Newsletter Issue #327: 13 Mar 2011
I Felt Like A Fight, Alright?
Something extraordinary found its way on to my desk last week... something truly intimate and genuine... something that was impossible to put down once it was picked up.
Ruth Carr from Minuit fame has put pen to paper, and has come up with a quirkly and darkly humoured look at life, death and what it is that we do while we’re here.
The result is the amazing and inspirational I Felt Like A Fight, Alright? (due for release on 21 March 2011) and regardless of what music you enjoy, it is definitely worth taking the time to read.
I Felt Like A Fight, Alright? is an unexpected piece of New Zealand writing from a woman who is never one to preach but often has the whole 'congregation' singing along.
You can pick up I Felt Like a Fight, Alright? from selected bookstores, online from the Minuit Bookstore (minuit.bigcartel.com) and – for those cyber-savvy readers – digitally from http://www.mebooks.co.nz/.
As Rolling Stone magazine wrote about her band’s latest album Find Me Before I Die A Lonely Death dot com - "Despite an album title as black as midnight, Minuit’s music is often as joyful as a fat kid with cake".
Correction
In the last issue's editorial I mentioned how most Christchurch musicians appeared to have escaped the Christchurch earthquake unscathed. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Christchurch music has lost one of their favourite sons, Matti McEachen, bass player for Athenic and the Murderous Seth, and tattooist for Southern Ink. I've been told that "he is going to be missed by a whole lot of people, and was an absolutely amazing guy, a luminary human being".
- The muzic.net.nz team
Kasium
Kasium is Kieran Cooper (vocals, guitar), Chris Birch (drums, vocals) and Paul Braddock (bass) playing a unique brand of post-grunge-alternative-rock. Formed in 2008 in Auckland, the 3 piece have written and recorded their debut EP 'Premonition' and produced a video for their track 'Drowned'.
Currently working on a full length studio album with new material and an evolving sound. This has all been interspersed with numerous live shows for of a growing and appreciative audience"
What can we expect to see from Kasium over the next year?
You'll hear tracks from our upcoming album on the radio, we'll release a really cool music video Bjorn Ahman has produced for us, then we'll release the album and get out on the road
What advice would you like to give to other aspiring musicians?
I think knowing what you want is important. If you wanna write/play songs at home in your spare time or play in a covers band or something, thats cool, have lots of fun with it.
If you want to write/play original music as more than a hobby then you have to be committed and adaptable. If you are serious about getting out there then you wont just be jamming in the garage, you'll likely be your own managers, booking agents, promoters etc
It can be a lot of work but also very rewarding when you see it paying off.
Who are your favourite NZ musicians/bands, and why?
At heart we are Rock fans so Ryan Kershaw Band's 'Little Green Dragon' EP is a favourite as well as This Theory Of Static's 'Electricity' album. The songs are great and they spent time on getting the production quality really good.
Dakota Scream are a great live band we often gig with, lots of on stage energy and great songs. Trip-hop/industrial band Codeine Like Candy's EP is awesome. Die! Die! Die!'s 'Promises Promises' is always in my CD player as well as The Demi Whores 'Vol 1'.
Were also all big fans of Decortica. Its exciting and inspiring to see them doing so well and they deserve it. They work really hard and produce excellent music/videos/shows. Im getting carried away here but Just One Fix totally need a mention too.
'Blood Horizon' is a fantastic album and they are awesome to see on stage. We're really excited to be gigging with them and Dakota Scream at Zeal on April 30th.
What will Kasium’s next release be?
The music video for our track 'Drowned' will be released after we plug our singles for radio play.
How do you come up with your lyrics?
I try to decide what Im getting at when I put pen to paper. Is it something Im trying to say? Is it just cool sounding phrasing? If I am trying to say something I try not to give away too much these days. Being too literal is not so interesting!
Who would you most like to support live?
It'd be really cool to tour with Shihad. It'd be really awesome to see behind the scenes what has gotten them to where they are. I have so much respect for that band. They seem humble despite doing so well.
I ditched school one day to go to a signing they did at Sounds on Queen st when they released 'General Electric'. That was an awesome moment for me!
How do you believe Kasium fits into the NZ music industry?
