Some of my previous NZM columns have dealt with the issues of vocal recovery (specifically, post-operatively from vocal surgery). These experiential lessons learned mean I’m less likely to repeat mistakes – consciously or unconsciously. If I do slip up, I know how to rectify and restore vocal function without freaking out. The voice is a very robust entity; it IS who we are. All fear is unfounded as the body is in a constant state of healing and improvement. It helps to write your fears down – articulating fears often reveals how puerile they are. When we haven’t sung or performed in a while, we seem to expect an amazing sound to spontaneously siren forth from our mouths. The logic of this is as faulty as expecting to effortlessly run up several flights of stairs after doing no exercise for months, and gaining 10kg. (I know, because I am that soldier.) Vocalisation will probably feel less powerful and controlled, and more heavy and unwieldy. This is normal, and

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temporary. Rather than reaching an ideal (sound or weight), simply increase fitness and enjoy the benefits. Because vocal cords are tiny vibrating ligaments attached to the vast musculature of the body, they get flabby, weak and unfit if unused. Like yoga, the point of warming up the voice is to gently stretch it back into full range, strength, balance, flexibility and function. Like yoga, vocalisation feeeeeels so good. (Try combining singing warm-ups with yoga stretches – it works a charm!)

Rather, I distract myself by singing while doing something else like walking, housework, in the shower etc. Find our what works best for you. Prefer military styles? Then boot camp it is. Whatever you do, don’t judge or compare. Voices change and may feel/sound different, wrong, hard, foreign, unfamiliar – even impossible at times. Using good technique, there’s nothing to be afraid of, and nothing you can’t achieve. You’ll know HOW to get the sounds you’re after. Previously, singing may have been natural/

take risks to develop, your craft and skill mature as you do. Use the jazz rather than pop model, which worships youth, considering artists as past it by 21, and focuses way too much on aesthetics rather than true inspiration and soul. Why then, do we despair? Probably perfectionism… served up with a shot of shame and a loss-of-faith chaser. We deny, avoid, act out, self-medicate, make excuses for not practicing, judge and catastrophise. You’ll complain, “I don’t sound like I used to. I can’t hit those

Music is all forgiving and unconditionally loving. Songs are like great friends – they don’t care how long you’ve been away, they just love that you want to hang out, whatever state you’re in. It does feel ‘weird’ doing yoga when you’re out of shape though – same with singing. Allow yourself to gracefully move through a transition period of slow steady improvement rather than demanding instant results. Don’t worry about outcomes, just enjoy the activity of singing and the scrummy sounds you dive into. Voice is an instrument of self-expression and healing – for self and others. Twang and open-ness make every note and word you sing a remedy. Use vocal tools as the pilot uses instruments to steer to their destination – constantly adjusting course, altitude etc. in response to conditions. Music is all forgiving and unconditionally loving. Songs are like great friends – they don’t care how long you’ve been away, they just love that you want to hang out, whatever state you’re in. Find out what’s new? Ask them what they’ve been up to. Keep the lines of communication open. Personally, I don’t respond well to deadlines or diets, obligations or ‘have to’s. Therefore, I don’t set unachievable goals that I’ll beat myself up for not realising.

easy, but you didn’t know what you were doing. It just worked. Difficulty is an invitation to learn failsafe ways of vocalising. Injury, fatigue and damage, instruct us into ‘best practice’. Like Ironman, you’ll be stronger after the rebuild. Following vocal silence (every morning) you’ll find your voice is lower. That’s great. Warm-ups easily regain the top end, but now you’ll have more bottom end to play with. Think of Joni Mitchell’s voice changing, getting more character with age, cocaine and cigarettes. Coincidentally, age is a blessing for vocalists – it often increases subtleties of expression, musicality and depth. Respect the instrument, keep fit and you’ll capitalise on these new dimensions. Unlike other kinds of athleticism, the voice improves as it matures by virtue of increased life experience, emotional breadth and expertise. Tony Bennett and Alberta Hunter are great examples of maturation rather than decay. Carole King is sounding better now than she did in her 20s. Like acting, if you show up and

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high notes anymore.” Nothing’s wrong. You’re just out of practice. Warm up and be amazed as your voice returns with greater control. Become aware and adept using twang, openness, placement and purpose. Little things pack a big punch – e.g. three minutes of loudly panting ‘Sh! Sh! Sh!’ each day will greatly strengthen breathing/support muscles. Every little bit helps. Rather than numbing your emotions and experiencing anger or frustration at where you’re at, open the paint box of your emotions and use them to colour your songs. Remind yourself of why you sing; to serve the song, communicate, activate, engage, express, connect. An audience doesn’t require you to be perfect, rather, that you be real, honest and spectacularly you. Last time I checked, I wasn’t perfect. Thank God for that. www.facebook.com/caitlinsmithmusic Twitter @BraveCaitlin Caitlin@caitlinsmith.com

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“W

e’re shooting love around the world,” explains singer Martine Harding, one half of Wanaka’s Arma Del Amor. Danny Fairley, her instrumental counterpart, sits by her side, as she continues to explain the duo’s name, saying it translates from Spanish as “Love Gun”. As we talk the soul-electronica pair are preparing for the release their self-titled debut EP at the end of July. Drawing inspiration from Shapeshifter, Bonobo, Little Dragon and The xx, their unique blend of soul and electronic music is already creating waves in the local scene. They closed the stage at 2014’s Rippon Music Festival, and opened the main stage at Rhythm and Alps over New Year. Looking forward Arma Del Amor are set to open for both MØ and Kora within the next few months. “I think a live show is really good if you can have huge walls of sound and then break them down to the tiniest kick drum sample, and a piano and a guitar,” explains Harding. “It sucks the listener right in and then explodes it back out again.” This accentuated dynamic variation has become the duo’s goal for

live performances, seeing them add drummer Ricky Simmonds when on stage, so Fairley can focus on playing more sounds live. “Our shows are 95% live, with only a tiny amount of triggered samples on the keys. I want it to be 100% live.” This is reflected on their six-track, self-titled debut EP, written over the past two years in Fairley’s Wanaka studio, mixed by Benny Tones at Organik Musik Workz and mastered at Sydney’s Studios 301 by Ben Feggans. The first taste of their work, lead single The Watcher, is available via their Bandcamp. Across the EP, Harding’s soulful vocal timbre fits effortlessly into Fairley’s electronic instrumentation, blending soaring synths with powerful percussion and heavy bass. Accompanying the EP release will be a mini-documentary (filmed by Harding’s brother) and a video for The Watcher. Eschewing the separation of producer and singer, the EP’s creation was purely collaborative, as she explains. “Danny sits and produces the music on the computer, I go away and do the melody and lyrics, then we come back together. Then Danny helps me with the lyrics, and I will help vice versa with the music.” “I’m inspired a lot by Wanaka and its surroundings, and I think a lot of that shows in our music and lyrics. Sometimes it’s literal poetry,” continues Harding as she explains her creative process.“A song will come out of you and then it makes sense. It’s like talking to your future self.” With the EP’s release imminent, all attention is focused on popularising their name and music. Following that Fairley intends to work on a hip hop/glitch solo project, while Harding will be focusing on improving her production chops. Even so, it seems Arma Del Amor has only just begun to shoot the love.

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icture this. You’re fresh out of high school and waiting for life to take off. Travel documents are taking forever and you’re doing a bit of work to keep things ticking along – but Canada’s waiting and so are you. Rather than just mooching around you make music. The kind of music that, a week or so after your EP drops, already has a “really weird-ly good” response from friends and strangers alike. Jack Brosnahan’s your man. By the time this goes to print, he’ll be in the great white north – but in early July he released his debut EP under the moniker Yesses. Jack and a friend spent a considerable amount of time toying with names, before the friend struck gold. “He came up with the idea of doing the word ‘noise’ but replacing the ‘n-o’ (because that’s no, that’s negative, that’s no fun) with ‘yes’, making Yesise – but we decided that Yesses looks better and is easier to pronounce. And I noticed that it looks kind of like Yeezus, which is cool,

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since Kanye is my biggest idol.” The plurality works too as there are four bandmates on stage as Yesses. Jack handles guitar and vocals, Josh Bardwell plays bass, Mitchell Innes is on drums and bvs and Tom Monaghan on additional guitar. The EP however was mostly a solo project. “It’s just me and Mitchell – I’m playing all the instrument-y instruments and he’s playing drums. I recorded all the guitars, basses, keyboards at my computer. I just did it there at night, while everyone slept. And then I’d send them to Mitchell, and he’d record drums at his house, and then send all that to a guy I know from Christchurch who did all the mixing and mastering. And then I’ve just asked these people to learn them in the last two weeks.” This particular configuration may be a new one, but all four guys have played together in various ways for a long time. “Me and Tom and a friend used to be in a comedy rock rap trio. We were not good. We were 14, 15?” ‘Fifteen,’ Monaghan confirms. “Embarrassingly old.” “We did that for a while, and it was not good, but it was fun.” Next came some mournful post-break-up songs, as well as an ongoing ”jazz jammy band” throughout high school. The evident variety of different bands and labels may account for why Jack’s keen to keep things simple. “I would consider it pop music. Tom says unconventional pop, but I wrote the songs and I reckon it’s just pop,” he explains, laughing off the suggestion from the others that they are ‘soft grunge’. Some great response to the EP has evidently surprised him. “A friend from high school said he heard a stranger fan-boying over it at the university. It’s not The Beatles or anything…” “‘Yet,” Monaghan pointedly interjects.

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scar Dowling is staring into a long black, trying to stay awake, while Durham Fenwick tries politely to focus on what I’m saying. They’ve both just had a full night’s sleep, but it’s not enough to make up for two weeks of touring up and down the country. “My brain hasn’t really stopped driving,” says Oscar. “A couple of nights ago, I had a dream that Oscar and I were driving along this real windy road and it was snowing inside the car,” adds Durham. The two guitarists are hours from the final leg of a national tour, and along with Sophia Lawler-Dormer and Dave Weir, have just dropped their self-titled (sort of ) debut album via Australia’s Spunk! label. As their legend has it, more than 200 years ago, fortune-seeking Chinese goldminers landing in our dear Aotearoa dubbed it ‘new gum sarn’ – the ‘new gold mountain’. Alternatively New Gum Sarn is the slightlycampy-yet-oddly-convenient Asian supermarket tucked just behind Auckland’s K’ Road. The first option is a lot more compelling. Through a rigorous tour schedule and incessant live performances, supported by a handful of slick videos, the band has cultivated a strong following and a curious anticipation for their first release. “The funny thing about it is had we mixed it a lot quicker and released it really quickly, it would’ve gone entirely unnoticed,” says Oscar. “It was only because we had a year to play some more shows and make some

new friends, that when it came out, there were a few people who wanted to listen to it.” The album’s eight tracks were recorded live over two days in Oscar’s childhood home in Puhoi, after pooling together recording gear from everyone they knew. It then spent a year in the hands of his older brother, musician Sam Hamilton, who mixed it while travelling between Auckland and Portland. ‘New Gold Mountain’ is an amalgamation of ideas and moods, from Blue Flag’s nautical rage to Panic In The Treasure Trove’s surprising upbeatness, and the breathless persistence of Anxiety Nap. But behind the careless gloss of the band’s drowsy sound are well articulated chord progressions, carefully married guitar solos and melody-driven bass, atop cleverly restrained drumlines. Songs that stay intimate, while blossoming on stage through the band’s electric live performances. They both grew up north of Auckland, with neither being exposed to the city’s music scene until recently. “Being in the countryside, you just end up listening to your dad’s CD collection,” Oscar laughs. They reckon this is why their album sounds so American. Except whether they realise it or not, the sleepy vocals, the squeaky clean riffs, the heavy bass, it’s all very much Auckland. They don’t seem too bothered with labels though, or trying to explain what their sound is. “We’ve had that question a few times, and everytime we’ve tried, I can’t, so I just won’t,” says Oscar. “I listen to where we’re fucking the song up, and where we’re doing something we shouldn’t, and that’s what I like.” While they’ve already got a host of new material that’s snuck its way into their live sets, they’re in no rush to head back to recording. “This first album happened really quickly and naturally, and we just smashed it out, but I really wanna think about this [next] one, and have more artistic intent,” says Oscar. “You wanna be in the band that you wanna listen to, that’s the goal.”

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The music emanating from Tauranga of late indicates something of a purple patch for music in the area and All Hail The Funkillers typify the hard work leading to success for several local acts. With strong roots in the punk and alternative genres, these bands are pushing back hard against the staid traditions of the pub cover bands and blues jammers who have previously dominated. As Austin Cunningham of Tauranga Music Sux, one of the main forces behind the local scene puts it. “All Hail the Funkillers was one of those groups that benefited from the pioneering hard grafting musicians of yore, but that is because they were pioneers. A Tauranga supergroup if you will.” The Funkillers’ sound is a punchy blend of punk energy and pop smarts, with bristling guitars, a hard-hitting rhythm section and clever vocals. The band is comprised of veteran Scottish drummer Willie Mone, American ex-pat bassist Doug Yeiter with locals Rob Heath on guitar and Shannon Avery on vocals. With a mix of youth and experience, each adds a different element to the group sound bringing a wide set of influences ranging from heavy electro-industrial to indy guitar bands on through

punk and rock a billy. “We’re like the Jesus Lizard meets the Yeah Yeah Yeahs!” opines Yeiter when asked to describe their sound. “There is also a really strong work ethic with this band. It applies to the whole writing process as well as more mundane things like booking gigs or packing the car,” adds Heath. Their self-titled debut EP was recorded at Media in Motion studio in Tauranga, with Evan Pope. “We tracked for two days, everything was pretty much live,” says Yeiter. “Rob was adamant he wanted that whole live feel, so bass, drums and guitar were one take, no punch-ins. “We spent a long time mixing. The first guy we worked with wanted it to be polished, he didn’t get it at all. We wanted it to have a more garage-feel,” Heath explains. The mastering was done in Tasmania by Chris Townend, who has worked with the likes of Tim Finn, The Hard Ons and the Violent Femmes. Yeiter describes their writing process as a collaborative exercise. “Everyone is thinking more conceptually, about what works for the song. Sometimes it’s textural, or it’s about knowing when to shut up and not do anything. We will practice a lot with just the band and then Shannon will add her lyrical spin to the songs.” From early on he was struck with Avery’s song craft and phrasing while for her part Avery says she likes having an established musical base with which to work. “This is the first time I’ve been in a band with so many creative opportunities. I can be melodic or thrashy. It’s nice to not be the angry girl with a guitar who only knows three chords. It’s great to be part of a team, and I feed off what the guys are doing.”

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eleasing her debut single Helping Hands in support of Canteen and the Cancer Society last year, Christchurch teenager Candice Milner certainly had a large amount of support and helping hands on her side, helping another of her songs, Run For It, to win The Audience’s June WildCard Making Tracks grant – after being runner up the month before. At just 16 years old, Candice becomes one of the youngest winners of the WildCard chart and she couldn’t be more pleased with the result. “I thought I’d probably just get close but then it wouldn’t happen again, so it’s definitely quite exciting!” she cheerfully beams. “I’ve come to experience a lot more since releasing Helping Hands, but I think it was definitely a good starting point,” she says, explaining Run For It as a song about peer-pressure. “It’s about people who you think are good influences and good to be around because they make you a better person, but then you come to realise they’re not actually worth it.” Candice says that since writing the song she’s fancied the idea of the video being set in a forest. “I want it to be quite dramatic so it can show the full meaning of the

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song. I’ve got a couple of friends who are actors and have been in a few music videos before, so it’s just going to be a fun experience with my friends too.” Despite not coming from a musical family, Candice remembers wanting to be a singer since she was little. “I always thought it would be quite cool to be famous, until I found out that one of Beatles got shot,” she chuckles, talking about her early love of music and singing. “My family definitely aren’t musical, but they’d always play music which I’d sing along to, and once I started singing lessons at the age of 12, everything changed completely. Now it’s more just about the singing because I like it and want to continue doing it in my own little community.” “Birdy was a big influence because she was young and I’m young. She played the piano, so I actually began playing the piano first which I thought was great, but it turned out I wasn’t exactly that passionate about it. So then I changed to learning the guitar about six months ago and just practised so much more.” Coming to see how close-knit NZ artists are and how they connect with their audiences has also made an impression on her. “I really love a lot of the artists with Lyttelton Records, such as Marlon Williams, Aldous Harding and Tami Neilson. Kimbra is another aone who I think just has an absolutely amazing voice and I really like the way Jamie McDell connects with her audience through social media so much, what she does is just great.” With a greater plan of leaving high school at the end of this year to attend jazz school in Christchurch next year, Candice is heading back into Angels Gate studio to work on an album she hopes to release early next year, an accomplishment she will no doubt take in her friendly, passionate and determined stride.

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.#!20 * , *71'1 Having had his own experiences of being signed to international record labels, bad and good, Darryn Paterson-Harkness is almost the definition of an independent artist – happy to burn, package, design and deliver his own music when promotion time comes around. Also known for his output under the banner of New Telepathics, he has his own record label (Our Records), and is the songwriter and driving force behind Auckland indie rock trio Loud Ghost. Indeed, when it comes to creative energy Darryn is something of a force to be reckoned with, as Andrew Smit reveals.

eing true to a creative art is what should keep many an artist going forward, and talking with Darryn Paterson-Harkness you hear a strong desire to do just that, by creating music with real meaning. Whether it be a protest or a celebration, he wants to shout about it and he wants to care. It’s a sense of integrity that flows consistently during our chat about Loud Ghost’s self-titled debut album. Darryn has been around. He has travelled the world, living a long while in UK and Germany, and produced music consistently over two decades. His former London-based band Serafin signed to multiple labels and sold over 100,000 copies across Europe. Back in Auckland since 2008, he formed Loud Ghost in 2013 with Mark Hussey on drums, Sam Taylor on bass and himself covering vocals, guitar, percussion and keyboards. “The name ‘Loud Ghost’ came out of one my songs where one of the lyrics was, ‘Hello loud ghost’, and I just thought that be a cool name for a band, which funnily enough is still a work in progress,” smiles Darryn. He is enthusiastic about what he calls “…the thing – my band, my guise, and my family, we’re a unit.” The Loud Ghost album is being released on vinyl and digital via his own label. “Getting this album pressed on vinyl is for me very special, and I’m very excited as I have

worked very hard and I know it’s a good one.” “We have been working on it as a live band for two years and started recording last year. It is a live band and we tried to capture the live thing by recording the tracks live. There are some overdubs, but the core bass, drums and guitar are all live.” It’s an evident labour of love for Darryn, right down to the hand-glued and stamped demo release CD version of the album. Tom Healey engineered the recording of half the album’s 10 tracks, but otherwise the production credits sit with him as songwriter/producer and principal mix engineer, with song arrangements by the band as a whole. Wild and woolly at first listen, his songs soon reveal their underlying pop catchiness. There’s always plenty going on, with instrumental bridges, distorted vocals and that indie guitar band thrashy live sensibility. After 20 years of making music Darryn is positive about the new digital world we now live in. “It’s only the rich people that give a shit about streaming,” he says with a growing smirk. “You know, the ones that are missing out on the millions. Maybe the digital era means more people can listen to you, and you can reach more people. “I am in two minds about it really. I don’t want to be ripped off and it’s important to cover your arse, but for me to be able to do my own artwork, make posters and edit videos, then fire away to the other side of the world a video or song, instantly, to your fans over in Europe and you don’t even use leads! That’s fucking brilliant.” Still, he clearly holds vinyl dear and even misses the days of cassette tape. “I still love tape! I still love working with cassettes and still make mixtapes for the car,” he says with a laugh. Darryn has another active musical entity, called New Telepathics, which has been going for 15 years. This one he treats more as a recording project. “At the moment I am nine tracks into another New Telepathics’ record, which is

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slowly bubbling under, when I need a break from other stuff.” But now that Loud Ghost has an album to promote that’s where the attention is. “First the national tour and then over summer we have 15 or 20 new songs to work on, hopefully do some one-off shows and try and get over to Australia.” He says he is talking with friends in Germany about taking Loud Ghost over there in a few years’ time. There could be no money in it, and now in his 40s, it begs the question about living as a full time musician. “It’s a lifestyle, and if you’re in it, you’re in it, and you just don’t even question it. You pull money together anyway you can,” he adamantly replies. He does get some income from producing bands on the side and taking care of intellectually disabled kids every Sunday. “The rest of the week is for music and family, where the music and creativity is part of our family, it’s just part of our lifestyle.” Pressed about the future Darryn does admit to being confused by it, but is clear on what he believes a musician/songwriter should see as a responsibility. “What is the role of the artist?” he quips, and without second thought quotes. “It is as strong now as ever, an artist should protest suffering and celebrate joy, there is always something to shout out about.” “Technology is really interesting at the moment because we can have instant connection, whether it be to Greenpeace on the side of an oil rig, or exposing terrible conditions on an animal farm. Artists need to realise our role is kind’a crucial, let’s get good art out there with good meaning, and I hope that is the future, where artists are just bettering themselves and honing in on what they have got to say. Culturally we can inspire young people and I think that is really important for an artist to keep focused and inspire young people make right decisions.”

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Two years after Tahuna Breaksâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; first venture to Britain, June 2015 marked the beginning of a two week sortie to return to the UK and then have a wee crack at Europe, including the chance to perform at Switzerlandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s legendary Montreux Jazz Festival. Bassist Tim Gillon provided NZM with this intriguing diary of their whirlwind trip.

London, UK â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Hoxton Square Bar, Friday 26 June Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m unsure how many bands would play a gig the same day they flew in from NZ, but we did so and nailed it. Arriving into London early morning we headed off in our sweet tour van, picked up the backline gear, and headed to Shoreditch to chillage, have a drink, and prepare for soundcheck. Prior to the gig, we met Gareth â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Longâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Bailey, a colossal trombone player who was recommended to us by Crazy P â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the producers of our â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Shadow Lightâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; album. Indeed he was colossal in the sense that he could shred the bone but also he was two metres tall, at least. Show time to a sell-out crowd and it was clear that Kiwis and other fans alike had been hanging out for a Tahuna feel-good boogie. We played a mean set, which was surprising considering how many miles weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d come. We couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t really fault it other than the smoke machine which decided to switch into overdrive and completely fog out the stage. Glastonbury â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Glastonbury Festival, Gully Stage, Silver Hayes precinct, Saturday 27 June On the drive to Glastonbury, about 50kms our sweet tour van decided to be not-so-sweet with the dashboard lights indicating an engine fault. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Drive onâ&#x20AC;? was the call from the boys, and thankfully the van got us there, even if we had to drive at reduced speed (but isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t that what adventures are made of?). After a long and arduous check-in procedure and some de-stressing, we gathered ourselves to play the marquee show of the whole tour. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Living the dreamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; has long been a mantra of Tahuna Breaks, and this gig epitomised that

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mantra. It was the fulfilment of a dream to play at such a huge festival and the boys played well to a large and passionate crowd of approximately 3000 people. Our crowd was definitely the biggest gathering we saw at the Gully Stage during the festival. After the gig it was time to relax and have a good old sing-a-long to Pharrell in a crowd of 100,000, and later to top it all off with a visit to Shangri-La, a crazy late night dance zone where anything goes. The following day was a day to check out the Glastonbury Festival happenings, and it has to be said again just how large and amazing this festival is. There is something for everyone, whatever your musical taste. The sheer scale of it is mind blowing as you can walk for hours and still not have discovered everything. Highlights of the day were checking out Hiatus Kaiyote, Roy Ayers, and a DJ set from Groove Armada. England to Belgium â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Monday 29 June If there could ever be a recommendation to first time touring bands, it is to allow enough wiggle room in your schedule for the unexpected. We had caught the ferry from Dover to Calais when shortly after departing, the captain announced the French port workers were going to be on strike â&#x20AC;&#x201C; but the ferry would proceed on the hopeful basis that the situation would improve and we could dock. Two hours later, with French land in sight, the captain advised the situation hadnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t improved, the ferry wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t going to dock in Calais, and thus we had to return to Dover. In a mild state of panic we decided

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to pre-emptively booked the train across the Channel. We got to Antwerp in the end but it was another drama for sure. Antwerp, Belgium â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Tuesday 30 June Second recommendation for touring, if possible build into your schedule off days where you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have any musical commitments. Today was one such day and it allowed us to sample some good Belgian beer and take in the sights of Antwerp. We didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have any expectations of Antwerp but were stoked to find a bar or two with 300 different beers on offer. Wouldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been rude not to try a few. Antwerp, Zomer Van Antwerpen (ZVA) Festival, 1 - 5 July The ZVA festival has been in place for 20 years and has a variety of performing arts including: theatre, giant puppet performances and live music. Some events are ticketed while others are free, and all of this is supported by the City of Antwerp (council) and local organisations.

As part of the festival, each day a team set up a mobile truck and trailer stage in various suburbs and communities around Antwerp. Food and drink stalls were set up around a perimeter and people could come check out the sounds. We performed each day, sometimes in searing heat, to locals among whom I’m sure no-one would have heard of us before. Dedicated fans travelled to Antwerp from Cologne and Amsterdam just to hear our sweet dulcet tones. All in all, a great opportunity to form friendships with a team whom we saw and interacted with on a daily basis. After doing so much travel from one place to another, it was refreshing to stay in one place and not have to hit the road to get to the next gig. Prior to each gig, there was the opportunity to do some sight-seeing. Marty Greentree (lead singer) grew up on a diet of old school Motown, R&B, funk and soul acts – James Brown was one such example, Marvin Gaye another. For two years Marvin detoxed and got his life back

arrival we had refreshing mojitos in Mulhouse (France) and a chance to lay our weary heads. Montreux, Switzerland – Jazz Festival, Tuesday 7 July The mercury topped 35 degrees easily so thankfully the Montreux Jazz Festival is situated right by the picturesque Lake Geneva. It was a welcome relief to have a swim, listen to some high quality jazz, and just soak up the vibe of what is a truly classy festival. This was the 49th Montreux Jazz Festival and past acts are a who’s who of the music heavyweights – Miles Davis, James Brown, Kenny G and Jamiroquai to name a few. Our set was on the Music in Parks stage, where we were the final act, playing from 10:30pm to midnight. We love to play late night sets and this was no exception. The boys busted

out a super performance to round off the tour, and I’m sure we were impressionable in winning a crowd that hardly knew us beforehand. It was pretty dark but I’d estimate another crowd approximately 3000-4000 strong, who thoroughly enjoyed themselves. As did we. Mission accomplished.

