In today's Muzic.net.nz newsletter, we bring you the very first guest editorial for 2021, with many thanks to Koert Wegman from Whanganui band Pull Down The Sun:

Post-tunnel vision and my quest for diversity in music

Let's start by setting the scene. 

- It’s Whanganui in 2003, I’m 14, I have dyed jet black hair, I’m wearing a knock off Metallica T-shirt and I’m cranking White Zombie’s La Sexorcisto through my Phillips mini system. Life is good and life is metal. -

When asked to write this by the lovely Lisa Jones, I had a few topics that came to mind, but nothing really jumped out. 

I could write about the struggles of putting on a music festival during the current Covid 19 timeline or my insight into how to get on festivals, but I felt most of that has already been said.

While I have a few good insights into those examples, I wanted to write about something a bit more personal this time and save that for later. 

It wasn’t until I opened my Spotify and then it clicked - my 14 year old self would kick my arse if he knew what I was listening to at the tender age of 32. 

My Spotify’s home page is whack. There’s no Slayer. There’s no Metallica. There’s no White Zombie. Just a bunch of late 80’s and 90’s pop and synthwave music. What the fuck has happened? What old man’s playlist is this? 

I grew up with a wide variety of music being played in our household. Everything from UB40 to Pink Floyd, Abba to Black Sabbath and BB King to Bob Marley. But back then, music didn’t quite drill in the way it would in years to come. The radio was always on, from the moment we got up for school to waiting in the car while mum went into the supermarket. It was all just background noise while I played with my Lego.

Fast forward to intermediate, a friend gave me a mix cassette with a bunch of “scary” music that he stole from his older brother. I guarded that tape at school, all the way home and made sure my mother wasn’t in the vicinity before I unleashed demons and hell via my tape player. 

When the first note of Blackened by Metallica hit my ears, I was hooked. Next came Domination by Pantera. Then Angel of Death, then Soul Crusher and then Arise by Sepultura. Jesus Christ, my brain and body wasn’t used to this. Limp Bizkit’s Chocolate Starfish and Linkin Park’s Hybrid Theory weren’t exactly heavy but that’s all I had known and I believed they were as heavy as it gets. Not anymore.

I sat there and listened through that whole tape. I was addicted and I needed more. 

I spent the next few years chasing that high and searching for heavy. With exception to the likes of Alice In Chains, Tool, Rage Against the Machine and System of a Down, nothing else from my previous years was good enough, nothing else that anyone listened to was heavy enough and I found myself believing that metal was and is the supreme genre. I found myself having arguments with friends about which bands were heavy and constantly waiting for my turn to put Sepultura or Morbid Angel on the CD player, to assert my musical dominance. 

I became a denier of my own musical taste history - “Yuck! I never listened to Limp Bizkit!” and like many still around today, I had metal tunnel vision. 

It wasn’t until I met my match and a new friend to our group started telling me that the bands I held high were shit. My own medicine entered my mouth and fuck it was bitter. “What a dick, how dare he talk down to me”. Click. 

All those years of being THAT guy it finally dawned on me that I was him to so many people. 

That night I went home with my tail between my legs and revisited my early musical favourites. Lo and behold, I still liked them. 

It was almost like the feel of an old comfy sweatshirt that’s worn in and fits just right. 

I let go and realised that I could like whatever the fuck I wanted to like. I apologised to everyone I pushed my tunnelled tastes on. I was free.

Now, everyone is entitled to their own opinion and I’m sure there’s still many in the scene that still think that way. And that’s totally fine, but for me, I believe diversity in the music you listen to is key. 

If you are a writer of music, your songs will definitely benefit. I can’t remember how many times I’ve got writer's block while trying to write something brutal. I’ll chuck on something unrelated like Ace of Base, Joywave, Bee Gees, Battle Tapes or Wu Tang Clan and the ideas start flowing again with it almost being regimental now. I actively search out music I haven't heard or music that makes me uncomfortable at first, and boy do I find some gems. 

While it’s not a massive stretch from the topic, I’m quite proud of my own band Pull Down the Sun’s tour that we have just completed in this beautiful country. We aren’t exactly the biggest or heaviest band but we managed to pull together over 20 bands from different reaches of the NZ rock and metal scene for 12 shows, many of whom haven’t played with the other bands on the line ups, down to the fact that they are either too heavy or not heavy enough to suit. 

Bands from the same towns that haven’t ever played shows together or local punters that had never seen the other local band play until these shows. It blew my mind. 

Hopefully, it took the blinders off for some and opened their eyes to the possibility of listening to or playing with some of these brilliant bands on their own shows or tours and get the chance to meet and hang out with the beautiful people in those bands, most of whom I now call great friends. 

If I could finish this all off with a request, it would be for each person that reads this to please change it up from time to time. Don’t trap yourself within a box. Revisit those old guilty pleasure songs and wear them like an old sweatshirt. Go check out that music that you’re not sure of and head along to that local gig with the bands you haven’t heard. Support each other and grab your share of the love that creative people ooze. Chances are that you’ll hear something you like or at the very least get inspired.  And remember, you don't have to always like something to respect it.

Show your 14 year old self how fucking cool you look in that old worn in sweatshirt, while he kicks your arse to a playlist you made that has Nile’s Lashed To the Slave Stick next to Nelly Furtardo’s Turn Off The Light. 

- Koert Wegman

Yes, it’s May, but it might as well be any other month. For us, the music never stops and our ethos never changes.  

