Something Elsewhere
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ANOTHER SPIN OF HISTORY'S WHEEL (2020): Music in the time of solitude
3 Apr 2020 | 4 min read
About 140 years ago when Thomas Edison made a machine which captured sound he initially thought it could preserve the grand statements and speeches of great men. But he quickly realised – even before his phonograph which used wax-coated cylinders was made available – here was how music could be passed down the generations, the past always present in the future. Edison wasn't... > Read more
THE BEST THINGS IN LIFE AIN'T FREE (2020): The lives – and livelihoods – of others
27 Mar 2020 | 2 min read
Well, the “gig economy” that sociologists and economists were so excited about has gone belly-up for most of those involved. People in the creative arts who relied on an audience are doing it harder than many right now. Time for those of us who have enjoyed their labours to lend a hand. We here at Elsewhere have never illegally downloaded a movie or music, have... > Read more
EIGHT OBSCURE USA INDIE SINGLES I'M SURPRISED I OWN: And believe me, eight is enough!
13 Jan 2020 | 5 min read
The small town of Paeroa in New Zealand's North Island (the other island being named . . .) can make a couple of claims for itself. First, it is the origin of the “world famous in New Zealand” soft-drink Lemon & Paeroa, and second that it is the antiques capital of the country. These days “antiques” mostly just means old stuff, but in the town's many such... > Read more
CHRIS KNOX, COLLECTED AND DONATED (2019): From Enemy to archive
13 Dec 2019 | 3 min read
As some Elsewhere readers will perhaps know, for a couple of years I was one of the rostered caregivers for Chris Knox who suffered a stroke in June 2009. Although limited in physical function, Chris kept his wicked sense of humour, penchant for pranks and winding people up, and even began painting again . . . with his left hand. Examples of his work can be seen and purchased from... > Read more
10 UNUSUAL ECM ALBUMS OF THE EIGHTIES I OWN (2019): But there's no pattern to the pattern . . .
29 Nov 2019 | 9 min read
When Manfred Eicher founded his record label ECM (Editions of Contemporary Music) in 1969 it was, he told Elsewhere in a 1992 interview, with a view to recording jazz at the same high quality afforded to classical music. At that time however most of the key jazz musicians had found homes on important big or small American labels, so ECM was launched with the... > Read more
THE NEW LOOK TUI AWARD (2019): A gift for stars inspired by stars
21 Oct 2019 | 1 min read
Last year at the invitation of the Vodafone New Zealand Music Award, the artist Dick Frizzell redesigned the iconic Tui award (see here) and the idea being that every year another artist or designer would bring their own stamp to it, making the Tui awards from now on being unique to that year. This year jeweler and designer Boh Runga of the band Stellar* – and a former... > Read more
AND THE VNZMA ARTISAN FINALISTS ARE? (2019): Behind the scenes, the makers and creatives
10 Oct 2019 | 2 min read
Music which connects with an audience doesn't just drop from the heavens courtesy of a bandcamp or Soundcloud posting. Hundreds of songs out of bedrooms and cheap studios arrive on those portals every day, so somewhere along the line the music needs professional shaping and sharpening, a bit of promotion (video is logical) and a nice bit of packaging if it is an album.... > Read more
RIA HALL'S SPEECH AT THE APRA SILVER SCROLLS (2019): Be brave, be bold
3 Oct 2019 | <1 min read
Singer Ria Hall was invited to present the APRA Maioha Award at the 2019 Silver Scroll award. The finalists were: Ka Ao by Tyna Keelan, Angelique Te Rauna, and Mātauranga Te Rauna Korimako by Emily and Charles Looker, performed by Aro Paiheretia by Kaaterama Pou Te Kete Aronui by Mara Te Kahika and Cory Champion, performed by Mara TK And the winners were Tyna Keelan,... > Read more
VODAFONE NZ MUSIC AWARDS/NGĀ TOHU PUORO O AOTEAROA FINALISTS 2019: I'd like to thank . . .
26 Sep 2019 | 4 min read
And let the discussions begin. The finalists for this year's Vodafone NZ Music Awards to take place at Spark Arena on Thursday November 4 have just been announced. We bring you here the finalists and have highlighted artists or albums which Elsewhere has written about. For more on the awards go here. All finalists are eligible for the Vodafone People’s Choice Award | Te... > Read more
THE APRA SILVER SCROLLS 2019: And the finalists are . . .