I believe there is still a place for our style of music even though pop music is so trendy. The means of getting music to your target audience is always changing but I hope we do well regardless of whether its getting signed, staying independent etc
How do you describe Kasium’s music?
Somewhere between Grunge and Hard Rock. We get quite a few references to Alice in Chains and even Soundgarden from people who see us play. I think thats great but we certainly have our own twist. And our songs vary a lot in style etc so we hope it stays interesting
What is your favourite NZ venue?
ST JAMES! What the #*&k happened there?! That venue was so great and I saw so many great bands there. Bring it back! Otherwise I definitely like The Powerstation and The Kings Arms.
What is the best part of being a musician?
Going full circle. Creating something you are proud of and having someone enjoy it and get their own experience and feeling from it. Thats what I love about any form of art.
What NZ musicians or bands would you like to see more of, and why?
All the above NZ bands I mentioned, because they are all awesome as well as Crash Test For Favourite Things. Sorry we haven't seen you guys yet! We will real soon.
What is in your CD collection at home?
Aside from the NZ music I listed above Im enjoying listening to Kristen Hersh, Soundgarden/Chris Cornell, Alice in Chains, Smashing Pumpkins, Deftones, REM, Jeff Buckley, CKY, Sonic Youth.
The other guys are much the same but Paul is more into Metal/Hardcore and Chris likes Prog Rock/Metal quite a bit too
What is your most embarrassing on tour/gig moment?
We played at the Kings Arms a couple years ago and the mic stand came loose and drooped down. I was playing as well as trying to fix it.
It just came loose again so my buddy Jayce ran up on stage and put it together, tore my T-shirt to pieces and ran away again. Ok so its not THAT embarrassing but it was pretty funny.
What is your favourite place in NZ to be?
I love the Bay of Islands and Northland. Also Wellington, what a great city.
What inspired you to start Kasium?
I had a bunch of songs and loved to play and got pretty down when I wasn't doing something about it. Now I'm in the band I've always wanted to be in, playing music I'm really into.
I'm lucky to have found a couple of great musicians who are so into it too and contribute so much to it.
How did you come up with the name Kasium?
Initials from two current and one past band member
What is the best gig you have ever performed at, and why?
Playing bFM Fancy New Bands Showcase at Shadows was quite cool. We had a manic crowd that night. Our last gig at Kings Arms was good fun too. It was a great turnout and we debuted a new song which went off.
How do you keep in contact with your fans?
Social Networking sites are a massive part of it. We have www.kasium.co.nz now also but like most NZ bands we keep our Facebook etc pages up to date so people know what we are doing.
What rumour would you like to start about Kasium?
That we didnt actually meet at a Star Wars fan convention.
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The Phil Edwards Band
What can we expect to see from The Phil Edwards Band over the next year?
This year we will be touring throughout New Zealand and Australia, celebrating the release of our debut album 'Slow Borders'. We aim to release our next single along with another video. We are also planning a release into the
What advice would you like to give to other aspiring musicians?
Keep your music honest and don’t try to be someone you’re not because it will show. Work hard and always believe in yourself and your ability.
How do you come up with your lyrics?
Lyrics seem to just come most of the time, if you sit down and try to force them out they just sound fake.
Who would you most like to support live?
The artist we’re most into at the moment would be Scottish singer song writer Paolo Nutini, so opening for him would be an amazing experience.
How do you describe The Phil Edwards Band’s music?
The music has a distinct relaxing feel which seems to bring out a real summer vibe, mixed with love and honesty.
What NZ musicians or bands would you like to see more of, and why?
Two great New Zealand bands we would love to see more of would be The Thomas Oliver Band and Tahuna Breaks. The TOB is stacked with talent and have an amazing live show.
T Breaks are an exciting live act you can never get enough of.
The Phil Edwards band is Phil Edwards (vocals), Adrian Ashdown (bass), Ryan Wilson (drums), James Townend (harmonica, percussion, backing vocals), Tom Charleson (guitar, backing vocals) and Hamish Mclean (saxophone, keyboards, trombone).
