COVER STORY
Album Reviews
Ersha Island: Back To Your Roots EP
Tāmaki Makaurau-based duo Ersha Island launched their debut EP ‘Back To Our Roots’ in March. Back To Our Roots by Ersha Island 二沙岛 Ersha Island are Chinese-Kiwi siblings Danielle and Tee Hao-Aickin. ...
COVER STORY
Interviews
Tom Verberne: Stretching His Legs
Combining rock, electronic and acoustic sound palettes with an approachable, unpretentious persona, Tom Verberne brings a fresh perspective to music. Taken from ‘Don’t Walk’, his third album, recent ...
COVER STORY
Album Reviews
Cloudy: Good Grief EP
Under her indie-pop artist name Cloudy, Claudia Paine has shown us a unique talent as a songwriter with her debut EP titled ‘Good Grief’. The 5-track EP includes a mixture of heartfelt, softer songs, ...
FEATURES
Interviews
Robinson: Becoming Happy To Create
Anna Robinson has a family history of moving around, and since her 2018 breakthrough single Nothing To Regret propelled her to international status the Greymouth-born pop artist has mostly made London ...
NewTracks New Artist
NewTracks New Artist: Lily Linscott
Her debut single15 Again includes the admission that she is now 23, and Lily Linscott promises she was when she wrote it - but had turned 24 a couple months before the song's release in April this ...
Interviews
Bub: They Certainly Can
If you believe their (probably) tongue-in-cheek hype, Bub is probably your new favourite band. Mixing doo-wop harmonies with post-punk energy, they make songs that hit you right in the feelings while ...
Ex-Pat Files
Ex-Pat Files: Lucie Watson
The website banner describes Inward Bound as a ‘London-based community supporting Kiwis in music’. The inwardbound.uk site includes pages of online resources covering things like visas, grants, venues ...
Interviews
Phoebe Rings: Drifting Into Reach
There’s a certain otherworldly quality that drifts through the music of Phoebe Rings, but if their self-titled EP was up in space, their debut album has landed back on earth. The Tāmaki Makaurau four-piece ...
NewTracks New Artist
NewTracks New Artist: Iris G
As one of six rangitahi who featured in the 2021 Crescendo Trust music mentoring docuseries The Collective, Iris G publicly revealed plenty of her back story, in particular the loss of her voice in 2017 ...
Interviews
Velveteen: Hypertrophic Developments
Released by Ōtautahi’s Winegum Records, the compelling debut album from newcomer rock outfit Velveteen blends ‘90s alternative rock with elements of punk, emo and electronica. Velveteen is the musical ...
NewTracks New Artist
NewTracks New Artist: Jack Bromwich
Trusting his instincts, Manchester-born Jack Bromwich dropped engineering from his conjoint degree studies at Auckland University a few years ago, to dedicate his focus on gaining a Bachelor of Music. ...
Interviews
Frank Gibson Jr: NZM Get Your Kit Off Interview
Gordon Marr talks with NZM columnist Frank Gibson Jr... Longevity is not everything, but it's not difficult to comprehend that anyone who has been 'cutting it' since making his mark as a six-year-old ...
Industry
What’s happening with Music? The proposed NZ On Air and NZ Film Commission merger
In February 2025 the Ministry for Culture & Heritage (MCH) released a discussion document outlining “five draft proposals to create modern media legislation for New Zealand’s media and content ...
NewTracks New Artist
NewTracks New Artist: Justin Devereux
Blending the worlds of Americana, rock and blues, Justin Devereux is an LA-based Kiwi musician with a powerful voice that's still early in development, despite a life already well-lived. Starring in ...
Interviews
Byllie-jean: Independent Excellence Acknowledged
The 2025 Taite Music Prize ceremony held in Tāmaki Makaurau mid-April was memorable for several reasons. One of significance was the prevalence of Māori winners, with Mokotron taking out the night’s ...
Observation Posts
Navigating Friendship, Funding, and Heartbreak in the Music Industry
In Aotearoa’s passionate, close-knit music scene, connection is everything. Our community is small - sometimes wonderfully so, sometimes painfully. It’s the kind of place where a former friend might ...
NewTracks New Artist
NewTracks New Artist: Glxria
Glxria is the sonic persona of 23-year old Chinese-Kiwi artist Gloria, fusing dreamy indie, grunge, and cinematic textures into a beautifully immersive sound. Her music is cinematic, chaotic and vulnerable. ...
Interviews
Tom Lark: Rock & Roll Hotelier
Shannon Fowler is somewhat of a musical chameleon, morphing his sounds to fit his musical surroundings. As Tom Lark, he has been on a continuum of sonic change since 2011, moving through indie pop before ...
NewTracks New Artist
NewTracks New Artist: George VILLA
With 2023 EP 'Empty Pockets' already in his catalogue George VILLA is maybe not new to fans of his mellow-as surf rock through-to psychedelic pop sounds, but the artist is taking a new, self-determined ...
NewTracks New Artist
NewTracks New Artist: Mylen
Mylen began his musical journey in 2017, with his entre into the world of drum & bass production coming somewhat by chance a few years later. After a period of performing as a DJ all over Aotearoa, ...
NewTracks New Artist
NewTracks New Artist: Liberty
With over seven million likes across Instagram and TikTok, singer-songwriter Liberty has a unique freewheeling pop style that caught the attention of UK record label, B-Unique Records, all the way ...
NewTracks New Artist
NewTracks New Artist: EAST YORK
Formed by four worldly Kiwi metallers in Melbourne five years ago, EAST YORK still straddle the Pacific, though their most recent recording work has seen the heavy rock act become more Bay of Plenty-centric. ...
Interviews
Goodwill: Extending A Helping Hand
Ōtautahi singer-songwriter, guitarist and producer Will McGillivray has already had an impressive career. He fronted the internationally successful alt-pop trio Nomad and has since gone on become the ...
Interviews
Mim Jensen: Shadow Working
Ōtautahi singer-songwriter Miriam ‘Mim’ Jensen’s confessional indie rock songs manage to be both incisive and reflective, and since she first emerged in 2022 they’ve already taken her places. ...