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together in Ostend – a neat, little seaside town two hours journey by train from Antwerp. So off we all went, and it was well worth it. We hired headsets, visited the places Marvin sang and lived, and had an honorary beer in his former watering holes. Other highlights included laughing at band members wearing gripper togs (speedies) at public swimming pools, watching the NZ Black Sticks hockey team compete at the Olympic qualifier tournament, subsequent conga lines with the Black Sticks girls at their after party, buckled bike wheels (when trying to give the girls a ride home) – and lost bikes after a late night out. Belgium to France – Monday 6 July Touring can be highlighted by the simplest of things or gags. During each segment of road tripping there was much laughter over who could do the best phoney French accent. Thank you to the friends and family (who were touring with us) for enduring our gags. Today was another travel day and a sweltering, sticky hot one. Following our

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AHoriBuzz

As inspired and inspirational as it was at the time, 15–plus years ago and counting, it is nonetheless remarka ble just how enduring has been the legacy, mythology-even of Weta – the fun lovin’, hard rockin’ band fronted by Aaron Tokona, and shared with his bass-playing brother Clinton. Having gone to ground for some years (he has talked publicly since about dealing with bipolar disorder), Aaron returned to big stage prominence alongside Nick Gaffaney in Cairo Knife Fight, and in 2007 established h sis own project, AHoriBuzz. Named possibly in reference to the challenges of manic depression, ‘Into The Sunshine’ is the name given to the first AHoriBuzz album, released in July this year. Sammy Jay

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ince creating AHoriBuzz (a solo project based around a group of friends that love and enjoy each other’s musical company) in 2007, guitar virtuoso Aaron Tokona has shown a uniquely Kiwi DIY attitude towards his craft. It’s not indifference, but AHoriBuzz gets wheeled out of the workshop only occasionally, a bit like a high performance hot rod that’s always being further refined. Glitter In The Gutter and Turnaround were the project band’s first two radio singles, followed in May 2013 with Sugar, billed as ‘an epic mixture of soulful infectious Hori funk’. March last year brought Providence, followed later in the year with Into The Sunshine. Each has featured some fellow Kiwi music luminaries, the esteemed likes of Holly Smith, Laughton Kora, Jonathan Crayford and Riki Gooch (and others) involved in various ways. Those tracks make up the first half of debut album ‘Into The Sunshine’, which is backed, in the manner of a double EP, with remixes of the same tracks by other local production/remix luminaries such as Rhombus, Dick ‘Magik’ Johnson and Ben King. Despite not releasing a full-length recording until ‘Into The Sunshine’, his psychedelic, anything-goes collective has forced itself into the public consciousness, partly because of Tokona’s outspoken internet blogs and accidental political involvement. And, of course, his widely respected skills as a mind-blowing guitarist. “I’ve never really thought, ‘Oh I have to do this, I have to do that,” he admits, “I’ve never really thought that way. All you’ve really gotta do is experiment and find what you like the sound of, shove things in different holes and see how it changes the sound. There’s never been a time when I’ve consciously sat down, opened up a guitar magazine and looked at the star ratings on new pedals.” And experimented Aaron surely has. Originally making a name for himself with late ’90s Kiwi rock heroes Weta, he was asked to fill in on Aussie band Superjesus’ NZ tour on guitar. His virtuosity on the instrument left a lasting impression, and he was invited to join the band as a full time member, but opted instead to focus on Weta. Although Weta were very much in step with the nu-metalesque sound of the times, it left little room for Tokona’s own guitar sound which was evolving exponentially to include the blues funk and jazz influences of his youth. While their millenium album ‘Geographica’ saw the band gain

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mainstream success in both Australia and NZ, it also signalled Tokona’s exit from the band. Since the turn of the century he has become one of the longest serving members of Fly My Pretties, as well as being in high demand as a studio session guitarist. There was the Kim Dotcom album debacle, as well as the little matter of Cairo Knife Fight… “It was forming Cairo Knife Fight in 2007 with Nick Gaffaney that really led to the set-up I have now, because Nick is such a monster behind the drum kit!” he says. “You had two guys on loop pedals, and this freak on drums that loops himself and then plays bass at the same time. So I kind of got into this, ‘I’m gonna go wage battle’ mentality, meaning I had to really sort my itinerary out to musically wage war against that guy, and that band and that get-up. That’s what originally got me into looping, which was a bit before it became trendy. Everywhere you look now someone has a fuckin’ loop pedal!” Aaron’s current guitar of choice is a Gretsch White Falcon, played through two Fender Pro Junior amps and a heap of pedals. His effects arsenal (pictured at right) includes a Boss DD-20 Giga Delay, TC Hall of Fame Reverb, Electro-Harmonix POG 2 Octave, Electro Harmonix 2880 Multi-track Looper, Boss SL-20 Slicer, Boss AW-3 Dynamic Wah, Digitech Hyper Phase Phaser, Crowther Audio Hotcake Overdrive, Firehorse FX Fuzzkill 70. Electro-Harmonix Soul Food Overdrive, Ibanez CF7 – Chorus/ Flanger, TC Nova Repeater Delay… “And of course the trusty old Boss TU-2 tuner! I’m really liking the Firehorse Fuzzkill at the moment, adds plenty of dirt for the times when you need it to fuzz the hell out of a song.” Anyone who has experienced an AHoriBuzz show will be familiar with Aaron’s White Falcon. Based on the original 1950s model, with its cream finish, gold trimmings and signature Bigsby bridge it really is a thing of beauty, one that never fails to strike up conversation with fellow guitar-philes. “I love Gretsch guitars,” he grins.“They kind of remind me of the women I like, curvy. The instrument has to be sexy to look at. You have to want to root it. I like to think my style reflects that also. A good guitar makes you want to pick it up, makes you want to look at it, makes you want to touch it and it makes you want to make it scream.” His Gretsch endorsement came about not from within NZ but via a guy

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named Robert Knight, one of the great classic rock photographers. “He took heaps of famous photos of Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Eric Clapton, Led Zeppelin [etc.] back in the day. So Robert is one of the main photographers for magazines like Guitar Player and Guitar World. Just so happens he discovered Cairo Knife Fight, through a friend, and really liked the band and what I was doing on guitar, so he put me in touch with the head of Fender. At the time I was using a Gretsch copy, seeing as Fender own Gretsch, and yeah they just sent me a White Falcon guitar and made me an endorsee, just like that!” Picking up the guitar as a “horny teenager”, he discovered he had a talent for the instrument early on. Originally attracted to the “fretboard wankery” of shred artists such as Steve Vai, Joe Satriani and Gary Moore, his tastes soon expanded to include the likes of The Beatles, Pink Floyd, Elton John, John Coltrane and Mozart. “My first guitar was a Diplomat that my dad bought it for $10 off the neighbour. My second was an American Fender Stratocaster; there were a lot of various guitars after that, half of them I don’t remember. There was a Firebird I had there for a bit… lots of Strats… anything that has six strings that can stay in tune, ya know?” He remembers it as a natural progression, right from learning the solo for Hotel California. Nailing that, he says, made him want to nail the

solo from Third Stone From The Sun and so on. “It just so happened to be that I was naturally good at it. When you find things that come really easy to you and you’re good at and want to keep getting better at, it must be the thing you’re meant to do. There was never a moment where I thought, ‘I’m good enough to do this as a career, I should try and do this as a job.’ I just always did it ’cause I enjoyed it, and life took over really.” Arguably it’s the soulfulness of the blues and the pure groove of funk that is at the heart of his sound. That is perhaps the most exciting and refreshing thing about Aaron’s playing; no

matter what genre he’s involved with, his sound is uniquely his own. “I think it was the early ’90s. I was in an Auckland guitar store and Carlos Santana walked in. He had a gig that night. I was this snotty-nosed little Maori boy from the Hutt who didn’t really know shit. “He’d pick up a guitar and every single one

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he played sounded like him, it didn’t matter what guitar or what amp it was. It was then I realised the tone you get is really from your fingers. It doesn’t matter what amp you have or how many pedals you get, you’re only ever gonna sound like you. “Same as David Gilmour and all those guys. It’s partially that those guys have had such great tones for so long – the whole ‘if it ain’t broke don’t fix it’ mentality applies. But it’s also innate. It’s part of their sonic DNA. Dave could pick up the shittiest guitar from anywhere and he’d still make it sound amazing.” As AHoriBuzz complete a 53-date ‘Nation Of The State’ tour in support of the album release it will be the first time many new fans will get the chance to see the band. If there’s one thing for certain it’s that each show will be a unique experience from the last – as the man’s own guitar sound continues to evolve. “I don’t think there will ever be a moment where I’ve found ‘The Aaron Tokona guitar sound’ because I think that journey never stops. You’re continually trying to find the next sound and improve the one you have. “The sound I have is really dictated by what I think a song needs. It used to really be the other way around, I’d be mucking around with some pedals get a cool sound, get my Steve Vai buzz on and go. Now it’s more; write the song, see what the song needs and try to imagine what that would be.

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HVJUBS DPPM HVJUBS DPPM with Kevin Downing

Are You In A Rut?

t’s been wintery for a few months now and things do slow down in the cold. A few people have asked me lately how to get out of a ‘rut’ situation? A ‘rut’ is, it is when you think you are not making any, or much progress, and they evidently were feeling like they were completely stalled in their efforts of getting better on guitar, even though they might have been practising and playing every day. Sometimes you might even hate everything you do on guitar, it really can get that bad. A lot of guitarists suffer from it at some stage, and some have suffered from it for many years. Some of the symptoms are that you haven’t learnt anything new for a long time, practising and playing has stopped being enjoyable, you fall back on the same old songs, riffs, licks, all the time, and start to think you should be a lot better than what you are. There are many more symptoms and signs too numerous to mention but this column will take a look at just the few of the main ones. You haven’t learnt anything new for a while. Many players don’t know what to learn next, or the order they should learn things in. This can stop you in your tracks. If you are like most people, you are trying to learn stuff that is way over your head and far too difficult to make any real progress – and that is definitely de-motivating. If that describes you, then you need to lower your sights and begin to play and practice some easier things. Those easier things can sound just as good as the difficult ones if you play them well. You will have much more fun if you keep within your limits, while just stretching yourself every now and then. Practising and playing is not enjoyable anymore. This can stem partly from the previous fault, trying things that are too difficult. Or maybe your instrument is not well set up to make it easy to play? Maybe your environment is not well suited for practising. Make sure it is not too hot or cold in the practice room, which is a sure killer of enjoyment. Try leaving your guitar on a stand. If you have to get it out of a case and put it away all the time that can be a motivation killer as well. How many other environment issues like those can you improve? You keep playing the same old songs, riffs and licks, etc. Many players do only play their favourite songs and riffs but it comes at the expense of personal musical growth. Some are just too lazy to learn new things, but often those same players who repeatedly play all their favourite songs don’t ever master them very well either.

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The trick here is to be learning one or two small things a week that aid your musical growth, and also learning how to use those new things in some songs you like so that you can be out playing with your friends. You think you should be better than what you are now. If this is your thinking, how are you measuring it? Who are you comparing yourself with? You can’t compare what you are doing now to something you were doing a year ago if you can’t measure it. Remember that if you can’t measure it, you can’t see the results. All you are doing is assuming something, and when you assume stuff much of the time you are wrong. There are many ways you can measure things in music. For example you can get a metronome to measure your scale speed in terms of beats per minute. You can record yourself playing something, then play it again a year later and compare the two recordings. You can record yourself playing to a metronome and listen back to your timing. There are plenty of other ways you can measure your musical growth and challenge yourself.

In fact, the weirder it seemed to me at the time, the more I seemed to love it. You might too. You also want to be thinking about playing with people who are more advanced than you in terms of their musical journey. I am not just talking about people who can physically play better than you, but also who are more advanced in their theory, ear skills, composition, arranging and recording skills as well. Physically playing the guitar is only around 10-15% of what you really need to know. You can learn a lot from other people if you get to play or jam with them. Even the internet hasn’t helped. I’ve saved the best one for last – many people call me to say that the internet has not helped them in any way, and in fact it has only increased their frustration. As Albert Einstein once said, “Information is not knowledge, the only source of knowledge is from experience.” The internet is full of information, but can’t give you experience. The only way you can get experience is to be sitting right next to someone in the same room who is experienced and working with them. Similar to what you do

There are many ways you can get into a rut, and there are also many ways you can get out of a rut as well. The most efficient way I know of is to get some lessons with an experienced teacher.

Who are you comparing yourself with? Joe Satriani, Joe Bonamassa, Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page? Those guys are professionals who have been playing for many years, and putting in long hours practising and playing. If you haven’t been putting in the practice time or been playing for as long as they have, then it is no wonder you are nowhere near them in terms of skill level. But really, you should never compare yourself to anyone else. You should only be comparing yourself to what you did last year and measuring the changes. If you haven’t improved since last year, then you will need to do something about it. The people you jam with play the same boring stuff all the time. Then you need to be a bit more selective in who you jam or perform with. The people you pick to play with should challenge you in a few different directions like, playing new genres of music, playing with different instruments, like trumpets etc. This is the challenge that I loved when I first started and found myself playing in big bands, jazz, country, blues and Irish bands.

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at work when you are learning something new. That experienced person will be giving you feedback on your progress, correcting faults, steering you in the right direction and so on. That is what you don’t get on the internet. There are many ways you can get into a rut, and there are also many ways you can get out of a rut as well. The most efficient way I know of is to get some lessons with an experienced teacher – one who has a track record of success. Experienced teachers are working all day long with people who have experienced ruts, they have antidotes and know how to get you out of it quickly so you may never have to experience that pain again.

Kevin Downing is a professional guitarist, teacher and author. His contact details, along with many freebies are on his website at www. guitar.co.nz

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NPNFOUT MJLF UIFTF Curated by Trevor Reekie Legendary ’80s Auckland punk band No Tag are reforming for a show at the Kings Arms in September. The band included Andrew Boak who has since had a colourful journey in music, his time on guitar with No Tag leading on to a varied career. Working at Radio B (before it became bFM) as an Auckland University student, he became one of the first local DJs to cross over into commercial FM radio. No Tag chanced their arm overseas where Andrew has continued to indulge his passion, working (and playing) first in the London scene and subsequently in San Francisco, where he’s been living for the last few decades.

Andrew Boak Left to right: Sue, James Murray, Andrew Boak, Stephen Joyce, Levi Tecofsky

Who are the people in the photo and when was it was taken? This was at the end of the My Bloody Valentine ‘Loveless’ album tour of the USA – July 6, 1992 to be exact. The photo is of the crew for the tour, of which, three out of five are Kiwis. We are sitting on a roadcase full of expensive vintage Fender guitars at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). My Bloody Valentine were the innovators of the indie rock wall of sound, often referred to as ‘shoegazers’. Their concerts are famous for sheer volume – we clocked 117 dB onstage at the San Francisco gig, louder than standing next to a chainsaw for an extended period of time. Sue, at left, was the drummer’s girlfriend and helped with merchandise. James Murray (a Kiwi who used to play in The Exploding Budgies) was the lighting director. I believe he created the fantastic visual film loops they projected on to the back of the stage, and is currently working on tour doing lights for Iggy Pop. I was one of the guitar/drum techs, normally assigned to Kevin Shields (the ‘genius’ behind MBV’s sound). Stephen Joyce was the other stage tech, doing drums mainly, and Levi Tecofsky (the third Kiwi of the bunch), was the FOH sound person. Levi had worked in NZ with Wellington band Swerve, before heading to London. He has worked as soundman or tour manager for a load of international acts including The Young Gods, Smashing Pumpkins, Breeders, Dinosaur Jnr, Suede, Hole, Placebo, Echo & The Bunnymen, Nick Cave, Killing Joke, Roxy Music and David Bowie. Were there indicators in your childhood that pointed to your adult passion for music? I started learning classical piano and musical theory from around six, and used to hate my parents for making me get up early before school to practice. Of course, now I love them for making me do that. My mother had a musical background as a soprano, and my father later went on to play saxophone in a big band. However, once I got to my very early teens, I decided that guitars were where it was at, and slowly merged from piano to guitar. I was lucky to have guitar lessons with a guy who would transpose any of the hits of the day onto cyclostyled sheets, so myself and my fellow students were learning by way of the current Top 40 and heavy rock back then. This gave me the drive to want to learn and play, form a band, and eventually play live. Funnily enough, one of guys in my guitar class was Mark Sullivan, who many years later would become the bass player for The Flicks, and later, No Tag.

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Was No Tag your point of entry into the music business? In 1977 I was introduced to punk rock by a cousin who was around my age, who had returned from England with records by The Jam, The Clash, The Damned etc. Plus I was religiously listening to Barry Jenkin on 1ZM radio in the late evenings. The raw energy of the music, combined with the do-it-yourself attitude was perfect for a rebellious teenager. I saved up some money for an electric guitar – because my parents refused to buy me one. I loved the idea of live gigs, the presence of the performers, the volume etc. I even put on gigs at my school during lunchtimes. We had Hello Sailor and Citizen Band on different occasions, if I remember rightly. My first real band was The Regulators (with Geoff Hayden on bass, who would later on be in The Mockers). We played school/municipal halls with other bands from Auckland’s North Shore like the Screaming MeeMees, The Killjoys, The Flicks and many more. The Regulators even put out a self-released split single with The Ainsworths, another North Shore band. There was a great group of people, both musicians and friends that allowed for these young bands to play out. We used to borrow each others’ equipment, make posters, help with transport etc., again very much a product of the DIY attitude. Around 1980, The Regulators broke up, and I was left without a band, but with a massive passion to play. How did the band get formed and how did No Tag build an audience? The Regulators folded around the same time as The Flicks, and I remember meeting Mark Sullivan at a Screaming MeeMees gig and saying, “Let’s have a jam”. For the next six months we rehearsed every weekend, rain or shine, at Progressive Studios, developing a few riffs into songs. We were on the lookout for a drummer and a singer, so when we ran into the Van Wetering brothers who had just moved up to Auckland from Wellington, it worked out perfectly. We came up with about 10 songs in less than a month, some from stuff I had done with Mark, but most of it fresh, as we gelled as a band fairly quickly. We wanted to do something punk-ish, but with lots of energy and snarl. Our influences were wide-ranged; early punk, good classic rock and even reggae, but mainly the punk sounds coming out of England at the time, which included some Oi! bands. We pretty much had an audience from the get go as the first wave of NZ punk bands had broken up or moved overseas, so we fitted into the need for a punk band fairly easily, and with that came a ready-made

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audience. We pretty much wanted to play with most of the young bands of the time, our attitude, and hence our name, was based on the fact that people shouldn’t pigeon-hole us because of our image or audience – that we were just a rock band after all. We also made it a policy to get bands we liked to support us, no matter what style of punk/new wave they were. There were some very talented musicians around at the time, and as the punk DIY attitude was now firmly in the minds of up and coming bands, there was a plethora of people to play with. Getting gigs however was another thing. Do you think that No Tag were a victim of discrimination in so much that your audience were frequently perceived as violent or undesirable? In my opinion, that is exactly the problem we had. Discrimination. Venues would blindly think that they were going to have trouble because of our following, whereas I would say there were probably more drunken fights at a suburban pub with other Top 40 rock bands at the time. Our audience might scare a few people on the street, but they were there for the beer and the music. The Reverb Room (where our live album was recorded) was the only venue that would take a punt and have us on a regular basis. They knew that our audience were big drinkers, so they made plenty of money every time we played. We made it a point to say that we didn’t want any violence at our gigs, if there was a fight, we would stop playing immediately until it broke up. We even wrote a couple of reggae songs to play if there had been a fight, just to calm everyone down. It was very much a chore to get gigs, very surprising considering the audience numbers we would pull in, especially in Auckland. People had their discriminatory views, and even though the bad habit of ‘profiling’ a band was the basis for our name, we never really got gigs like we should have. Unfortunately too, public perception of the Oi! movement was terribly askew, everyone thought skinheads were racist Nazis, just because of some English ones being affiliated with the National Front. The Oi! movement was the complete opposite, extremely non-racist, anti-violence, anti police oppression and so on, however it had been tarred with the same brush as the right wing skinheads. It was like saying all hippies are stoners and want to make everyone take LSD and vote for the far left politicians. It’s just not true. Once we realised that people had got the wrong idea and that we weren’t going to change that attitude overnight, we dropped the ‘Oi’ refrain from the song No Tag. We also threatened to stop playing if there were fights at our gigs, and in 1983, did exactly that. We reformed for one gig with The Dead Kennedys at Mainstreet, and after that Mark left to live in London, so the band ceased for a few years. Still, you managed to find a label and record the ‘No Tag’ EP and later an album. Propellor came to us originally with the idea of doing a record, but as they had very little

money, needed us to pay for the recording. We loved the idea and Simon Grigg and Paul Rose were smart enough to see that there was a market for our kind of music. We recorded the EP in the wee small hours of the morning at Harlequin Studios with Steve Kennedy, and we made a record that I think still sounds pretty good today. The EP was received well by fans and critics alike and it debuted at #15 in the NZ charts – pretty good at that time for a punk band, or any Kiwi act for that matter! One of the songs, Mistaken Identity, made it onto the soundtrack for the NZ movie Queen City Rocker. We only ever pressed 1500 copies, so the record has become sought after over the years, occasionally appearing on Trade Me for $100 or so. The decision to do a live album was made because Propellor didn’t have the money to put us in a studio, nor could we as a band afford it, so we came up with the idea of recording live at a venue over a couple of nights. Unfortunately, you get what you pay for. The sound we recorded at The Reverb Room on Progressive Studios’ 16-track recorder was not as good as we had hoped, but doing the best we could, mixing-wise, we came up with something to get out to the fans. Obviously, we were not super happy with the sound, but it was an unfortunate financial thing. Consequently, the name of the album became ‘Can We Get Away With It’. You went to the UK and have since worked in a variety of areas of the music business. The band moved in dribs and drabs to the UK in 1986. Myself, Carl Van Wetering (No Tag’s drummer) and his younger brother Mark stopped off in the USA on the way across, and when we were in San Francisco were invited to sing backing vocals on the Dead Kennedys’ ‘Bedtime For Democracy’ LP. We were hanging out in the Alternative Tentacles office when Jello Biafra came out and asked, “If you guys aren’t doing anything tonight, would you mind coming and singing some backing vocals on our new record?” We said, “Of course”, but failed to mention that we would’ve sold our grandmothers for the opportunity to sing on a DK’s album! We ended up being on three songs on that record. When we all finally got to London, we rehearsed, continuing to write new songs and played gigs wherever we could get them, probably once every few months, doing our part in taking NZ music overseas. We only recorded one song over there and that was for a friend’s final project at his recording school, so it was free. We never got a booking agent or did demos for record labels etc. We just didn’t really know how to do all that, or know someone that did. After three or four years of practising weekly and not getting anywhere, we called it a day. I was lucky enough however to get a job while I was there working for Rough Trade Distribution, the big indie distributor (and record label). Harry Ratbag, who I squatted/ flatted with in London, had got me a job there. It was great, working on the cutting edge of music, I got loads of free records, guest list spots and had a thoroughly good time.

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What drew you to San Francisco and how did your music life and work evolve there? Through the work I did at Rough Trade/The Cartel, I ended up getting the opportunity to transfer to San Francisco, to run their operations and logistics over here. Unfortunately, Rough Trade declared bankruptcy after I was there for six months, and that meant, after cleaning up the assets and accounts due to the bankruptcy, I had to find something else to do. I was lucky to get offered a job as a guitar tech for a US tour by an English band (that never made it due to visa problems), but while I was on the US East Coast waiting for the band to arrive, I happened to chat with ex-pat Kiwi Levi Tecofsky, who offered me the job working for My Bloody Valentine. After that tour, I worked with The Chills on their ‘Soft Bomb’ tour, PJ Harvey on the ‘Rid Of Me’ tour, and did a songwriters showcase tour with Guy Clark, Michelle Shocked, Joe Ely, and Alain Toussaint. Road work was cool and I got to see the US a few times, albeit from a truck or tour bus window… After a while I found the touring life too disruptive to making my own music, and decided to not do it anymore. I landed a job at a dance music/electronica distributor, doing operations again and that introduced me to drum’n’bass. To me, although it was not punk, it was the style of dance music that had aggression and an edge, and I started going to DJ gigs locally. My wife and I ran into lots of local d’n’b producers who had no US labels to release their music, so we decided to start a label called Green Recordings to put out their records. We ended up releasing 13 12” singles over a period of three years, some of them selling well, mainly in the US. Over that time, I left the distributor and ran the highly respected deep house label Imperial Dub Recordings. I started a guitar band after that and ended up moving away from the dance music scene, back into the rock scene. That band has evolved into one of my current bands Skinaffect (www. reverbnation/skinaffect) which has me on guitar and doing about half of the singing. We are a wall of noise-type band, along the lines of the late ’80s/early ’90s English indie bands. My love for playing punk rock has never died, so when I was offered the chance to play bass in a three-piece street punk band Blank Spots (www.reverbnation.com/blankspots) I jumped at the chance. Consequently I am in two bands at present, still putting a Kiwi face on music here in the Bay Area. What are five records that never fail to brighten your day? Hard question, nailing it down to five, even 10 is too few, but here we go: The Clash – White Man (in Hammersmith Palais);Iggy Pop – Lust for Life; Magazine – The Light Pours Out Of Me; The Ruts – Something That I Said; Big Black – Kerosene.

Extended Play For the extended version go to

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Shepherds Of Cassini The four Shepherds of Cassini are Omar Al-Hashimi, Vitesh Bava, Felix Lun and Brendan Zwaan, and together they make music that is every bit as exotic and colourful as their respective names. Referencing the heavens in their collective name, the band describe their output as ‘space music/progressive rock’, which, as Ania Glowacz discovers, is fundamentally accurate.

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hepherds Of Cassini met by chance, or maybe rather by some grand design that none of them could have predicted. The Auckland four-piece includes Vitesh Bava on bass and drummer Omar Al-Hashimi, who met care of the University Of Auckland Rock Club around 2008. After other experiments they played together in a prog-rock band called Pilgrim’s Pyre. Around the same time they intersected guitar player Brendan Zwaan, and by no small miracle, violin player extraordinaire Felix Lun. He had been to Berlin and back with An Emerald City, and was invited to join them for a jam in February 2012. Omar and Vitesh were fully focused on starting a new band and the results were so successful, Shepherds Of Cassini was born. Hailing from Iraq, Omar arrived in NZ in 1998 and gigged in traditional hard rock bands before getting into prog rock with Pilgrim’s Pyre. He enjoys playing complex time signatures. “I really noticed an improvement in my drums, so I listened to more prog music – something I hadn’t listened to before, and now all I can play is prog rock music! We wanted to keep the prog rock thing going, but explore something different than what we were doing with Pilgrim’s Pyre. Vitesh and I – we just knew this is the kind of music we wanted to play.” Vitesh was born and raised in Pukekohe, son of an Indian mother and Kiwi father. The bands’ diversity of backgrounds also includes European and Malaysian ancestry for violinist Felix Lun, and Dutch descent for Brendan Zwaan who plays guitar and provides (occasional) vocals. “I always wanted to do music that wasn’t mainstream, I wanted to do something quite experimental and different,” Vitesh explains. Brendan, who is an across-the-board-music fan, was studying at SAE.

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“I was in a band with classmates from that course, playing all covers. At the time I met these guys I was really into post-rock. I’d seen some Jakob shows and it completely blew my mind. And Russian Circles and that sort of thing. That was kind of the bonding between us at the start – Mothra as well – and it was the turning point for the kind of style I was into playing.” Bands such as Tool, Pink Floyd and King Crimson were part of their early exploration. Songwriting responsibilities are shared and combined, with one often writing a rhythm, melody or riff and practice room jamming fleshing things out. “It’s very free flowing in a way. We get inside a room and we discuss it. If it doesn’t work, it doesn’t work,” says Vitesh. “It’s about throwing caution to the wind and following ideas that can seem to come out of the blue at the time,” explains Brendan of his take on ‘progressive (prog) rock’. “Exploring them fully, and then not being afraid of that. Resulting in a quite drawn-out song, a lot of movements, a lot of exploration. A song may have a lot of chapters that sound completely different from one another, but still having some overarching progression, something tying it all together. So it’s kind of like a movie in a way...” “A pop song is like a video – a prog song is like a movie,” rounds up Omar. And in a movie-like way, there is often very little singing amongst the epic soundtrack, the music meant to tell the story as much as lyrics. “I think partly because we approach from the instrumental side rather than approach it from the song side, the words kind of creep their way in there,” Brendan explains.

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“It’s kind of easy to fall into the trap of thinking you need to flesh it out with lyrics that don’t need to be there. Less is more in this instance. And I wouldn’t want to do too much singing because that would leave no room for Felix,” he adds pointing to the value of his instrumental contribution. “The violin is the closest thing to a human voice.” People have such notoriously short attention spans these days – how do they get over that barrier with their super-long prog rock numbers? “I guess that’s not really who we’re catering for,” shrugs Brendan. “We’re writing for people who have the same taste in music that we do,” Omar continues. “These are the people that listen to an album start to finish, and want to buy a hard copy – a CD or an album.” Their newly released second album, ‘Helios Forsaken’ features six tracks running to an hour of playing time. As with their earlier self-titled album it was recorded and mixed by Dave Rhodes at Depot Sound in Devonport, Auckland. “He really went the extra mile,” says Brendan about Rhodes and their first recording with him. “He came to our shows, got under our skin, found out what we were about and showed a personal interest.” Recorded ‘live’ with few overdubs, that album took 10 days to record and made it to #14 in the local charts. A different approach to ‘Helios Forsaken’, with an even tighter budget and just five studio days... but the results are stunning. Helios, of course, was the mythical Greek god of the sun, who drove his chariot across the sky on a daily journey. Track five is recognisably named Pleiades’ Plea and the album’s striking artwork has a strong astronomic sense, enough to safely assume there is a focus on space here. Indeed the band have labeled their own musical genre as ‘space music/progressive rock’. “It’s in the name,” Brendan erupts. “We’re all about it!” Cassini comes from an Italian astronomer – Cassini-Huygens is the name NASA gave to its unmanned spacecraft launched back in 1997 to check out Saturn. It reached the planet in 2004, the Huygens part separating from the orbiter craft and incredibly landing on Saturn’s moon Titan. “This album is about us leaving planet Earth because it’s doomed,” Brendan continues. “We don’t avoid that. It’s kind of the product of anyone who’s ever stargazed. It fills the human brain with all kinds of weird chemicals and emotions and stuff. Taking that and injecting it into the music. Trying to come up with a soundtrack for an imaginary space opera epic. Because space is such an amazing thing to think about. To draw inspiration from that – there’s so much to draw from.” The influence of space is integral to their music, and so too is the Middle Eastern influence. It resonates not just in the heritage of Vitesh and Omar, but in Felix’s musical journeys with An Emerald City, and prog rock in general. “We all arrived at the Middle Eastern sound from different sides,” Brendan elucidates. “I got into it from the ’60s and ’70s psychedelic music

– The Doors, The Byrds...” “As a kid I listened to a lot of legendary Middle Eastern artists,” recalls Omar. “Their composition is very different from western music. Very progressive. Middle Eastern rhythms are very dynamic and I try and incorporate that a lot into this band. It’s nostalgic and it just comes to me. It’s different to the norm in the western world anyway.” “Definitely for me starting this band, I was listening more to non-western music – Middle Eastern, Indian... I found a lot of scales are quite haunting. Mysterious and quirky,” adds Vitesh. “It’s actually quite refreshing when someone says, ‘I’m not really into metal’, or ‘not into all these long songs, but I really like you guys, I really enjoy your album’. We write and perform music that’s outside the norm and like to share that with people. Express yourself and how you see the world...” Speaking of which, Felix is these days living in Wellington and Shepherds Of Cassini are

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not planning on touring this very special new album. Omar has taken on the role of activating online interest and attention. “Every day since the album I visit different blogs, websites. Sometimes you have to pay a couple of bucks, but you won’t get as much exposure touring as you do online.” That may be so, but this music is so epic and beautiful, apart from the home/headphones option, the ideal is totally experiencing this music live. (Their Auckland album launch mid-July) was a sell-out, the crowd refusing to let them leave the stage until their repertoire was fully exhausted.) This band is unique, and not just for their prog-rock appropriate name and sound. There’s a magic happening here, and the exquisite sounds and melodies pouring forth from Felix’s violin just seals the deal.