21 Sep 2019 | 3 min read
When you look back and try to identify pivotal years in New Zealand popular music one stands out: 1965. That was the year that youth culture – in the wake of the Beatles, Stones, Cilla, Dylan and many others – became a driving force. Young people had the money for concert tickets, records, entry to dances and so on . . . and so New Zealand musicians could actually make a living... > Read more
THE WAIATA MAORI MUSIC AWARDS FINALISTS (2019): Kia kaha and kon-gratulations
13 Aug 2019 | 3 min read | 1
Now in its 12th year, the Waiata Maori Music Awards celebrate excellence in Maori music, honouring the keepers, teachers, promoters, creators and performers of Maori music. And now, during Te Marama Puoru Waiata Maori - Maori Music Month - comes the announcement of the finalists for the 2019 Waiata Maori Music Awards, with four nominations each to Kora brothers-founded group L.A.B. and... > Read more
RIP IT UP, RECOVERED (2019): Music and culture on the printed page
16 May 2019 | 3 min read
You don't have to be nostalgic or a grumpy senior to lament the decline in music journalism since the advent on the internet. Where once there were lengthy interviews, overviews and reviews there is now click-bait, links to something the posting person didn't write (and often didn't read) and Instagram as a substitute for insight. But to be grumpy and nostalgic on a personal note, there was... > Read more
DISCOVER LIVE, INTRODUCED (2019): An invitation across the nation in NZ Music Month
1 May 2019 | 3 min read
In the interests of New Zealand Music Month, the musicians and the venues, we share this from Discover Live about some of the many things going on. . . . Aotearoa has an abundance of world-class talent that you can see on stages across the length and breadth of the country. In clubs and pubs, community centres and RSAs, theatres and school halls, and so many other venues,... > Read more
MUSIC TO LOOK AT (2019): Two exhibitions celebrating NZ Music Month
30 Apr 2019 | 1 min read
Two exhibitions of photos, posters and more to celebrate NZ Music Month of May open this week at two sites in Auckland. From the Pit curated by Dave Simpson and Reuben Raj (aka SomeBizarreMonkey) from Under the Radar and Radio 13 respecitively is installed in Flying Out on Pitt Street, just off K Rd. The exhibition features the work of a number of respected photographers and many of... > Read more
THE TAHI ALBUM, INDUCTED (2019): Number one, the first, and first of many
17 Apr 2019 | 2 min read
At the 10thannual Taite Music Prize awards held on April 16, I was invited to induct the Tahi album by Moana and the Moahunters into the category of the Independent Music New Zealand Classic Record category. This is what I said, ad libs excluded. – Graham Reid Kia ora e te whanau. It is my privilege to be here at the invitation of Moana Maniapoto to induct the album... > Read more
SOUTHBOUND'S RECORD STORE DAY 2019: See you round, like a record . . .
4 Apr 2019 | 11 min read | 2
There was an article doing the internet rounds recently in which some sage from the US announced that the CD was “dead”. One of the things you learn if you've been around a bit is you are unwise to write anything off as dead. I'd guess I've seen “rock is dead” being announced with certainty at least half a dozen times, but –... > Read more
PACIFIC MUSIC AWARDS 2019: Celebrating 15 years of Pasifika sounds
4 Apr 2019 | 4 min read
One of the most enjoyable, celebratory and colourful events on the Aotearoa New Zealand music calendar is the annual Pacific Music Awards . . . and this year is a special one because it is the 15th year of these awards. ome of the names of finalists announced will be familiar to mainstream audiences -- notably Kings and SWIDT who have five nominations each -- but others will be up'n'comers... > Read more
THE 2019 TARANAKI WOMAD TIMETABLE: The world in your backyard
31 Jan 2019 | 1 min read
As anyone who comes to this site knows, Elsewhere has had a many decades long engagement and interest in music from other parts of the planet beyond home, London, New York, LA and so on. Right from the start when we launched we had the World Music in Elsewhere pages of reviews and interviews, and in more recent times announcements about the Woad in Taranaki as well as an overview after the... > Read more
LANEWAY 2019, AN UNREQUIRED CONSIDERATION: I can't get no . . .
29 Jan 2019 | 8 min read | 2
Many decades ago when the Rolling Stones came to Auckland and I was editing the entertainment pages of the New Zealand Herald I had what I thought was an inspired and amusing idea. Rather than me review the show, why not send some writer who was decades beyond their demographic to see what he -- and I had someone specific in mind – made of the whole circus? The person I was... > Read more
THE 2019 LANEWAY FESTIVAL TIMETABLE
25 Jan 2019 | 1 min read
As we have said previously when we posted video clips from this year's Laneways acts, it's always a good idea to get to such festivals for the opening acts because those artists can often deliver something quite exceptional . . . and you will be right down the front for it (as with last year's Laneway when Wax Chattels were extraordinary). So here then is the running order for this year's... > Read more