Interviews
Henry Charles: Southern Funkadelic
File under Funk / Soul / Jazz. Highly versatile Wanaka-based guitarist and composer Henry Charles has just released his groove-filled debut album. In a nod to the music and movie culture that inspire ...
NewTracks New Artist
NewTracks New Artist: Makayla
A product of the TikTok school of unexpectedly good fortune, Makayla is a vivacious and very natural 21-year old, albeit one with a far from average story. Engineer by day, singer by night, her debut single Nature ...
Interviews
Persimmon: Palmy’s Fun Lovin’ True Criminals
Student radio is a huge deal in Aotearoa, providing an accessible portal for local bands to get heard, to connect with other communities and potentially expand their listenership throughout the network ...
Advertorial
Adrian Cox: Jazzed Up Clarinet – April Tour Dates
With unrivalled feel and virtuosity for the music he plays jazz clarinetist Adrian Cox is internationally acclaimed, and currently right at the top of his game. Unrivalled feel and virtuosity for the music ...
Interviews
Anglebox: Days In The Sun Remembered
Blending nostalgia with modern rock, while steering-locked to an unmistakably pre-millennium Kiwi pub rock sound, newcomer Christchurch rock band Anglebox are picking up their undies from the lawn and ...
Interviews
National Jazz Festival, Tauranga, April 7-21
This Easter weekend (April 18-21) will bring the culmination of the 62nd National Jazz Festival with some of Aotearoa New Zealand’s top jazz musicians performing in the Downtown Carnival across five ...
Interviews
blindr: Prize Redemption
Tāmaki Makaurau pop-punk outfit blindr have employed a fruitful blend of good fortune, music skills and good sense to produce a very good debut EP called ‘lover.fighter’. Having won a band competition ...
Interviews
Jack Panther: Coming Over To Celebrate
Jack Panther titled his 2022 EP with the lyrical query ‘why won’t you come over?’, and his just-released 2025 follow up EP follows suit with the even more curious title, ‘when i’m feeling better ...
Interviews
Louisa Nicklin: Making Room To Breath
Introspective, engaging, ethereal and intimate; these are all words used to describe the first album of Tāmaki Makaurau-based Louisa Nicklin. With her second album ‘The Big Sulk’ Nicklin expands on ...
NewTracks New Artist
NewTracks New Artist: PONZ
A wicked run of new year's shows saw drum and bass artist PONZ kick off 2025 in style, performing at Rhythm and Alps in Wanaka on December 30, Famous Last Words in Tauranga on the next day, and following ...
Interviews
Levi Patel: Finding Gravity and Voice
For the past ten years Matakana-based producer Levi Patel has shared his soothingly ambient instrumental compositions with the world. He’s met with some success, amassing millions of streams of Spotify ...
NewTracks New Artist
NewTracks New Artist: The Boondocks
You can tell just by the band name that The Boondocks are happy in their own skin. Among other similar superlatives they lay claim to being 'New Zealand’s loudest little band', and it's most certainly ...
Industry
Industry: Dave Rhodes Productions
After two decades working in Auckland’s music scene as a sound engineer and producer Dave Rhodes returned to his hometown of Whitianga, established his own professional recording studio and went freelance. ...
NewTracks New Artist
NewTracks New Artist: Just Janie
The now Christchurch-based indie folk artist Just Janie recorded her recently released country/folk single Musings in the Breakfast Aisle at Saltbox Studios as part of Ōtautahi’s 2024 OMAP programme. ...
NewTracks New Artist
NewTracks New Artist: Jack Robertson
Love, the word, seems to feature heavily in the bittersweet folk-centred song titles of newcomer Tāmaki Makaurau artist Jack Robertson, admittedly weighted by the three different versions of his latest ...
Interviews
Shivers: Looking At ‘Em Now
Shivers believe in playing genre fluid music, but it’s easiest to describe the Pōneke four-piece as being a soul-pop group bringing positive and uplifting vibes. Composing infectious melodies they also ...
Fresh Talent
Fresh Talent: Lavender
Lauren Blakey’s musical pathway to Lavender began with busking and has included grabbing the opportunities provided by Smokefreerockquest, Play It Strange, Youth Arts NZ events and other public celebrations ...
Interviews
Veryhandsomebilly: DIY Extremist
After three years of daily streaming Christchurch artist Veryhandsomebilly Twitched himself off. Not entirely as it turns out but Billy Mills, the artist who goes by that bodacious handle, is now a budding ...
On Foreign Soil
On Foreign Soil: alayna at Bigsound 2024
Performing under the name alayna, Rotorua-born Alayna Powley writes and sings about feelings, delivering her songs with a soft confidence that commands the respect of close attention. She attended the ...
Interviews
Louis TM: This Flame Is Not The Same
For many years now Louis Thompson-Munn, better known as Louis TM, has been at the top of the list for session keyboardists in Aotearoa. The Pōneke keyboard player / vocalist has played in numerous local ...
Fresh Talent
Fresh Talent: Sure Boy
Sure Boy, the power trio mum rock, pure joy band is sticking it to the music scene in Te Whanganui-a-Tara. Beth Stewart (vocals), Simone McCarthy (guitar) and bassist Lily Fulton are dedicated to creating ...
Interviews
Drax Project: Live From London
Their 2017 hit single Woke Up Late made Drax Project a household name here in Aotearoa, and with the hype surrounding the song the pop alternative act secured a record label in the US, not long after moving ...
Interviews
Nur Peach: Singing Off The Beat
Coromandel-raised Nur Peach Lajunen-Tal plays piano and guitar, with her singer-songwriter roots firmly in the folk idiom, yet the 10 tracks on her debut album 'Syncopate' enjoy a diversity of percussive ...
Fresh Talent
Fresh Talent: Tealskie
Tealskie (it’s pronounced ‘teal sky’) originated in 2023 as a solo project for Rebekah Pemberton, who had written and recorded her first song from her car. Parasite attracted the attention of Christchurch ...
Industry
The Sound Room: 20 Years in Post-Production
They’re definitely not two peas in a pod, but entrepreneurial musicians Marshall Smith and Tom Fox have nonetheless maintained a close business partnership in the challenging environment of music / sound ...
Fresh Talent
Fresh Talent: MOLS
Growing up on Auckland’s North Shore, Molly Johnson attended piano lessons and learnt basic guitar skills from her dad. Piano recitals and choir training led on to vocal performances at intermediate ...