Be it May, December or August, New Zealand music is always the focus for us – in a big way.  

Muzic.net.nz and its volunteers represent an enormous hive of passion and knowledge that culminate in this website.  It’s an asset, by the community, for the community.  

And now, after 22 years, on this arbitrary month, we step back and have a look at our achievements. We've taken a comprehensive look at what we do, what we’ve done, what we’ve lived through and seen during more than two decades of unwavering support for the music of Aotearoa. Check it out here.

It’s also a great reminder of just how much information and just how many resources you have access to, being part of the Muzic.net.nz family. Have a look through all of our reviews, photo galleries, features, interviews, past newsletters and A-MIC – the newest extension of our safe, all-inclusive, NZ music focused space.

Muzic.net.nz - where every month is NZ muzic month!

Words by Chris Poipoi

The Culmination Of A Start/Stop/Start Tour came to its climactic conclusion on Friday evening when Big Tasty hit the stage to complete their 2020 Battle of the Bands (BoTB) Winners Trophy National Tour.

Originally set to kick the Tour off right here at Anthology Lounge in early March, (no thanks to effing Covid) the opening show had to be postponed and rescheduled. So what was first deemed to be the Tour Launch essentially became the Tour Finale! As one who was stoked to be at that launch, it now being the last show, suggested a certain significance (to me anyway). It made sense that after many hours of tour rehearsals and stage performances as well as travel bonding (I've heard there are a number of "not-to-be-uttered" stories not to be told; eh Mr T ???? ), that this Tour Finale would be a biggie.

I was not disappointed.

With an excellent build up from The Minnehahas, Cafe Fistfight and The RVMES, the stage literally was set. And once a temporarily AWOL keyboardist was found to count in the opening song, with a smile disguised as a sneer, lead guitarist (and Ringmaster Supreme) Joseph Chase beginning the cool riff of Diamond Eyed Crazy, and BOOM, the show was ON. Unconsciously (and sometimes consciously) directing things like a producer manipulating faders, the floating riff lasted seconds, and then suddenly, overtaken by full-throttle 9 piece sound!

To his right stood the wondrous Manuela Herrera with mesmerizing use of her hands, always twisting this way and that, powering out her vocal strands. If the sound had been better balanced, I may have even heard the true power of her voice.

On his left shoulder stood the immovable Niki Te Whaiti, planted like an Atiamuri poupou, full dress suit attire, blurting out baritone sax accompaniments. I have solid images of him in that same posture most of the night! Legend bro! As total contrast, tall timber Marty McGaw was bouncing up, down, sideways, longways with that equally tall (er, long) trombone of his, blaring out his mean-as elephant blasts!! Not to be dismissed, Jerome Drumm on trumpet added sweetness to the wind section, rounding up their full horn sound.

Standing comfortably in their shadow (once you saw past all the timber) bassist Lucas West plays his (like him) unassuming basslines. Hayden Keach on drums also in his part of this Tasty world soldiered through his "workload". Earlier that day he told me he'd woken up sick as a dog, but as the warrior-plumber he is, battled on giving the band their needed beat. I asked him how he was after the gig, and he was glad it was over (lol Keachy!)

At the front right, rhythm guitarist Mitchell (Mitch) Goodfellow sporting his trademark cowboy hat and big smile, grooved along contentedly as he always does.

To round off the band, Michael Ligani Turaganisoqo (Mikey T) on keys WAS ON FIRE!!!!

Bouncing about like a prize-fighting kangaroo, Mikey was everywhere, even moshing with us on the front row at times (what the hell Mikey ?????!!!) I've jammed with him heaps, and the driving groove this guy has is infectiously-unstoppable!!! What Mikey brings to the steady groove mentioned above is raw vibe and energy, and soooooo much fun. And as the Finale of their National Tour came to a close, the overall vibe generated from Big Tasty this night was fab-f*^#@^$-tastic!!! 

The crowd reaction to all this energy was great, everyone both onstage and off grooving to the Tasty beat. Sometimes it felt like I was listening to Earth Wind and Fire and even Chaka Khan. It was at times truly Orgasmic!! 

And with the final note played of their closing song Business Suite, BoTB 2020 was done!

Cheers BoTB

Thanks Anthology Lounge

Awesome Big Tasty!


Words by Chris Poipoi
Photo Credit: Jake Moir Photography

In Muzic.net.nz's second episode of Heavy Bassix, Zach Adamson speaks to Polish drum n Bass DJ & Producer, Takarat.

Heavy Bassix explores the world of New Zealand's Drum n Bass movement, and is brought to us from Muzic.net.nz's DJ Freecell himself, Kerry Kingi, and secondary interviewer Zach Adamson.

On episode #115 drummer & producer Greg Haver returns to the show to talk about his recent review of certain areas of the music industry and to discuss the new producers funding initiative called The New Music Development Scheme. We have a good laugh while tackling some hotly debated subjects.  

On episode #116 we were joined by NZ legend Mike Chunn. He played in Split Enz and Citizen Band, he was the director for APRA NZ, he founded and still runs Play It Strange, he's been a loud voice for many important subjects including mental health and the need for music to be given a higher priority in New Zealand culture. This was an exhilarating chat. There was laughter, there were tears and we even wrote a song!

Listen to our episodes on our website, iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Player.FM, TuneIn
and all other good podcast apps!

DON’T GIVE UP YOUR DAY JOB - THE PODCAST

www.dontgiveupyourdayjob.co.nz

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