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Finalists announced for Taite Music Prize 2011
After much deliberation and more than a few considered discussions, the finalists for the second Taite Music Prize have been decided. Named after the late Dylan Taite, one of the country's most highly respected music journalists, the Taite Music Prize has been established to champion the finest release by a New Zealand artist or group, specifically focusing on the artistic merit and creative excellence of one album released in the previous calendar year. Acknowledging creativity and musicianship regardless of sales figures or genre, it is the first of its kind in New Zealand.
This year's nominees, from a lengthy list submitted by record labels both independent and major from right across the country, are:
Dudley Benson - Forest: Songs by Hirini Melbourne (Golden Retriever Records)
Connan Mockasin - Please Turn Me Into the Snat (Self Released)
Julia Deans - Modern Fables (Tardus Music)
Die! Die! Die! - Form (Flying Nun)
Ladi6 - The Liberation Of (What? Music)
The Naked and Famous - Passive Me, Aggressive You (Somewhat Damaged)
The Phoenix Foundation - Buffalo (The Phoenix Foundation)
Street Chant - Means (Arch Hill Recordings)
NZ On Air funding news and March results
NZ On Air has awarded the final grants for two of its music funding schemes – the New Recording Artist and album funding - to prepare for a new music funding scheme to be launched mid-year.
The new scheme, which follows Chris Caddick’s independent review into NZ On Air’s music funding released in December 2010, is expected to be announced in May, once details are finalised. It will be launched 01 July, 2011.
NZ On Air Chief Executive Jane Wrightson said both the album funding scheme and the New Recording Artist funding scheme were closed earlier than planned to allow NZ On Air to channel funding and staff resources into its new programme.
“The last album funding allocations were made this month and there will be no June funding round,” said Ms Wrightson. “This will enable us to divert the funds that we would have spent on albums into the new scheme and boost the budget for the new year.”
New Zealand @ South By Southwest 2011
The music and entertainment world will be descencing upon Austin for the annual South By Southwest Music & Media Festival being held from March 10 through to March 20, 2011, in Austin, Texas.
This year SXSW celebrates its 25th anniversary, and will see over 1900 bands play during the 4 day festival in a multitude of venues in and around the world famous 6th street in downtown Austin, Texas. The conference attracts over 13000 music professionals and fans alike from all over the world with the common interests of music and music business.
For a comprehensive list of where and when the New Zealand bands will be playing in Austin please visit http://www.outwardsoundnz.com/
APRA/AMCOS: Announcing the 2011 APRA NZ Professional Development Award recipients
The Professional Development Awards (PDAs) are a permanent fixture on the APRA cultural calendar. From the beginning the awards have been met with such enormous enthusiasm and interest that APRA now offer eleven PDAs across New Zealand and Australia to promising music writers and composers.
APRA NZ presents the PDAs biennially recognising excellence in three compositional genres: Classical, Pop Contemporary and Film & TV. The recipients each receive $12,000 cash to achieve their professional development and advance their careers.
“It’s a pleasure to encourage our writers to make bold and exciting plans and then invest in making those plans happen”, says APRA’s Director of NZ Operations, Anthony Healey.
The assessment of each PDA submission is completed by an independent committee, who were again impressed by the high level of the applicants this year.
“Each of the recipients is uniquely talented, and has immense potential for the future,” says Anthony Healey. “We look forward to seeing this potential develop.”
Rise Against returning to NZ!
With merely a fortnight to go until the release of their highly anticipated new album Endgame, Rise Against have a massive announcement for Australasian fans to tide them over; a tour of New Zealand this July!
The Chicago quartet comprised of Tim McIlrath, Zach Blair, Joe Principe and Brandon Barnes will return this year for their first headlining tour since their completely sold out national tour of March 2009. Expect to hear old and new songs alike (new album Endgame out 11 March from Universal).
The band’s massive 2009 tour and 2010 Big Day Out performances were highly lauded for their relentless energy and imprinted on all in attendance.
Darklight Corporation Application
Darklight Corporation have just released their Darklight Corporation Iphone app!
FREE Darklight Corporation App for Iphone, Itouch and Ipad. Free streaming of all our music and videos plus regular updates of shows and releases.