Interviews
Khaki Department: A Rungle In Swamptown
It’s a sunny, chilly day in Palmerston North, and four people are sitting in their backyard talking rubbish. Wait, there should be five of them. Where’s the fifth? Theories are put forth; he either ...
NewTracks New Artist
NewTracks New Artist: Body Of Work
According to herself, Body Of Work, real name Sarah Illingworth, has "worn a bunch of hats in the music industry", but is relatively new to releasing her own material which was produced by and recorded ...
NewTracks New Artist
NewTracks New Artist: Silk Cut
Some members of Silk Cut are a lifetime into a busy career in music, but not necessarily beyond their separate projects and employers. Mid-winter 2024 the band released their self-titled second album, ...
NewTracks New Artist
NewTracks New Artist: Emerson
Tāmaki Makaurau artist Emma Wagner has previously featured on NZMusician.co.nz with her Rockquest 2023-winning band Parkdale and regional winners Fan Club. This year she took another meaningful step ...
My Song
My Song: Altercation – Destination
Having released music on international labels like Norman Foreman and Rubricate Records, music producer and DJ Joel Malcolm-Smith, aka Altercation, specialises in the more soulful side of drum and bass. ...
NewTracks New Artist
NewTracks New Artist: Caru
Stepping aside from his much-loved band Imugi, Tāmaki Makaurau producer Caru 's most recent endeavour is a solo artist collaboration with local rappers Dera Meelan and Deadforest. Lyrics and music for See ...
Interviews
Mirage: Summer Won’t Be The Same Without This
Singer, songwriter and guitarist Ben Horlock of Mirage was among the successful applicants for APRA NZ's SongHubs Waikato event staged in October 2023. The week-long Raglan songwriting camp resulted in ...
NewTracks New Artist
NewTracks New Artist: Soft Bait
Having a bad day? Try this on… Tāmaki Makaurau indie four-piece Soft Bait have recently released a colourful music video for their latest single No Bad Days, made by local creative crew Sports Team. ...
Industry
Hawke’s Bay Music Hub: The Frontline Of Napier’s Backline Trust
In December 2023 the Hawke's Bay Music Hub launched 'Under The Sun (Vol.3)', the latest in a series of compilation albums featuring and promoting local artists, and this NZ Music Month will stage the first ...
NewTracks New Artist
NewTracks New Artist: Georgia Gets By
Though Georgia Gets By is named after a groggy dragon having a terrible day, Georgia Nott sounds nothing like one. In fact, you'll likely find her voice somewhat familiar given her history as half of ...
My Song
My Song: Hine – Ka Mua Ka Muri
Bringing her music to the world out of Ōtaki on the Kapiti Coast, multi-instrumentalist Gigi Crayford artistically goes by the simple artist name of Hine. Self-described as "mokopuna of the once dubbed ...
Industry
Barny Bewick: Designing Up A Storm
In 2004 a young Glaswegian stepped off the plane onto the tarmac of Auckland Airport with the hopes of making a name for himself in the graphic design arena of the NZ music industry. Now, 20 years and ...
NewTracks New Artist
NewTracks New Artist: Timmy The First
Anyone capable of editing a music video entirely on their phone deserves a bit of recognition because that's not an easy feat. It's exactly what Tāmaki Makaurau rapper Timmy The First, real name Timothy ...
Industry
Youthtown SongCatcher Compilation
In 2023, Gore country artist Jackie Bristow ran a series of workshops under the name SongCatcher, aiming to empower youth through songwriting and help kids find their voices. The resulting compilation ...
Industry
Continuing The Work Of Rodger Fox
In May of this year, we lost Rodger Fox, musician, bandleader, promoter, mentor, and indelible spirit of big band jazz across Aotearoa. Replacing Rodger is impossible, even with dozens of people willing ...
Interviews
The Advocators: End Of The World Songs
When two distant acquaintances got together to form a wedding band, it didn't take long for their ambitions to extend beyond doing faithful renditions of wedding songs and into a project of their own. ...
Observation Posts
The Nukes At CubaDupa
CubaDupa, the Te Whanganui a Tara festival, is one of Aotearoa's biggest and most diverse street parties. Spanning two days it hosts more than 800 performers over 250 performances, all crammed into the ...
NewTracks New Artist
NewTracks New Artist: Jaya
Considering her young age Jaya Rees is very much a high-flyer already, and that's not just thanks to being part of a musical whānau which includes a number of much-loved and -admired performers. Among ...
NewTracks New Artist
NewTracks New Artist: Arahi
Originally from Ahuriri Napier, now based in Tāmaki Makaurau, Arahi Whaanga is one independently-released EP and plenty of live shows into establishing himself as a promising singer-songwriter with potential ...
Interviews
Flowerstream: Dreaming In Colours
Born out of a shared love for improvisation and experimental music, Maxwell Brown and Huiming Wu's 花溪 Flowerstream delivers a unique blend of sounds patiently worked up in their home studio. Performing ...
Interviews
Sheeps: Ode To The Docile Ninety-Nine
Billed as a statement on the modern struggles of the working class in a brave new, damaged era, Te Whanganui-a-Tara art rock band Sheeps released 'Working The Machine' in April. With their Covid-delayed ...
NewTracks New Artist
NewTracks New Artist: Eli Superflyy
Eli Superflyy is Te Whanganui-a-Tara musician Eli Chamberlain. Following a music degree from Massey as well as stints as a session and touring musician alongside higher profile local acts such as Riiki ...
Interviews
JessB: She Sells Sanctuary
Explaining the title she's given her debut album, JessB says it's about feeling at home with where you're at, where you've come from, and where you're going - a sense of sanctuary she's rightly celebrating ...
Interviews
Finau: Obviously Talented
Pop artist Finau released her third single Isn't It Obvious in June. Drawing from genres including RnB and reggae, the Tāmaki Makaurau artist used music to navigate her shyness and express herself. She ...
Interviews
Mayjun: Genre Denialists
Tāmaki Makaurau-Polynesian pop-rock act Mayjun are In Denial, or at least that's the name of their new single, the follow-up to their debut track Jealous. Kat Parsons chatted with vocalist Jeremiah ...
