Take the brain out, leave the heart in

Yeah, yeah, so I used another Aesop Rock quote this week, but it's my blog so I can do that if I want, so.. so what. Speaking of so what, I checked out the movie The Violent Years this week, mainly because samples were used in the Ministry song So What, probably my favourite of their songs. Here's the link to the movie if you want to watch it it's a ridiculous exploitation film about the perils of not spending time with your kids.

If you're just tuning in, walk into the light

So it's been a while since I wrote anything here, but I've resolved to use Facebook less this week and, as I need somewhere to share all the gems I come across in my travels through the internet I'll be updating the blog a bit more (I say hopeful of commitment to it this time...).

Here's a few things I've been getting into this week - I hope you find something you like.

On the dilemma between staying in and going out

The other day I was out taking photos of a gig. It was the middle of the week, late at night and I was waiting around by myself for the first band to play. While I waited I wondered why I never see any of the people I work with during the day out at gigs. I might see one or two people I know when a big international act comes through, but generally not at local shows.

I'm just not that into it

Something I hear a lot when discussing music with people is "oh, I'm just not into..." followed by whatever genre of music I've been talking about, whether it be hip hop, metal, reggae, or just good old New Zealand music. It's always a little disappointing to find someone who wants to talk about music, or at least wants to listen to me talk about music, and then find that they've closed their mind off to whole pieces of the musical world.

Go the whole hog

I've noticed a bit of a trend over the past couple of years, of bands playing a lot of shows, building a following, releasing an album (all normal so far, right), then disappearing from view - either splitting up or just reducing the momentum. It's something that I can't understand, and somehow it bugs me a bit - although I am easily bugged.

Tunes, tunes, tunes

It's that time again people - time for some smoking new tunes for your listening pleasure that is. Here's a selection that I've come across over the last couple of weeks that I think you'll like. And remember, if you do find something you like here please be sure to support the band by buying their music, going to see them play or just telling your friends about them. Until next time, enjoy.

Burning bridges

There's been a lot of smack talk directed towards local bands lately and it's making me a little mad. So instead of internalizing it, I thought I'd use this week's post to address the issue in an attempt at free therapy.

The bands in question tend to be mainstream bands, who have had varying degrees of commercial success locally. They are generally bands who have been around a while, and have received government funding in various forms. And this is what seems to be getting people's backs up - that these mainstream bands have received significant amounts of funding, when other bands get nothing.

On music and emotion

I recently ran into a local musician I know whilst in a severely inebriated state (me, not him, or if he was he hid it well) and got talking about music, as you do. The main point of the "conversation" (really just me ranting while he laughed at me) was that music should inspire emotion (in this case, the argument was that music should make people want to either fuck or fight). It's a statement I stand mostly behind, with some caveats, not least of all that 75% of everything I say when intoxicated should be stricken from the record immediately, and the remainder requires substantial editing to a)remove the sweeping generalisations I'm known for, and b)make it appropriate for the general public.

Get some sounds in ya.

No big rant on music this week, sorry to disappoint you all. What I do gots for ya is some fresh new music to get you through the weekend and all the way to next week. Listen to it, enjoy it, share it, and if you like it why not send a little something something the musicians way? There'll be plenty more ranting and raving next week kids, so until then, get some sounds in ya.

A shot in the arm

So this week was going to follow on from my last post, about copying/downloading music and how musicians need to find ways to innovate to survive: finding new ways of connecting with their audiences, marketing, distributing, and generally bypassing the established old order of the music industry.

If it's broke, why ain't we fixing it?

The argument against downloading music from the internet gets thrown back and forth ad nauseum these days, with most people forming an opinion on one side of the debate or the other. Usually it's musicians and those associated with the music industry, and not necessarily the major labels, arguing against it, while people without any real connection to music (those people who don't want to go out and pay to see a band live, and generally don't offer any material support to musicians) arguing for it, with some exceptions on both sides.

New tunes, new tunes

Once again I've been combing the furthest reaches of the internet to find hot new tunes to enhance your life. It's not an easy job trawling through piles of awful mass-produce pop garbage to find these gems of songwriting for you, and it's a thankless task. But enough about me. Enjoy these tracks and as always, if you find something you really enjoy, support the artists by buying something or getting out to see them perform live. Your ears will thank you for it. Next week I'll be back with more meanderings on musical matters.

Less talk, more hip hop.

Dean Hapeta (aka Te Koopu) of legendary New Zealand hip hop crew Upper Hutt Posse recently said that hip hop used to be a form of activism and that todays' big artists had nothing of value to say. While he has a point, in that most of the hip hop we see and hear in popular media forms is there for entertainment value only, that doesn't necessarily mean that hip hop has strayed from it's original path.

All ages

When I was growing up all ages gigs were happening every weekend and more often than not that's where we could be found on a Friday or Saturday night. Local halls would be appropriated and bands from all over the country would play, ranging from 15 year olds just starting their first band to established bands with big followings. It seemed pretty normal to have bands playing for us in these venues, so it came as something of a shock to hear from a friend that they never experienced all ages gigs growing up, because the venues weren't there and no one was interested in organising them.

I have so many great memories from those shows. There was always a positive atmosphere (even at those shows where everyone was drinking illicit beers, stolen from parents fridges or bought by older brothers), everyone was there to enjoy the music, no matter who was playing. Skill didn't matter so much, as long as the band gave it everything the crowd would reciprocate. There were no ego's, no expectations and no rules.

In one ear, in the other

Hey kids, you're weekend is just getting started, so I know you're going to want some new tunes to listen to while you chill out, get drunk or do whatever else you do when you're not working or learning. Here's some songs that I've been getting into this weekend. Hopefully you'll find something you like, and you might even go and buy some more music from these people. Enjoy.

NZ Music Month

Here in New Zealand, like the rest of the world, it's May. Unlike the rest of the world, it's New Zealand Music Month - a month created 12 years ago to celebrate our music. It's a great and noble idea, but does it actually achieve anything?

Get your hot tunes here!

Here we are again, with another round of new tunes for your entertainment, and just in time for the weekend too! Get stuck into these, let me know what you think of them, and if you find anything you like buy it.

Next week I'll be back with some words of my own.

You mean I do this for free? You must be crazy.

Often when I'm out photographing or reviewing music I'll get someone come up to me and want to chat about what I do - not all of them as confrontational or confused as the dude I wrote about in the last post. A lot of times they just want to know about the behind-the-scenes part of it.

So why do I photograph bands? Here's why.

Some of you might have seen this story on my Facebook page, but I thought it's be interesting to repeat it here and go into it in a little bit more depth.

Last week I was out photographing a gig (Julien Dyne, Parks and Alphabethead, in case you're interested). There was a guy leaning against the wall next to me, clearly drunk - eyes almost rolled back in the head, using the wall to stand up drunk - who was watching me snapping away for a while.  I went to move to the other side of the venue, to photograph from the other side, when he grabbed my arm and asked, in a confused/aggressive/agitated way, "what are you taking photos of them for?"

Lessons from a music marathon

Last weekend I had the pleasure and good fortune of checking out Wellington’s festival of New Zealand music, Homegrown.

It was a pretty full on day, with 40+ bands spread across 6 stages there was plenty of opportunity to see a plethora of local talent in action.

Here’s some thoughts from the day: