Newsletter Issue #548: 06 Mar 2022
This month we hear from some of NZ music's biggest supporters in Australia - the men behind The NZ Show on 4ZZZ 102.1 in Brisbane; Lindsay, Bernie and Jeff.
Lindsay:
It's 1983 and...
In 1983 Lindsay started the NZ show. It happened while he lay in bed listening to 4ZZZ FM after arriving in Brisbane and hearing the Screaming Meemees' Stars In My Eyes on a late-night triple zed announcers show. He had been in Brisbane for about 1 week, and being 23 and an immigrant, he was trying to find a social group to hang out with. So, he started the journey of creating a radio show.
And here we are in 2022, what has changed? Well, a lot, but in some ways nothing. Being on the outside of the NZ music industry and not having any funding or being in the bubble, while broadcasting in the great brown land of Australia has had an effect of us learning and understanding that this is a huge market with different tastes and so much more opportunity to get lost in a bigger and far more diverse market than New Zealand. Jeff, Bernie and I have a huge Kiwi knowledge and when we were younger and living in NZ, we went out and watched and spent our hard earned cash on supporting Kiwi music. One of one of us also made a living many years ago in radio in NZ.
That said, New Zealand has the biggest and most diverse Music industry I have ever come across but lots of the current batch of Kiwi artists are not known inside NZ. Our constant question to kiwi artists on the show is "Are you getting any support from TV or radio?" and herein lies the problem; profile, audience and airplay make a huge difference. So, why is NZ radio after 3 decades still at the stage it was when I felt a dire need to showcase Kiwi music to the world? Australia is a huge market and it's sometimes like a lot of separate countries. I broadcast on a public radio station that is a subscription model. 4ZZZ itself runs on a shoestring but it has reach to The Sunshine Coast and The Gold Coast, We as a team programme our shows, do our interviews and work fulltime jobs. The importance of profile marketing and time spent here is important to your and our bottom line.
Covid has taught us one thing; you need to keep fighting for profile in your own country because NZ is not good when it comes to giving you a profile. Learn from your Aussie cousins. When you come to Australia, it's make a profile one state at a time - play the regions and stay here for a while (you might get claimed by the Aussies but we know the truth), and let’s get through to all and every expat we can find, because if I ask most Australians here to name 5 New Kiwi Artists they won’t be able to. Our work is not done yet the fight is just beginning and when touring comes back it will be with a roar. We are here for you always so make it loud and make it Proud.
Lindsay Eadon is 62 and started the NZ show in 1983, he has been the constant member of the show. The current team has been together for 6 years. Commonly known as the boss, Lindsay likes all genres of music. He's originally from Auckland and also works in retail.
Bernie:
There was an article in January’s edition of the Honest Broker (read it here) entitled Is Old Music Killing New? It's a very good piece, a great discussion provoker. I recommend you read it,
My personal take is no, it is not. There is a great big bucket load of good new music out there, you just have to go and have a look.
I think a lot of what prompted the premise of the article has to do with radio. Commercial radio in particular. And it has always been this way, even more so nowadays.
For those that don’t know, commercial radio, like most media, makes its living from advertising.
The bigger the audience, the more they can charge to get income. In order to get the most listeners, they try to play the most liked music. This was usually what was being bought from the shops or was being pushed by the music industry as a hit.
In the past a lot of this playlist trend has had to do with intuition and choice, but in modern times it is decided by algorithms dictated from overseas, and what we get is the lowest common dominator.
It is a safe playlist, so old music that is proven already popular, or manufactured hits with guaranteed industry investment and promotion is the order of the day, and as years go by, there is more of it to choose from.
This is why non-commercial radio such as RNZ, low band FM and Community Radio are more important in the bland music landscape than ever before.
Our show, The New Zealand Show, on Brisbane 4ZZZ FM 102.1mhz (listen to it here) is dedicated to showcasing the latest New Zealand music offerings to both the Australian audience and those who listen on-line overseas.
Of course we still do play some oldies, as
nostalgia is part of the makeup of our show, but I think we produce a good
balanced mix, with over 60% average of new Kiwi release played every Tuesday
night from 8pm to 10pm.
We are forever surprised at just how much quality new music is being produced in NZ, and we are forever discovering more.
It is fair to say that when we interview artists, the common theme is how hard it is for them to get their songs out there in the home country. It is good to see occasionally bands like Sit Down In Front get a bit of traction, but the Big Radio Boys need to have a good look at themselves and start backing the locals BEFORE they are noticed by overseas audiences, and I am talking prime time here, not tucked away in a late night spot. The usual MO is that when one of our artists start to gain popularity in other countries all of a sudden FM adds them to the playlist. Once again safe.
To be fair, I never heard The Clean’s Tally Ho played on commercial radio back in the day, even when it was a hit seller, yet now it’s classic fodder, but back then TV’s Ready To Roll wouldn’t even play Joy Division’s Atmosphere when it was #1 in the country, so you think we would have improved our attitude over time, but alas, it does not seem so.
It may well be harder to get commercial success now, as music used to have a narrower stream into the public conscience. Less radio stations, everyone watched RTR and Radio With Pictures, we were fed the same diet, with a few outside influences from individuals in the know who would slip you a mixed tape of some indie bands now and then.
Modern day sees a plethora of avenues to discover and mine the music motherlode, artists can produce quality music in the comfort of their bedrooms, and release it on their own labels and websites. However it is still radio that provides the best avenue to get it out to the masses, the listening experience is still a joy when you hear a cracking new banger for the first time when driving to work.