Interviews
Vera Ellen Wins Taite Music Prize
Having just won the 2024 Taite Music Prize, as a self-proclaimed underdog among a number of what could be called modern classics of Aotearoa music, Vera Ellen Williams remains charmingly grounded. Ideal ...
On Foreign Soil
On Foreign Soil: Vera Ellen At SXSW 2024
2024 had already been a big year for Vera Ellen, even before she was invited last minute to perform at the Austin, Texas, South By Southwest Festival in March. Vera generously provided NZM with this summary ...
Interviews
Marlin’s Dreaming: Oddly Familiar
Following a successful Australian tour in 2023, Ōtepoti-born-and-bred indie stalwarts Marlin's Dreaming have been back in the studio working up a fresh sound and direction for their forthcoming album ...
Interviews
Katie Thompson: Seeing Herself
Ōtautahi artist Katie Thompson has made a name for herself as an alt country singer-songwriter. Her latest single, I See You, sees her branching out into the alt pop realm, while still containing traces ...
Interviews
Skilaa: A Tiger By The Tale
Skilaa's distinctive sound is a decidedly quirky jazz-RnB-folk hybrid, but like all innovators, the Tāmaki Makaurau band aren't afraid to explore new territory. Four years on from debut EP 'Fantasy Life', ...
NewTracks New Artist
NewTracks New Artist: Madeline
Now London-based, former resident of Sumner, the beach and sea plays large in Madeline Berry's life and is the focus of the frolicking video for her new single Still That Girl. The song itself is a kind ...
NewTracks New Artist
NewTracks New Artist: Rowdy’s Rose
In a reversal of the norm, Rowdy's Rose 's Blair and Rosie Shaw have been husband and wife for several years longer than they have been bandmates, and are now unabashedly training up a new generation ...
Interviews
theSlacks: uNZipping theSlacks
With their third album due out in just days, Richard Thorne caught up with theSlacks in a cluttered garage/rehearsal room in sunny Stratford, where the fun lovin' four-piece folk rock act have spent several ...
My Song
My Song: Crowns & Lunacy – And They Slew Monsters
If you're a fan of royally good mosh pits, and sick but melodious delivery, this one's for you! New metalcore act Crowns & Lunacy is something of a supergroup combo drawn from Blenheim and Te Whanganui-a-Tara. ...
NewTracks New Artist
NewTracks New Artist: Goodnight My Darling
Te Whanganui-a-Tara Massey pop graduate, singer-songwriter Maxine Macaulay performs under the project name Goodnight My Darling, something she can soon say to a small human she's partly through growing ...
NewTracks New Artist
NewTracks New Artist: Psycho Gab
Five musicians, all skilled up via being music students at the University of Auckland, creating a intriguing mix of modern jazz and RnB. That's Psycho Gab. Joining the enthusiasm from student radio, NZ ...
NewTracks New Artist
NewTracks New Artist: Hyan
Tāmaki Makaurau electronica artist Max Robinson, aka Hyan, works as DJ and hype man for the acclaimed Who Shot Scott, who's garnering some impressive international success. Being active within this scene, ...
NewTracks New Artist
NewTracks New Artist: Keren Mara
Former Ōtautahi music student Keren Enright performs under the name Keren Mara, a derivative of her first two given names. After working as musician and touring stage manager she's now started releasing ...
Interviews
Matt Joe Gow & Kerryn Fields: Hearts Of Gold
Melbourne-based musicians Matt Joe Gow and Kerryn Fields are Kiwi country-folk troubadours and storytellers, with careers that have spanned over a decade, and half a dozen albums as solo artists between ...
Mixtapes
Mixtape: Rosina & The Weavers
Hailing from fast urbanising Tāmaki Makaurau suburb Pukekohe, Rosina & The Weavers describe themselves as a "kind'a-rock band", which is rather selling their produce short. The five-piece showcase ...
Ex-Pat Files
Ex-Pat Files: Aron Ottignon
For several years now, Tāmaki Makaurau-born pianist and composer Aron Ottignon has been based in Berlin, creating unique and diverse music that blends musical styles and cultures; fusing jazz, pop, global ...
NewTracks New Artist
NewTracks New Artist: Shamplooh
Multi-instrumentalist, singer, rapper, songwriter, producer, mixing and mastering engineer Tyler Trench, aka Shamplooh, has a habit of deleting himself from the internet. Encouraged by partner in life ...
NewTracks New Artist
NewTracks New Artist: My Cosmic Girl
The members of Te Whanganui-a-Tara quintet My Cosmic Girl found each other while studying commercial music at Massey University. Something clicked and now there's cosmic melodic indie rock for all to ...
On Foreign Soil
On Foreign Soil: Brother Sister In Japan
Celebrating the release of their third EP, 'On A Roll' in September 2023, Tāmaki Makaurau sibling synth trio Brother Sister, made up of Dave, Taz and Ben Thomson, toured the islands of Japan one month ...
NewTracks New Artist
NewTracks New Artist: Courtnay & The Unholy Reverie
With a background in musical theatre on full display New Plymouth songwriter, guitarist and singer Courtnay Low has assembled a devilishly good band of players to back her, together delivering a swamp-drenched ...
NewTracks New Artist
NewTracks New Artist: Alex Beattie
Along with showcasing his multi-instrumental abilities and illustrating a natural live performer, parts of the Rio Nishikawa-directed video for Alex Beattie's jazzy new pop single Falling Over Backwards would ...
Interviews
Sam Cullen: Warming The Cold Midwinter
Singer-songwriter Sam Cullen is sending a ripple through Aotearoa's local rock'n'roll music scene with his new EP 'Love Again'. Through Cullen's nostalgic lyricism, audiences get a taste of the common ...
Interviews
Lee Mvtthews: In Through The Out Door
Tāmaki Makaurau DnB act Lee Mvtthews continue to develop a long and illustrious career. Playing alongside industry legends Wilkinson, Kanine, Grafix and Shock One, their accolades include being the first ...
Fresh Talent
Fresh Talent: Parkdale
Made up of Mt Albert Grammar and Selwyn College students Will Jones, Liam Beasley, Solomon Woods and Emma Wagner, Parkdale was the Smokefree Rockquest 2023 winning band. Proving that perseverance can bring ...