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fter the tricky introduction that we looked at in the last issue of NZM, we are now in a relatively easier section of the Rush track YYZ, but it’s still quite fast. The easiest way to build up hand speed is to practice slowly with a tempo keeping device (you can easily download one) and keep a record of your practice tempos daily. If you gradually increase tempo over a period of days, or weeks, you will find that, rather than trying to hold a tempo you cannot manage, you will have developed strength in your hands that enables you to play fast passages when required. Example 1 is the section immediately after the introduction. It is mainly pentatonic with a chromatic passing note in each bar. Place fretting finger one on the A at fret 2, string 1 and every note that follows is under the remaining fingers. The wiggly lines over certain bars means a slight string bend.

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The low F# at the end of bar two is also played by fretting finger one. Bars three and four are the same as bars one and two. Bar five is the same figure as in bar one, but you need to move your fretting hand up a minor third so that fretting finger one is on C at fret 5, string 1. Bar six is the same as bar two, but also in the new position, and bar seven is also the same as bar five. The final bar in this example has a demisemiquaver in the middle as a skip onto the second half of the bar. It has a slightly different rhythm but still repeats the pentatonic notes of the phrase. Example 2 is a variation of what precedes it. It is what is known as an ‘inversion’ – the phrase is almost turned upside down. Starting on B at fret 2, string 3, the phrase moves up to C# at fret 4 before F# at fret 2, string 4, and then finally moves to the A at fret 2, string 1, thus restating the root note. It is still pentatonic.

Bar two has a quaver rest to introduce space into the pattern but it still has the same notes, just more of them. (It’s prog don’t forget!) There are slight rhythmic variations in bars three and four but they are almost the same as the earlier bars – check the track on YouTube. Bar five changes the fretting hand position, as in the first example. The riff moves up to C at fret 3, string 3, up a fifth to G at fret 5, string 2, followed by a semiquaver push and then a very quick slide from C to D on string 1. This note is tied to the D in bar six. The phrase is a simple root, fifth, ninth (the upper D), so maybe use fingers one, three and four for this. Bar seven is very similar except for the dead note played at the G position. The final bar combines the A and C based phrases, again with a chromatic passing note – Ab – giving the sound a slightly bluesy feel. Play this slowly and make sure you keep a constant tempo. Don’t rush the easier parts and slow down for the tricky parts. Geddy Lee is the band’s vocalist and keyboard player, and also uses bass pedals to fatten up the low end. If you watch Rush In Rio, you’ll be amazed at how big a sound is created by the three musicians. Lee uses Fender and Wal basses, but his choice of amplification seems to be three large industrial washing machines. (Check the Rio stuff on YouTube and you will see what I mean.) (Dr. Rob Burns is an Associate Professor in Music at the University of Otago in Dunedin. As a former professional studio bassist in the UK, he performed and recorded with David Gilmour, Pete Townsend, Jerry Donahue, Isaac Hayes, Sam and Dave, James Burton, Ian Paice and Jon Lord, Eric Burdon and members of Abba. He played on the soundtracks on many UK television shows, such as Red Dwarf, Blackadder, Not the Nine O’Clock News and Alas Smith and Jones. Rob is currently a member of Dunedin bands Subject2change and The Verlaines.)

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Music Industry

Training Courses

Directory 2016

The music industry offers a broad array of career opportunities that include music performance, composing, sound engineering, broadcasting, artist and event management. Universities, polytechnics and other providers throughout the country offer valuable training courses in many of these areas. An essential guide to the various courses available for next year is presented here, in NZ Musician’s 21st annual Music Industry Training Courses Directory.

This Directory provides information about tertiary music courses available around the country in 2016, some of which have imminent application closing dates. The courses are listed geographically under North and South Islands, with the following key indicating the emphasis of the course:

Contemporary

Classical

Jazz

Technical

The annual Training Courses Directory can also be accessed on the NZM website, www.nzmusician.co.nz. This provides links to the training institution websites and is updated throughout the year. We have made every effort to include up-to-date information and to list all the pertinent music courses that have come to our attention, and thank those who have provided the information contained herein. While we strongly encourage musical training, inclusion in this listing does not constitute recommendation by NZ Musician magazine.

NORTH ISLAND AUCKLAND EXCEL SCHOOL OF PERFORMING ARTS AUCKLAND Course Title: CERTIFICATE OF PERFORMANCE IN MUSIC Duration: One year fulltime course, with selection for second year touring performance year. Course start date: March 2016 No. of students per intake: 100 (includes Drama and Dance students) Entry criteria: Minimum age, 16. Entry is by audition. Applicants must have NCEA Level 1 English, show evidence of previous experience and display a degree of ability in one of the Major subjects. Emphasis: Contemporary rock, pop and jazzbased course majoring in bass, drums, guitar, keys or vocals. One on one lessons with practising industry professionals; wide range of electives including a ‘minor’ instrument, song writing, vocal harmony, band arrangement, dance, drama and more. Qualification gained: Certificate of Performance in Music majoring in Bass, Drums, Guitar, Keyboards or Vocals. (changing In 2017 to the New Zealand Certificate of Music, Level 4 - the new nationwide certificate offered by PTEs, Polytechnics across NZ.

Career prospects: Students will leave with an excellent knowledge and practical skills in their given Major, and the confidence to apply them in a wide variety of industry settings. Facilities: Large auditorium with theatresized stage, large room for band rehearsal, sequencing lab (iMac Logic Pro 10), numerous practice rooms. Tutors: Mark Baynes (keys), Jo Shum (bass), Stephen Thomas (drums), Chris Cope (guitar), Justin James (sound minor), Koia Tomlinson, Vanessa Abernethy, Clo Chaperon, Blessing Malu (vocals), Ronnie Eketone (band/arrangement/sequencing/harmony) Prominent graduates: Vincent Harder, Adeaze, Ben Lummis. Cost: $5,826 (excluding gst) Applications close: Auditions held Oct – December 2015. Apply at www.excel.ac.nz Contact: Ronnie Eketone Address: 20 Portage Rd, New Lynn, Auckland, PO Box 15 357, New Lynn, Auckland 0640 Phone: (09) 827 7327, fax (09) 8277328 Email: info@excel.ac.nz Website: www.excel.ac.nz Facebook: Excel School of Performing Arts

MAINZ (THE MUSIC AND AUDIO INSTITUTE OF NEW ZEALAND) (A FACULTY OF TAI POUTINI POLYTECHNIC) AUCKLAND AND CHRISTCHURCH Phone 0800 265 526 www.mainz.ac.nz Programme: CERTIFICATE IN DJ AND ELECTRONIC MUSIC PRODUCTION (Level 4) Duration: One year, full time Commences: February 2016 (Auckland and Christchurch) Entry requirements: NCEA level 1 or equivalent. Criteria apply – see www.mainz.ac.nz Emphasis: This programme introduces students to the world of DJing and electronic music from a professional perspective. During the year, they will gain a solid foundation in the theory and practice of DJing and using computers to make music. Qualification gained: Certificate in DJ and Electronic Music Production. Level 4. Facilities: Eight DJ booths equipped with a mix of club and battle mixers, Technics 1200 turntables, iMacs with Serato DJ and Ableton Live, Pioneer CDJs, several types of MIDI controllers and KRK studio monitors. Tutors: Peter Chambers (DJ CXL) and Chris Cox, Jason Diallo

Programme leader: Paul Bimler (Chch), Chris Cox (Akld). Cost indication: Refer to www.mainz.ac.nz

Programme: CERTIFICATE IN FOUNDATION SOUND AND MUSIC (Level 2) Duration: One year, full time Commences: February 2016 (MAINZ Auckland and Greymouth campuses) and July 2016 each year Entry requirements: Open entry Emphasis: This programme provides opportunities for students to compose, perform, engineer, produce and operate live sound equipment while developing literacy, numeracy and study skills. The Foundation year is designed to help students work towards further study in live sound, audio or music performance. Qualification gained: Certificate in Foundation Sound and Music. Level 2. Facilities: Fully equipped project recording room, computer labs, rehearsal rooms and auditorium. Tutors: Phil Oxenham, Jean McAllister and Harry Champion Programme leader: Phil Oxenham Prominent graduates: Josh Leys Cost indication: Please refer to www.mainz. ac.nz

Music Industry

Training Courses

Directory 2016

Programme: CERTIFICATE IN LIVE SOUND AND EVENT PRODUCTION (Level 4) Duration: One year, full time Commences: February 2016 (Akld and Chch) Entry requirements: NCEA level 1 or equivalent. Criteria apply – www.mainz.ac.nz Emphasis: Incorporates sound engineering and lighting skills in addition to set construction and design. Students also study event management, administration and computing. Qualification gained: Certificate in Live Sound and Event Production. Level 4. Career prospects: Live sound engineers, stage technicians, AV technicians, lighting personnel and general crew. Prominent graduates: Sandy Gunn (Cirque de Soleil) Tuki Huck (Sony NZ), Savina Kim, Brooke Duncan (Oceania Audio), Anthony Johnson (The Production Co.) Facilities: Purpose-built auditorium with concert PA and lighting systems, musical instruments and amplifiers, and DJ gear. Tutors: Auckland – Tony McMaster, Dave McIvor, Alan Burrows. Christchurch – Tony Rabbett, Marcus Winstanley. Programme leaders: Tony McMaster (Akld), Marcus Winstanley (Chch) Cost indication: Refer to www.mainz.ac.nz Programme: CERTIFICATE IN CONTEMPORARY MUSIC PERFORMANCE (Level 4) Duration: One year, full time Commences: February and July 2016 (Akld) Entry requirements: Criteria apply – see www.mainz.ac.nz Emphasis: Students form bands, study then perform eight different styles of contemporary music during the year. Emphasis is on preparing students for the entertainment industry by tutors who are real world, gigging musicians, and regular guest lecturers who are wellknown people from the industry. Qualification gained: Certificate in Contemporary Music Performance. Level 4. Facilities: Four rehearsal rooms, computer labs, recording studios. Prominent graduates: Aidan Bartlett (Midnight Youth), Manase Fao’I (Te Vaka), Lee Morunga (Lion King), Zowie. Tutors: Chris Orange, Tony Waine, Alan Brown, Johnny Fleury, Josh Sorenson and John Quigley. Programme leader: Chris Orange Cost indication: Refer to www.mainz.ac.nz Contact: Auckland Campus admin. Programme: DIPLOMA IN CONTEMPORARY MUSIC PERFORMANCE (Level 5) Duration: One year, full time Commences: February 2016 and July 2016 (Auckland) Entry requirements: Certificate in Contemporary Music Performance or equivalent – go to www.mainz.ac.nz for details Emphasis: This programme builds on the skills

established during the certificate year and focuses on students developing a portfolio of work. Students perform in bands that receive intensive coaching from experienced musicians, and learn to record their own projects in the MAINZ hi-tech rooms and recording studios. Qualification gained: Diploma in Contemporary Music Performance. Level 5. Career prospects: Professional musician, private teaching, music industry businesses. Prominent graduates: Paul Matthews and Aja Timu (I Am Giant), Joel Little, Karen Hunter, Joe Toomata (Te Vaka), Harry Champion, Fleur Jack, Anji Sami, Marika Hodgeson, Mel Parsons. Facilities: As per Certificate above. Tutors: As per Certificate above. Programme leader: Alan Brown Cost indication: Refer to www.mainz.ac.nz

Career prospects: Professional careers in audio-visual post-production, TV, radio, jingle production, studio recording, technical and multimedia industries. Facilities: ProTools-based digital multi-track recording studios, Mac-based sequencing. Two studios each in Auckland and Christchurch. Tutors: Auckland – Zed Brookes, Angus McNaughton, Paul Streekstra, Daryl Tapsell, Roy Martyn. Christchurch – Ivan Shevchuk, Richard Hallum, Matt Scott. Programme leaders: Zed Brookes (Akld), Richard Hallum (Chch) Prominent graduates: Geoff Paddison (Prime), Jonny Pipe, Shane Taipari and Nich Cunningham (Franklin Rd), Jordan Stone (Roundhead), Buster Flaws (Park Road Post). Cost indication: Refer to www.mainz.ac.nz

Programme: CERTIFICATE IN AUDIO ENGINEERING & MUSIC PRODUCTION (Level 5) Duration: One year, full time Commences: February 2016 (Akld and Chch) and July 2016 (Akld) Entry requirements: NCEA level 2 In Maths, English, Music or equivalent and further criteria apply – go to www.mainz.ac.nz for details Emphasis: Introduces the world of audio from a studio and computer recording perspective. Students gain a solid foundation in the theory and practice of recording, mixing and music production. Qualification gained: Certificate in Audio Engineering and Music Production. Level 5. Career prospects: The Certificate year gives students the necessary skills to run a project studio or find entry into the audio industry. Facilities: Four digital studios with in-line analogue consoles (two studios in Auckland and two in Christchurch). Computer work stations with samplers, sound modules and hi-tech areas at both campuses. Tutors: Auckland – Zed Brookes, Angus McNaughton, Paul Streekstra, Daryl Tapsell, Roy Martyn. Christchurch – Ivan Shevchuk, Richard Hallum, Matt Scott. Programme leaders: Daryl Tapsell (Akld), Ivan Shevchuk (Chch), HOD: Zed Brookes Prominent graduates: Evan Short (Concord Dawn), Karel Chabera (The Checks) Aaron Short (The Naked & Famous), Josh Fountain (Kidz in Space). Cost indication: Refer to www.mainz.ac.nz

Programme: DIPLOMA IN MUSIC AND EVENT MANAGEMENT (Level 5) Duration: One year, full time Commences: February 2016 Entry requirements: NCEA level 3 or equivalent. Criteria apply – see www.mainz.ac.nz Qualification: Diploma in Music Event Management. Level 5. Emphasis: Provides students with the skills and knowledge needed to gain employment in the music industry. The high industry focus means students are actively involved in organising real events. Career prospects: Event, tour and band management, employment with record, publishing and public performance companies. Tutors: Kingsley Melhuish, John Quigley and Tony Waine. Programme leader: Kingsley Melhuish Cost indication: Refer to www.mainz.ac.nz

Programme: DIPLOMA IN AUDIO ENGINEERING AND MUSIC PRODUCTION (Level 6) Duration: One year, full time Commences: February 2016 (Auckland and Christchurch) and July (Auckland) Entry requirements: MAINZ Certificate in Audio Engineering and Music Production, other relevant qualification or industry experience. Emphasis: Multi-track studio recording, multimedia, jingle writing, live recording. Qualification gained: Diploma in Audio Engineering and Music Production. Level 6.

Programme: BACHELOR OF MUSICAL ARTS (Level 7) Duration: One year, full time Commences: February 2016 Entry requirements: A national certificate at Level 4 or above. Criteria apply – go to www. mainz.ac.nz for details Qualification gained: Bachelor of Musical Arts. Emphasis: Designed to assist students launch a career in the Music Industry. Students learn a range of skills in music performance, theory, composition and arrangement. There is a strong music production pathway in the degree allowing electronic music performance and audio engineering focused students to develop their skills alongside music performance students. The final year is very self-directed with students mentored through a programme of research and project work culminating in the production of a portfolio of work applicable to the student’s preferred career path. Career prospects: Professional musician, music production, private teaching, music industry businesses. The degree may provide a pathway to an institutional teaching career by following the BMusArts with the completion

of a Graduate Diploma in Education. Tutors: John Bassett, Harry Lyon, Alan Brown, Tony Waine, Roy Martyn. Programme leader: John Bassett Cost indication: Refer to www.mainz.ac.nz Programme: GRADUATE DIPLOMA IN BUSINESS AND ENTERPRISE (Level 7) Duration: One year, full time Commences: February, April, July, October 2016 Entry requirements: Open to students who have successfully completed an under-graduate degree; or a Diploma at Level 5-6 who can demonstrate substantial practical experience in their chosen field. Special Entry may be granted where evidence exists that the applicant can successfully complete the programme. Please contact the Polytechnic for details. Applicants for whom English is a second language must meet IELTS (or equivalent) Level 6. Qualification gained: Graduate Diploma in Business and Enterprise. Emphasis: The Graduate Diploma in Business and Enterprise would provide level 6 and 7 students with the opportunity to study business and entrepreneurial skills in the context of the creative and other industries. It would provide students with the opportunity to focus on a capstone project in the industry they nominate which could lead to future employment, research or study. It aims to challenge students in terms of business creativity and enterprising thought. This programme may also appeal to international students who have an undergraduate degree or diploma from their home-land and wish to round this off with a post graduate qualification which equips them with a broad range of business skills learned in a progressive country such as NZ. Career prospects: Business or client manager, public/client relations, higher-level administrator, marketing management and liaison, project manager, event manager etc. Tutors: Keith Macky and Scott Bulloch Programme leader: Keith Macky Cost indication: Refer to www.mainz.ac.nz NOTE: Entry criteria for all MAINZ full-time programmes are available on www.mainz.ac.nz. Programme fees are subject to change. Follow us on Facebook www.fb.com/mainzmusic

MAINZ SHORT COURSES MAINZ Auckland and Christchurch campuses are Avid Certified Pro-Tools Training Locations and offer short courses in Internationallyrecognised Pro-Tools qualifications. MAINZ also runs regular short courses in DJing, Logic, Sibelius, Ableton Live, Live Sound and Home Recording; and hosts workshops by visiting international academics and speakers in song-writing. For detailed information about short courses see www.mainz.ac.nz

Music Industry

Training Courses

Directory 2016

SAE INSTITUTE, AUCKLAND Admin Office: 12 Heather St, Parnell, Auckland 1052 Phone: (09) 373 4712 SAE Studios: 18 Heather St, Parnell Phone: (09) 373 4317 Email: auckland@sae.edu Website: www.sae.edu Alumni: www.saealumni.com.au Facebook: www.facebook.com/saeinstitutenz SAE Institute is the world’s leading educator in creative media industries. Established in 1976, we now span the globe with over 50 campuses across 27 countries. At SAE we pride ourselves on delivering exceptional programmes in worldclass facilities. We ensure our students receive an outstanding education, internationally recognised qualifications, and industry-relevant skills. All our courses follow the founding principles of SAE – high quality, industry-focused, practical and theoretical education options for creative and talented individuals. SAE Institute Auckland is based in Parnell. We have been operating for over 25 years and offer programmes in Electronic Music Production, Audio Engineering and Film Making. SAE Institute Auckland is the perfect environment for practical hands-on learning and is approved by the NZQA as a Degree Granting Institution. Three levels of study: SAE provides access to three different levels of study to suit every student’s needs. Certificate: SAE Certificate programmes are ideal for younger students, audio hobbyists, musicians, DJs and teachers of music in secondary and tertiary education, including those who enjoy experimenting with technology as well as electronic music. These programmes are a foundation for further learning and are also delivered in flexible, part-time formats that allow for students who may be working or studying. Diploma: The SAE Diploma programmes have received industry and academic acclaim for over 25 years across the globe. These intensive programmes are the foundation of every SAE qualification and offer high-level, hands-on practical training in combination with advanced theoretical study. This combination provides students with the skills and knowledge necessary for success in the competitive creative media industries as well as equipping graduates for further study to degree level. The Diploma In Audio Engineering (L5) and the Diploma In Film Making (L5) programmes are offered at SAE Auckland. Bachelor Degree: The Bachelor Of Recording Arts Degree provides a strong focus on technology, creativity and the development of academic, practical, creative and business skills. This degree represents the state-of-the-art in digital and creative media education. Students are able to complete the second and third years of the degree on successful completion of their Diploma in Audio Engineering programme.

Course: DIPLOMA IN AUDIO ENGINEERING (PC1902) Duration: One year full-time. Commencement dates: January, April, June and September. No. of students per intake: Limited places. Entry criteria: Minimum 17 years of age, School Certificate/NCEA Level 1 in Maths and Science. Adult entry is 20 years plus. (Adult entry – no prior qualifications required.) Cost: approx. $12,025 (NZ students). Approved for student loans and allowances. Applications close: Commencement of course. Contact: Administration-Student Services (details above). Emphasis: Approved by the NZQA, the Level 5 Diploma in Audio Engineering provides industry standard training and incorporates multiple skills necessary for today’s successful audio engineer. With intensive theoretical and practical training graduates are able to apply and demonstrate a solid grounding in all aspects of working with professional commercial music and audio within the industry. Also offers a grounding in working with commercial music, audio and film and television related industries. Includes training for sound recording studios, post-production studios, radio-television broadcasting stations, live sound and any work involving sound recording and mastering. Qualification gained: Diploma In Audio Engineering (Level 5). Career prospects: Assistant sound engineer, studio sound recordist/engineer, ProTools operator, live sound, mastering or broadcast engineer, audio post-production, music and dialogue editor, location recordist, music producer, electronic musician, sales and installation, education and associated careers. Tutors: Karsten Schwardt MA, Mal Smith BA(Hons), Reuben Rowntree BA(Hons), David Chechelashvilli MSc, John Reynolds PhD, Pritesh Panchal Dip.Audio, Philip Poole Dip.Audio, David Johnston BA, plus guest industry lecturers.

Course: BACHELOR OF RECORDING ARTS DEGREE (PC1196) Duration: Two Years full-time on completion of the Diploma In Audio Engineering. Commences: January, July No. of students per intake: Limited places. Entry criteria: Successful completion of the Diploma In Audio Engineering. Entry interview. Cost: $16,759 (NZ students). Approved for student loans and allowances. Applications close: Commencement of course. Contact: SAE Institute Auckland on (09) 3734712 or auckland@sae.edu Emphasis:Incorporates the development of creative skills and research methods necessary in today’s highly competitive digital media and infotainment industries. This stage furthers the development of music production skills relevant to the commercial and classical music worlds. It develops the understanding of relevant aspects of business management

and legal matters as well as communication and research skills. This degree is researchbased, opening the way to the highest levels of academic education (Masters and PhD). Qualification: Bachelor of Recording Arts. Career prospects: Music producer, studio sound recordist/engineer, mix engineer, Pro Tools operator, live sound engineer, mastering, broadcast engineer, audio post-production, music and dialogue editor, location recordist, electronic musician, sales and installation, education and associated careers, studio manager. Tutors: John Reynolds PhD, Karsten Schwardt MA, David Chechelashvilli MSc, Suzette Major, PhD, Sam Kiwan MA, Mal Smith BA(Hons), plus guest lecturers from industry.

Course: SAE CERTIFICATE IN ELECTRONIC MUSIC PRODUCTION Duration: Six months part-time. Commences: February and August. No. of students per intake: Limited places. Entry criteria: Minimum 16 years of age. Open education. Cost: $2000 Applications close: Commencement date of course. Contact: SAE Institute Auckland on (09) 3734712 or auckland@sae.edu Emphasis: The unique EMP program encourages individualism and combines the fundamentals of electronic music production with practical experimentation and personal creativity. Students will graduate from the sixmonth program with the skills and knowledge to create the music they love and gain a strong foundation for future learning Qualification: SAE Certificate in Electronic Music Production Course prospects: For anyone wanting to experiment with electronic sound and DJs wanting to remix music more effectively. Also teachers and enthusiasts of electronic music. Tutors: Pritesh Panchal-Dip.Audio, Marcel Bellve-Dip.Audio, Reuben Rowntree-BA(Hons), including guest DJ artists. Facilities for all SAE courses: SAE Institute rests its entire teaching strategy on personalised, practical learning. There are no large lecture halls at SAE; rather students learn in top-of-the-range studios with equipment that parallels industry standards. These studios include: The Project Recording Studio introduces students to the recording and mixing processes without overwhelming them with a complex array of equipment. It provides a balanced mix of challenges and opportunities to help master essential skills and familiarise students with common equipment such as the Mackie console and outboard effects rack. The Classic Recording Studio includes the TL Audio valve console and 24 track Otari tape machine – equipment that is still in use and much prized throughout studios nationwide. An extensive array of high-quality outboard

effects and processors help instil a greater insight into how each part of the studio functions while providing a more tactile working environment than plug-ins allow. The Digital Recording Studio allows tracks to be recorded and mixed entirely in the digital domain. It boasts an impressive array of plugins and patches housed in a powerful Mac Pro set up with professional AVID software and interfaces. Total control of every aspect of the mix is afforded through a Focusrite control surface, allowing every setting to be saved at the touch of a button. The MIDI and Sampling Suite teaches audio creation and manipulation using predominantly samples and synthesis. Students learn to focus their attention more on the role of a producer and gain valuable skills and understanding into the world of electronically produced music. The suite utilises Apple and Propellerhead software combined with hardware elements by Korg, Yamaha, Roland, Nord, Novation, Alesis and Neve. The Digital Editing Workstations train students on the finer points of using professional audio software by AVID, Propellerhead, Ableton and Apple for editing, mixing, composing and manipulating sounds. The Post Production Studio boasts a Mac Pro computer system using interactive Euphonix control surfaces and industry-standard Steinberg software in a 5.1 channel monitoring environment. The Mastering Suite features meticulously designed acoustics for critically monitoring recordings and preparing them to the high standards required for commercial release. The suite is based around a powerful Mac Pro computer, DBX acoustic processing, Steinberg software and a comprehensive monitoring system ranging from top-of-the-line B&W speakers to high-end stereo Carvins, to FM radio simulating Auratones. The Study Lab provides students with a place to complete assignment work, research, revise and relax with fellow students. Access is provided to both internal and external library databases as well as a host of additional resources to aid study. To book a studio tour to check out these facilities or to enquire about any of our programmes, contact (09) 373-4712 or auckland@sae.edu Tertiary study beyond the lecture halls. When conjuring an image of what it’s like to study at a tertiary level, most people picture a large lecture hall with students being educated by a typically impressive albeit slightly intimidating professor who stands at the lectern and espouses their expertise on a particular topic. This kind of learning doesn’t work for all subjects or all types of students. Increasingly, tertiary institutions are stepping outside the lecture hall to find ways to deliver more hands-on, practical learning. SAE Creative Media Institute is one such institution. With 53 campuses across 27 countries,

Music Industry

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Directory 2016

SAE is the world’s leading tertiary educator for the creative media industries. NZ’s campus is based in Parnell, Auckland and offers qualifications in Audio Engineering, Film Making and Electronic Music Production. SAE Auckland is approved by NZQA as a Degree Granting Institution. But don't expect large lecture halls - rather students ‘learn by doing’ within audio and film studios that parallel industry standards. The teaching staff are creative industry specialists. Classes are small and entry into their qualifications is strictly limited. Campus Manager Dr Suzette Major feels it’s the perfect environment for practical hands-on learning. “Our students get tons of one-on-one attention. Such applied learning helps ensure they are work-ready and industry savvy by the time they graduate”. “And for the SAE graduate, there’s the added bonus of being part of a huge global network,” explains Dr Major. “You can walk into a studio in San Francisco for example and say, ‘I’m a SAE grad’ and they know what that means”. In the truly connected world of the creative industries, such global recognition of the SAE brand is a huge advantage. There are multiple intakes all year for SAE’s Degree, Diploma and Certificate programmes. For more information check out auckland. sae.edu

UNITEC INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY AUCKLAND

Real Music Skills: If you’re passionate about music, Unitec can help you plug into an exciting career. The music business is competitive and can be hard to break into – that’s where our contemporary music programmes have an edge. Tutors are renowned music practitioners who are more than happy to share their wealth of experience. They’ll give you an insight into the NZ music industry and help you evolve into an adaptable whole musician. Performances are a key part of both our Certificate in Music (Introductory) and Diploma in Contemporary Music – throughout your studies you’ll get to compose, perform and make music with other students. You’ll also have full access to drop-in computer labs and rehearsal space, to try out the latest technology and explore different musical styles. To find out more about our music programmes, call 0800 10 95 10 or visit unitec.ac.nz/music. Unitec is the biggest institute of technology in NZ. Across our three campuses – Mt Albert, North Shore and Waitakere – we have a lively community of around 23,000 students from more than 80 countries. But despite our size, at Unitec you’re not just a number. Our classes are small, our staff friendly and approachable. In fact, we do all we can to make your education work around your lifestyle.