Get it on Itunes here NOW
http://itunes.apple.com/nz/app/darklight-corporation/id422549841?mt=8
Shooting Spree and Duke Heart Maddie Exhibition
Local band photographer (and fantastic muzic.net.nz reviewer), Amanda Ratcliffe – AKA amandashootsbands is teaming up with The Plush Room’s Antoinette Ratcliffe to deliver what will be what Jem once said - a ‘truly truly truly outrageous’ evening filled with colorful treats down in the basement at one of Auckland’s most iconic music venues – Galatos.
Shooting Spree and Duke heart Maddie is an exhibition that comes in two parts, which has been lovingly joined together with a simple ‘and’ in the middle. The gals have been working on their pieces for the past couple of months, and are gearing up for the FREE one-nighter which is set to be held on the 10th March from 6-9:30pm.
Works on display and for sale on the evening will be Amanda Ratcliffe’s shootings – a range of photographic treats, so delightful your mouth will water from just looking at them. Such pieces include favorite images taken of live performances, along with some back stage and promotional specials, which are rather exclusive and unique to the photographer herself.
The Annual Dunedin Recording Award
The New Zealand Music Industry Centre (NZMiC) collaboration between the University of Otago Music Department and local music business Dunedinmusic.com Ltd are delighted to announce the establishment of The Dunedin Recording Award.
NZMiC has identified and created an opportunity for established NZ recording artists that have significantly contributed to thriving NZ cultural identity to be recognised with a substantial award of 7 days recording in Dunedin.
This annual award comprises 7 days of studio recording time utilising the state of the art SSL digital console located in the heritage main studio located at the NZMiC Albany Street Studio complex.
The inaugural recipients of this award are: The Clean.
Eventfinder Recognised for Best User Experience by ONYA Awards
Eventfinder’s “Eventfinder Pro”, an application created for event organisers and promoters to set up online ticketing for events, has been awarded Best User Experience at the ONYA Awards, held Saturday 19 February in Wellington.
The application, available at http://pro.eventfinder.co.nz provides streamlined access to Eventfinder’s free publishing and distribution services for event information plus a fast and easy interface to set up ticketing for all kinds of events.
The ONYAs are presented by the Webstock team: “We wanted to create some awards that meant something to the industry, that were credible and relevant. We wanted some awards that focused on the web and didn't relegate that to a category amongst broader design awards. And we wanted the awards to be judged by the best people we could find”.
Latest Christchurch Earthquake Music Updates
Alpine Springs postpones country and blues night ‘Under the Big Sky’
Red & Black Quake Relief Concert in Wanaka
Santana Cancels Christchurch Show
International Jazz & Blues Festival postponed
Grassroots Cancelled
Other NZ Music News
Gig and Tour News
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Muzic.net.nz News
New Artists
The following musicians were added to the muzic.net.nz website during the last fortnight:
| 42 | Axesword |
| David Ding | SeaBed |
| Barnaby Weir | Elizabeth Marvelly |
| Tiddabadés |
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Reviews and Julia Deans (Fur Patrol) Interview
These reviews were added to the site in the last two weeks, check them out at the links below:
House Of Shem - Island Vibrations Album Review
NRG Rising - From Darkness to Light
Ulcerate @ Bodega, Wellington - 12/02/2011
Made in China and Osmium Southern Deliverence Tour 11/02/2011
An Emerald City - The Fourth Album Review
Horror Story 19/02/2011 The Royal, Palmerston North
Ruby Frost - Moonlight EP Review
High on Fire and The Melvins Gig Review
You can check out every single interview and review in our Articles Page.
Tour Features
Every feature we have ever had on the site can be viewed here.
Information about muzic.net.nz newsletters
The next muzic.net.nz newsletter is going out on 27 March.
There is feature space available from this date onwards.
If you would like to feature in a muzic.net.nz newsletter, contact Lisa for further details.
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Our newsletters are sent out to over 8320 members and with this number growing every day, featuring in our newsletter will provide excellent exposure for you or your band. And, as the people who receive our newsletters have subscribed to them, they are more likely to read what you have to say.
Featuring in our newsleter is a fantastic promotional tool. Our 2010 newsletters proved to be very popular. Our newsletter archives are one of the most accessed areas on the site.
If you would like to advertise anything to do with NZ music in our newsletter and/or gig mail out, email Lisa. It is 100% FREE to feature or advertise in our newsletter and gig mail outs!
Our next gig mail out is going out on 20 March.
- The muzic.net.nz team
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