NewTracks New Artist
NewTracks New Artist: Beth Torrance
Just a few years into her career as a solo artist Beth Torrrance has already released an album, with a follow EP due this winter, as well as LA-based management. Her latest singleTiny Flowers is the ...
Industry
Jola Burns: More Musical Family Goodness From Nelson
The quirkily named Nelson duo Jola Burns placed second in the solo/duo section of 2023 Smokefree Rockquest, and there's plenty to suggest the judges would've been torn in having to decide between them ...
LESSONS
X-Factory
X-Factory: Mel Parsons – Sabotage
Award-winning singer/songwriter Mel Parsons has developed a loyal fan base since releasing her debut album 'Over My Shoulder' in 2009. Her unique vocal tone, delicate guitar playing, and introspective ...
Deep Thinking
Deep Thinking: In Praise of the Humble Pick
When I turned pro as a teenager, back in the mists of time, I was always a ‘pick’ player, i.e. I used a plectrum, or pick. It didn’t occur to me that it would become unfashionable as the ‘fusion’ ...
X-Factory
X-Factory: Mahina Lawrence – Not The Same
Hawkes Bay singer-songwriter Mahina Lawrence has ticked off some impressive accomplishments early into her career. She was a national finalist in the 2019 competition to take up lead vocal duties for reggae ...
Guitar Cool
Guitar Cool: CLAPS Formula
Plenty of guitar players I come across complain about not being able to get ahead in their playing abilities, or wonder what it is that has been holding them back for years, so I have put together some ...
Finding Your Voice
Finding Your Voice: Law of Attraction And Your Voice
Like attracts like. That's what the Abraham-Hicks' Law of Attraction is all about. Their teachings can feel very pertinent and applicable to singing and songwriting. Here's a list with some basic principles... Our ...
X-Factory
X-Factory: Stan Walker – I Am
Stan Walker has forged an impressive artistic path over the course of his career since winning Australian Idol in 2009. Numerous albums since have seen him continually develop a unique artistic voice, ...
Deep Thinking
Deep Thinking: Stevie Wonder’s Masterblaster (Jammin’)
I always used to say to bass students in the UK and here that two of Stevie Wonder's most challenging bass lines are from Sir Duke, with its Duke Ellington inspired line doubling the brass, and Masterblaster ...
Finding Your Voice
Finding Your Voice: Law of Attraction And Your Voice
Like attracts like. That's what the Abraham-Hicks' Law Of Attraction is all about. Their teachings can feel very pertinent and applicable to singing and songwriting. Here's a list with some basic principles... Our ...
Lessons
There’s No Such Thing As Writer’s Block
Any creative person will at some point come up against that challenge commonly known as writer's block. People typically suggest that the best thing to do in that situation is to take a break, go for a ...
Deep Thinking
Deep Thinking: Come Together Over A Classic
Come together over a classic. After a few Deep Thinking articles, in which I've talked about the theoretical issues of bassline building from scratch (i.e. new songs needing a bassline), I thought it might ...
Finding Your Voice
Finding Your Voice: Your Voice = Your Truth
‘Finding your voice' is just as much about what you're saying or singing, as what you sound like. I'd like to unpack the figurative notion of finding and having a voice. Intricately understanding the ...
Guitar Cool
Guitar Cool: Simple Ways To Harmonise Guitar Parts
Simple ways to harmonise guitar parts: The concept of instrumental harmonising is certainly not new, it has been a compositional technique in classical music for centuries. Harmonising of guitar parts ...
Lessons
How To Slay Destination Fixation
How to slay destination fixation and tame the fear-feeding beast of rejection: We've all learned that you need to have a tough hide to survive in this music business, but is skin thickening really the ...
Deep Thinking
Deep Thinking: An Exercise For Both Hands
An exercise for both hands with some sight reading thrown in! Over the last few NZM issues, we’ve been looking at building bass lines from modal scales and arpeggios (broken chords). This exercise is ...
X-Factory
X-Factory: Hans Pucket – No Drama
Hans Pucket 's No Drama - an intelligent song. Intelligence comes in many forms, and with regards to music in particular, sources of musical intelligence are often hard to pin down. No Drama by Hans ...
Finding Your Voice
Finding Your Voice: Losing, Finding, And Having A Voice
Something profoundly shifted when I underwent tongue surgery – in the aftermath, I found my voice. The surgeon had told me on the table that the procedure (to remove a benign saliva gland stone) was ...
Road Rules
Road Rules: Social Media Sucks
Social Media Sucks. It sucks your time, it sucks your energy, and it can suck all the fun out of being an independent musician if you're not careful. But social media also gives. It gives new friends, ...
Finding Your Voice
Finding Your Voice: Do What Moves You
Do what moves you. Tension is a singer's greatest enemy. It disables the very areas of the body we need open to resonate sound in. Tension is generated mentally; anticipating threat or danger, or unconsciously, ...
X-Factory
X-Factory: Kimbra – Save Me
I'm not quite sure why but Kimbra hasn't really been on my radar before. We primarily listen to music to be moved emotionally, and our taste and intrigue is ultimately guided by personal aesthetics. Of ...
Guitar Cool
Guitar Cool: Popular Learning Mistakes
Popular learning mistakes - there are a few that guitar players commonly make that can quickly become habits, but are easily fixed if you are aware of them. Entrenched bad habits can take time to get rid ...
Deep Thinking
Deep Thinking: Building Basslines – Part 2
Following on from the last two Deep Thinking online columns here we continue the quest to build a unique bassline, whether from a chord chart or from a songwriter playing a chord sequence to you. We have ...
Lessons
5 Things To Consider Around Xmas Releases
Ahhh, sweet sweet summertime! The cities are empty while people flock to beaches, rivers and tracks, as well as festivals big and small across the land over Xmas! If only they would listen to your brand-new ...
Lessons
Songwriting Hacks: Relative Major & Minor Diatonic Chord Substitution
Hi songwriters. The title might sound a bit complex but this a relatively simple and cool idea to have in your songwriting tool belt - relative major & minor diatonic chord substitution. It’s a ...