Course: DIPLOMA IN CONTEMPORARY MUSIC Duration: Two years Intake: 25 Start date: July 2015, or February 2016 Entry criteria: Be at least 20 years of age when the programme begins (or provide a completed Early Release Exemption form, which you can obtain from your local MOE office); and have a minimum total of 60 NCEA credits at level 2 in their best four subjects, or equivalent; or have a maximum total of 16 in NZ Sixth Form Certificate in their best four subjects, or equivalent; or have an appropriate qualification at level 3 or above. Audition/ interview required. Emphasis: The course develops musical and professional strengths, including collaborative performance, creative and cross-disciplinary skills, music fundamentals and techniques, technology-based and music industry skills. Offers a broad, genre-inclusive understanding of contemporary performance and recording, and an understanding of the contexts of music and culture in Aotearoa NZ. Qualification: DipConMus Career prospects: Music-related careers including composer, DJ, music journalist, music teacher, musician, recording engineer, singer/songwriter, sound designer. Facilities: Dedicated Mac laboratory with industry standard technologies. Dedicated classrooms and performance spaces. Tutors: Samuel Holloway, Robin Toan, Tama Waipara, Rachael Morgan, Chris O’Connor, James Gardner and other part-time industrybased tutors. Cost indication: $5,792 (based on 2015) Contact: Alexander Lee Phone: 09 815 4321 Address: Unitec NZ, Carrington Road, Mt Albert Email: alee3@unitec.ac.nz Website: www.unitec.ac.nz/music

Course: CERTIFICATE IN MUSIC (INTRODUCTORY) Duration: One semester (full-time) or part-time options available. Start dates: July 2015 or March 2016 Intake: 20 per semester Entry criteria: Have completed a minimum of three years’ secondary school, be at least 16 years of age when the programme begins (or provide a completed Early Release Exemption form; and a minimum of three years’ secondary school education; or have the Unitec Certificate in Foundation Studies (Level 2): or equivalent. Audition/interview required. Emphasis: Provides a range of fundamental music skills, offers opportunities for musical expression and creativity, and enables you to participate in practical music-making sessions. A bridging route for those wanting to study the Diploma in Contemporary Music, but don’t meet the entry requirements. Qualification: CertMus (Intro) Prospects: Careers including composer, DJ,

music journalist, music teacher, musician, performer, radio producer, recording engineer or entry to the Diploma in Contemporary Music. Facilities: Dedicated Mac laboratory with industry standard technologies. Dedicated classrooms and performance bunker. Performance spaces. Tutors: Robin Toan, Chris O’Connor, Rachael Morgan and other part-time industry-based tutors. Cost indication: $2,896 (based on 2015) Closing dates: 24 July 2015; 22 February 2016 Contact: Alexander Lee Phone: 09 815 4321 Address: Unitec NZ, Carrington Road, Mt Albert Email: alee3@unitec.ac.nz Website: www.unitec.ac.nz/music

two electronic studios, keyboard laboratory, teaching studios. Music and dance library. Tutors: Refer to www.creative.auckland.ac.nz Fees: Refer to www. auckland.ac.nz/fees Application closing dates: 31 August 2015 - Classical Performance, Jazz Performance and Popular Music majors; 8 December 2015 - Composition and Musicology majors Contact: NICAI Student Centre Phone: 0800 61 62 63 Email: info-creative@auckland.ac.nz Address: Level 2, Building 421 (Architecture & Planning Building), 26 Symonds St, Auckland. Website: www.creative.auckland.ac.nz

THE UNIVERSITY OF AUCKLAND, SCHOOL OF MUSIC NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF CREATIVE ARTS AND INDUSTRIES (NICAI)

Courses: POSTGRADUATE DEGREES Research programmes: Master of Music (MMus), Doctor of Music (DMus), Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA), Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Taught programmes: Bachelor of Music (Honours) (BMus(Hons)), Postgraduate Diploma in Music (PGDipMus), Graduate Diploma in Music (GradDipMus) Duration: 1-3 years depending on degree with part-time options also available. Courses start: Varies depending on degree. Entry criteria: On application Emphasis: The School of Music offers seven postgraduate programmes in music and music-related disciplines. Postgraduate students come from a variety of backgrounds, with diverse interests and reasons for undertaking postgraduate study. However, they all share a common goal: to develop their musical expertise and understanding to a higher level through advanced practice and research. Study options in a wide range of musical subjects, including classical performance, composition, sonic art, musicology, music education, popular music, ethno-musicology, jazz and sound recording and design. Career prospects: As for Bachelor degreee to the left. Academic teacher and researcher. Facilities: School of Music buildings at 6 Symonds St, 23 Wynyard St, 18 Waterloo Quadrant and 74 Shortland St. 155-seat concert hall, large recording/performance studio, eight lecture/teaching rooms, practice rooms, two electronic studios, keyboard laboratory, teaching studios. Music and Dance library. Tutors: Many have made significant contributions to national and international research and have received worldwide recognition. A full list of current staff, along with their research interests can be found on the NICAI website www. creative.auckland.ac.nz/academic-staff Cost: Refer to www. auckland.ac.nz/fees Applications close: 8 December 2015 (MMus, BMus[Hons], PGDipMus, GradDipMus). Any time during the year (DMus, DMA, PhD). Contact: NICAI Student Centre as above

Course: BACHELOR OF MUSIC DEGREE (BMus) Duration: Three years Commences: 29 February 2016 Entry criteria: You must have a University Entrance qualification – NCEA, Cambridge International Examinations (CIE), International Baccalaureate (IB) or another recognised equivalent qualification. For information on specific entry requirements visit www.creative.auckland.ac.nz and click on ‘How to Apply’. Emphasis: The Bachelor of Music offers you the opportunity to gain a broad knowledge of music techniques and styles. Classical Performance Major, specialise in one of a variety of classical instruments, early music or voice. Composition Major covers written composition and various electronic media. Jazz Performance Major covers all aspects of the genre including musicianship, history and theory, composition and improvisation. Musicology major develops music understanding, writing and music analysis skills. Popular Music major provides the fundamental skills for writing, arranging and performing popular music. For details and options visit www. creative.auckland.ac.nz/study-bmus Qualification: Bachelor of Music Degree Career prospects: Solo or orchestral concert musician, pop or jazz musician, recording artist, freelance composer, composer/arranger for film, music or TV, choir leader, conductor, band leader, music journalist, community educator, music therapist, teacher, archivist/librarian, publicist, music programme director, licence administrator, music editor, sales rep. Facilities: School of Music buildings at 6 Symonds St, 23 Wynyard St, 18 Waterloo Quadrant and 74 Shortland St. 155-seat concert hall, large recording/performance studio, eight lecture/teaching rooms, practice rooms,

Music Industry

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Directory 2016

CENTRAL NORTH THE UNIVERSITY OF WAIKATO HAMILTON Course Title: BACHELOR OF MUSIC Duration: 3 years full-time Commences: March 2016 Entry criteria: UE plus one of the following: NCEA - 14 credits in Music at Level 3; NCEA 20 credits in Music at Level 2: a Grade Five theory pass or better in the Australian Music Education Board, NZ Music Education Board, Trinity College, or Royal College of Music examinations; a qualification considered equivalent. Students taking Performance are required to audition. Emphasis: To prepare students for a professional career in music performance, musicology, composition or electroacoustic music. Our aim is to assist you in developing technique and understanding to achieve your full musical potential. As a research-focused Conservatorium, students benefit from staff who are at the forefront in their fields nationally and benchmarked to top international levels in key areas. Qualification: Bachelor of Music Career prospects: Performing, composing, broadcasting, recording, production, music retailing, digital media, film music production, journalism, teaching, advertising, libraries, arts administration, publishing. Facilities: Gallagher Academy of Performing Arts and other dedicated practice and recording spaces. Digital studios of international standard. Lecturers: Associate Professor Martin Lodge (composition), Associate Professor Ian Whalley (electroacoustic), Dr Rachael Griffiths-Hughes (music history, choral conducting, early music), Dr Michael Williams (composition), Dr Lara Hall (violin), James Tennant (cello), Katherine Austin (piano), David Griffiths (voice), Dame Malvina Major (voice). Performance teaching fellows: Peter Scholes (clarinet), Luca Manghi (flute), Martin Lee (oboe), Rupert D’Cruze (brass), Glenese Blake (voice), Gordon Skinner (bassoon), Vadim Simongauz (percussion) Prominent graduates: Santiago Canon Valencia (cello), Edward King (cello), Timua Bryan (soprano), Julia Booth (soprano), Linden Loader (mezzo), Patrick Power (tenor), Andrew Leathwick (piano), Daniel Stabler, Stephen Matthews, Jeremy Mayall, Teresa Connors, Te Manaaroha Rollo. Applications close: BMus performance: first round performance auditions Saturday September 5, 2015, applications due Friday August 14, 2015. Further performance music applications considered case-by-case. BMus academic: December 1, 2015 Contact: Conservatorium of Music Administrator Address: Private Bag 3105, Hamilton. Phone: (07) 838 4380 Fax: (07) 838 4683 Email: music@waikato.ac.nz Website: www.waikato.ac.nz/music

VISION COLLEGE HAMILTON Course: BACHELOR OF MUSIC (CCM) Duration: Three years full time Commences: Feb. and July Entry criteria: 17 years of age and have four years secondary education (NCEA 2), or be aged over 20. Interview and audition. Emphasis: The only Christian music degree in NZ. This is a contemporary music degree, focusing on both performance and academic development. Based in a dynamic Christian environment, theology and worship is included to build a solid biblical foundation for both life and ministry. Study the type of music you love – rock, pop, R&B, jazz – even classical. This contemporary music degree will take your skills to a highly advanced level. Choose from voice, instrument or songwriting streams. Qualification gained: Bachelor of Music (Contemporary Christian Music). Career prospects: Professional performance musicians, secondary school music teachers, primary school or early childhood teachers, full-time/itinerant music tutors, further study for Honours & Masters qualifications. Facilities: Recording studio with ProTools 10 and 003 interface. Auditorium, practice rooms, ensemble performance rooms, library and study centre, computer lab and student common room. Cafeteria on campus. Tutors: Joanne Whitt (Head of School), Brett Wilson, Caleb Driver, Stu Edwards plus other specialist tutors. Cost: $6,100 (approx) per year. Contact: Student Enquiries Office Phone: 0800 834 834 Txt: txt BMus to 027 557 8839 Email: hamilton@visioncollege.ac.nz Address: 21 Ruakura Road, Hamilton 3216 Web: www.visioncollege.ac.nz

Course: DIPLOMA IN PERFORMANCE MUSIC (Level 6) Duration: Two years full time Commences: Feb. and July Entry criteria: 17 years of age, and have four years secondary education (NCEA 2), or be aged over 20. Interviews and audition. Emphasis:Focused on equipping Christian musicians with professional musical skills, so they can be effective in music and ministry in their local church and in the wider community and industry. Qualification: Diploma in Performance Music (Level 6) Career prospects: Become church music directors and music tutors. Study further to complete the Bachelor of Music (CCM). Facilities: See Bachelor of Music listing. Tutors: Joanne Whitt (Head of School), Brett Wilson, Caleb Driver, Stu Edwards plus other Cost: $6,100 (approx.) per year. Contact: Student Enquiries Office Phone: 0800 834 834

Txt: txt BMus to 027 557 8839 Email: hamilton@visioncollege.ac.nz Address: 21 Ruakura Road, Hamilton 3216 Web: www.visioncollege.ac.nz

Course: DIPLOMA OF CONTEMPORARY MUSIC (Level 5) Duration: One year full time Commences: Feb. and July Entry criteria: 17 years of age, and have four years secondary education (NCEA 2) or be aged over 20. Interviews and audition. Emphasis: To equip Christian musicians with professional performance skills so that they can be effective in music and ministry in their local church and in the wider community and industry. It is a comprehensive year, combining performance with academic study, and counts as the first year of the Bachelor of Music (CCM). Choose from voice, instrument or songwriting streams. Qualification: Diploma of Contemporary Music (Level 5) Career prospects: Become church music directors and music tutors. Study to complete a Level 6 Diploma or Bachelor of Music (CCM). Facilities: See Bachelor of Music listing. Tutors: Joanne Whitt (Head of School), Brett Wilson, Caleb Driver, Stu Edwards plus other specialist tutors. Cost: $5,400 (approx.) Contact: Student Enquiries Office Phone: 0800 834 834 Txt: txt your name to 027 557 8839 Email: hamilton@visioncollege.ac.nz

WINTEC, HAMILTON WAIKATO INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY Course: BACHELOR OF MEDIA ARTS (Commercial Music). Duration: Three years Commences: February 2016. (Mid year intake July 2016.) No. of students per intake: 25 Entry criteria: NCEA level 2, at least 60 credits across four subjects including Music and English or equivalent. For further information see below for contacts. Emphasis: Commercial Music is a stream of entry into the three year Bachelor of Media Arts programme. Study consists of innovative courses relevant to songwriting, composition, music production and performance. Industrybased projects give students industry and practical experience. Qualification: Bachelor of Media Arts (BMA). Facilities: Music students have 24 hour access to six recording studios, ranging from ProTools LE systems to a fully equipped ProTools HD studio utilising Control 24 mixing console. Tutors: David Sidwell, Rik Bernards, Jason Long, Kent Macpherson, Wayne Senior, Debbie Nisbet, Dr Matthew Bannister. Julia Booth, Stu Edwards, Megan Berry Cost: Approx. $5,500 annually.

Applications close: 30 September 2015 (late applications considered). Contact: David Sidwell (Team Manager). Address: Waikato Institute of Technology, Private Bag HN3036, Hamilton. Phone: 0800 858 0246; (07) 834 8800 Ext. 8532 Fax: (07) 858 0227 Email: David.Sidwell@wintec.ac.nz Web: www.wintec.ac.nz/mediarts

Course: CERTIFICATE IN MEDIA ARTS (MUSIC) Duration: 20 weeks Commences: February or July 2016 No. of students per intake: 20 Entry criteria: Level 1 English and Music or equivalent credits in NZQA. For more information on entry criteria see above for contacts. Emphasis: Designed to provide the skills and knowledge needed for further study at tertiary level. Qualification: Certificate in Media Arts (Music) Career prospects: With further study – audio engineer, songwriter, sound designer, performance, film and video sound. Facilities: See Bachelor of Media Arts above. Cost: Approx. $2,500 Applications close: December 2015 (late applications considered). Contact: David Sidwell. Details as above.

Course: BACHELOR OF MEDIA ARTS – HONOURS Duration: One year Commences: March 2016 Entry criteria: On application Emphasis: This post-graduate programme aims to develop an in depth research-based project in the area of music. Qualification gained: BMA - Honours All other details as above.

Course: MASTER OF ARTS - MUSIC Duration: One year or two years part-time. Commences: March 2016 (Other commencement dates throughout the year are possible on application.) Entry criteria: On application Emphasis: This post-graduate degree consists of a major self-directed research project in music. This includes studio-based practise and a supporting written dissertation. (Part time study option available.) Qualification: MA (Music) All other details as above.

Music Industry

Training Courses

Directory 2016

NZ SCHOOL OF RADIO TAURANGA Course: NATIONAL CERTIFICATE IN RADIO BROADCASTING Duration: 20 weeks Courses start: Late January and late July. No. of students per intake: 12-18 Entry criteria: Good personality, passion for radio, NCEA English Levels 1&2. Emphasis: Offers training in all aspects of the Radio Industry including on-air announcing, sound production and writing commercials. Plus TV presenting and video making. Get real experience working for stations like The Edge and ZM and meet industry stars. Qualification: National Certificate in Radio (foundation skills) Career prospects: Radio announcer, copywriter, producer, promotions and marketing, sales, record company rep, TV presenter, sports commentary. Facilities: Campus with two digital recording studios and two on-air radio stations Tutors: Hamish Denton (manager) and around 25 guests from the radio and TV industries. Prominent graduates: Simon Hampton (3 News), Bryn Rudkin (More FM News), Fame Teu (Mai FM Nights) Cost: $7,895 incl. gst. Applications close: End of June and December Contact: Hamish Denton Address: Level 1, 30 Grey St, PO Box 13472, Tauranga, 3141 Phone: 07 578 1521 Fax: 07 578 1526 Email: hamish@radiocareer.net Website: www.radiocareer.net

UNIVERSAL COLLEGE OF LEARNING (UCOL) PALMERSTON NORTH/WHANGANUI/ WAIRARAPA Do you love music? It could be your career. Have you thought about strengthening your skills with a one-year Certificate in Contemporary Music? If you are a drummer, a keyboard player, bass player, guitarist or vocalist, this could be the qualification you need to give your career a boost. UCOL’s one year programme provides an opportunity to develop your individual and band performance skills across a number of popular music styles. You will also gain skills in live sound and recording, live show performing, theory, song writing / composition and music management. This full year certificate will start you on the journey of being in the music industry using the skills you love. It can also lead onto the Diploma in Contemporary Music Performance where there is a special focus on composing, arranging, performing and recording original material that will help prepare you for selfemployment as a professional musician. We encourage industry contacts and through our

excellent tutors, steer you towards how to work in the music world. Recording is enhanced throughout the year so that you have your own recordings to take to prospective employees, agents and prospective clients. Course: Certificate in Contemporary Music Performance (L4) Duration: One year full time. Palmerston North, Wairarapa and Whanganui. Courses start: February 22 to November 25, 2016. No. of students per intake: 20 per intake. Outer campuses 15 students per intake. Entry criteria: Open entry with audition. Emphasis: Creating a musical whanau (family) to support and enable connections to be made in this diverse and ever evolving technologybased industry. When students complete this course they will be able to create their own work and perform, with the technical ability to record, produce and start a career as a musician. Creates a stepping stone pathway, to enable a student to become a skilled musician focusing on original music and the ability to record their own music as a professional. Qualification gained: Certificate in Contemporary Music Performance (Level 4) Career prospects: Music performer, singing, song writing, sound engineering, teaching, band management, event management, schools, music store retail. Facilities: Three campuses have a music dedicated department with, rehearsal room/s and a state of the art recording facilities on the Palmerston North campus, which all campuses use. On each campus are dedicated Mac suites with the latest music software, practice room/s, quality professional musicians as tutors and specialist instrument tutors. Programme Leader: Kane Parsons Tutors: Palmerston North – Kane Parsons, Nigel Patterson, Graham Johnston. Whanganui – Lizzie deVegt, Graham Johnston, Dave Griffiths, Mike Franklin-Brown. Wairarapa – Cody Field, Courtney Naera, Saali Marks. Plus specialist instrument/technology contractors. Prominent graduates: Anna Monteith (Electric Era, Penny Dreadfuls, Blue Ruin); Jason Meadows & Kahi Tangiora (Depths); reggae/metal act Rezist; Ben Dixon, Inhale; Courtney Naera (nee Brown); Jason Ireland (King Street Live booking manager). Application closing dates: It is preferred to have enrolments at least one month before the course starts, however enrolments are taken up until the course start date. Contact: Tricia Falkner Address: Universal College of Learning School of Photography Arts and Design Private Bag 11022, Palmerston North Phone: 0800 GO UCOL (0800 46 8265), 021 820 337 Email: t.falkner@ucol.ac.nz or k.parsons@ ucol.ac.nz Facebook: www.facebook.com/Ucolmusic Website: www.ucol.ac.nz (www.spad.ucol.ac.nz)

Course: Diploma in Contemporary Music Performance (L5), Duration: One year, full time, Palmerston North Entry criteria: You must have completed the UCOL Certificate in Contemporary Music Performance, an equivalent Level 4 qualification in music, or have the equivalent skills and knowledge. No. of students per intake: 20 per intake. Qualification gained: Diploma in Contemporary Music Performance (Level 5) Career prospects: Songwriting/arranging film, radio/television, advertising, bands, solo artistry, session music performance, itinerant teaching in schools, music store retail. Cost: Contact 0800 GOUCOL. $5945 with student levy included. Facilities etc: As above for Palmerston North campus.

WHITIREIA COMMUNITY POLYTECHNIC PORIRUA Course: BACHELOR OF APPLIED ARTS (MUSIC) Duration: Three years fulltime Commences: February 2016 No. of students per intake: 24 Entry criteria: (Under 20yrs.) Minimum of 42 NCEA credits at Level 3 or higher, plus 8 credits at Level 2 or higher in English or te reo Maori with at least 4 credits in Reading and 4 credits in Writing, and 14 credits at Level 1 or higher in Mathematics or Pangarau, and Grade 5 Music Theory or equivalent, and audition and interview. (20 years or over) as above or equivalent, and Grade 5 Music Theory or equivalent and audition and interview OR (any age) completed Whitireia Certificate in Rock, Jazz and Commercial Music or equivalent Level 4 Music Certificate, and audition and interview. Emphasis: Study and develop skills for the music industry. Subject areas include: theory, composition, arranging, instrument studies, band workshops, performance, recording and production. Learn about the music business and develop relevant communication skills. Qualification: Bachelor of Applied Arts (Music) Career prospects: Working in the music and entertainment industries, performing, composing, recording, teaching Facilities: Recording studios and editing suites, MIDI, performance spaces equipped with stage, full PA, backline and lighting; AV equipped classrooms; rehearsal rooms, library, student support and peer tutoring. Tutors: Gloria Hildred, Rick Cranson, Sandy Cairns-James, Phil Hornblow, Dan Adams, Andy Mauafua, John O’Connor, George Packard, Jim Perkins, Johnny Lawrence, Ayesha Kee and Marino Karena. Prominent graduates: Nick Granville, Loli, Jordan Reyne, Daniel McGruer (Kora),

Iain Gordon (FFD), Kevin Hotu (Southside Of Bombay), Jo Cotton, Tofiga (Laughing Samoans), Andy Mauafua, Maaka McGregor (Wai), Richard Maxwell, Tyna Keelan. Cost: $6,711 Applications close: November 2015 Contact: Whitireia Information & Enrolment team Address: DX Box SX33459, 3 Wi Neera Drive, Porirua Phone: 0800 944 847 Fax: (04) 237 3101 Email: info@whitireia.ac.nz Website: www.whitireia.ac.nz Facebook & YouTube: search ‘Whitireia School of Music’

Course: CERTIFICATE IN ROCK, JAZZ AND COMMERCIAL MUSIC Duration: One year full-time Commences: February 2016 No. of students per intake: 28 Entry criteria: 10 credits NCEA Level 1 literacy and 10 Credits NCEA numeracy or equivalent and grade three music theory or equivalent and evidence of instrumental vocal skills/ability based on interview and audition Emphasis: Become a practical musician by developing your musical skills and your understanding of the industry. Subject areas include: theory, composition, MIDI, instrument and professional studies, band workshops and performance. Qualification gained: Certificate in Rock, Jazz and Commercial Music Career prospects: Musician, performer, band member or further study Facilities: Computer labs running recording, MIDI, ear training and music notation software; performance spaces equipped with stage, full PA, back line and lighting; AV equipped classrooms; fully equipped rehearsal rooms, library, student support and peer tutoring. Tutors: Gloria Hildred, Dan Adams, Sandy Cairns-James, Rick Cranson, Phil Hornblow, Marino Karena, John O’Connor, Andy Mauafua, George Packard, Jim Perkins and Johnny Lawrence. Cost: $5,985 Applications close: November 2015 Contact: Whitireia Information & Enrolment team Address: DX Box SX33459, 3 Wi Neera Drive, Porirua Phone: 0800 944 847 Fax: (04) 237 3101 Email: info@whitireia.ac.nz Website: www.whitireia.ac.nz

Course: CERTIFICATE IN DJ MUSIC Duration: One year full-time Commences: February 2016 No. of students per intake: 20 Entry criteria: 10 credits NCEA Level 1 lit-

Music Industry

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Directory 2016

eracy and 10 credits NCEA Level 1 numeracy or equivalent and evidence of skills/ability/ aptitude based on interview and audition Emphasis: For newcomers and experienced DJs wanting to become professional, this programme includes DJ performance, turntable skills, the art of mixing and the history of DJ, music production and industry studies. Qualification gained: Certificate in DJ Music Career prospects: Professional DJ, performing artist Facilities: DJ suites running Serato Scratch Live software and Logic Pro; computer labs; rehearsal spaces; PA and lighting systems; library, student support and peer tutoring. Tutors: DJ Raw, DJ Shan, Alphabethead, Marino Karena Prominent graduates: DJ Static, DJ DeVice, DJ Bezerik, EA Kut, DJ Ruse and DJ Klipz Cost: $5,985 Applications close: November 2015 Contact: Whitireia Information & Enrolment team Address: DX Box SX33459, 3 Wi Neera Drive, Porirua Phone: 0800 944 847 Fax: (04) 237 3101 Email: info@whitireia.ac.nz Website: www.whitireia.ac.nz

Course: CERTIFICATE IN LIVE SOUND AND EVENT PRODUCTION Duration: One year full-time Commences: February 2016 No. of students per intake: 21 Entry criteria: 10 credits NCEA Level 1 literacy and 10 credits NCEA Level 1 numeracy, Level 1 physics and/or music or equivalent study/work experience Emphasis: Learn skills in live sound engineering, lighting, production design and event management to become a stage technician, AV operator, sound engineer, crew for live music or stage productions. Qualification gained: Certificate in Live Sound and Event Production Career prospects: Stage technician, AV operator, sound engineer, live sound crew Facilities: 5kW 3-way FoH PA, lighting rig, full backline, AV set up, computer labs, library, student support and peer tutoring. Tutors: Kevin Whooley, Marc Freeman. Cost: $5,985 Applications close: November 2015 Contact: Whitireia Information & Enrolment team Address: DX Box SX33459, 3 Wi Neera Drive, Porirua Phone: 0800 944 847 Fax: (04) 237 3101 Email: info@whitireia.ac.nz Website: www.whitireia.ac.nz

Course: CERTIFICATE IN FOUNDATION MUSIC Duration: Six months full-time Commences: July 2016 No. of students per intake: 28 Entry criteria: 10 credits NCEA Level 1 lit-

eracy and 10 credits NCEA Level 1 numeracy or equivalent and evidence of instrumental and vocal skills based on interview and audition Emphasis: This is an introductory programme which Includes performance skills, playing with a band, professional studies and music theory. Qualification: Certificate in Foundation Music Facilities: Labs running recording, MIDI, ear training and music notation software; performance spaces equipped with stage, full PA, back line and lighting; AV equipped classrooms; fully equipped rehearsal rooms, library, student support and peer tutoring. Tutors: Gloria Hildred, Sandy Cairns-James, Phil Hornblow, Marino Karena, Andy Mauafua, Rick Cranson, Jim Perkins, John O’Connor, Johnny Lawrence and Dan Adams. Cost: $905 Applications close: May 2016 Contact: Whitireia Information & Enrolment team Address: DX Box SX33459, 3 Wi Neera Drive, Porirua Phone: 0800 944 847 Fax: (04) 237 3101 Email: info@whitireia.ac.nz Website: www.whitireia.ac.nz

development, social media, and musicology. Students also take elective papers of their own choosing. For further details visit: creative.massey.ac.nz Qualification gained: Bachelor of Commercial Music degree Career prospects: Professional musician, songwriter, producer, promoter, label representative, music marketing, artist manager, sound engineer, software developer, publisher, booking agent, composer for film/tv/games. Facilities: Music and media studios, lecture and classroom spaces, computer labs. Applications close: 4 December 2015 Contact: College of Creative Arts Address: Massey University , College of Creative Arts , PO Box 756, Wellington 6140 Phone: 0800 MASSEY/+ 64 4 801 5799 Email: creative@massey.ac.nz Facebook: facebook.com/cocacm Website: massey.ac.nz/cm

MASSEY UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF CREATIVE ARTS WELLINGTON

Te Kōkī New Zealand School of Music (NZSM) was previously a joint venture of Victoria University of Wellington and Massey University. Since 1 July 2014, it has been fully integrated into Victoria University . All contact details, enrolment procedures, qualifications and courses remain unchanged. In 2016, NZSM courses will still be taught on the Kelburn campus.

Course: BACHELOR OF COMMERCIAL MUSIC Duration: 3 year full-time Commences: February 2016 No. of students per intake: 100 Entry criteria: Entrants to all papers must meet Massey University admission requirements. Entrance to practice and composition papers is also by audition. Emphasis: A band new degree launching in 2016, the Bachelor of Commercial Music prepares students to create, produce and promote tomorrow’s music. Future focused and cross-genre, the programme emphasises new technology, the latest models, and industrystandard production tools, and is taught by musicians, industry professionals and practising academics. The degree offers a choice of three majors – Music Practice, Music Technology and Music Industry. The Music Practice major focuses on performance, composition and arrangement, and studio production, as well as artistry and musical development. The Music Technology major covers studio engineering, live sound and light, software and hardware development, including programming and electronics. Papers in the Music Industry major include artist development, music publishing, live music, label development, and future trends in music. Students from all three majors collaborate across a number of core papers. Together they produce, promote and perform a gig, a music video, and a short tour. Other shared core papers look critically at aspects of the contemporary music industry, such as web

TE KŌKĪ NEW ZEALAND SCHOOL OF MUSIC WELLINGTON

Main programme: BACHELOR OF MUSIC Duration: Three years full time Commences: Monday 29 February, 2016 Entry criteria: University Entrance and by audition for performance majors (or Master's in Music Therapy). NZSM offers a wide range of opportunities for the study of music at tertiary level – for students just beginning their exploration of music, for students at various levels of advanced study, and for professionals seeking opportunities to expand their qualifications. In addition, a BA with a major in music can be undertaken (see below) and many specific NZSM courses can be taken independently and added to other degree pathways, including a number of online, distance courses. Emphasis: Students may major in one of: Jazz; Classical Performance; Composition (instrumental and vocal, or sonic arts); Music Studies (specialising in musicology, ethnomusicology, jazz, or without specialisation). Facilities: A variety of concert venues including the Adam Concert Room on the Kelburn campus; keyboard laboratories for individual practice and musicianship training; practice/ rehearsal rooms with after-hours access; Javanese and Balinese gamelan; recording studios suitable for recording jazz and classi-

cal music to a professional standard. A large range of historical instruments and copies are available plus the Lilburn Electroacoustic Music Studios and Sonic Arts Lab. Lecturers and artist teachers: For profiles see: www.nzsm.ac.nz/about-us/our-people Career prospects: BMus graduates in all areas of study will have broad transferrable skills and knowledge to enter a diverse range of careers. Careers for all music graduates include performing, composing, arranging, teaching, librarianship, radio work, and administrative roles in cultural organisations and other sectors of the music and arts industries. Prominent graduates: Little Bushman (Warren Maxwell, Joe and Tom Callwood, Rick Cranson), Myele Manzanza, Reuben Bradley, Jeff Henderson., Simon O’Neil (tenor), Madeleine Pierard (soprano), Julia Joyce (viola), composers John Psathas, Gareth Farr, Chris Gendall and Dylan Lardelli. Cost: Approximately $6,450 per year. Applications close (for auditions): mid September. Auditions for both Classical Performance and Jazz Programmes will take place in late October (main audition period). Earlier or later auditions might be possible: contact the Classical Performance or Jazz Administrator respectively. Email: music@nzsm.ac.nz Phone: (04) 463 5369 Website: www.nzsm.ac.nz Other programmes: Bachelor Of Music (Honours), Master Of Music, Master Of Musical Arts, Master Of Music Therapy, Graduate Diploma In Music, Postgraduate Diploma In Music, Artist Diploma, Doctor of Musical Arts, PhD in Music, Bachelor of Arts with a Music Major (BA in Music Studies at Victoria University of Wellington). NB: A range of open entry courses in Music Studies, Composition and Performance can be taken by students enrolled in other degrees. Many of these are open entry (no prior musical expertise required) or by audition (large ensemble performance ie: orchestra, big band etc.)

