On Friday, August 24 Vitamin S will host two meaningful tributes to valued local musicians at Auckland’s Wine Cellar (8pm, koha entry). Steve Cournane and John Bell will present two beautifully crafted pieces, in tribute to Auckland drummer Bruce Morley (d. 22 November 2012) and Dunedin guitarist Peter Gutteridge (d. 15 September 2014).

Steve met Bruce Morley back in the ‘90s and struck up a friendship when both were early reviewers for NZ Musician magazine. John performed with Bruce on many gigs and on a number of different recordings. Originally written for two performers. It has been performed once in a creek bed. ‘Rolls For Bruce Morley’ uses manipulated, looped samples of the late drummer from John Bell’s NZDCCB concert for the ’22nd Century’ album (2013).

‘Improvisation for Peter Gutteridge’ is a guitar and percussion tribute to a musician whose 2014 suicide was a blow to the NZ music community. A coroner’s report released just last week concluded that Peter did not receive the care he needed at a mental health unit days before his suicide. Steve Cournane met Peter during the early phase of his career when they recorded together in 1986 on the Flying Nun Alpaca Brothers’ ‘Legless’ EP.