X-Factory
X-Factory: The Top Five 2022 APRA Silver Scroll Finalist Songs
I take it back. Last year I did successfully predict the winner of the Silver Scrolls 2021, which went to Troy Kingi. Good for me. Are the batteries in my crystal ball charged for this year? Well, I don’t ...
Guitar Cool
Guitar Cool: What To Do When Tempos Are Just Too Quick
Here’s a question guitar students often ask; “How do I play a solo, or rhythm part, when tempos are going too fast for me to physically play what’s needed?” That’s a great question, and can ...
Deep Thinking
Deep Thinking: Building Basslines
In this instalment of Deep Thinking we are looking at a way you can use different scales when confronted (or even challenged!) with some previously unheard music or a new song. As bass players, what's ...
Finding Your Voice
Finding Your Voice: The Effect Menopause Has On The Voice
Singing Through ’The Change’: The Effect Menopause Has On The Voice - After the 21st gig of a 22-date tour, I stayed with friends for a much-needed breather. As documented in a previous Finding Your ...
Road Rules
Road Rules: The Secret Sauce For Amplifying Your Audience
The Secret Sauce For Amplifying Your Audience: When I was 16 all I wanted in the world was to be Jaco Pastorius. I bought the fretless bass, wore the headband, and learned how to play Portrait Of Tracy, ...
Deep Thinking
Deep Thinking: Using The Pentatonic Scales
The last couple of Deep Thinking columns that featured one of Jaco Pastorius’ best pieces (IMHO) have maybe made the learning too difficult for bassists, so in this column, I am going right back to some ...
X-Factory
X-Factory: 2021 Silver Scroll Award Finalist Songs
Yes I know, I never seem to get it right. Even though every year I usually write an article for the X-Factory trying to predict the winner of the Silver Scrolls I haven’t quite managed it yet. Maybe ...
Road Rules
Road Rules: Creative Ways For Musicians To Use NFTs
Lately it seems, the whole world is abuzz talking about NFTs and how they are going to change the world for artists across all mediums. From ‘VIP golden tickets’ sold with albums through to interactive ...
Guitar Cool
Guitar Cool: You Can Learn A Lot From A Simple Lick
Many guitar players tend to overlook simple licks or riffs that come their way, not knowing that there is a lot of musical information that can be used to build technique, repertoire, solo ideas, and rhythm ...
Finding Your Voice
Finding Your Voice: The Case For Creative High-performance Psychology
The case for creative high-performance psychology. In the merry Music Month of May 2021, Brave Caitlin Smith’s Imaginary Band toured Aotearoa to promote my new album 'You Have Reached Your Destination'. ...
Deep Thinking
Deep Thinking: Weather Report’s Teen Town (Part 2)
Admittedly it's been a while now, but in the last NZM issue we tackled one of Jaco Pastorius’ compositions for Weather Report, Teen Town. Having got to bar 20, there was a repeat to bar 5 but, when you ...
Tutors' Tutorial
iPad Music Production – A Serious Platform?
Keyboard specialist (now iPad music production enthusiast) Alan Brown has contributed a variety of informed and informative instrument features/lessons to NZM over the years. This seriously tip-filled ...
Finding Your Voice
Finding Your Voice: The Whole Body
As a singer our body is our instrument. We must be entirely sovereign over how we take care of our inner landscape. If the cathedral that we are is filled with concrete, we cannot sing. Tension is that ...
Deep Thinking
Deep Thinking: Heavy Weather Hombre
This issue’s piece is a bit of a tough hombre. (See that, I used Spanish, not bad for a bassist!) I have transcribed one of Jaco Pastorius’ signature compositions, Teen Town from the Weather Report’s ...
X-Factory
X-Factory: Rosé – On The Ground
Rosé, hyperreality, harmony and the pop-drop. The term hyperreality was coined by French theorist Jean Baudrillard to describe the postmodern, semiotic condition of society in which we are unable to distinguish ...
Tutors' Tutorial
Tutors’ Tutorial: Ableton Live 11 Update – Powerful New Features
Ableton Live has long established its credibility as a powerhouse of a digital audio workstation (DAW), especially in the fields of electronic music production and particularly live performance. For those ...
Lessons
Soundcloud – How To Share Your Music Discretely
There are a number of reasons why you might want to make some of your new music discretely available online – peer feedback, pre-release interviews, reviews and so on. If you’re wanting to get your ...
Guitar Cool
Guitar Cool: The Best Guitar Solos Tell A Story. Do Yours?
Whether your guitar performances stretch to playing solos or not, this article should be good reading and learning for you as sooner or later you will have to play one. The lists of what songs include ...
Road Rules
Road Rules: How To Attract Your (First 1000) True Fans
Growing your audience as a musician is all about attracting the right people to you, sharing your story to engage them, and then getting them to stick around with consistent content that inspires, informs, ...
Building Blocks
Building Blocks: Scheduling Creativity
Over the years my Building Blocks contributions to New Zealand Musician have focused mainly on sharing band management tips and working musician life skills. But there’s a whole other side to my online ...
X-Factory
X-Factory: Ka Mānu, Rob Ruha & Protest Songs
Acclaimed musicologist Daniel Levitin has argued that songs can be split into six categories according to their evolutional, biological, and cultural purposes (Levitin, 2008). The categories are: Friendship ...
Finding Your Voice
Finding Your Voice: Ways To Rebuild The Voice From Nodules
Dog whimpers and raspberry sirens: Ways to rebuild the voice from nodules. Late in 2019, Cailtin Smith was diagnosed with nodules on her vocal cords. ‘Singer’s nodules’ are calluses in the same ...
Deep Thinking
Deep Thinking: Black And White Boy… On Bass
As we’ve spent the last few issues doing some tricky stuff more suited to solo bass performances, I thought that this issue’s tune should feature some straight–ahead rock. I’ve chosen one of my ...
Guitar Cool
Guitar Cool: Soloing With 4ths
Soloing With 4ths - Among the questions I get asked a lot is how do I make my solos, fills, or improvisations sound more modern or different? This is a very wide-ranging question that could easily have ...
Lessons
How To Play Facebook’s Algorithm For Your Benefit
In the interest of better promoting your music, let's learn how to trick the mighty algorithm together today! The screenshot below is taken straight from NZMusician.co.nz's backend on the day of writing ...