SOUTH ISLAND NELSON MARLBOROUGH INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY (NMIT) Course: DIPLOMA IN ARTS AND MEDIA (Contemporary Music) Duration: 2 years full time Course start date: February 2016 Entry criteria: Applicants must provide evidence of proficiency on their principle instrument – by either audition or DVD/video recording. Reasonable level of computer literacy needed. Applicants 20 years and over: No minimum academic requirements. Demonstrate ability to study at this level. Emphasis: If you want to live creatively and

Music Industry

Training Courses

Directory 2016

turn your talent for music into your career, the Diploma in Arts and Media (Contemporary Music) is a great way to start. Learn the art of songwriting, play at gigs, create and record your own music and take control as a sound engineer. You’ll gain a full picture of the music industry and the know-how to forge your own career through marketing and promotion. Qualification gained: Diploma in Arts and Media (Contemporary Music). Can exit after one year with a Certificate in Arts and Media Career prospects: Musician, sound engineer, song-writer, music producer, session musician, teaching, music management, sound technician and other technical roles. Facilities: As a graduate you will have a set of elementary skills in managing an independent contemporary music band and sufficient contemporary music skills to find employment in the music sector. The arts and media building, on the Nelson campus, is equipped with up to date digital gear necessary for contemporary arts and media practices including music editing and composition, video, graphic design, image manipulation, publication design and production, animation, website design and more. Tutors: Visit nmit.ac.nz for tutor profiles. Cost: Domestic fees, $6,437 (approx.) per year Application closing date: February 2016 Contact: Doug Stenhouse Address: 322 Hardy Street, Nelson Phone: 0800 422 733 or (03) 546 9175 Facebook: facebook.com/nmitnz Email: info@nmit.ac.nz Website: www.borntocreate.co.nz

CPIT CHRISTCHURCH

Course: BACHELOR OF MUSICAL ARTS (BMusArts) Duration: Three years full time study. Courses start: 22 February 2016 No. of students per intake: Up to 50 Entry criteria: Academic NCEA Level 3 (60 credits at Level 3 and 20 credits at Level 2 or higher) which must include 14 credits at Level 3 in each of three approved* subjects and literacy* - 10 credits at Level 2 or above, made up of 5 credits in reading, 5 credits in writing and numeracy* - 10 credits at Level 1 or above (specified achievement standards, or unit standards 26623, 26626, 26627). Note: Students who have undertaken examinations other than NCEA (eg International Baccalaureate, Cambridge examination) should contact CPIT for requirements. *NZQA approved subjects: see http://www. nzqa.govt.nz/qualifications-standards/awards/ university-entrance/approved-subjects-foruniversity-entrance/ Emphasis: Provides an industry-relevant professional qualification that prepares you for a range of career paths in contemporary music.

The programme integrates study in instrumental or vocal performance, music theory, composition, arranging, contextual studies, improvisation, sound production and professional practice. You can choose a number of pathways – with options in performance (jazz, contemporary and percussion), arranging, songwriting, production and industry. (Redesigned degree NZQA approval pending). The Music Arts programme has a vibrant Visiting Artist programme including an annual Songwriter in Residence (see below). Qualifications gained: Bachelor of Musical Arts (BMusArts) [exit Diploma in Musical Arts (DipMusArts) available after two years study]. Career prospects: Depending on the pathway taken you will be able to engage in many musical and artistic situations including teaching, performance, journalism, production, sound engineering, event management, promotion, composition and arranging. Facilities: Taught in CPIT’s purpose-built, threelevel Music Arts building. Built in 1998, it features air conditioned and sound-proofed rooms that include a mixture of individual practice rooms, ensemble rooms, class teaching rooms, computer/keyboard suite, CD and resource library, a 180-seat auditorium, recording facilities, quality grand pianos and high-end backline. Students have access 7am to 11pm, seven days a week. Situated on the edge of Christchurch’s CBD, the Music Arts building was not adversely affected in the Christchurch earthquakes and continues its role as a centre for music performance and education in the city. Tutors: Tom Rainey (Head of Department), Liam Ryan (Manager, Performing Arts), Gwyn Reynolds (Programme Leader), Cameron Pearce, Darren Pickering, Scott Taitoko, David Saunders, Doug Brush, Harry Harrison, Michael Story, Andrew Genge, Bob Heinz, Doug Brush, Joe McCallum, Kate Taylor, Luke Smillie, David Cooper, Jed Parsons, Lee Borrie. Prominent graduates: Nick Gaffaney, LA Mitchell, Oakley Grenell, Joe McCallum, Brett Hirst, Gerard Masters. Cost: (indication) $6,100 – $6,700 per year Applications close: 18 September 2015 Contact: Gwyn Reynolds (Programme Leader) Address: CPIT Jazz School, PO Box 540, Cnr Madras & High Streets, Christchurch 8140 Phone: 0800 24 24 76 Fax: (03) 940 8079 Email: gwyn.reynolds@cpit.ac.nz Website: www.cpit.ac.nz/musicarts Flip Grater’s artist in residency at CPIT The annual CPIT APRA Songwriter in Residence programme enables musicians to work with the students practically but also to share their knowledge of the music industry. Singer-songwriter-musician Flip Grater was motivated by a CPIT workshop at the start of her career and now she will spend two days inspiring CPIT’s Music Arts programme students. “I actually did a weekend course at CPIT back in the early 2000s with Andy Thompson. It was what got me excited about songwriting and made me feel like writing original music was something anyone could try, even me.”

Recorded in Paris, Flip’s fourth album, ‘Pigalle’, is grittier than previous albums, but continues her style of personal, nostalgic and at times melancholic indie-folk music, which has won her critical acclaim and a loyal fan base here and in Europe. Warren Maxwell was CPIT’s 2014 Music Arts resident. Warren shared his years of experience from bands that have defined the NZ music scene such as Trinity Roots, Fat Freddy’s Drop and Little Bushman.

MAINZ – CHRISTCHURCH AND TAI POUTINI POLYTECH GREYMOUTH See the MAINZ listing in the North Island section. The Certificate in Live Sound and Event Production, Certificate in Audio Engineering and the Diploma in Audio Engineering are available in Christchurch. Phone 03 365 9195 for more details.

UNIVERSITY OF CANTERBURY SCHOOL OF MUSIC Course: BACHELOR OF MUSIC, BACHELOR OF ARTS, BACHELOR OF MUSIC (HONS), MASTER OF MUSIC, DOCTOR OF MUSICAL ARTS, DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY (MUSIC) Duration: Three years Commences: 22 February 2016 Entry criteria: University Entrance. Also successful audition if enrolling in performance. Emphasis: The School of Music offers an exciting range of courses at graduate and postgraduate levels in performance, music in society, composition, songwriting, digital music, recording and production techniques, community music, music history and research, musicianship and music education. Qualification: Bachelor of Music, Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Music (Hons), Master of Music, Doctor of Musical Arts, Doctor of Philosophy (Music) Career prospects: Performing, teaching, composing and arranging, song writing, journalism, music for TV and radio, music therapy, librarian, music administration. Facilities: Recital/rehearsal/practice rooms, computer/keyboard labs, recording facilities. Tutors: 30 full and part-time performance and academic staff. Prominent graduates: NZ Trio (Ashley Brown, Justine Cormack, Sarah Watkins) Applications close: 10 December. Applications for auditions (performance major and non-major) 17 October. Submissions of portfolio (Songwriting, Notated Composition) 7 November. Contact: School of Music Administrator Address: PO Box 4800, Christchurch 8140 Phone: (03) 364 2183 Fax: (03) 364 2728 Email: music@canterbury.ac.nz Website: www.music.canterbury.ac.nz

VISION COLLEGE CHRISTCHURCH Course: BACHELOR OF MUSIC (CCM) Duration: Three years full time Commences: February and July Entry criteria: 17 years of age and have four years secondary education (NCEA 2), or be aged over 20. Interview and audition. Emphasis: The only Christian music degree in NZ. This is a contemporary music degree, focusing on both performance and academic development. Based in a dynamic Christian environment, theology and worship is included to build a solid biblical foundation for both life and ministry. Study the type of music you love – rock, pop, R&B, jazz – even classical. This contemporary music degree will take your skills to a highly advanced level. Choose from voice, instrument or songwriting streams. Qualification gained: Bachelor of Music (Contemporary Christian Music). Career prospects: Secondary school music teachers, church music directors, and fulltime/itinerant music tutors. Facilities: Our purpose-built music facility, known as The Shed, includes its own auditorium, practice rooms, classrooms, student lounge and full ProTools recording studio. Student computers equipped with ProTools and extensive music software. Tutors: Kaye Grenon (Programme Leader), Alistair Greenwood, Kit Genon, Julian Hay plus other specialist tutors. Cost: $6,100 (approx) per year. Contact: Student Enquiries Address: 334 Manchester St, Christchurch Phone: 0800 834 834 Txt: txt MUSIC to 027 557 8839 Email: christchurch@visioncollege.ac.nz

Course: DIPLOMA IN PERFORMANCE MUSIC (Level 6) Duration: Two years full time Commences: February and July Entry criteria: 17 years of age, and have four years secondary education (NCEA 2) or be a mature student aged over 20. Be interviewed and auditioned. Emphasis: Combining both performance and academic study this Diploma trains students to excel in a performance environment. You’ll also study the business side of the music industry. Students have the option of completing one more year to achieve our Bachelor of Music (CCM), available at our Hamilton campus, or applying for cross-credits with a Christchurchbased music degree programme. Major in either instrument or voice. Qualification: Diploma in Performance Music (Level 6) Career prospects: Professional performance musician. Study further to complete the Bachelor of Music (CCM).

Music Industry

Training Courses

Directory 2016

Facilities: Our purpose-built music facility, known as The Shed. See above. Tutors: Kaye Grenon (Programme Leader), Alistair Greenwood, Kit Genon, Julian Hay plus other specialist tutors. Cost: Approx. $5,400 first year. Approx. $6,100 second year. Contact: Student Enquiries Phone: 0800 834 834 Txt: txt MUSIC to 027 557 8839 Website: www.visioncollege.ac.nz

Course: DIPLOMA OF CONTEMPORARY MUSIC (Level 5) Duration: One year full time Commences: February and July Entry criteria: 17 years of age, and have four years secondary education (NCEA 2), or be a mature student aged over 20. By interview and audition. Emphasis: To equip Christian musicians with professional performance skills so that they can be effective in music and ministry in their local church and in the wider community and industry. It is a comprehensive year, combining performance with academic study, and counts as the first year of the Bachelor of Music (CCM). Choose from voice, instrument or songwriting streams. Qualification: Diploma of Contemporary Music (Level 5) Career prospects: Professional performance musician. Study to complete a Level 6 Diploma or Bachelor of Music (CCM). Facilities: See Diploma in Performance Music (Level 6) listing. Tutors: Kaye Grenon (Programme Leader), Alistair Greenwood, Kit Genon, Julian Hay plus other specialist tutors. Cost: $5,400 approx. Contact: Student Enquiries Address: 334 Manchester St, Christchurch Phone: 0800 834 834 Txt: txt your name to 027 557 8839 Email: christchurch@visioncollege.ac.nz Website: www.visioncollege.ac.nz

SOUTHERN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY INVERCARGILL Course: BACHELOR OF CONTEMPORARY MUSIC Duration: Three years fulltime. Commences: February 2016 No. of students per intake: 20 Entry criteria: Approximately Level 4 theory, Level 4 practical. Audition (video okay). Emphasis: Papers include world music perspectives, music technology, contemporary music theory and entertainment industry studies. A strong emphasis on practical musical skills. Students can major in voice, drums, guitar, bass guitar, keyboard, singer/songwriting or music education. Qualification gained: B.ContMus (Bachelor of Contemporary Music)

Career prospects: Performer, composer, songwriter or private music teacher. Could also lead to further study in teaching. Facilities: Large MIDI and keyboard suites, a theatre seating 300+, intimate 60-seat theatre, practice rooms, band practice rooms, lecture rooms and performance room. Tutors: Aaron Ives, Hollie Longman, Peter Skerrett, Pania Simmonds, Dr Sally BodkinAllen, and Jason Sagmyr. Applications: From September onwards. Contact: Dr Sally Bodkin-Allen – Academic Leader Address: Private Bag 90114, Invercargill Phone: (03) 211 2699 ext 3316, 0800 4 0 FEES (0800 4 0 3337) Email: sally.bodkin@sit.ac.nz Website: www.sit.ac.nz Course: GRADUATE DIPLOMA IN CONTEMPORARY MUSIC Duration: One year fulltime. Commences: February & July 2016 Entry criteria: Approximately Level 7 theory, Level 7 practical. Audition (video okay). Emphasis: As per Bachelor course above. Career prospects: Performer, composer, songwriter or private music teacher. Could also lead to further study in teaching. Facilities: As above. Tutors: Aaron Ives, Hollie Longman, Peter Skerrett, Pania Simmonds, Dr Sally BodkinAllen, and Jason Sagmyr. Applications: From September onwards. Contact: Dr Sally Bodkin-Allen – as above. Course: GRADUATE CERTIFICATE CONTEMPORARY MUSIC Duration: One year fulltime. Commences: February & July 2016 Entry criteria: Approximately Level 7 theory, Level 7 practical. Audition (video okay). Emphasis: As per Bachelor course above. Qualification: Graduate Certificate in Contemporary Music Career prospects: Performer, composer, songwriter or private music teacher. Facilities: As above. Tutors: Aaron Ives, Hollie Longman, Peter Skerrett, Pania Simmonds, Dr Sally BodkinAllen and Jason Sagmyr. Applications: From September onwards. Contact: Dr Sally Bodkin – as above. Course: CERTIFICATE IN MUSIC AND SOUND ENGINEERING (PRE-ENTRY) Duration: 20 weeks Commences: February & July 2016 Entry criteria: Preferably four years secondary education. An aptitude for music as a realistic career choice or for personal development. Mature students – 20 years or older. Emphasis: Students gain fundamental knowledge of theoretical and practical components of contemporary music and sound engineering. Qualification: Certificate in Music and Sound Engineering (Pre-entry) Applications: From September onwards. Contact: Details as above.

Course: GRADUATE DIPLOMA IN AUDIO PRODUCTION Duration: One year full time. Commences: February 2016 Emphasis: Major subject areas are: acoustics, audio equipment, business studies, electronics, industry studies, musical knowledge, music technology, personal development, recording/mixing/production techniques, specialist audio, research project – includes 12 weeks studying at SAE in Bryon Bay, Australia. Career prospects: Work and/or postgraduate study in audio production and related fields. Facilities: Five purpose-built studios with attached recording rooms, large recording auditorium, industry standard, up-to-date equipment including our new SSL AWS900+SE recording console. Tutors: Aaron Ives, Doug Heath and Stu Carr. Applications: From September onwards. Contact: Aaron Ives – Programme Mgr Audio. Course: GRADUATE CERTIFICATE IN AUDIO PRODUCTION Duration: One year full time Commences: February and July 2016 Emphasis: As per Diploma course above. Career prospects: Work and/or postgraduate study in audio production and related fields. Facilities: As above. Tutors: Aaron Ives, Doug Heath and Stu Carr. Applications: From September onwards. Contact: Aaron Ives – Programme Mgr Audio. Course: BACHELOR OF AUDIO PRODUCTION Duration: Three years full time. Commences: February 2016 Emphasis: As per Bachelor course above. Career prospects: Work and/or postgraduate study in audio production and related fields. Facilities: As above. Tutors: Aaron Ives, Doug Heath, Jason Sagmyr, Pania Simmonds, Dr Sally Bodkin-Allen and Stu Carr. Applications: From September onwards. Contact: Aaron Ives – Programme Mgr Audio. Course: CERTIFICATE IN AUDIO PRODUCTION Duration: 34 weeks Commences: February 2016 No. of students per intake: 22 Entry criteria: School leavers, preferably four years secondary. Keen interest in audio. Mature students – 20 or over. Emphasis: Gain skills and knowledge that are directly relevant to initial employment or further training in the audio industry. Gain sufficient knowledge and skills for entry to the Bachelor of Audio Production. Tutors: Stu Carr Applications: From September onwards. Contact: Stu Carr Email: stu.carr@sit.ac.nz Website: www.sit.ac.nz

UNIVERSITY OF OTAGO DUNEDIN Courses: BACHELOR OF MUSIC IN CONTEMPORARY MUSIC OR BA MAJORING IN MUSIC. Duration: Three years. Commences: Late February 2016 . No. of students: Places are limited to 60 performance students. (see below) Entry criteria: Performance papers by audition. Entrants to all music papers must meet the University of Otago‚’ admission and entrance requirements. Ability to read music is essential for some papers. MUSI 191 (Introduction to Music) is available for students with limited or no music-reading ability. Emphasis: Performance papers focus primarily on a popular music repertoire and feature some original music at second and third year levels. Academic papers (song writing, theory/analysis, technology, cultural theory etc.) are designed to stimulate composition, arrangement and technological skills. Papers in Western art music (classical) or ethnomusicology can be included. Songwriters can do classical composition in addition to song writing. There are also music industry papers for performers and those intending to become music business professionals Qualification: MusB in Contemporary Music or BMus Honours. Postgraduate qualifications: PG DipMus, Master of Music in composition, performance or studio performance, Doctor of Musical Arts in studio production, performance or composition, Master of Arts in a music research related topic, and PhD. Career prospects: Professional musician, songwriter, commercial composer/arranger, educator, academic/author in the field of popular music, music industry professional, music programmer, record producer. Cost: (Indication-only, based on charges for 2015). All 18-point papers $932 per paper. Application dates: Audition application forms and DVDs are due 1 September 2015 (late applications may be accepted). Auditions are held in Dunedin on 27/28 September or at selected times during the year. Closing date for applications to study at the University of Otago is 10 December 2015. Auditions can be sent to the department by a quality recording on DVD. For advice on content, contact either Dr Ian Chapman or Associate Professor Rob Burns. Contact: Administrative Assistant, Department of Music. Address: Department of Music, University of Otago, PO Box 56, Dunedin. Black/Sale House, 100 St David Street, Dunedin Phone/Fax: (03) 479 8885 or 479 4180. Email: music@otago.ac.nz Website: www.otago.ac.nz/music

Astro Children

When Millie Lovelock and Isaac Hickey formed Astro Children, back in 2010, they were still at school. In 2012 they released an EP titled ‘Lick my Spaceship’, with a debut album ‘Proteus’ following in 2013. In early August they released a new EP ‘Plain and Fancy Killings’, a collection of songs informed by literature and the challenge of being free of any pre-conceived musical or social constraints. Amanda Mills caught up with the Dunedin pair to enquire after the source of the galactic EP’s sense of anger.

amed after the Misfits’ song Astro Zombies, Astro Children’s style has veered over their diverse lo-fi recordings. Punk leanings tempered with melodic alt-pop almost deviates into shoegaze-y introspection, most notably on the gorgeous Gaze, from ‘Proteus’ (also on Fishrider Records’ ‘Temporary’ compilation). Astro Children began in 2010 while guitarist/ singer Millie Lovelock and childhood friend Isaac Hickey were still at school. Neither had been making music for long. “When I was 13 I decided I wanted to play guitar. My dad taught me a little bit,” recalls Lovelock. “I started playing drums when I was 12,” says Hickey. “I had percussion lessons at school for a while and then drumming lessons.” Initially a trio (with bassist Steph Patchett), the band subsequently shrunk to a duo. “When we first started… I kind of wanted us to be a punk band, but we weren’t,” Lovelock admits. Five years, one EP (2012’s ‘Lick my Spaceship’), and one album later (‘Proteus’ from 2013), they are promoting a new EP – this one out on Muzai Records. ‘Plain and Fancy Killings’ is a collection of songs informed by literature, frustration, and a desire to be free of any pre-conceived musical or social constraints. ‘Plain and Fancy Killings’ propels the duo forward. Written before and after Lovelock’s six-month trip to Montreal in 2014 (and her sideways sojourn as part of Dunedin alt-popsters Trick Mammoth), the EP is musically more consistent than ‘Proteus’. “Writing [and recording] ‘Proteus’ was quite spread out. These songs… were written on a continuum,” she says. The underlying sense of anger on the EP is down to everyday frustrations of life. “Playing in Astro Children is like a release of

general tension that just builds up in our lives,” Lovelock says, Hickey agreeing. “There’s always… something to get worked up about. I don’t know what inspires the anger.” ‘Plain and Fancy Killings’ has literary inspirations, and the title track relates back to Ernest Hemmingway’s article about American snipers working for the IRA in Ireland. “There’s a lot of book context on the EP,” Lovelock explains. “I kind of feel that people identify more with the delivery of the song than being able to find some direct association with the lyrics.” Both think the EP is a better example of their aesthetic than the lo-fi ‘Proteus’, saying it is the most hi-fi recording they’ve yet had. While ‘Proteus’ was recorded at The Attic, and sounded more experimental than it perhaps was, ‘Plain and Fancy Killings’ was recorded with Nick Graham at Chicks Hotel, between December 2014 and February this year. The PJ Harvey-esque alt-rock song Play As It Lays precedes the tile track. Influenced by Joan Didion’s 1970 novel of the same name, this song’s lyrical content mirrors the novel’s structure. “I really enjoyed that novel, because of its pervasive sense of paranoia, which really isn’t paranoia at all,” Lovelock says. “I sort of feel that way a lot of the time anyway. In Dunedin, when you’re playing music, as a woman… you’re on edge all the time because of that feeling…[of ] underlying tension.” “I’ve had some interesting times,” she continues. “Someone told me… you should get better at guitar, ’cause you can’t play. I’ve been angry about that for months.” Her guitar style is raw, rhythmic but often melodic, and reminiscent of riot grrrl groups like early Sleater Kinney. “I just want to play guitar the way I want

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to play guitar,” she sighs. “And, I want other women to play guitar the way they want to play guitar.” Hand in hand with this is the impact of feminism on their music. “The kind of music I really liked growing up… I didn’t know women could play,” she continues. “I think aggression coming from women is more interesting… I’m consistently quite aggressive because I’m trying to cement myself into a position where people can’t call me nice, or sweet.” Astro Children’s aural point of difference is their lack of space or silence, and Hickey terms their sound “a big racket.” Both consider their influences an interesting, diverse mix of local bands (like close friends Opposite Sex and Thundercub), and broader sounds. “I’m obsessed with One Direction,” laughs Lovelock. Is that ironic I ask? “No! I think it is genuinely really good music, but it doesn’t really [reflect] the kind of music that I play! I fluctuate between listening to One Direction, and Speedy Ortiz. Anything with really dissonant guitars.” Hickey’s tastes are just as left field. “I’ve always listened to noise music a bit, and lately I’ve been listening to dance music.” ‘Plain and Fancy Killings’ will be released in August, the duo playing Wellington and Auckland later in the year, with discussion about a possible UK tour. Will there be a new album too? “We’ve been writing quite a lot lately, so hopefully,” Lovelock says, Hickey adding that the new songs have them sounding heavier. “Like a doom metal band,” Lovelock laughs.

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Glass Vaults

IN A GLASS OF THEIR OWN

It’s a great name inspired by architecture and fashioned by pragmatism. Richard Larsen and Rowan Pierce met when studying performance design together at Massey University, and soon began writing songs together under the name Vaults, inspired by the vaulted ceilings of cathedrals. That later morphed in order to avoid the connotations of banks and crimne. Interviewing Glass Vaults for an NZM Fresh Talent article back in 2013, Chloe Cairncross reported that the band were then recording a debut album to be titled ‘Sojourn’, an album she reckoned ‘…could prove the ultimate in stoner gospel.’ Good job we haven’t been holding our breath, because it has taken until now for that album to finally surface. Martyn Pepperell held them up about it.

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aking music is the most meditative of the arts for me,” admits Richard Larsen. “It’s a chance to work on a craft, which is something I enjoy. It’s also a way to realise my aspirations. I haven’t got what I want yet. I still have goals I want to achieve.” “For me, making music with Richard is the one thing in my creative life where I feel like it’s mine,” interjects his Glass Vaults’ bandmate Rowan Pierce. “I work creatively in other areas, but it’s always someone else’s work, or within someone else’s work. This is the creative project I can see myself in the most. In that moment of making music, even though it’s a collaboration, I can still make any decision I want. If I really believe it, I can go down that path. In other creative endeavours that isn’t always the case.” Larsen and Pierce are the songwriting backbone of Glass Vaults, one of Wellington’s most celebrated bands of the last half decade. It’s a musical partnership that has endured

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based on the importance they both place on their shared creative space. Since 2010, they’ve released a series of gorgeously textured EPs in free digital download and beautifully packaged 12" vinyl formats, played reverently reviewed shows around the country, and in 2012, held a month-long weekly residency at New York’s Pianos bar. Trained graphic designers and seasoned musicians, from the jump, Glass Vaults work has always been presented with a unified aesthetic that perfectly ties together their crystalline sound and look. Along the way, they’ve been described as ‘glacial pop’ and ‘stoner gospel’ and won acclaim from leading international music media outlets like Clash and No Fear Of Pop. This September they will self-release the debut Glass Vaults’ album titled ‘Sojourn’. When we meet up, on a mid-winter’s Monday night at a cozy pub in the Wellington suburb of Newtown, they’ve both recently arrived back in town. Larsen has been performing solo in

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the South Island while Pierce has been on holiday in Europe. Prior to that, the two had played some gigs together up north with their six-piece live band. Having long maintained a cool and critically loved reputation here as well as abroad, Glass Vaults have yet to take things to the next level in terms of commercial visibility or recognition, hence Larsen’s comment about un-reached goals. “Making music is always escapism,” he enthuses, with some agreement from Pierce. “There are different aspects to making music. One of them is sitting in a quiet space and processing some things that are building up inside of you and making music out of them. That part of it is the most enjoyable thing there is in my life really. It’s about being able to release those things, while practising songwriting, which is something I have been doing for a long time. I get a deep enjoyment out of this."

In regards to the level their band sits at, Pierce has some thoughts and philosophies. “It’s not in our hands. It’s not even in anyone’s hands really. The goal is to reach as many people as possible. It would be beautiful to be able to perform for lots of people who are sharing the same space. For me, that is the goal, but it’s not a prerequisite to keep making music. You can’t make something and expect people will want it or need it. People will jump on board if they get it or vibe with it. You can’t fault those people for not liking it. You can’t fault yourself either.” Considered and pragmatic, Larsen and Pierce have honed their perspectives and approaches release-by-release, and even show-by-show. They’ve made, performed and released music on their own terms, around their day jobs and life commitments. 2010’s ‘Glass’ EP positioned them as a NZ answer to the electronic singer/ songwriter sounds being pushed at the time by the likes of James Blake, Jamie Woon and How To Dress Well. Interlacing sleek synthesisers, delicate guitar work, clear voiced devotional vocals and pounding rhythms, their live sound was often accompanied by washed out multimedia visuals, and guest guitar work from their producer Bevan Smith (of Signer, Introverted Dancefloor). With Florida, USA indie label Jukboxr releasing their music worldwide on vinyl, the project had an air of internationalism to it that helped set them apart. In 2011 they followed ‘Glass’ with a second EP titled ‘Into Clear’. Revealing more of a psychedelic and shoegaze tilt, further expanding on their love of immersion and meditation through music. While what they were doing was rooted in a shared creative trust, what was perhaps even more important was the freedom to continue to grow and explore. “Being open to possibilities is the primary thing,” Pierce concurs. “We never plan to make a certain type of record. We just start creating, assess as we go, and whatever comes out comes out.” “That’s totally the type of person I am,” adds Larsen.“I don’t know what I am doing in life. I just do things and hope something will happen.” Around the same time the pair started to get the sense they’d hit a glass ceiling in NZ. With this realisation setting in, they made plans to travel to America and play some shows. They connected with New York/ Toronto marketing company The Musebox, who set them up with a residency at Pianos in New York, and worked with Jukboxr to book some side shows around the country. Over the three months spent in America, they started to see things differently. “We saw a lot of crappy bands play in New York,” Larsen laughs. “You can look really cool, be promoted really well, and be really confident, but if you can’t write good songs, what’s the point? We really wanted to step up our songwriting after that.” “We went over on our own backs and saw the reality of touring,” Pierce continues. “Coming from where, when people say they are touring overseas, it can look like they are making it. But anyone can go over and do that. Touring overseas isn’t making it, it’s the starting point.” “Just by being in New York and playing shows, you get extra credit with the media and the consumers,” Larsen interjects. “We were just whoring it out on the Lower East Side, and people wanted to make it into a big deal.” After making some connections and building a few foundations, they returned to NZ, ready to put their new focus into practice. Since then the two have been writing and recording at home and in studios around the capital and Auckland, again under the watchful ear of Bevan Smith. Also mixed and mastered by Smith, ‘Sojourn’. sees them again moving out of their comfort zone, blending their immersive synthesiser sound and dynamic beatscapes with psychedelic folk and pop. “If you stay in a space for too long you’re going to get bored, no matter what stage of life you’re in. For me it’s about not knowing,” says Pierce. “I have to be in the unknown for it to intrigue me. If I am going to do something that I know and have known for a long time, it’s not going to hold my interest. I need to have a bit of instability. It helps occupy my mind when I’m trying to wrestle with or figure something out.”

