October/November 2016
COVER STORY
Interviews
Devilskin: The Power And The Passion
With the arrival of their sophomore album Hamilton metallers Devilskin stand on the cusp of huge-ness. Their 2014 debut ‘We Rise’ proved a sensation, with Platinum sales driven not by radio but their ...
FEATURES
Fresh Talent
Fresh Talent: Battlecat
Hamilton’s Battlecat formed in 2015 when metal band The New Kill augmented their line up with guitarist Chris Vallett. Bass player Andre Hume and Vallett had met at a local punk gig and bonded over common ...
Interviews
Looking For Alaska: Warm-hearted Folk
Looking for Alaska are working towards the release of their self-titled debut. An album this year was not part of the plan for the Hamilton duo, but circumstances resulted in a weekend to record a single ...
Gear Reviews
Aston Spirit Condenser Microphone
When newly established British audio company Aston Microphones set out to design a new vocal recording device for an already overcrowded mid-priced microphone market, they knew they had to come up with ...
Interviews
Earth Tiger: Holiday Plans
What began as a friendship in a Bay of Plenty kiwifruit orchard has blossomed into one of New Zealand’s most exciting up and coming acts. Cruz Mathews and Thomas Taylor met in 2014 at a friends-and-family ...
Interviews
Thomston: Getting Behind The Name
21 million Spotify streams is a shit load more than most artists can hope to accumulate, a number all the more impressive if the artist in question has yet to release an album – or celebrate turning ...
Fresh Talent
Fresh Talent: Charlotte Newell
While filling band member vacancies, hardcore metal vocalist and Subsistence front woman, Charlotte Newell, wasted no time in putting together her own solo EP, ‘Defiled’. “I never actually intended ...
On Foreign Soil
On Foreign Soil: Stephen Matthews In Glasgow
In late July songwriter, composer and University of Auckland music lecturer Stephen Matthews attended the international 2016 ISME music educators’ conference in Glasgow. He was asked to share his thoughts ...
Fresh Talent
Fresh Talent: Deanne Krieg
From an early age, singer/songwriter Deanne Krieg was exposed to an inter-disciplinary approach to music, pursuing both singing and the guitar through her school years. Deanne earned a scholarship to a ...
Interviews
Name UL: Wellington By The Bottle
Under the rapper pseudonym of Name UL, Emanuel Psathas recently released his debut album. The honest and confrontational album focuses on our youth drinking culture, doubling as a love letter-of sorts ...
Interviews
Pitch Black: Future’s Knocking
Even for those with close ties to our electronic music scene it must surely come as a surprise that Pitch Black have been churning out their often ground-breaking music and visuals for more than two decades. ...
Gear Reviews
Yamaha Montage 6 Synthesiser
Released this year, Yamaha’s new Montage is billed a synthesiser from the future and a flagship product for the brand. A further development of Yamaha’s game-changing DX and the later Motif synth range, ...
Interviews
Candice Milner: When One Door Closes…
The 2014 release of her debut single Helping Hands in support of Canteen and the Cancer Society marked Candice Milner out as an artist of interest. Still a teenager she has now delivered 'Evergreen', an ...
Ex-Pat Files
Ex-Pat Files: Skyscraper Stan
While his music is typically quirky but dark modern folk, Skyscraper Stan made quite a splash with Kiwi audiences attending the David Bowie tribute gigs that toured the country following his death this ...
Fresh Talent
Fresh Talent: Souldrop
Christchurch’s Souldrop are a four-piece making music inspired by artists like Sticky Fingers, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Paramore. Anna Bennetto (16 - vocals) and Finn Perring (17 - bass) originally ...
Interviews
Graeme James: Heading Home
But for injury, busker and multi-instrumentalist Graeme James might still be a classical violinist. Filling the gap he picked up the guitar and now has delivered a smartly entertaining album of Celtic-influenced ...
Industry
Deluge: NZ’s Very Own World-leading Groovebox
Something new and exciting is coming to the world of electronic music – and what’s more it is coming out of our very own capital city. Seamus Maguire talked with Synthstrom Audible founder and creator ...
Industry
Volume: NZ Music On Show At Auckland Museum
It’s early October when we talk and Mark Roach really can’t wait for the next three weeks to pass and Auckland Museum’s new exhibition, Volume : Making Music In Aotearoa to open. It’s three years ...
Features
Armed In Advance: Stitched Up
In a behind-the scenes video for lead single Same Old Story, JP Carroll, the singer and (left-handed) guitarist of Armed In Advance, reveals that it is the Auckland hard rock trio’s video debut. Kethaki ...
Features
Anna Coddington: A Better Kind Of Luck For A Different Kind Of Time
With her first album, ‘The Lake’, dating back to 2008, Anna Coddington is no viral sensation one-hit wonder – and she has never wanted to be. The decision to take a more gradual approach to audience ...
LESSONS
Deep Thinking
Deep Thinking: Keyboard Bass + Bass Guitar = Huge Bass!
This Deep Thinking bass lesson concerns how two sources of bass in a band can sound big and grunty (is that a word?). I did loads of adverts and television soundtracks between the 1970s and 1990s that ...
Tutors' Tutorial
Tutors’ Tutorial: Mixing In The Box – Part 3
You’ve been given a track to mix. Where to begin? While there are many ways to approach a mix, starting with the drums can allow you to get right into creating the sonic environment for your track. So, ...
Finding Your Voice
Finding Your Voice: Don’t Let Fear Ruin Your Singing Life
My last Finding Your Voice column addressed the need to be in love with the songs you sing. Loving relationships allow us to discover what we can offer our voices/songs and what they can offer us. But, ...
Legal Advice
The Lawful Truth: Producer Agreements – Part 2
In the last Lawful Truth column we started a discussion of Producer Agreements by considering some of the vital secondary issues that need to be addressed such as defining the actual services being provided, ...
Building Blocks
Building Blocks: Parties & Events – Stage Trek 4
There are many great gigging opportunities that will boost your cred and your ego that have nothing to do with earnings. You shouldn’t turn down such work as it can be extremely fun and potentially career-building. ...
Lessons
X-Factory: Seth Haapu – 10 Years
When I was ‘sample-listening’ through the top 20 2016 APRA Silver Scrolls awards finalists, Seth Haapu’s 10 Years caught my ear. Having heard the man perform live a few times I was no stranger ...
Guitar Cool
Guitar Cool: Technique – Have You Got It?
Guitar players love to share their thoughts on the topic of technique. You can also find it discussed in lots of books, videos and on numerous websites. For many guitarists it seems that ‘technique’ ...