Mitch James: Climbing In Ed’s Footsteps
In two short years, Auckland-born singer/songwriter Mitch James has seen his music detonate into New Zealand’s music consciousness. Armed with little more than a guitar and a set of hook-filled pop songs, ...
READ MORE >NEWSMORE >
News
The 2019 NZ Music Services Directory Is Out Now
2019’s edition of the NZ Music Services Directory is newly printed and available to buy via musicnz.co.nz at the very reasonable price of $35 incl. P+P within Aotearoa. Published annually, the NZMSD provides incredibly handy info including direct email, web and social media links to hundreds of local businesses, organisations and associations that provide valuable services across our creative music sector. Listing categories range from artist guidance and mentoring through to music education ...
READ MORE >News
Guitar Legend Peter Posa Has Died
Widely heralded as New Zealand's greatest guitarist, Peter Posa passed away at Waikato Hospital on Sunday, February 3, aged 77. A bestselling recording musician more than five decades earlier, Posa made a stunning comeback in 2013, claiming the Highest Selling Album award at the NZ Music Awards. That presentation recognised the success of ‘White Rabbit: The Very Best Of Peter Posa’. Named for his single greatest hit, the career-spanning retrospective album debuted at number 1 on the NZ Album ...
READ MORE >News
Chamber Music NZ Appoints Catherine Gibson As New CE
Catherine Gibson has been appointed as Chamber Music New Zealand’s new Chief Executive. Catherine has been CMNZ’s Artistic Manager since 2013. The Board acknowledges her contribution in that role to the international and regional concert series and a strong education and outreach programme. Board Chair, Kerrin Vautier welcomes Catherine to her new position in CMNZ, recognising her knowledge and experience and her enthusiasm for leading the organisation in its next phase. Originally from the ...
READ MORE >News
The Frank Burkitt Band Win 2019 Best Folk Artist Tui
Among the festivities of Auckland’s Anniversary weekend is the annual Auckland Folk Festival held at Kumeu Showgrounds, northwest of Auckland. For most attending the three-day festival it’s all about participation, but for a select few it includes the possibility of collecting the 2019 Best Folk Artist Tui award, the first of the new year’s Tui presentations. The three finalists for the 2019 Best Folk Artist Tui included two-time-previous winners (2013/2015) Great North with their album ‘The ...
READ MORE >FEATURESMORE >
Interviews
Video Premiere: Tyson – Save Me
Welly Records' Tyson Nemukula moved to NZ from South Africa when he was 15 years old. Now 22, he's studying towards his Bachelor of Commercial Music at Massey University in Wellington, and over the last few months has quietly released a number of tunes from his bedroom. Save Me, the single from Tyson's upcoming EP, is out today. A collaborative effort, it starts on an otherworldly Life Is Strange soundtrack vibe (shout out to Ari Gurunathan absolutely acing the sparse, shimmering guitar part), ...
READ MORE >Interviews
Carl Verheyen: Full Interview With Kevin Downing
Earlier this year NZM's Kevin Downing interviewed guitarist Carl Verheyen in LA, and wrote a Guitar Cool column about a few things he learned from him that day. Here is Kevin's full interview. So one of the questions was Carl, you’ve got some amazing chops, how do you arrange your time to keep them in good shape? Well I try to play every day and I really do play every day, I don’t feel good about taking a day off, I just want to push some strings around somewhere and somehow. A lot of times ...
READ MORE >Interviews
Rhian Sheehan: Nevermind The Great Divide
Leading an eight-piece band and locally string sections recruited from each city, in October musician/composer/all-round creative genius Rhian Sheehan played album release shows in Dunedin, Nelson, Wellington and Auckland. The shows also included visuals and stage design by artist collaborators and Weta Workshops. The album, ‘A Quiet Divide’, is his first since 2013, and cinematic in scope. Aabir Mazumdar talked with the artist back home in Wellington. A Quiet Divide by Rhian Sheehan Fresh ...
READ MORE >Interviews
Sam Kristofski: Just Shoot Me
Sam Kristofski is a film director with a portfolio traversing photography, commercials, oddball short films and lots more besides. Among his numerous Kiwi music video clients over the years have been the likes of Bic Runga, Taste Nasa, Shapeshifter, UMO and The Ruby Suns. 2018 has been a busy one with exceptional videos for Fazerdaze (Lucky Girl), Neil and Liam Finn (Back To Life), Broods (Peach), Pond (Sixteen Days) and Nakita (Sucka) among his output. Fellow video director Amber Beaton talked ...
READ MORE >Interviews
NewTracks New Artist: George
In her last year of high school Georgia Lines won Smokefree Rockquest with her song Wannabe. That was 2014 and not long after she headed overseas, travelling and writing music along the way. Now back in Mt Maunganui, Georgia has released her catchy debut single Vacant Cities under the short-but-sweet name George. The song also made it onto NZ On Air Music's NewTracks compilation this February. What other projects might we know you from? Back in 2014 I won SFRQ while in my last year of high ...
READ MORE >Interviews
Jenny Mitchell: A Concert and a Cup Of Tea…
With a career beginning from her early teens, singer/songwriter Jenny Mitchell already has two albums behind her, a Gold Guitar Award on her mantelpiece, and is a graduate of the Australian Academy of Country Music. As Bridie Chetwin-Kelly discovers, she credits much of her success to the little town of Gore, where the support for her story-telling, acoustic-styled country music originated. Wildfires by Jenny Mitchell All in all Jenny Mitchell comes across as a country girl who wants her audiences ...
READ MORE >Get Yer Kit Off
Get Yer Kit Off: Kate Baya
Locally-based session drummers remain a rarity, local female session drummers considerably fewer. Kate Baya has taken aim at raising the percentages and has quickly developed a great rep as a session player-for-hire. She’s been performing with newcomers like Robinson, Lexxa, Dunes and She Loves You, to name just some, recently taking to the stage at the 2018 NZ Music Awards. Skinny Hobos’ Sam Holdom had a chat with Kate for NZM. Let’s start at the beginning – how did you get into drumming ...
READ MORE >EVENTSMORE >
Photo Galleries
Big Gay Out 2019
"Lots of smiley faces", according to photographer Trevor Villers, gathered at Pt Chevalier's Coyle Park on February 10 to celebrate the Ending HIV Big Gay Out 2019. Among the performers were Iris G, Beth Goulstone, an APO trio, White Chapel Jak, The Miltones, LEXXA, Openside, and more. Thanks for the photos, Trevor!
READ MORE >Live Reviews
Live Review: Same Name Confusion in Wellington, Feb 8, 2019
Sharing a joint bill promoting both bands’ debut EPs, local Welly lads Same Name Confusion and Dunedin’s latest export, Lacuna, decided to bring their maiden tour of the country to the beloved confines of San Fran. With another local indie upstart supporting, Stink, the gig felt more like a homecoming, however, with the focus undoubtedly on celebrating just how far Same Name Confusion has come. In Theory by Same Name Confusion Despite having very little music currently available, Stink have ...
READ MORE >