As part of this, Larsen and Pierce decided to invite some of their musician friends inside their soundworld, eventually fleshing Glass Vaults out into a six-piece band. Larsen was becoming obsessed with classically great songwriters like McCartney and Paul Simon. They were operating in an area where the live standard for electronic music performance was quickly becoming a laptop and a MIDI controller. Live instrumentation and an increased focus on song-craft ahead of just texture seemed like the way forward. “We’d been creating these big open landscapes of sound,” Pierce says. “I wanted to make something that was a bit more immediate and moved people around emotionally. I’d always enjoyed music like that but never made it.” The result is an album which, while rooted in Glass Vaults’ original musical values, places them within new sonic terrain and new stories. You could describe it as an ecstatic study in how to change while remaining the same. After completing ‘Sojourn’, they connected with Flying Out, the distributor helping them run a pre-order campaign to finance pressing the album on vinyl. They’re also helping with physical manufacture, distribution, publicity and marketing. It’s a different format to the traditional label release, but one they are happy to try. Back in 2010 they were doing things differently by giving away the digital version of their EP for free, so why not try something new again? Both feel the need to continue to move forward and engage with the unknown while creating, the same evidently applies to the way they approach their band’s business activities. Paradigms don’t shift themselves. Someone has to take a risk.

“When people say they are touring overseas, it can look like they are making it. But anyone can go over and do that. Touring overseas isn’t making it, it’s the starting point.” – Rowan Pierce

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Israel Starr As the ‘righteous’ son of legendary vocalist The Mighty Asterix, it was inevitable that Israel Buchanan would play a part in the future of reggae Aotearoa. Originally an Aucklander, via Tokomaru Bay (Ngati Porou), he was brought up amongst Kiwi reggae royalty but now lives with his own son in Upper Hutt – the birthplace of NZ hip hop. As Israel Starr he’s a producer, beat maker, singer, DJ and MC creating hip hop, jungle, reggae and dancehall and smooth soul. 2012 was the year that Israel Starr majorly stamped his mark, and now in 2015 he is flexing again. The head-nodding video to the Sons of Zion single Stuck On Stupid feat. Israel Starr has had over 320,000 views since its January release, and August will bring the release of his own debut EP, ‘Ages & Forever’. Tim Gruar visited him at home.

n the frosty winter moonlight, Maoribank, Upper Hutt, can appear dark and ominous, but among its residents are some of the warmest people you’ll meet. Reggae producer and singer/songwriter Israel Buchanan, aka Israel Starr, welcomes me to his modest home and studio, which he shares with his partner and son. The small front room has been commandeered for music. Tucked amongst the furniture are drums, guitars, laptops, mixers – flanked by twin towers of speakers five units high. At one end, a widescreen plays mid-’80s Wrestlemania. Andre the Giant and ‘Hacksaw’ Jim Duggan are taking each other apart to a soundtrack of vintage skank. Settling down we are soon discussing musical philosophies,

Celestial Reckonings about growing up in the Rasta church and its legacy. Israel can’t escape his. His dad (Paul Buchanan) is The Mighty Asterix – a premier reggae vocalist for over 20 years and a crucial figure in NZ’s history of conscious music. As a young convert to Rastafari he was part of founding of the local chapter of global organisation The Twelve Tribes of Israel, back in the ’80s. Israel grew up in the church, along with his two sisters, immersed in the culture. For almost four years his own house was the ‘church’ – a place of eternal family reunions, love, respect and music. It fortified his faith, which he still holds strong today. “Family life was a bit Once Were Warriors,” he says, meaning they grew up poor, in an erratic, chaotic household. But no violence, he stresses. It was at the West Auckland HQ of The Twelve Tribes of Israel that Israel spent much of his early childhood, playing in or around the church band, and where he gained his own musical chops. That band nurtured a whole host of legendary players including Tigilau Ness, Carl Perkins and Francis Harawira from House of Shem. For Israel, reggae has always been a voice of the downtrodden and the oppressed. His uncle Tony Fonoti was in Herbs, one the most famous of the bands that provided a soundtrack to the land and anti-nuke protests of the 1980s. Now transplanted to Upper Hutt, he reminds me that Maoribank was the last stronghold of indigenous land to give over to the State.

“Pretty staunch people up here,” he smiles. There’s plenty of talent there too. NZ’s first hip hop superstars, Upper Hutt Posse hail from just up the road and close by are the families of at least four former NZ Idol finalists, plus a ton of current hip hop artists. Upper Hutt it seems is a real underground hotbed of talent. Israel shows me how he sketches out ideas on his keyboard or by recording samples from guitar or drums and making his own MIDI samples. He likes to fully record tracks rather than just whip up four beat samples for looping. He likes that human touch, ensuring everything is slightly imperfect, less metronomic. Final demos are often crafted up and sent out to other musicians to add their own flavours, like replacing keyboard tones with real horns or guitars. “Reggae has a formula. It’s all about the bass, the skank and the drop. I think the skill is in getting the ‘feel’ right.” Both a composer/singer and producer Israel has stamped his mark on local reggae and bass culture over the last four years, joining forces with top Kiwi producers like Art Official, The Nomad, Dub Terminator and collaborating with Gappy Ranks (UK), Sons of Zion, Majic, NRG Rising. He's produced releases under his own BlessUp Music label, but currently the focus is on completing an EP he refers to as “a timeline of reggae” with each track made in the style and sounds of the genre’s major milestones: rocksteady, ska, sound system and rub-a-dub. “Reggae is like a mission, passed from one generation to the next, each respecting the old and improving on it without compromising the integrity.” The recently released Old Skool Love, for example covers the late ’70s, whilst Easy Feeling embraces the feeling of now. Me Warrior, written for his son, speaks as if he was looking down from heaven at a time in the future, urging his boy to slow down once in a while – not to always be caught up in the eternal hubbub of the modern world. “There’s a feeling I want to capture in my music – when you listen, it transports you or reminds you of a special time or place. Like that [quiet optimistic] feeling you get early in the morning, when it’s all still. That’s the reckoning in my music.” With his own label Israel nurtures developing artists such as Raggadat Chris and Jaggarizzar, and now is close to releasing ‘Ages & Forever’, which will be his own debut EP. The old yellowing photo he is planning to use for the cover features Israel and a cousin hangin’ old school, representing his own earnest upbringing.

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UIF MBXGVM USVUI with David McLaughlin

Top 10 Legal Tips – Part 1

he Lawful Truth columns have, over the years, discussed many important legal issues that all those involved in the NZ music industry should be aware of. We’ve covered everything from recording agreements to publishing agreements and touched on important topics like copyright and performers’ rights. As well as all this sort of specific information and topics there are also a number of ‘guiding principles’ that if followed will go a long way to making sure you don’t run into more general legal problems in the music industry. So in this issue of NZ Musician, and continuing in the next, we’re going to take a bit of a step back from specific issues and look at our top 10 legal tips for musicians in NZ. 1. Don’t sign anything unless you really understand it. Contracts often seem as though they are written in a different language,and consequently you should never sign anything unless you have had advice from a lawyer first on exactly what the contract really means for you. If you sign something you shouldn’t have, you can be stuck with the ramifications for a long time. If someone is pressuring you to sign something before you have had a chance to get some advice on it then that in itself is a VERY good reason to get in touch with your lawyer asap. 2. If you reach an agreement with someone then get it in writing. It may surprise you to know that a contract does not always have to be made in writing and signed – sometimes just verbal contracts can be legally binding – but it is certainly not black and white. Because of the informal way that the music industry often operates it is not uncommon for agreements reached between parties to not be accurately recorded in writing. Avoid this wherever possible. When disputes break out over deals or agreements without a clear agreement in writing (eg. by email correspondence) it’s incredibly hard to prove exactly what was originally agreed. This can be made worse if one party decides to be less than honest in terms of what they claim to recall about the deal. Drafting up a written agreement will also give you the opportunity to discuss and agree all details of the transaction which may not otherwise be dealt with when you just reach a verbal agreement. 3. If the way your agreement works in practice changes from what is provided for in the written contract then have the written contract amended. An agreement which becomes out of date

and so doesn’t accurately reflect how you and another party are now doing business together can cause a lot of problems. If you and (or) the other side start to do things in a different way than what the original contract provided for, make sure you have the contract amended to accurately record your new business practices. 4. All bands should have a written band agreement. Many bands start off in a very informal way but over time a group can build up a great number of assets. These assets can include physical items such as band equipment and studio recordings, as well as intangible assets such as the intellectual property rights associated with a band name. All of these assets are valuable and if a clear agreement is not reached as to how all they will each be treated when someone leaves the band, or when the band breaks up, problems often arise. Amongst other things this can even result in quite legitimate fights over who has the right to use the band name. The sooner you get a band agreement in place the better. Once a band starts to achieve some degree of success some people can become quite unreasonable when it comes to agreeing the rights in various band assets. 5. Join APRA/AMCOS and Recorded Music NZ. Following on from putting in place a band agreement, a band should always make sure that they agree on the songwriting splits in any songs they write as soon as possible. These songwriting splits should then be registered with APRA/AMCOS (www.apra.co.nz). It’s free to join and by combination of both organisations you will ensure you receive due public performance and broadcasting income as well as mechanical and certain digital income collected in respect of your songs. Recorded Music NZ (www.recordedmusic. co.nz) also collects certain public performance, broadcasting and other income from the use of sound recordings (as opposed to songs). Joining all these organisations and registering your songs and recordings with them should be an absolute priority. In the next Lawful Truth column we’ll be looking at five more legal tips to help keep you safe in our music industry. David McLaughlin is a specialist music lawyer with Auckland law firm McLaughlin Law (www. mclaughlinlaw.co.nz). He can be contacted by email at david@mclaughlinlaw.co.nz or on 09 282 4599. Disclaimer: This article is intended to provide a general outline of the law on the subject matter. Further professional advice should be sought before any action is taken in relation to the matters described in the article.

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Photo: Steve Dykes

There were only a few personnel changes made when Blindspott were born again as Blacklistt, but one of them was in the heart of the engine room where Tristan Reilly took over the drum stool vacated by Shelton Woolright. The fact that Blacklistt won the Rock Album of the Year Tui first time out stands as proof that he was more than up to the task. Fellow drum professional Andrew Rooney talked with Tristan to learn more about his background behind the kit. What made you get into drums? My father is a drummer and has been since his teen years, so I was fortunate enough to be born into it. He never gave me lessons as such. There was just always drums and drumming around the house. It also meant that I always had a lot of nice hand me down kits. When I was 6 or 7 I played at talent quest on one of his Ludwig kits. It had a huge 26â&#x20AC;? bass drum. I had to play it standing up with the hi-hat locked in the closed position. You could barely see me behind the huge bass drum. From the audience point of view there was just a big drum kit with a mop of curly hair poking over the top! What was your own first kit then? My own personal first drum kit was a blue oyster Winz kit. Not to be confused with Work & Income NZ! Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve still got it too. I had all my dadâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s broken Paiste 2002s to go with it. They were so beaten up they looked like ninja stars. Lots of jagged edges and bits missing. Did you have formal lessons or were you dad/self-taught? I have always learnt stuff from just listening to it to be honest. I was self-taught. I did have one lesson with Rex McLeod but it wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t really me. Formal lessons like that just didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t work for me. Later on I had a couple of reading lessons with Chris Dawson at Drum City just to get some understanding of how it all works theory-wise. That was really good and now I can

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read at a basic level. Whenever Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve had problems trying to learn a groove or fill I would write it out in my own sort of ghetto transcription. But essentially I play by ear. All my learning was very practical and on the job. I played in a covers band called Naked Lunch for years before doing originals. I was 14 and we were playing in bikie clubs and those kind of places. Rough westy gigs! Then when I was 17 I started playing clubs in town like de Bretts and Kiwi Tavern with the same band. As well as some obscure songs we would also do Santana and April Sun In Cuba etc., to keep the punters happy. We did lots of unusual covers too. Music for musicians type stuff like Tool, Kyuss and Primus. I was a stickler for playing things note for note. To get around my lack of theory I would just rewind things and listen over and over. That's how I really learnt and developed as a drummer. Who were some of the drummers or bands that inspired you growing up? My main influences as a young drummer were John Bonham, Ian Paice and Stewart Copeland. Dad was and still is a huge fan of Bonham and Paice so I just got hammered with it. I think for about five years solid I used to watch â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;The Song Remains the Sameâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; a thousand times a week on vhs, ha ha! Stewart Copeland had all the basses covered. I think as a rock drummer itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s quite a task to play reggae

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convincingly and vice versa. That goes for all styles. I also really liked the drummer from Heart, Michael Derosier. He was incredible. My musical tastes expanded quite a bit the older I got. I started getting into Abe Cunningham from the Deftones. I was and still am a huge Danny Carey fan and would play Tool songs note for note. So those guys amongst others were the big influences that spring to mind. What are some of your drumming career highlights? My main highlights are what Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve done in two high profile bands, New Way Home and Blacklistt. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d have to say Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been pretty lucky to play support for some of my favourite bands so that would be up there. Playing tours with sold out shows and headlining big events like Homegrown are always exciting. With Blacklistt we got awarded with Rock Album of the Year at the Tui awards this year for our gold-selling self-titled album. That was pretty awesome! We had put so much time and effort into that album. Playing live to TV at that awards night was also a huge buzz. What acts have you supported? Most of the support shows Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve played were with New Way Home. We supported bands like Meshuggah, Slipknot, Machine Head and Killswitch Engage. When we supported them I was expecting my first child. Then on our second big support with Slipknot and Machine

Head at Trusts Stadium out west I was expecting our second child. Both times I had to race home immediately afterward, so I don’t have any crazy stories... Although it was a bit disconcerting when I noticed the Machine Head drummer was watching me during our set. Blacklistt was the band that headlined most of the shows/ tours we did, so no big support gigs there. Do you prefer clicks or just to play organically and let the song go where it goes? For the last maybe 10 or 15 years all my live playing has been to a click to accommodate for loops and samples. I try to groove within the click if that makes any sense. I'm definitely not mechanical by any means. A few times my iPod has had a haemorrhage and skipped tracks so I’ve had to turn it off! The few times that it has happened it actually felt good to hook in with the band and just groove. If I end up playing for another band I’d probably like to not play with a click and just let things groove naturally. Maybe. .... How do you find the recording process? Do you ever get red

light syndrome and forget how to play? Ha ha ha, mate! You mean the, ‘I'm smashing it right now, don’t let me know when it’s rolling’ bug? Yes I do! But normally in the early stages of the recording. It’s really hard to pin down how long it will take to lay down a track or a whole album. But I’m not a one take wonder, that’s for sure. It depends on the songs. It’s also dependant on how much of a taskmaster the producer and engineer are. Any embarrassing stage moments or funny gig stories to share? None really. I’m quite low key and try to avoid any limelight. But a funny thing happened in Christchurch with Blacklistt one time. The crowd started clapping over an intro. The intro was atmospheric but still had a click pulsing through it. The groove was about to kick in. The crowd was getting right into it and started clapping in unison. But they were clapping out of time with the click track! I mean not even close, like 20 bpm off. Damian our singer started clapping in time with them. I had to

make a decision – follow the crowd and Damian or stick to my guns? I stopped the click to follow the crowd. I had to drive the song and get the band somewhere close to the proper tempo so the samples would work. Karl our DJ had to manually insert the loops. I had to try and smash out the proper tempo best I could. It’s just one of those funny heat of the moment situations. When technology goes wrong!

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Is there a drum or cymbal can you not live without? Yes, my DW Collectors solid brass snare. It’s a 6 1/2 x 14” and a great snare drum. Due to having had an A level endorsement with Istanbul, I use their cymbals exclusively. Drum City endorsed me for DW gear and ProMark sticks.

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CVJMEJOH CMPDLT with Thomas Goss

Making Sure You Get Paid

here’s a natural enough tendency for young musicians to be rather awed and thankful for whatever performance opportunities are presented. This is because dreams are starting to be fulfilled, and an often long held passion is becoming a reality – playing your music on stage. You grab every offer and don’t look too closely at the details. In fact, you may even be worried that if you get to the question of payment too quickly you’ll create unnecessary tension, or even spoil your relationship with whoever’s offering the chance to play. But here’s the truth: the slower you are to bring up the question of payment, the more of an amateur you will appear in a professional situation. (The exception here is if you have a manager to take care of these details – but likely you won’t in the early stages of the game.) This doesn’t mean that you should demand all the details in an arrogant way. Experienced musicians develop different casual ways of coming to the topic in the first conversation, like, “Is this a paying gig?” or “What rate are you offering?” If you honestly take it as a given that the purpose of the conversation is to offer you paying work, then it’s only natural that the question of compensation should come up. What you need to know, along with the amount that you’ll be paid, is the process that comes with it. There are several different ways in which this works, and the same venue can have different procedures depending on the type of gig and the popularity of the headlining performers. Below are a few things you can expect in your local scene. Headliner fee-for-entry: This is a very common type of arrangement between venue and performer. The headlining band is essentially throwing a party at the venue and inviting their followers to attend. The band charges a cover fee at the door, and the bar sells drinks. It’s a great deal for a venue on an off-night, because they have to pay staff for those nights anyway, and they’re likely to sell more drinks than if they simply tended bar. On top of this, the music is for free from their standpoint. As for you, here’s a chance to test the ability of your band to pull in a crowd. I strongly advise new bands not to attempt such gigs until your following has grown enough to pack your supporting appearances. Which brings up the next category… Support act fee: In situations like above this is a percentage of the door take. A strong supporting band can be key to the success of gig, so their cut should be at least 20% of the door. A lesser-known opening act might get 5-10%, or sometimes nothing at all, just the chance to play. Personally I wouldn’t hire a band to open for me unless they were worth paying, even if it was their first gig. If you’re the headliner, don’t do this to your fellow musicians. Cut them in for something. Support bands might alternatively be paid a set fee, or a minimum fee that ensures some of their costs are covered if the gig tanks. Be warned of the double-edged sword. A set fee can cut you (the support act) out of greater profits if the gig proves a well-attended success. On the other hand, a percentage means you’re working for the headliners in getting your fan base to attend, and they’ll take 80% of what your fans pay at the door. Imagine if only your fans showed up – then the headliners have profited off of you directly – and may not have done any promotion themselves. These are the conundrums that often lead to fights in a local scene and even longstanding feuds. Avoid such pettiness

at all costs though. It’s a sign of professionalism to make the best out of a bad situation, but then disengage from further activities with those who’ve proven themselves unprofessional. Fee-for-service: There are several situations in which bands are paid a set fee by organisers or venues. The dream gig is a large, well-attended concert headlined by an immensely popular international band. In these cases, fees are negotiated by band managers and promoters, but often local heroes get a shot at warming up the crowd. More typically, though, fee-for-service work includes parties, private and public events, school appearances and covers gigs. Big acts can also be paid a straight fee to play a top venue, in which case the club also pays supporting bands directly as well. These gigs can be terrific, or they may be a grind, but at least you know you’re getting paid at the end of the night – or do you? Receiving payment: It’s pretty much a given that money will be paid at the end of each night. Sometimes organisers will pay musicians at the start – usually just to get it out of the way so they can forget about business and enjoy themselves for the rest of the evening. But that’s

Whatever the case, don’t be afraid to ask and don’t let your band get messed around. Never feel ashamed about asking to be paid. Don’t ever give anyone that power over you. rare. Most likely you will have to wait until the tills have closed and the receipts are being added up. All too often I’ve waited around after closing, knowing full well that we were going to be paid out of what the bar earned that night. That sounds kind of crude, but sometimes it’s the only way a club can afford to pay musicians, and it’s symbolic that part of the drinks earnings is going directly to the talent. Don’t leave without getting paid: Musicians who don’t know the ropes may just head home, tired of waiting or needing to get up early the next day etc. Don’t, because that can lead to extra hassle and even possibly bad feelings. Just stick around, or if you have a manager this is where they should prove their worth and collect for you, so you can go get a good night’s sleep. Some venues may have different times to collect – not at the end of the night, but the next morning. Whatever the case though, don’t be afraid to ask and don’t let your band get messed around. It’s a question they’re expecting to hear. Never feel ashamed about asking to be paid. Don’t ever give anyone that power over you. The fees you can expect largely depends on state of your band’s progress. Don’t miss Building Blocks’ appearance in next NZM, featuring the start of a new mini series: Status in the Scene. See you then.

Thomas Goss is a producer, band coach, and composer/orchestrator with an international clientele that includes Billy Ocean, Melanie C, and Canadian jazz star Nikki Yanofsky. He is Education Composer-In-Residence for Orchestra Wellington, and his online orchestration course is available from macProVideo.

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Industry

Pro Audio Showcase 2015 T

he bi-ennially staged Pro Audio Showcase returned to Auckland’s Ellerslie Convention Centre in late July.The two-day professional user trade show included hands on displays of many of the world’s leading professional quality brands used in the creation, recording, editing, broadcasting and projecting of audio. Exhibiting companies included Sennheiser NZ, Sound Techniques, Protel, Oceania Audio Sales, Livesound, MusicWorks and Showtechnix. International specialist seminar presenters this year included Gil Gowing, Avid’s high end console specialist in from the States, and Philipp Hey, a project manager at Lawo International in Switzerland. Previously unseen recording desks from both these companies were among the show’s many equipment highlights. Avid’s new S6 M40 Studio console and groundbreaking S6L Live console were available to view for the duration of the Pro Audio Showcase only, the S6L taking a quick stop in NZ on its pre-release worldwide tour. Attending the show proved a worthwhile decision for Jason Backhouse of Auckland recording and replication business More Core Audio. Jason (that’s him looking pretty happy with himself below) lucked in big time by winning the Pro Audio Showcase 2015 attendee spot prize of a two night Air NZ Mystery Weekend package. The Pro Audio Showcase 2015 was hosted by Southern Exposure Ltd.

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JCK: Land Of The Wrong White Crowd Packaged in eye-catching album artwork (credit given to Split Enz and the Cat in the Hat), ‘Land Of The Wrong White Crowd’ also shows a great feel for production and catchy choruses – Tipee Tipee Taa Taa by way of example. The variety of production styles on this 15-track album is thoroughly enjoyable – notably it’s the sound of the snares that really connects. Bars Up, which features locals Diss’n’Kuss as well as Joshy E for extra lyrical ferocity, includes some battle bars that are nothing short of skillful. There is braggadocio present here, bringing to mind some of Eminem’s dark persona Slim Shady. The performance sometimes conjures ’80s Biz Markie style, funny rhymes and a lackadaisical flow. The ideas artistically touch on the ethnic make up of Aotearoa, and how this influences our perspective as New Zealanders. Drinking In The Afternoon reminds me of Home Brew’s 2009 ‘Summer Ale EP’. The Robba (aka Robert Harris) guests on this one, delivering a well-prepared verse. Picture Avondale in the height of summer, bevvies up and the barbie smoking. Harris also helped with mixing and mastering as well as video production, but the balance of musical credits sits with JCK, aka James Castady-Kristament. JCK has a strong theatrical bent and likes to push the lyrical line. ‘Shake it like an epileptic’ in Shake It, feels like he’s being playful, definitely not taking a shot at epileptics. Alongside plenty of arrogance and misogyny he can be chivalrous in an ol’ skool way. This album is a palpable contribution to local rap, offering a unique window on our society, and a lot of } Ì i>ÀÌi`Êi ÌiÀÌ> i ÌÊÜ Ì Ê`i«Ì °ÊUÊDavid Patterson

PRINCESS CHELSEA: The Great Cybernetic Depression

Auckland electronic space pop chanteuse (and classically trained pianist) Chelsea Nikkel gained a large following with her 2011 album ‘Lil Golden Book’ and song The Cigarette Duet, which has had over 22 million YouTube views. Three years in the making, ‘The Great Cybernetic Depression’ is a concept record of sorts – set in a fictional world a decade into the future, the whole album a metaphor for anxiety and depression – Nikkel guiding her personal experiences through a beautifully melancholic, song-based narrative. Her vocals are limpid, the often baroque instrumental textures are abundant and light in touch, though there is the occasionally danger of the sadness overwhelming the songs. Melodies are abundant and the duets with Jonathan Bree – the Nancy Sinatra and Lee Hazelwood aping We Are Strangers and Is It All OK? – ground the featherweight synth lines. An interesting textural moment occurs at the end of We Were Meant 2 B, when a very ’80s guitar solo closes the song out, contrasting the light synths, and airy vocals with a heavier tone. Gloomy and pretty, you might not hear a lovelier album this year. s !MANDA -ILLS

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‘The Colossus’ is a welcome follow up to Cairo Knife Fight’s 2014 EP ‘The Isolator’ and comes with a bite. While co-writing credits are distributed evenly among the albums’ collaborators, project leader Nick Gaffaney and guitarist Aaron Tokona’s musical synchronicity shines throughout. The opening/title track manages to blend aggression with dynamics well and is followed by Rezlord which sums up the album’s abundance of energy. Degrader is full of layers and defines what the CKF sound is about in 2015, despite Tokona having since stepped aside. Although it was recorded over various locations both here and in the States, the results are consistent and intense. The songs explore fertile rhythmic ground and as a listener, the twists and turns of the arrangements are a key factor for coming back for more. The brooding nature of the playlist builds and is more of a moody journey than a collection of songs. Gaffaney has ticked the boxes at every point with production, packaging and presence online. A job well done. s 3TU %DWARDS

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The debut album from Diaz Grimm definitely plots a point on the local music landscape for this MC who hails from Cambridge. Wwdd opens things ominously, before an absolutely stunning, spacial and haunting vocal line takes centre stage. Diaz arrives soon after, stating, “Culture change my main goal, aiming for nothing but net”, and suddenly we are into a 30-minute journey with Grimm. The nine tracks are largely produced by Auckland-based duo Key To The City, others provided by Gasp, CTFD, Chromatic and Sachi. A process that began months earlier, propelled by a 10-day block of recording at Red Bull Studio in November 2014 – where the mixing and mastering where also done – resulted in ‘Osiris’. Lyrically the album displays an MC with talent and a vision. He refers to culture change on more than one occasion, and for me, it’s a change that the artist doesn’t see as a singular journey. Indeed, throughout his album you feel as though Grimm is exhorting the listener to embark on that culture shift, complete with responsibilities over a benign participation. Joined by a great group of guests including Louie Knuxx, Raiza Biza, Bailey Wiley, Spycc, INF and more, Diaz Grimm’s album is a must-try v ÀÊ ÕÃ VÊv> ÃÊ Ê}i iÀ> °ÊUÊ#HIP -ATTHEWS

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Gatherer moved to Melbourne some seven years ago. This, the band’s second album, is a startling synthesis of well thought out rock and cunning production. The sonic depth here is so immense you can hear the space between the instruments like the space between stars. It brings to mind albums like Weta’s ‘Geographica’. The songs are by turns classic rock, sliding into a slippery breed of new rock, interlaced with sudden audio overloads that never overstay their welcome. The ideas are bold, often delivering a chorus that seems obvious, but only after you have heard it. The interplay between guitar, voice and rhythm is entrancing. Big slow burner anthems in the style of Shihad’s best are contrasted with succinct rockers that take you straight to the high. Then on a dime they can flick to a downbeat and deliver you back to earth in the best possible way. This complex and heady brew of Antipodean rock is masterfully executed by >ÊL> `ÊÌ Ì> ÞÊ ÊV ÌÀ Ê vÊiÛiÀÞÊ>Ã«iVÌÊ vÊÌ i ÀÊÃ Õ `°ÊUÊ$ARRYL +IRK