Road Rules
Road Rules: How To Build A Music Following On Instagram
For some of us, self-promotion can feel silly and vain but, when used strategically, social media can be a powerful way to grow your community and boost your career. Follow this guide to build your Instagram ...
Lessons
Reaching Out To Media – 40 DOs and DON’Ts
2020 hasn't been kind to many of us, but being locked down together as a nation has given some the rare luxury of time to reflect on what's working and what's not. Here at NZM we get an almost constant ...
Road Rules
Road Rules: 5 Ways To Make The Most Of A Gig-Free Year
You could look at 2020 as a terrible time to think about your music career. Tours are cancelled and venues either shut down completely or operating precariously between open and closed depending on local ...
Lessons
Boatshed Daydreams: DIY Marketing In Late 2020
Have you heard about a Wellington folk band called Boatshed Daydreams before? Neither had we until very recently. Late last month the duo of friends Abbie McKoy and Temuera Forbes released their debut ...
Deep Thinking
Deep Thinking: Alex And His Ragtime Bass
Hi everyone, for this lesson, I have taken the liberty of using a piece that I wrote as a study for my UK students before I came to New Zealand. It is a cross-hand tapping piece that I wrote after the ...
X-Factory
X-Factory: The Beths – I’m Not Getting Excited
Occasionally, like once in a blue moon, when the conditions are just right, and the stars align for a nanosecond, maybe the impossible can become possible, and truly remarkable things can indeed happen. ...
Deep Thinking
Deep Thinking: Cross Hand Exercises
Hi everyone! Many movies have a prequel delivered after the main feature has been released, but this article is the other (right) way around, a warmer up that will hopefully prepare you for the next Deep ...
X-Factory
X-Factory: Silver Scroll Finalists 2020
It almost seems ritualistic now. I see the email announcing the five finalists for this year’s APRA Silver Scroll Award at 6am when I usually get up. I immediately check them all out, intuitively and ...
Road Rules
Road Rules: Ten Ways To Become A Better Musician At Home
A complete guide for improving your ear, memory, technique, and music reading at home, right now. Use your practice time more effectively and become a better musician by trying these 10 things. 1. Practice ...
Guitar Cool
Guitar Cool: Get Out And Jam
As of this writing, we are in the middle of the Covid-19 virus situation and everything is locked down, so why would I write something like "get out and jam"? Well, this lockdown is not going to last forever ...
Lessons
Easy Hacks For Singer-Songwriter Guitarists
Easy hacks for singer-songwriter guitarists - simple ways of making scales musical and creating hooklines: Hi there singer-songwriter types, I thought I’d like to show you some simple compositional ideas ...
X-Factory
X-Factory: Chaii – Digebasse
Damn! Someone has beaten me to it! When listening to Digebasse by Chaii, arguably one of the most prominent features of the track is its use of rhythm, in particular the regular use of triplets, quavers/semiquavers, ...
Guitar Cool
Guitar Cool: Play What You Hear
As a musician you will almost certainly have heard the line “play what you hear” – but many find that doing so is way more difficult than the apparently simple theory behind it. No doubt it would ...
Road Rules
Road Rules: Setting Up Your First Home Recording Studio
For years I’ve been saying I was too busy to get into home recording. True, there are times I’m on the road touring and I am actually too busy, but in the last few weeks of Corona-virus lockdown I’ve ...
X-Factory
X-Factory: Aldous Harding – The Barrel
Question: What do Finding Nemo, Taylor Swift and Aldous Harding have in common? Answer: Perhaps more than you might think. In October, Harding’s song The Barrel claimed the 2019 APRA Silver Scroll ...
Building Blocks
Building Blocks: Managing Your Band Pt 3
Managing your band, part 3: Paying yourself. Thus far in this series, I’ve discussed the need for a band to have a manager within its ranks, and the basic duties that job entails. Before I go any further ...
Accounting Down
Accounting Down: 2020 IRD Revisions To Claiming Tax On Your Vehicle
2020 IRD Revisions: The Inland Revenue Department promised to make the claiming of motor vehicle usage much easier and so they came up with a range of solutions, all worse than the next and making it more ...
Deep Thinking
Deep Thinking: Carol Kaye Of The Wrecking Crew
In this Deep Thinking session, we are going to look at a couple of tracks recorded by legendary US session bassist, Carol Kaye. Carol was a member of the Wrecking Crew, a team of recording musicians used ...
Finding Your Voice
Finding Your Voice: The Pitbulls of Perfectionism
One of THE most debilitating mindsets, that destroys all enjoyment and ease, is perfectionism. Sure, it’s great to work hard, be diligent, discerning and conscientious, but when perfectionism takes hold, ...
Guitar Cool
Guitar Cool: The Forgotten Art Of Listening
Actively listening to music is one part of practising that many guitar players miss – in fact almost all musicians miss this point. This skill is necessary if you want to be a good musician, but is neglected ...
Lessons
Road Rules: 10 Ways To Soundcheck Like A Pro
Soundcheck can be a confusing experience when you first start playing in venues, clubs, or heading out on tour. Until you start travelling with your own front of house engineer, you’re going to be meeting ...
X-Factory
X-Factory: 2019 Silver Scroll Award Finalists
2019 Silver Scroll Award finalists - Songs of the year gone by - Okay, I am biased. Straight up. No lies. Time to fess up. One of the five Silver Scroll Awards finalist songs has already been covered ...
X-Factory
X-Factory: Sorrento – Look Up
Somewhere deep within the NZ music scene lies a musical entity called Sorrento. In the Top 20 shortlist for the 2019 Silver Scroll Award, Sorrento made an appearance with a track called Look Up (feat. ...
Guitar Cool
Guitar Cool: Practising for Playing Live
No one wants to make mistakes or look inept when up on stage in front of an audience, but I have seen it happen many times, and some of those have been with people you wouldn’t expect it to happen to. ...
Deep Thinking
Deep Thinking: Weather Report’s Birdland
For this issue, I have transcribed the opening bass part on the seminal Weather Report track Birdland from the band’s 1977 album ‘Heavy Weather‘. The transcription features the band’s bassist, ...
Road Rules
Road Rules: Owning Your Value
A few days ago I submitted a writing pitch to a women's business and lifestyle website and received a positive response, and their terms of publication. While reading the terms I discovered they not only ...
