Graham Reid | | 2 min read
In the middle of this month -- June 21st touchdown, June 25th a concert at Auckland's Town Hall -- the Beatles made direct contact with New Zealand.
The reception here 50 tears ago was much like everywhere in '64, the height of Beatlemania: huge crowds, screaming, shows that people saw but barely heard . . .
It was a turning point in New Zealand popular culture and to mark the occasion the Play It Strange Trust -- CEO Mike Chunn -- has arranged concerts of Beatles' songs at the Auckland Town Hall on June 24 and 25 featuring a veritable galaxy of local stars (Tim Finn, SJD, Graham Brazier, Fiona McDonald, Jordan Luck and more) for A Strange Day's Night.
But the trust's mandate is to spotlight young songwriters through an annual secondary songwriting competition and to also put them in concert with established musicians.
So a Strange Day's Night will see a number of them sharing the stage with stars and over the next week or so we will spotlight some of the performers young and established . . .
Today Jed Town whose work on the edge of electronica, rock, avant-garde and Gothic gloom dance was as innovative as it was challenging
The first song which really affected you was . . .
Twist and Shout
Your first (possibly embarrassing) role models in music were . . .
Beatles
The one songwriter you will always listen to, even if they disappointed you previously, is?
Lennon
As songwriters: Lennon-McCartney or Jagger-Richards; kd lang or Katy Perry; Madonna or Michael Jackson; Prince or Pink?
Lennon McCartney
The three songs (yours, or by others) you would love everyone to hear because they are well crafted are . . .
A Day in the Life , I am the Walrus, Hello Goodbye
Melody first? Words or phrase first? Simultaneous?
Simultaneous
The best book on music or musicians you
have read is . . .
Beatles Anthology
If you could co-write with anyone it would be . . .
McCartney
The last CD or vinyl album you bought was . . . (And your most recent downloads include . . .)
Ramones, Rocket to Russia CD
One song, royalties for life, never have to work again. The song by anyone, yourself included, which wouldn't embarrass you would be . . .
Whats Going On
One line (or couplet) from a song -- yours or someone else's -- which you think is just a stone cold winner is . . .
I wanna be a honest man, I don't know if i can.
Songwriting: what's the ratio of inspiration/perspiration?
99 Perspiration 1% inspiration
Ever had a song come to you fully-formed like it dropped into your lap?
It's Alright
And finally, finish this couplet in any way you like: “Standing at the airport with an empty suitcase at my feet . . .” (You are NOT allowed to rhyme that with “meet” however)
Don't know where I'm going, don't know where I'm going to sleep
For more on the Play It Strange Trust go here.
For tickets to A Strange Day's Night go here.
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