KEVIN FIELD: The A List

Jazz pianist Kevin Field’s follow up to his 2012 album ‘Field of Vision’ was recorded at Brooklyn Recording Studios in NYC in late 2013, mixed by Kiwi Aaron Nevezie of The Bunker Studio, also in Brooklyn, and features a mix of crème de la crème musicians from both New York and NZ. This album follows Field’s trend of incorporating a wide range of musical inspirations – from straight ahead jazz to RnB, latin to soul and a few other places in between. These inspirations make for harmonically complex, but highly listenable compositions, which are perfect for the combination of musicians he has pulled together for this album. Ex-pat bassist, Matt Penman and American drummer Obed Calvaire provide the ideal grounding for this ensemble, while US guitarist Nir Felder adds delicious grooves that compliment Field’s melodies, both composed and improvised. Singers Maran Gorgani and Clo Chaperon shine in their features bringing a touch of soul vocals to the proceedings, while percussionist Miguel Fuentes fires up several tracks with demanding, hot rhythms that bounce off the harmonies, taking pieces to another level. I was particularly taken by the melancholic whimsy of Leftfield, the grooves of One Way Traffic and the sheer fun of Perfect Disco. Field’s piano and Rhodes work is (as ever) exquisite – playful, complex, relaxed and, above all, funky. This is a must buy for any fan of NZ jazz as it is an example of one of our best jazz pianists with a group of very fine ÕÃ V > ÃÊqÊÌÀÕ ÞÊ> Ê¼ ½Ê ÃÌÊÀi i>Ãi°ÊUÊ!LEISHA 7ARD

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JASON TITO: Heart & Soul

SONIC DELUSION: Without Warning

Matauri Bay singer/songwriter Jason Bud Tito’s album certainly lives up to its name and will take you on an enjoyable musical journey through RnB, rock and blues with sprinklings of jazz. The 10 well-crafted tracks on this debut reveal a humble guitarist who has plenty of life experience and knows well how to tell his stories in a captivating and engaging way. The stand out tracks for me were Take A Look At Me Now and Gypsy Girl (most strongly reminiscent of Eric Clapton’s slow hand recordings) which I note, through comments on social media, have also caught the attention of fellow musicians and a very supportive whanau. The album was recorded and mixed in the home studio of friend and talented musical guru Daniel Hewson, who also plays drums, bass, keys, guitar and horns, and whose evident skills as a producer takes the listener on a seamless, soulful and toe-tapping groove experience. ‘Heart and Soul’ reveals Jason Bud Tito as a singer/songwriter who has plenty of each, with an album that really deserves to >ÛiÊLii Ê i>À`Ê ÕV Ê ÀiÊÜ `i ÞÊÌ > Ê ÌÊ i ÞÊ >Ã°ÊU Liz Barry

QUAIL STATE: Volcanic Hazards of Auckland

Jono Aidney serves up a meticulously crafted collection of songs here. It’s been in gestation for a while, and it’s obvious that a lot of care has been taken in the songwriting and the production, as well as the artwork and the cleverly not-quite-hidden messages in the CD booklet. The guitar tones are sometimes as heavy as a pyroclastic flow, but never overwhelm the well-constructed melodies. At other times the songs are ethereal and dreamlike, the multi-talented Aidney playing everything bar the drums. There’s a tint of melancholy to some songs, befitting their serious and confessional nature. As previously reported in this fine periodical, Quail State spent time in Portland where he found that people in the music scene, “shared this idea that music could really be an art form”. Which helps explain why the album launch was a combined listening party/art show, and tells you something of the level of conceptualism at work here. Artist, musician, volcanologist: Quail State has his fingers in many pies but he’s happy to share Ì ÃiÊ« iÃÊÜ Ì ÊÞ ÕÊÃ ÊÌ >ÌÊÞ ÕÊ >ÞÊ` ÃV ÛiÀÊ iÜÊv >Û ÕÀÃ°ÊUÊBing Turkby

JUSTICE PEACE EMERALD: Solar EP

Justice Peace Emerald‘s music will relate to Kiwi audiences with its references to the great outdoors. The production is stripped back to a few instruments and as such gives a certain organic sound. Rapper Emerald MacGill’s lyrical content is very real, down to earth and refreshing, while Jackie Papuni, aka Justice Peace, is a reggae producer and there is a strong reggae influence evident. It is very interesting as a collaboration as this doesn’t sound like regular hip hop. The music is soulful and natural, sounding more like something folk music fans would play. It’s like folk hop, creating images of sun drenched beaches and native forests – bringing to mind memories of Takaka and Golden Bay, Nelson and good times in the early 2000s. ‘You couldn’t have figured it, before we fell asleep with our fingers interlocked you idiot?’ (from CIGs) is a good example of how Emerald’s songwriting is skilful, funny and paints vivid pictures of relatable situations. As a backdrop Justice Peace is perfect. This is music to vibe out to on a beautiful ÃÕ iÀÃÊ`>Þ°Ê-« Ê ÌÊv ÀÊÃ iÊ« Ã Ì ÛiÊÛ LÀ>Ì Ã°ÊU David Patterson

Sonic Delusion’s third album is such an international-sounding cornucopia. The mandolins and funk suggest Latin America or Spain, but nope, boasting recent Kiwi citizenship frontman Andre Manella hails from Switzerland. Aided by a successful Kickstarter campaign Manella presents this dynamic outpouring, typically shaped by his solo looping efforts, accompanied by Missie Moffat and Severin Thiebaut. One of the many images I get listening to this is of Paul Simon. We’re Starting Again and The Man Who Missed The Boat particularly conjure up the idea of world music, seeking inspiration from far-flung destinations. I think it’s also that none of the songs are solemn, catchy loops invite plenty of dancing and hip swaying. The 10 tracks are brilliantly crisp and filled with self-assurance. Bass lines go off in kooky directions in a bid to balance out the regularity of the guitar riffs. All in all, a very pleasant surprise, especially considering the album artwork >««i>ÀÃÊÌ ÊLiÊ vÊ>ÊL > ]ÊVÀÕ « i`ÊÕ«ÊÃ iiÌÊ vÊ«>«iÀ°ÊUÊChloe Cairncross

EARTHSHIELD: Earthshield EP

Earthshield is Evan Gillespie (guitars, vocals) Ritchie Simpson (drums) and Nigel Millington on bass, three Timaru-based mates who have been playing together, on and off, for the last decade. If you’re into complex time signatures with hard-hitting-riff-drivenwall-of-sound rock and metal, then this is definitely your cup of Earl Grey. There is no gentle introduction as the EP launches into Break In The Clouds. It’s filled with all the usual suspects, Mr Massive Riff, Mr Big Bass, Mr Epic Drums. Invitation comes with ominous guitar riff-age accompanying an invite to the end of the world delivered by the Fatso-Jetsonesque Evan Gillespie. If you enjoy hearing a drummer owning a double kick, the last track Razorblades will blow your hair back. Produced by Kevin Allison at Angels Gate Studio in Christchurch, the problem with this EP is that it races to the end far too quickly. A few more songs bundled onto the CD would have been awesome. Earthshield seem proud of the fact that they have supported many touring NZ bands. Perhaps it’s time v ÀÊÌ i ÊÌ ÊV Ã `iÀÊÌ >ÌÊ Ì iÀÊL> `ÃÊ >ÞÊLiÊ>ÃÊ >««ÞÊÃÕ«« ÀÌ }ÊÌ i °ÊU Colin Selby

THE CRASH NARRATIVE: Apocaloptimystic EP

Andy Gibson may be a familiar name – he released album ‘Behind The I’ in 2007 as well as three EPs between 1998 and 2002. This new project with band member Samuel de Silentio, will be brand new to most people, and their first EP provides an introduction to the duo’s sound. Describing themselves as electronic alt-pop, The Crash Narrative have some curious textures, stylistic touchstones and vocal treatments amongst their songs, which sound benign on the surface, but can be ever-so-slightly ominous with repeated listenings. This was a surprise and a revelation. ‘Apocaloptimystic’ initially comes across as non-threatening and pleasant (notably with Gibson’s vocals), however further listening uncovers layers of instrumentation that are not quite what you would expect. A good example is the mix of skank reggae beats and strings on Affluenza, something quite unexpected. While mostly strong, repeat listening does make one thing clear, the EP gets better towards the final songs. Ambitious, and a little disquieting at times, ‘Apocaloptimystic’ is a curio, one that sticks around long after you’ve listened to it. s !MANDA -ILLS

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LOUD GHOST: Loud Ghost

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Alt-rock power trio Loud Ghost, made up of Mark Hussey on drums, Sam Taylor on bass and songwriter Darryn PatersonHarkness on vocals, guitar, keyboards and percussion, would have slotted into the ’90s grunge era perfectly, when attitude mattered more than production or technique. Burgeoning angst is palpable from the opening track and the album maintains the infectious enthusiasm through its short 25 minute journey. Fire Up is a great opener with energy and hooks galore. After a relentless three tracks Take A Ride contrasts perfectly while still retaining the intensity. Another Lie is unabashedly raw and therein lies this band’s appeal. The most impressive aspect of the album is the band’s consistency in style. They clearly are not trying to be anything they aren’t and deliver simple songs with lots of passion. Fire Up has a great reverse technique video online and the synching of lyric prompts and visual is well executed. Heads up indie rock fans, this Auckland three-piece is well worth a listen. s 3TU %DWARDS

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Scalper – Nadeem Shafi to friends and family – is a creative genius. Crafter of dark poetry, mood master, rapper, visionary... his music is a potent brew of words and magic. Originally from the UK, where he was part of the band Fun-Da-Mental before forging a solo career in 2000, Scalper first visited NZ in 1997 as part of WOMAD, returning to live here permanently a decade later. A first album ‘Flesh & Bones’ was released in 2010 on CD and digital, and, criminally, the fantastic 2012 follow up ‘Butchers Bakers’ was digital only. Similar to the intriguing intelligence of the UK’s Tricky but with his own fearless flavour, Scalper is a sculptor, a wicked wordsmith, a painter of ideas writ large with almost-whispered words and minimal musical accompaniment. Most tracks on ‘The Emperor’s Clothes’ clock in at around three minutes, and aside from the electronic loop, I count only two other instruments on each track. Less is more here. It’s amazing how powerful this is, without an overpowering soundtrack or shouting. Recommended on every level, the limited edition vinyl especially. s !NIA 'LOWACZ

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An Eno-esque headtrip, a wash of textures drenched in reverb and delay. Synth and drum machine actually suit this style really well, harking as it does back to good ol’ 1980s. I know this for sure because it’s available on cassette. Hell, I bet this sounds great on cassette! Anto is guitarist/singer Anthony Pascoe, who dedicated fans of Kiwi music will likely remember from his Pastic Paco days, a Christchurch trio that released a couple of pleasingly gentle albums. Here he is much more alone (aided by David Fransisco on bass) and rather more exposed. While not quite reaching the bleeding-heart emotion of Ultravox’s Vienna, this album is still able to sweep you up and away into the stratosphere, particularly if you’re listening on headphones. There’s a Knox-ian quality to the drones, and an unfussiness to the production, a totally laid-back disregard for changing where you think it might change, an unconcern for hitting notes exactly – in preference of ÌÌ }ÊÌ iÊi Ì °ÊU "ING 4URKBY

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Following in the footsteps of Watercolours and Race Banyon/ Lontalius is Christchurch bedroom producer Gemma Syme, who describes this project as “sexual hypno-drone... songs about tears, getting moist and that sweat you forgot about that happens when you sleep next to another person.” Wake Up With Bruises drifts cheerlessly across the speakers reminding me of The Cocteau Twins and Sigur Rós. A gloomy mist remains on the moor for I Don’t See An Honest Man, a mere ghost of a song, held together by a single techno drum beat and delicate reverberating harmonies from Syme’s honey sweet mezzo. Sad starkness continues through to the gloomy end on I’ve Given Up On You. Syme describes these as break up songs, with a sense of freedom and hope. Her light touch and singular chord constructions frame the desperation in her voice beautifully. I understand that at times less is definitely more, but to my ear these deliberately simple sketches sound like incomplete ideas – that would be well worthy of v iÃ }Ê ÕÌÊÜ Ì Ê ÀiÊ« >ÞiÀÃ]Ê ÀiÊ ÃÌÀÕ i ÌÃÊ> `Ê ÀiÊ vi°ÊUÊ4IM 'RUAR

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‘For the Weary Traveller’ is the debut album from Santa Fe-born, Queenstown-raised, and lately Auckland-based countryfolk singer Holly Gilling, aka Holly Arrowsmith. The 21-year old has long been a musician following her own path, and this was recorded in a remote, ‘grass roots’ studio, deep in the hills around Queenstown, 10 tracks of country and folk that bring to life her stripped back, emotive music. There’s much to recommend. Gilling’s voice has a dusty, haunting tone, and her bare, but resonant, acoustic guitar tone underpins this well – a simple base to hang her melodies on. The majority of the album is light and airy, with plenty of space for her songs to breathe, but my favourite is the darker, slightly denser Lady of the Valley, which has an atmosphere of anticipation and foreboding. A good, consistent debut, the performances are solid, the songs crafted with care… but it didn’t hold my sustained interest. A little more deviation in style would have been just right. s !MANDA -ILLS

Hard to believe that still only 16, Jenny Mitchell’s fine album exhibits a confidence, surety and lyrical maturity of someone much older. She hails from Gore so chances are it may well reflect a childhood spent writing and playing on the South Island country music circuit. Her voice already has a great depth, strength and breadth of character to it, her singing techniques subtle and executed with perfect control so she can easily put feeling into each line without overdoing things. In This Guitar she gets to sing with her classic country-sounding dad Ron Mitchell in a duet about his guitar being passed onto her, but a few songs later the opening of Darlin’ shows us that she is not limited to the contemporary country genre, it’s the just the one she’s chosen here. Produced by John Egenes and recorded at Albany Street Studios in Dunedin by Danny Buchanan, further engineering was later done by Graeme Woller, Arnie van Bussel, Rob Galley and Egenes in a variety of studios all around the country, before mastering up in Auckland by Mike McCarthy at Manuka Studios. Such attention to detail is evident. There are lots of instruments involved too; guitar, banjo, mandolin, fiddle, slide guitar, dobro and so on all evident, but Mitchell’s gentle/strong voice is always given priority. Musicians including Marcel Rodeka on drums, Egenes, Jeff Rea and James Davey on guitar, Craig Reeves and John Dodd on bass give each track flurries of colour that are not invasive at all. One can readily imagine that these quality players all agree Jenny Mitchell is a singer/songwriter with a great album and huge future. s #HRIS $ENT

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A collection of works by NZ born/based composers is not something you come across all too often, let alone performed by one of the country's foremost groups. Justine Cormack (violin), Ashley Brown (cello) and Sarah Watkins (piano) perform works by Rachel Clement, Claire Cowan, Gao Ping, Chris Gendall, Samuel Holloway, Karlo Margetić and Alex Taylor with finesse and passion. Holloway’s Stapes provides a platform for the trio to show how each part can act against the other and also how they can act with each other. The trio synthesises effectively the moods of happy and sad portrayed in Gao Ping’s Four Sketches. The gem in this collection however, is the title track by Karlo Margetić. The harmonic and dynamic contrast within the piece is stunning and the way it is all performed (especially the extended techniques) is truly incredible. The interplay between the performers in all seven pieces is completely fluid. To have an album with great NZ content by phenomenal NZ performers is a true testament to what we as a country have artistically, and what there is still to come. s *ESSE !USTIN

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A very mixed bag, but then that’s what samplers are about. Local Musicians Music is an initiative aiming to expose up-and-coming or largely unknown songwriters of any genre, to promote their work and try to get radio play. A kind of un-funded Kiwi Hits Disc concept. This idea was born in Thames and is being curated by Shirley Howe. ‘Vol. 2’ certainly houses a mix of styles – there’s country-ish tunes from LA Thompson, Kerryn and the brilliant Cowboys On TV from Craig Robertson, a section winner

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at the National Country Music Awards last year. My Angel is a lovely ballad from Brett Howes (sung by a female), and the very funky R’n’B of Never Meant To Be by Emilie proves one of the highlights. Another strong inclusion is Shooting You Up from Coral Pitcher, a smoky Gin Wigmore-type number that invites further looking up of this artist... It’s all soloists apart from the blues/rock/‘bring it’ vibe of Frankencopter (pretty tame on this recording – undoubtedly better live); a white reggae-ish number from Eric Janssen, who’s clearly played around the traps, and an eventually-gets-to-Joe Satriani finish from Chris Barclay on I Won’t Fade°ÊUÊAnia Glowacz

THE WELLINGTON SEA SHANTY SOCIETY: Now That’s What I Call Sea Shanties 02

Due to a tendency to feel seasick at the mere thought of a ferry crossing, and childhood memories of being tossed upside down and unceremoniously dumped by massive waves, it’s fair to say I never yearned for the ocean, understood the allure of rum (despite efforts in student days), and certainly have never hummed along to a sea shanty. Until now. Listening to this compilation of sea-inspired songs from The Wellington Sea Shanty Society, I’ve not only learning to appreciate these songs of yearning, loneliness and loss, but have found them hugely enjoyable and catchy. I’ve also gained a new respect for the sea shanty musical tradition with the realisation that my own forbears, like many New Zealanders’, probably sung many a ditty like these to keep spirits up on long and perilous voyages to settle on this tiny island at the bottom of the Pacific. The WSSS songwriter personas Vorn Dont le Père Etait Marin and Lake Davineer, sound like they’ve been performing these rousing harmonies and raucous foot-stomping shanties all their lives, yet come from very different (and mostly land-based) musical backgrounds. With traditional tunes blended around their own, I like how Vorn Colgan and Brendan McKenna (Lake South/Urbantramper), through clever songwriting and arranging, have given their shanties a distinctive local flavour. It’s certainly not all swooping accordian and upbeat British bravura in the face of adversity stuff, there’s space, remorse, irony and melancholy. ÃÊ ` V>Ìi`ÊLÞÊÌ iÊÌ Ì i]ÊÌ ÃÊ ÃÊÌ iÊ«> À½ÃÊÃiV `ÊÃÕV ÊÃi>ÊÃ > ÌÞÊV iVÌ °ÊU Liz Barry

MISS JUNE: Matriarchy EP

Miss June’s EP debut begins with a song about a turtle, called Clyde. The lyrics would certainly appeal to tumblr-ites, but the heavy, grungey rock behind is more of interest. The production by James Goldsmith at (the since closed) Munki and The Blue Room in Wellington well supports this. Nothing is crisp on the EP which is all mildly fuzzy, as if you are getting tinnitus at the live gig. Naively simplistic lyrics as with Student Loan, ‘You can’t get a student loan, because your parents have a fucking job […] it’s just another way for you to put me down,’ makes me think of The Young Ones’ Rik and his awful ‘anarchist’ poetry. Maybe that is exactly the point… and, call me a prude, but there’s too much effing and jeffing within the five songs (all over within 11 and a half minutes) for my liking. With bandmates Chris Marshall, James Park and Tom Leggett, lyricist Annabel Liddell has the perfect imperfect voice for the genre… «>ViÞ]Ê>ÌÌ ÌÕ` > Ê« «Ê«Õ °ÊUÊChloe Cairncross

RUSTED MAN: Living Thing

If Donald Fagan and Walter Becker were transplanted into a Kiwi home on a Malaysian street then the resulting effort might well be this album, actually the work of musician/songwriter Russell Stedman, who recently returned to Christchurch after time in Penang. He’d gestated on his music for nearly 20 years there before finally rounding up a group of brilliant local and international players to lay down some funky ’70s grooves in a KL studio. Of particular note is precision drummer Bin Budin, Stedman’s unofficial arranger, lode stone and band leader on this project. Opening tracks Gallery and Midnight are like outtakes from Katy Lied. Funky, very slick. Pathways and Home give a big nod to Al Jarreau. There are some really complex ideas behind these tunes, about life, Eastern philosophies and making choices – plenty of layers to peel, particularly on Skin, with its slightly biblical overtones and allusions to a lost relationship. It’s clear this former accountant is looking for a more gospel experience on his road to funkiness. s 4IM 'RUAR

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ALY COOK: Horseshoe Rodeo Hotel

This is Aly Cookâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s second crowd sourced release and is a solid collection of vibrant, uptempo and uplifting poppy country tunes, with a clear sway towards humanity. Singles from this easy listening release apart, the busy Nelson-based country music entrepeneur was recently being heard as part of The Souâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Westers. She has evidently done plenty of touring and songwriting research across the Tasman for this solo effort since their 2013 album release. Two tunes, Kimberly (which features a didgeridoo, clapping sticks and Aboriginal spiritual imagery) and the locomotive Western Line are clearly located in the red dirt of the outback, and Cook has a passion to bring about change for Australiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s indigenous peoples. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s plenty of American-style radiofriendly country but Aotearoa is well represented, too, with Auckland producer Alan Jansson recording and co-writing this nine-track album (and sharing ownership of the Rodeo Records label on which itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s released). Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s vocal input from Brendan Dugan and Graham Brazier, and the trademark fiddle of Warratah Nik Brown is widely in evidence, especially on barn dance track Message In A Cloud. It includes nice romantic musings, like the self-explanatory single No Phone, No Mail, No Internet, which has brought her some reasonable country chart action across the ditch. The smoothly poppy Midnight Cowboys sees Paul Kingery of Three Dog Night guest on guitar, with a slightly Mexican guitar twang to it, and Sassenay rounds a consistently good album off with swelling emotion courtesy Â&#x153;vĂ&#x160;>Ă&#x160;Ă&#x20AC;Â&#x153;Ă&#x2022;Ă&#x192;Â&#x2C6;Â&#x2DC;}Ă&#x160;VÂ&#x2026;Â&#x153;Ă&#x20AC;Ă&#x2022;Ă&#x192;Ă&#x160;vĂ&#x20AC;Â&#x153;Â&#x201C;Ă&#x160;>Ă&#x160;Â&#x17D;Â&#x2C6;`Ă&#x192;Ă&#x160;VÂ&#x2026;Â&#x153;Â&#x2C6;Ă&#x20AC;Â°Ă&#x160;UĂ&#x160;Tim Gruar

FRASER ROSS: Mongrels

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;We are all mongrels baby,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; is the chorus refrain from the title track of this album and that line will more than probably resonate with you. It is the third piece of poignant music in a set that plays out in a similar way to a live show. Each track flows with rises and falls of pace, dynamic and playfulness. Fraser has compiled the songs for the last five years and plenty of thought has gone into his process. Songs cover a wide range of topics, often shambling from point to point in a Dylan style of rhetoric thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s easy to understand. Somebody Else does this best, telling the story of a man and his relationship with jail and the outside world afterward. A sad tale that oozes through his guitar and vocal performance. Fraserâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tour poster describes himself as â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;eccentric folkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; but most of the songs here are fairly grounded, with some interesting sounds that shape the album to give it extra imagery. Kitchen Blues comes close by tapping on the shoulder of rockabilly and the more ruckus side of his repertoire that must be evident when he plays live. The album rounds off with two beautiful melancholic tunes, Lead Me Out Tonight and The Sea. A myriad of instruments all come together in an orchestral wind up, but amongst all of this his voice is gently somber and reassuring. This beautiful album captures his songs humbly and honestly. It was recorded Tpot Studios in Scotland with the other three main Â&#x201C;Ă&#x2022;Ă&#x192;Â&#x2C6;VÂ&#x2C6;>Â&#x2DC;Ă&#x192;Ă&#x160;LiÂ&#x2C6;Â&#x2DC;}Ă&#x160; >Ă&#x203A;Â&#x2C6;Â&#x2DC;Ă&#x160; V Â&#x2C6;Â&#x2DC;Ă&#x152;Ă&#x17E;]Ă&#x160;,Â&#x153;LLÂ&#x2C6;iĂ&#x160;7>Ă&#x20AC;`Ă&#x160;>Â&#x2DC;`Ă&#x160;/Â&#x2C6;Â&#x201C;Ă&#x160; iĂ&#x17E;Â°Ă&#x160;U Chris Dent

REUBEN BRADLEY: Cthulhu Rising

This intriguing, album from Wellington drummer Reuben Bradley delves into the (1920s horror fantasy) world of H.P. Lovecraft, telling a musical tale of Lovecraftâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s kraken-type space deity character Cthulhu. Recorded back in 2013 at the Bunker Studio in Brooklyn, NYC, and mixed and mastered in 2015 by Steve Garden at his studio in Auckland, this horror-fantasy-jazz suite (and I mean that in a literary way) mixes the unsettled darkness of Lovecraftian imagination with Bradleyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sharp-edged, sinuous, hypnotic jazz. Written by Bradley for piano trio â&#x20AC;&#x201C; with himself on drums, American pianist Taylor Eigsti and ex-pat Kiwi bassist Matt Penman â&#x20AC;&#x201C; â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Cthulhu Risingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; is a fantastic listen. Much like the stories by Lovecraft, this album will keep you on the edge of your seat (but much safer to listen to before you go to bed than reading a Lovecraft tale), frequently taking you in unexpected directions, and building delicious musical tension and release, before ramping up the tension again. Bradley heightens the drama by including readings of excerpts on some of the tracks, which adds to the atmosphere â&#x20AC;&#x201C; reminding the listener of radio plays, or War Of The Worlds (the musical â&#x20AC;&#x201C; albeit in this case, jazz rather than rock). If there were any nitpicks to make it would be that I wish there were liner notes: a set of Lovecraftian-styled notes about the suite would have gone down a treat. However, this Rattle release is a recommended listen for any jazz fan, and indeed anyone who enjoys a }Â&#x153;Â&#x153;`Ă&#x160;Â?Â&#x2C6;Ă&#x152;iĂ&#x20AC;>Ă&#x20AC;Ă&#x17E;Ă&#x160;Ă&#x152;>Â?iĂ&#x160;Â&#x2C6;Â&#x2DC;Ă&#x160;Â&#x201C;Ă&#x2022;Ă&#x192;Â&#x2C6;V>Â?Ă&#x160;vÂ&#x153;Ă&#x20AC;Â&#x201C;Â°Ă&#x160;U Aleisha Ward

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MicXill: Granite EP

Michael Sapolu, aka MicXill, brings tremendous energy to his performance. The instrumentals produced by Mark Beaven beatscape an intense verbal onslaught. The words are thoughtful, almost pensive, written in an introspective style. There are struggles in the subject matter which listeners can relate to. The chorus on Minute is very catchy, with a beautiful melodic voice it has a magnetic nature to it. MicXillâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s raps bring an intensity similar to Delic Exodus and this artist could go far with his comedic style, mixed with a serious purpose that is quite a yin yang balance. There is a strong relationship to the force behind his words, it brings the realisation that MicXill perhaps knows a higher power is guiding him. With the autobiographical nature of hip hop it stands the rapper in good stead, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a definite purpose to his artistry, reminding a little of some Eminem and Talib Kweli songs. Mikeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ill. This is a touch of reality, raw and uncompromising. Across the EP there is something that is thoroughly enjoyable in its ferocÂ&#x2C6;Ă&#x152;Ă&#x17E;Ă&#x160;>Â&#x2DC;`Ă&#x160;}Ă&#x20AC;Â&#x153;Ă&#x2022;Â&#x2DC;`i`Ă&#x160;Â&#x2026;Â&#x2C6;ÂŤĂ&#x160;Â&#x2026;Â&#x153;ÂŤĂ&#x160;Ă&#x192;Ă&#x152;Ă&#x17E;Â?iĂ&#x160;vĂ&#x2022;Â&#x2DC;Â&#x17D;Â°Ă&#x160;UĂ&#x160;David Patterson

NETHERDWELLER: Netherdweller

This is a solo effort â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and very bedroom. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a concept album of sorts â&#x20AC;&#x201C; heavily focused on a relationship or relationships, and the failures, disappointments, illusions and cheating therein. The listening experience differs somewhat from the delving into one. Reading through the lyrics, theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re actually rather good. Bitter without being nasty, just enough to be cathartic as well as descriptive of the various personal aspects involved â&#x20AC;&#x201C; on both sides of the equation. Problems come is with the execution. His voice doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t engage as much as the words on paper do and as itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s primarily keyboard and the stark voice the music feels wildly under-produced. The ideas are there â&#x20AC;&#x201C; it just comes across a little clumsy, more like a demo recording. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Loving you just makes me dirty too. But youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re the piece of trash that I love...â&#x20AC;&#x2122; (Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re The Trash). Someoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s had their heart seriously broken. The positive result is this outpouring of creativity â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a definite diamond in the rough. s !NIA 'LOWACZ

AJ CRAWSHAW BAND: Phoenix Burning EP

Led by multi-instrumentalist and writer AJ Crawshaw, this is a four-piece arrangement hailing from the Kapiti Coast. His bandmates are Cam Sutton on guitars, Simon Laracy (bass) and Aidan Corlett on drums. Recorded and mixed in AJâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s home recording studio â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Phoenix Burningâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; includes contributions from Paul Flemming (ebow, dirty guitar), Christopher Nicholas (banjo) and Mark Lewis (keyboards, bvs), with the final mastering polish provided by Geoff Duncan. AJâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s talent on both sides of the mixing desk is evident throughout this 5-track EP, a collection of perfectly written and executed alt pop and folk therapies helping the artist to restore his faith in hope. Each song is meticulously arranged into a tight, tidy space, free from clutter. Whether heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lamenting a regrettable association or embracing an opportunity to let something go, an honesty shines through. Each ounce of sonic energy has been placed gently into its own space. Each track is a sharp cathartic knife slicing through the thick, splintered twine of disappointment, or as Ă&#x160;`iĂ&#x192;VĂ&#x20AC;Â&#x2C6;LiĂ&#x192;Ă&#x160;Â&#x2C6;Ă&#x152;]Ă&#x160;Âşo>Â&#x2DC;Ă&#x160; *Ă&#x160;>LÂ&#x153;Ă&#x2022;Ă&#x152;Ă&#x160;Â?Â&#x153;Ă&#x192;Â&#x2C6;Â&#x2DC;}Ă&#x160;>Â&#x2DC;`Ă&#x160;Ă&#x153;Â&#x2C6;Â&#x2DC;Â&#x2DC;Â&#x2C6;Â&#x2DC;}Ă&#x160;>Â&#x2DC;`Ă&#x160;Ă&#x20AC;iĂ&#x192;Ă&#x152;Â&#x153;Ă&#x20AC;Â&#x2C6;Â&#x2DC;}Ă&#x160;Â&#x2026;Â&#x153;ÂŤiÂ°ÂťĂ&#x160;U Colin Selby