Building Blocks
Building Blocks: Managing Your Band Pt 2
The Business End: In the first instalment of this Building Blocks mini-series of Managing Your Band, Pt 1 - Stepping Forward, I covered reasons why you might want to propose that you manage your band. ...
Finding Your Voice
Finding Your Voice: Just Keep Swimming
Just keep swimming: A hero's quest. ‘If I am not for myself, who will be for me? If I am only for myself, what good am I? If not now, when?’ – The Talmud One of our jobs as artists is to share ...
Road Rules
Road Rules: The Wisdom Of Saying No
Most of the time it’s awesome to say yes. Being positive and curious leads to great experiences and emotional growth. Recently I’ve been reading a book by Baron Baptiste, who developed Baptiste Power ...
X-Factory
X-Factory: Bene – Soaked
And the award goes to... Bene for the quickest earworm I have ever experienced – I think I may have even dreamt about this song last night! The number one New Zealand song (at time of press) is Soaked, ...
Finding Your Voice
Finding Your Voice: I Wanna Take You Higher
One of the most prevalent myths about singing is that singing high is difficult. As a consequence, we develop fears and dysfunctions around this that make singing high difficult. I'd like to debunk this ...
Lessons
Rob Joass’ Six Tips For A Happy Career
With over 25 years on the NZ music scene under his belt and a three-time NZ Music Awards finalist, Wellingtonian Rob Joass has experienced a thing or two. His music bio is very lengthy. He writes compulsively, ...
Lessons
Five Tips For The Aspiring On-Stage Performer By Curlys Jewels
Wellington rockers Curlys Jewels have just come off the back of an eventful 2018, which saw them play four sold-out shows alongside The Feelers as well as a support slot for US band Living Colour. In celebration ...
Deep Thinking
Deep Thinking: Purple Haze
Hi Everyone, this issue’s challenge is to play some Jimi Hendrix. I have transcribed the introduction to Purple Haze as Hendrix played it on a Strat but added a bass trick that will probably annoy your ...
Guitar Cool
Guitar Cool: 11 Things I Learnt From Carl Verheyen
Earlier this year I was in Los Angeles and caught up with the amazing guitarist Carl Verheyen (pronounced Ver-high-in) at Village Recorders in Santa Monica, where he was working on and producing an album ...
Road Rules
Road Rules: Tips For Singers & Songwriters Playing Guitar
A singer/songwriter usually begins his or her career performing solo, accompanying themselves on piano or guitar, and eventually adding one or two side (wo)men as their sound and budget grows. It’s often ...
Finding Your Voice
Finding Your Voice: Finding The Alternative
In the latest incarnation of A Star Is Born, we are presented with the tropes of self-destructive, addicted and tortured singer/songwriter (Jackson, played by Bradley Cooper) and up-and-coming, manipulated ...
Building Blocks
Building Blocks: Managing Your Band Pt 1
The previous Building Blocks column was titled Self-Manage or Bust! In it, I pointed out that any professional musician’s life is comprised of a series of small challenges. When those challenges are ...
X-Factory
X-Factory: Nostalgia, Semiotics, and Drax Project
Nostalgia, Semiotics, and Drax Project: Nostalgia’s not what it used to be – perhaps an overly theatrical beginning to this X-Factory piece, but tongue-in-cheek usually gets a smile, or at least a ...
Lessons
Cherie Mathieson & Tami Neilson: Voice Health On Tour
Have you ever wondered how someone with a big singing voice and a performance schedue to match looks after and maintains their vocal health? When she thinks huge vocals, singer and vocal coach Cherie ...
X-Factory
X-Factory: In Praise of The Adults’ ‘Haja’
Combine a long-standing rock artist, some very current Kiwi vocalists, a rapper or two, a Sudanese culture and set it all in the sub-genre of electro dance, and what do you have? An awful lot of buzz about ...
Lessons
NZM Is 30 Years To The Good! #2 – Sound Check
The second published New Zealand Musician issue (with an orange-suited Dave Dobbyn gracing the cover in recognition of the release of his ‘Loyal’ album) was published back in October 1988 – 30 years ...
Deep Thinking
Deep Thinking: Sidney Carton’s Steps
This Deep Thinking piece is a solo bass tune with a nod in the direction of Charles Dickens (a ‘nod’ being the important word…). I would like to say it is a ‘far, far’ harder piece than the last ...
Lessons
No Budget DIY Music Videos
Originally hailing from Blenheim, Rose Muollo-Gray, aka Hybrid Rose, is a musician, artist and producer who is keen to progress and make change. Having released her debut album 'Cosmic' last year, she ...
X-Factory
X-Factory: 2018 APRA Silver Scroll Award Finalists – The Art Of Surprise
No matter what the accumulated critics’ choices or popular picks might leave us expecting on the night, the winner of the 2018 Silver Scrolls will be a surprise when announced on October 4. Last year ...
X-Factory
X-Factory: Carnivorous Plant Society – Don’t Go Outside
On first hearing Carnivorous Plant Society ’s Don’t Go Outside I felt transfixed by the performance, recorded live for RNZ in March. A seven-piece band packed the studio with vibraphone, keyboards, ...
Road Rules
Road Rules: Staying Healthy As A Working Musician
Tattletale Saints’ bass player and singer Vanessa McGowan has previously provided NZM readers with insightful lessons and tips on working with session musicians and being a ‘badass’ backing vocalist. ...
Building Blocks
Building Blocks: Self-Manage Or Bust!
Self-manage or bust: Ask the average working musician how they’re doing these days and they’ll likely shrug and tell you, “I’m managing.” In other words, they’re managing to make a career out ...
Deep Thinking
Deep Thinking: Sidney Carton’s Steps
This Deep Thinking piece is a solo bass tune with a nod in the direction of Charles Dickens (a ‘nod’ being the important word…). I would like to say it is a ‘far, far’ harder piece than the last ...
Finding Your Voice
Finding Your Voice: The Yoga Of Voice
This column investigates and celebrates the connection between the physical body, spirit and sound. I combine vocal warm-ups with yoga. Or, you could say my yoga practice incorporates a vocal warm-up. Attending ...