JACK BODY: Passing By

On May 10 this year, Jack Body passed away aged 70. Not many people, alive or dead, can be said to have done as much for NZ music as this man. In his last months he was to produce a final collection of work entitled â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Passing Byâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; which shows the diverse nature of his compositional work. While also featuring performances by the NZ Trio, Kronos Quartet, New Music Works, Del Sol Quartet, David Radzynski, Alexander Ivashkin and Ensemble Nomad, Body makes sure to include some of his electroacoustic work including Intimate History No.1: Yono and Musik Dari Jalan with hugely exciting sonic landscapes. His compositional genius is shown off in Tribute To The Blues where he incorporates field recordings and creates an art music/blues hybrid. The highlight, I feel, is The Street Where I Live with Stephen de Pledge on piano where a vocal recording by Body is illustrated by the piano part. It is sad to lose such a brilliant mind, however Body and what he stood for can live on through the recordings and compositions in albums such as â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Passing Byâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. s *ESSE !USTIN

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ANDREW LONDON TRIO: Ladies A Plate

Andrew London has made his name among numerous bands, swing trio Hot Club Sandwich, the supergroup of songwriters Too Many Chiefs, but this is his main vehicle. ‘Ladies A Plate’ follows up the trio’s 2012 debut ’The Middle Class White Boy Blues’. It walks a line between jazz, swing, country and blues. Musical comedy would also do it justice. Three Little Words describes the horror of being confronted with instructions – everyone knows that ‘some assembly required’ is not part of the male vocabulary. There are enough musical interludes for those who are not big on musical laughs. A couple of covers were slipped in. Jazz number No Moon At All sung by bassist and partner Kirsten London provides a nice interlude, and includes a sublime clarinet solo from Nils Olsen. A jazzy cover of The Beatles’ You Won’t See Me sits nicely in the latter half of the album. Recording was at Matrix Digital Studios in Wellington with Phil Adams, Troy Leamy and Blair MacDonald behind the desk. Drummer Lance Philips helped fill out the sound while the trio changed between instruments. Saxophone and keyboard from Olsen and banjo from Andrew London create some nice variety, especially the sax in the hilariously sarcastic Country’s Buggered. The album is filled with delightful instrumental breaks, hilarious lyrics that perfectly capture the New Zealander and many of our obsessions and tasteful V ÛiÀÃÊÌ >ÌÊ ÌÊ>ÌÊ> Ê> >â }Ê ÛiÊÃ Ü°Ê7i ÊÜ ÀÌ Ê>Ê ÃÌi °ÊU Finn McLennan-Elliott

RON SAMSOM and the Neutrino Funk Experience: Ace Tone

As you listen to the first track of this very skilled and well put together album you might be tempted to think that you’re in for a full-on, busy, exciting journey, but no, as you listen through the tracks you’ll find a lot of variety in feel and mood. Samsom’s drums are mixed pretty high, but this is a drummer’s album and I would far rather hear the drums prominent than down in the mix. I think some tend to forget that percussion is the backbone of modern music and if that groove is not there nothing happens, unless of course it is something designed to be out of tempo. Recorded by Jordan Stone at Roundhead Studios the drum sound is very clean and the group at large sounds very well rehearsed. The compositions are all Samsom’s, but I would guess that the arrangements would be collaborative. I’m not sure if you really need to label this music, it shows influences of jazz, rock, funk, Latin and New Orleans’ vibe. Roger Manins (also part of the 2015 Jazz Tuiwinning trio DOG along with Samsom and Kevin Field) is in great form, playing with abandon but never losing the feel or direction of the music. Grant Winterburn plays great organ, shows great support, but funking it up when he needs to. Cameron McArthur is a solid bass player and knows how to accurately support the drum and organ grooves without getting in the way. All the compositions are attractive but I particularly love the dark mysterious mood of Other Brother°Ê ÊÀ Õ `Ê>ÊÛiÀÞÊÀiÜ>À` }Ê> LÕ ÊÌ Ê}iÌÊ Ì °ÊU Kim Paterson

RACKETS: Walking The Skeleton

Rackets have done it again. The Auckland three-piece’s fourth or so – details are sketchy – full album ‘Walking The Skeleton’ has been out since late July and is nothing short of glorious. The sound sits somewhere between indie rock and melodic late ’80s/ early ’90s pop punk, on the verge of turning commercial – luckily without losing its edge to any mainstream slickness. Oscar Davies-Kay (bass), Jeremy Potts (guitar) and drummer Vince Nairn have been together as Rackets since high school, gigging relentlessly from early on. This has definitely paid off for them – there are few bands as tight as these three, who can deliberately mix shambolic with genuine talent, evident in their ability to write damn catchy songs and play the shit out of them live. Lyrically tongue in cheek, with a wicked sense of humour, all of this album’s singles thus far, Gay Boyz, Wash My Brain Out and TV Started Talking To Me have been lapped up by student radio stations nationwide. Recorded and produced by the band’s long-time supporter Bob Frisbee (Street Chant, Beach Pigs, Transistors) this is a joyous, upbeat punk rock album for anyone who } ÌÊi ÞÊÃ iÊ vÊÌ iÊ ÀiÊ« ««ÞÊL> `ÃÊ Ê >ÌÊ7ÀiV Ê À`Ã°ÊUÊSilke Hartung

DIONYSIOS: Who Am I Trying To Impress

Former Londoner Dionysios Bitros calls himself a late bloomer, creating his first album at the ripe ol’ age of 35. It’s an eclectic mix of mainly guitar-led pieces ranging from Richard Thompson folk (Curse of Mortlake, No Shadow), Eric Bibb-styled pickin’ blues (Good Morning Blues) to the ’80s Americana/CougarMellencamp soft rock of Dream All Day. There’s even a cheeky rip off, Have You Ever, which smashes together Israel Kamakawiwo‘ole’s Somewhere Over The Rainbow and Dion’s Runaway Sue. Pub rocker Child provides the most pleasant surprise. His partners in crime are a highly competent. Guitarist Allan Lavis is pure magic, whilst percussionist Sofia Pua and bassist Max Faava faithfully hold together the engine room through even the bumpiest bits. Special mention to Justin James for his overall production at the Tonewheels Studio desk. Bitros is still looking for his voice, with many of his influences remaining un-distilled, but when it comes there will be cause for celebration. s 4IM 'RUAR

To submit your album or EP for review in Fresh-Cut, please send TWO copies along with a brief bio to NZ Musician, PO Box 99-315, Newmarket, Auckland 1149. It must be available for sale and only CDs provided with completed artwork are forwarded for review.

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Holly Arrowsmith

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21 does seem way too young to finding yourself a ‘weary traveller’ but Holly Arrowsmith has a history of travelling and plentiful evidence of a youthful maturity. Last year she delivered a TEDx talk on Honest Music, and opened for internationally acclaimed folk enigma Rodriguez on his recent NZ gigs in Auckland and Wellington. Her just-released debut album is big on the personification of nature, something she has learnt and adopted from famous poets of centuries past. Recently married and even more recently having moved from the inspirational central Otago to Auckland, with plans to return to her native US, she talked with Finn McLennan-Elliott about the path towards ‘For The Weary Traveller’.

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olly Gilling (nee Arrowsmith) has spent nearly the last 10 years of her life in Arrowtown and Queenstown. The striking natural environment of Otago is woven through her songs, evident even in titles such as Lady of The Valley, Mountain Prayer and the opener of her new album, Mouth Of The Morning. Living for now in Auckland city, Holly says she needs this connection to the physical environment to write her distinctively panoramic songs. “It was so easy down there, all you have to do is step outside and you’re in it.” ‘The smell of the wild pine, blows on the wind And their heavy branches sing out an old solemn prayer To the cold mountain air’ – Mountain Prayer ‘And our love will be a river, flowing out into the sea Started in the mountains Where you washed my feet.’ – Love Will Be A River In some moments her very landscapegrounded, but often soaring debut album, ‘For The Weary Traveller’, is almost an ode to the Queenstown area. “Lady Of The Valley is about a mountain in Arrowtown called Brow Peak, that is shaped like a woman lying down, I personified her in that song. Flinted is about the autumn leaves, inspired by a road out in the country called Speargrass Flats, it’s a big long road with beautiful huge trees, and in autumn the road gets covered in these colours.”

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Unsurprisingly her songs start as lyrics before getting a musical arrangement, and she says she has to have her guitar or she just writes poetry. “I write quite personally, it tends to be about how I am feeling and my own experiences. Some of my writing isn’t necessarily inspired by things I’ve seen [though], often it’s by something I’ve read. “I read quite a lot of poetry, Longfellow is one my favourites – a naturist poet. There’s a line in one of his poems that inspired me, ‘The red sun on the mountain bursts.’ It’s just such a vivid image and I like to create imagery with my words and paint a really detailed picture of

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something that a listener can imagine in their mind.” The 19th century American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow is also quoted on the album’s inner cover, with words from his ‘A Psalm Of Life’, written in the 1830s. Born herself in New Mexico, Holly moved to NZ with her family at the start of her teens. Hardly of a musical lineage, music nonetheless did play a part in her upbringing. “My dad is a music appreciator,” she laughs. “My mum can play piano and she has a beautiful voice. Round the house when I was little I can always remember mum singing. She decided she wanted to learn guitar when I was about

pretension which is engaging. With the aid of an Auckland-based publicist the weeks before the release date saw her talk to an enthusiastic flock of media, resulting in numerous features including a live interview and performance on National Radio’s afternoon show in early August. The audience must’ve agreed with the host’s glowing praise, sending her into the Top 10 of a number of local iTunes charts shortly afterwards. A supportive and welcoming community is something that Holly embraces, as part of the highly successful Kickstarter campaign she gave away free set bags that were made by a company who employ women out of the sex trade in Jakarta. “I really want to use my music to do things like that. It’s kind of the heart behind what I’m doing.”

15 and bought this gypsy jazz guitar, I think she liked the look of it. She didn’t really enjoy it, and so I inherited this beautiful guitar. It’s unusual and it’s not the way it should be played. But it does give it an interesting sound.” ‘For The Weary Traveller’ was engineered and produced by Steve Roberts, who previously worked at York Street and is now living in Queenstown. Along with Tom Lynch of Queenstown AV and events company Tom Tom Productions (who helped release the album), he started a project studio for the recording, nestled in a valley in Queenstown. Both had also helped with her earlier stripped-back EP ‘The River’, released in 2013. The album features Lynch on bass,omnichord and some electric guitar, Stu Graham on a phenomenal number of instruments and Marc Hamilton on drums. Alice Tolich recorded her cello and cornet in Dave Baxter’s (Avalanche City) tree house studio, Gordon Maclean added double bass from Scotland and Luke Thompson sang harmonies. They wanted to create authentic, timeless folk with a heavy focus on the lyrics and there’s lots of talk of the time taken in “crafting” of the album’s lyrics and music. Indeed they had originally set a mid-2014 date for completing the album. “One of the most time consuming parts was finding the perfect acoustic guitar sound for each song. We ended up borrowing seven or eight different guitars.” The recording was funded in part by a $10,000 AMP ‘Do Your Thing’ scholarship, sponsored by a Queenstown mortgage broking firm, that she won in 2013. With the album finally in the can a two week Kickstarter campaign was initiated in May this year to raise $4500 for ‘mastering manufacturing and promotion’. It met its target with days to spare and was eventually over-subscribed by $1800. Recording the album near Queenstown almost feels like Holly’s last act in her teenage hometown. Earlier this year she moved to Auckland, which now looks to be a stepping-stone before she heads to the United States. “Arrowtown was a good place for me to start, but there isn’t a live music scene down there. What is there is dedicated to covers, but I guess that’s what you get in a tourist town. So it was a great place to start because in a lot of ways I was the only one doing what I was doing, so it provided a lot of opportunity. I wasn’t short of opportunity, but it was getting to the point where it was going to come that way.” She feels good about Auckland. “The scene with the musicians that are here is very close and welcoming and we’ve met a lot of lovely people who seem to be willing to help and it’s not competitive.” The ‘we’ refers to her husband, Michael, the pair having travelled the country in a van that seems to be almost a part of the family. Holly’s sweetly beguiling singing voice often draws comparisons to Joni Mitchell from audiences, indirect praise which she seems very happy with. It differs little from her almost child-like spoken voice, a natural confidence coupled with that southern lack of

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!!!!!!+ Rackets

Rackets like doing things a bit differently and have done since the bandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s inception in 2009. There was the release of two debut albums on the same day back in 2010, backed up with a 42-date national tour alongside Alizarin Lizard. Since then there have been two more EPs and another album in 2011. Mid-2015 found the Auckland three-piece back on the hustings with their fourth album, again produced by Bob Frisbee and again a whirlwind of upbeat, tongue-in-cheek indie rock. Eddie Dawn-McCurdy caught up with Racketsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; guitarist Jeremy Potts to ask him about â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Walking the Skeletonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;.

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aunching their fourth album in July, Rackets played an impressive 21 shows in a single week. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an incredibly demanding schedule for any band, but especially so for one as up-tempo and energetic as Rackets. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Walking the Skeletonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; has enjoyed good responses (debuting at #16 of the NZ Top 40, and #7 in the Top 20 NZ Albums), but guitarist Jeremy Potts acknowledges that, without major label support, getting peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s attention is a struggle. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I honestly think this album could be huge, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just a matter of getting people to listen to it. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve always had this problem where itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s like weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re banging our head against a brick wall,â&#x20AC;? he says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I mean of course weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d say this, but we think the tunes are really good. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve just never had the industry dudes to back us up. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s why we have to do publicity stunts like the 21 shows, because we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t really have anyone there for us going, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Alright, hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s $31,000 to promote your albumâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; â&#x20AC;&#x201C; we gotta make a splash the only way we know how. We donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have that corporate engine behind us, so we have to make our own publicity. We really really want this to work out, basically. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve always been really ambitious.â&#x20AC;? Rackets have been together for six years and by now the way they work is instinctively sympathetic. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The grooveâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s right there and no matter what we do it almost always sounds heavy, just â&#x20AC;&#x2122;cause of the groove factor. We pick up each othersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; ideas really quickly â&#x20AC;&#x201C; itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s almost like telepathy or something. We donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t sit down and go, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Alright, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll do eight bars of this, six bars of this,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; it just happens. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s super organic, and thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just â&#x20AC;&#x2122;cause weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been doing it for so long. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The first time we jammed we wrote about six songs, straight off the bat â&#x20AC;&#x201C; there was definitely something there. Every time we jam we write more and more songs, we canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t stop doing it, they just sort of spill out of us. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cool. I think itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s really unique, actually. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll hear other

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bands and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s like theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll have one song that they just go super hard on, and then theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll practice their setâ&#x20AC;Ś and we sometimes bum ourselves out like, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just chill out and focus on a song and get it perfect,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; as opposed to, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Oh shit, well there we go, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve written three more songsâ&#x20AC;Śâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; â&#x20AC;&#x153;It can kindâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;a feel like a waste of time but thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just our process, I guess. But I was reading an interview with John Legend, I think he writes about 200 songs per album â&#x20AC;&#x201C; so weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re kind of on the John Legend buzz, I guess. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got that feedback quite a bit. People go, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Oh you guys sound like John Legendâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. And I go, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Thanks mate, I am a bit of a legend, eh?â&#x20AC;&#x2122; because I mishear them.â&#x20AC;? While Racketsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; music might have that same sense of casual fun and spontaneity, the band works hard at it. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Oh yeah, definitely. We donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t take ourselves seriously but we definitely take our music very seriously. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;jokeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; songs, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not Weird Al Yankovic or something. But we can definitely laugh at ourselves, which I think is alright.â&#x20AC;? As the photo above reveals, Potts has a penchant for getting his kit off in inappropriate situations. Rackets are one of only two bands to get fully nude on bFMâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Freak the Sheep show â&#x20AC;&#x201C; what started as a live performance in the studio becoming an unannounced radio strip review. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve done it a few times. We often used to get nude. We had a song â&#x20AC;&#x201C; which was a joke song, actually â&#x20AC;&#x201C; which is the closest weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got to Weird Al Yankovic, called Fucking Christians, and it was kind of a black metal song. And Oscar used to get completely nudeâ&#x20AC;Ś but after a while I think he got really sick of it. And me and Vinnie would just go, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Come on, you gotta do it, man, the crowd wants itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. And heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d go, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;No, I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to get nude anymore!â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Because, I mean, a really strange thing happens when youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re on stage. If you try to get your penis out â&#x20AC;&#x201C; it actually shrinks. If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got a whole crowd of people it does get shy.â&#x20AC;?

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Nude or not the band plays often, and has done so for years. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re trying to do less of that, actually. But weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got a real problem saying no to playing shows, and weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve â&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;&#x2122; But I mean, we love playing live, and thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s definitely where we thrive, I think â&#x20AC;&#x201C; so itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hard to say no, and get out of that mentality of playing shows at PR Bar on a Tuesday night to, like, two dying alcoholics.â&#x20AC;? Despite all that live performance activity they seem to find plenty of time to write new material, Potts claiming theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve already demoed 60-odd songs for a next album â&#x20AC;&#x201C; to the point that they need to stop writing more. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve always had this problem where every time we jam weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll write something new. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m not saying itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s always good, but thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s always something new. So now weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re sort of doing eliminations. Just honing them down and getting our 10 best, 12 best, and then going in. I think we want to approach it quite differently, we want â&#x20AC;Ś maybe more of a representation of how we play live, more of the heaviness and the ruckusness.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d probably be a musician in a worse band,â&#x20AC;? Potts laughs when asked what he might be doing if Rackets had never met up. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I mean, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got a WINZ meeting after this. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m not gonna become a telemarketer â&#x20AC;&#x201C; itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s definitely every egg in one basket with me. This kind of just has to work out, because if it doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m gonna go live at my mumâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s house, basically. And Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll still be making music, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll just be even more of a loser than I am now. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Personally for me I wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t ever do anything else, I think. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve had â&#x20AC;Ś Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve tried to have jobs before, and it only really lasts about a month before I go, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Aww, this is just awful.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s so depressing, I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know how anyone does it. â&#x20AC;&#x153;So yeah, buy the album â&#x20AC;&#x2122;cause if this doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t work out for me Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll have to move to Dargaville and make candles for a living.â&#x20AC;? lllY>"39,SSLY3SOd g9PPJ`

UIF UVUPSTµ UVUPSJBMT by Marcel Bellvé

Recording Drums on a Budget

his article is meant for those of you with limited microphones, limited pre-amps/ converters and limited experience – but are still wanting to record a drum kit. If you have limited experience you’re probably best only using a few microphones as a large number of microphones tracking simultaneously leads to very complex relationships that are difficult to deal with – even for experienced audio engineers. Reducing the mic count also reduces these variables. Let’s consider this a good thing. First off… As acoustic instruments, drums interact with the room and that has a pretty big impact on the sound we get. The further from the kit our microphones are the greater becomes the space’s impact. For the most part we’ll probably be subject to our built environment and acoustic treatment is a whole other topic. What we have absolute control over however is the tuning of the drums. Tuning takes practice and if you aren’t experienced you’ll want to watch some tutorials and spend time getting this right before you start recording. Two microphones (Mono) The focal parts of our kit are generally the snare and the kick. The trick here will be to pick up other parts of the kit while focusing on these two elements. An affordable go-to mic for snare drum recording is the Shure SM57 that will double as a good mic for guitar speakers. The SM57 is a dynamic mic with cardioid acceptance. This means that it has a high sound level tolerance allowing us to get close to the drums while also offering back rejection, i.e. objects behind the microphone will sound farther away than they appear. Drums to the

mic’s side will however be well received. To hear a drum kit entirely recorded using SM57s check out Sara Smile by Hall & Oates. Boundary microphones (e.g. Shure Beta91, Crown PZM) are great for picking up an overall sound with a very ‘round’ low-end. This makes them useful for getting a good kick sound as well as other parts of the drum kit such as the toms and cymbals. Start by placing the snare mic (e.g. SM57) above the snare with all of the other drums in its periphery. Have a listen and adjust its distance and angle to taste, just don’t get in the drummer’s way. We might also come in from the side, just be careful not to reject anything too much. With experimentation you will be able to use angles to balance other parts of the kit. Four microphones (Stereo) Let’s now bring the snare mic closer to the snare drum, and this time we will set up ‘overheads’. The most important thing to keep in mind here is where the kit’s ‘centre’ is. I like to keep the snare and the kick in the centre so I visualise the middle of the kit as shown in the top-down diagram. Editing With so few microphones the editing considerations are fairly simple. Check that timing is correct and edit all signals as one. Then check phase. Because our kick mic is on the opposite side of the kit, it will need to be phase inverted. This function is usually represented as ø but you will need to work out how to do this with your software. For more information on phase you can refer to the Tutor’s Tutorial titled, ‘It’s Just A ø’ in the August/September 2014 issue of NZM (also on the website) or just research phase online.

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Mixing If you’ve used two mics then these should be panned to the centre for a mono mix. This will give you more space in the sides for other instruments while keeping a strong percussive middle. If you’ve set up overheads then pan these left and right respectively. Since you’ve recorded so many drums with so few mics, the levels between these instruments may not be as even as you would like. This is a good time to reach for a compressor. We won’t go into compressing here, but again there is a wealth of documentation online. This is a very glossed-over view of drum recording and is intended only as a starting point for your own experimentation. Try playing with the guidelines noted but don’t feel like you can’t do something completely different. Remember, progress is often made by mistake. Marcel Bellvé is a lecturer at SAE Institute in Parnell and can be contacted at m.bellve@sae. edu

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FY QBU GJMFT Â° BTUJ MPSFO OFXNBO Christchurch, as anyone who has been in the local music industry for long well knows, has produced many of our biggest and most successful global talents. Hayley Westenra is one who comes to mind as exhibiting incredible maturity and determination to go with her precocious young talent, taking her all the way from busking on the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s streets to performing for British royalty. Their stories are not the same, but Asti-Loren Newman hails from Christchurch and at just 17 has already spent three years alone in London, training and trialling to take her own rewarding place in the world music industry. Of course it may not happen, but Asti seems the kind of girl who will ensure it does. Sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s certainly not your average Kiwi shrinking violet. You left home in Christchurch to live and study in London aged 14. What school did you go over there for and why? Like many people, my house was very badly damaged in the Christchurch earthquake, and my school was shut for almost two months. After watching Fame the movie (the old one) I was inspired to research and find out if these types of specialised performing arts schools existed, which they did! I then found the top five in America, the UK and Australia, put the names in the hats and drew out one! Luckily it was Susi Earnshaw Theatre School in London â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Amy Winehouse and many other notable artists and inspirations to me went through there. Without telling anyone (not even my mum), that I sent away an audition tape and CV. About two weeks later I received a phone call, saying they would like to offer me a place for a two-year course at the school. After jumping up and down at this amazing opportunity I had managed to get without any assistance, I braced myself, and told my parents. I was only 14 then. They were surprisingly very excited and supportive, and we started planning on how we were going to make this a reality and work. The whole curriculum was so suited to me and I just knew this is something that my school at the time couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t offer me in order to progress. The diversity in the vocational classes taught was simply amazing, I knew I would learn so many new skills. The school was amazing, there were only 12 in each year group/class, and 50 kids altogether in the school. We did three days a week vocational training, meaning tap, jazz, street dance, media, singing (jazz, musical theatre and pop), pop business studies and acting classes, and only two days of academic studies. What was your musical and family background? Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m from a very creative family. My mum owns a very successful hair salon in Christchurch called Yazu. When I was growing up she used to travel around the country teaching for Lâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Oreal, which was very cool, as I sometimes got to be her model. So really I grew up understanding and being involved in the culture of the fashion industry, which I love. My mum and her friend Jo Grams, create my photo shoots. My dad was a hairdresser â&#x20AC;&#x2122;til he had a mid-life crisis, and when I was 10 he flew to the Caribbean and sailed a 42-foot catamaran back to NZ. He now resides outside Dockside and Shed 5 along the Wellington waterfront. He does sailing charters for a living, with his well-known Dalmatian Sheik! I have one younger brother called Luca, him and I are very close and similar. I would say he is one of my best friends. My mum first realised I could sing when I was nine years old. She was doing the hair for Virginia Humphrey-Taylor who directs the

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Christchurch City Chorus, which is a 150-woman barbershop chorus. We were at her house and she asked me if I would sing a verse or two, so shyly I did. I asked my mum and her to turn their backs so they couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t see me, and I sang Somewhere Over The Rainbow! This is how I actually got into singing. After that Virginia asked me if I would have a go at singing with the chorus. For the next four years â&#x20AC;&#x2122;til I was 13 I was the youngest member of the Chorus, and got numerous solos and even got the chance to travel to the international competition and New York with them. This really was a huge step in my musical journey and helped develop my voice, and I had 150 mothers. I attended Selwyn House school in Christchurch where I tried out for the choir and didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get in, so I then negotiated with the principal to bring barbershop into the school. We managed to put together a 15 person girls chorus! My love of barbershop continued on to St Andrews College, where I was a member of their choir, and thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s when I started to learn guitar and start writing some very basic songs of my own. Before I headed to the UK, to start school in September 2013 I decided to put on like a leaving concert, which I completely organised myself â&#x20AC;&#x201C; at 14! I rented out the Aurora Centre at Burnside High, contacted the local radio stations and was even asked to sing on them live to promote tickets for my concert. I also organised eight dancers who, danced behind me on stage as we went from Lady Gaga, to Lana del Rey, to Adele, to an acoustic part with me and my original songs. One of the main reasons I decided to have the concert on such a large scale was I had been helping out at Woolston Primary School, and teaching the kids there singing and dancing a few times a week. I managed to raise around $900 for their music department and brought them some guitars and bits, which they were very grateful for. I had a lot of support for my concert and managed to sell around 500 tickets, which was amazing. What was most challenging for you in heading off alone to London at 14, and what was perhaps better than you imagined? Now looking back, I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t realise how much trust my parents gave me. It was a family adventure, even my Nana came over to visit.Surprisingly it really taught me so much, and was the most amazing experience I think

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I will ever have. I learnt so much about myself and the influences of the people I was around have very much impacted on my songwriting and voice. I don’t regret any minute of it, I think it hugely contributes to the person I am today. The most challenging part I think, was obviously being away from my family, and not having mum and dad around, but Skype was good. I generally Skyped them 2-3 times a day. Also missing out on growing up with my tight group of childhood girlfriends was hard, seeing them doing fun things on Facebook and growing up together. The school work was also quite a challenge, because we were required to still keep up with the national standards. Doing three days a week vocational meant we had three days of extra school work we had to catch up on during the weekend so we still could take all of our academic GCSs. You’ve now signed a development contract in London. What does that mean? That means Downtown Artists have seen potential in me, and are now working on developing me as an artist and a product. This is one of the most important stages for any unsigned artist. They work on giving me performance coaching, vocal coaching, and a team of marketing and A&R people, and a team of social media people. And of course producers, who work on creating the music to my tracks and bringing them to life. My amazing producers, Chris Hall, Louis and Sean, bring my song ideas to life. They also record

and play in my monthly YouTube cover videos. So really it’s a contract where they are developing me, and helping me discover where I can go, and the direction I want to take my musical career in. We are working at the moment on finishing my nine-song album for the end of this year. They are also responsible for getting me gigs and performance opportunities around London too. How do you write music? Mainly I love to just pick a place on the Tube, and go there for the day, and then people watch and sneakily pick up on words, or clothing, and get inspiration of the quirky, unique and cool Londoners roaming the streets. I love poetry and watching old ’60, ’70s and ’80s films and TV shows and getting the cool lingo and phrases they used, and their whole way of life. I create a massive mood board of lines, words or pictures I love, and piece things together. After I write my lyrics I then come up with a melody and bring in my main producer, Chris Hall. Together we start to create chords, then add in sounds and make the track. From your point of view can you already tell differences between the UK and NZ scenes? To me NZ seems so much more connected, friendly and really supportive of one another, something I hope to be a part of. It’s much more relaxed and I feel is not so over-produced, which is why the NZ industry is really getting some serious attention at the moment. I really hope to become a part of the NZ music scene.

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The UK is very different, obviously it’s just such a big country, and there’s so many people trying to do the same thing as you. But the opptunities are incredible, and you really want to branch out and explore the types of audience you can pull in. To me it’s much more experimental. Some tips or warnings for any other young musician with similar aspirations? Do it! Seriously, follow your instinct and do it. Take every day as it comes, and every opportunity full heartedly. Get yourself out there, and put yourself out there into new things, and just don’t take ‘no’ for an answer. Keep trying and improving yourself, never give up hope In yourself and your talent. Only you can make it happen. There’s always going to be highs and lows of living away from home, so it’s great to find spaces, food, or things that remind you of home. >"39,SSLY3SOd"`gJMS_9POj`J3

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