So maybe
it is time to vote with your ears, and support your local community radio, because they seem to be the ones who are supporting local music. Community Radio (such as 4ZZZ) survive on listener subscription, which is usually very affordable, so consider
signing up to your local. Who knows, if the big guns lose their audience, they might start to put some support behind our fantastic new music, and our airwaves will sound more Kiwi, and not just another saccharin bland sound-a-like every other station
in the world commercial pap that we have always had to put up with.
New Zealand has music and artists that deserve our attention and airplay. Amen.
Bernie Hammersley is part of the NZ Show on Brisbane’s 4ZZZ 102.1FM.
He hails from Christchurch, and was first heard on the airwaves on a 3ZM Schools Program produced by Steve Parr in the early 80”s. This was followed by a few random appearances on Radio U, until he departed to overseas adventures.
Eventually landing in Brisbane and attending the Brisbane Radio school in the 90’s, he eventually was found hanging at 4ZZZ, doing OB’s, Merch and gig Photography, until finally joining the New Zealand Show relevantly recently.
Also part of the team at 4ZZZ 102.1FM is Jeff Barrett:
Jeff is from Taranaki. 1993 In New Plymouth; he landed a job as an announcer on Rock 100 before moving to The Rock 95.6 and Easy 98 under the EnergyFM umbrella. Moving to Australia in the early 2000's, Jeff joined BeauFM 101.5 in Beaudesert, rising to vice-president position in 2014. He transitioned to 4ZZZ in 2016, joining the New Zealand Show in that year. Jeff also hosts a 3 hour metal show on Triple Zed called 'Crunch Factor'.
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Many thanks to Lindsay, Bernie and Jeff for writing this month's guest editorial.
If you would like to write a guest editorial, please email [email protected] for more info
Photos: Devilskin with Brooke and Jeff, Martin Phillipps with Lindsay in 1992, The Datsuns with Lindsay in 2004.
Daniel Hayles is a piano player, producer, Musical Director and teacher living in Wellington, New Zealand. With his brand new album Other Futures recently released on 4 March, he had a few words with Muzic.net.nz:
How did you become involved in music?
I started playing piano as a toddler, and then took weekly piano lessons from then until the end of University at age 23. I copied lots of things by ear from Steely Dan and Elton John records. I got into playing in a group in high school with some mates and older musicians in Taranaki, and that was the time I got stuck in as an arranger/orchestrator, which still takes up a lot of time now. I started producing music as an extension of the arranging thing while I was at university and it's become more of an outlet over the past five years or so.
What NZ bands and musicians would you like to tour with, and why?
In this era (February 2022), touring with any band would be a dream! I love heavy grooving bands with good energy, like Rob Ruha's The Witch Doctor, and I've always wanted to tour with a reggae band like 1814. I love to get lost in the trance of a rhythmic piano part.
How would you describe your music to someone
who hasn't heard it before?
It's constructed around improvised bursts of piano, with puffs of synth and percussion, pulsing bass, held together by sample-based beats born in the golden era of hip-hop. There is a mix of clean and dirty parts, shining strings and gravelly low end. It pulls you in and then lets you float back out.
What NZ bands and musicians would you like to see more of, and why?
The bands from my first few years of living in Te Whanganui-a-Tara like Olmecha Supreme, Electric Wire Hustle, Eru Dangerspiel, The Eggs, Myele Manzanza, The Pleasures... for one thing, I love nostalgic musical experiences, and I was so inspired at the time – all these bands (to various degrees) had explosive and dazzling music with international dimension, and home-made soulful authenticity at the same time. So I guess I find music in that vein more exciting than a lot of what's out there – music that seems like it's just a weird over-ambitious advertisement for itself.
What is your favourite NZ venue, and why?
The Rogue And Vagabond in Whanganui-a-Tara. It's home for a lot of the bands I'm in. The atmosphere, staff, bands, and the menu are all on point and they are always keen to work with the music community to improve what they do for us and for the public.
Have you got any tips for dealing with nerves before a gig?
Prepare! Get the music down, write notes on your set list, have a careful sound check so you know the feeling will be good on stage. Don't drink too much coffee. Sit down and conserve energy. Look around at the rest of the band and remind yourself how mean it is to be a musician.
Do you have any advice for aspiring musicians?
Don't get hung up on being deeply creative. Getting enough sleep and living a balanced life is okay if that's what you want or need. Feel your feelings. Some of the greatest artists in the world have one genuine idea per year, and they make it work. Everything involved with the pursuit of creativity, is creativity. Read Creative Quest by Ahmir 'Questlove' Thompson. Do your thing. Don't wear yourself out.
Delving into the depths of NZ heavier music, The Distorted Transmission is hosted by Will Stairmand (Primacy, Remote). There's been a few great interviews uploaded during February, check out all the latest interview at the below links:
We have interviews for Lorenzo Hazelwood, Saurian, Plague of the Fallen, Filth Wizard, Black Gravel City and Obligatory Fiend coming up - keep up to date with all things Distorted Transmission over on the Facebook page here.
Brought to you in association with Muzic.net.nz, we recently welcomed in the second season of the A/Muse video interview series, with an incredibly in-depth interview with Michael Murphy from Written By Wolves.
Starting off 2022 for It's A Wrap with Roger, Muzic.net.nz resident music connoisseur Roger Bowie caught up with some great NZ musicians during February. Click on the links below to hear what was said:
PAUL McLANEY
Episode #127 Toby Lloyd
On our latest
episode we talk to Wellington based producer Toby Lloyd. Toby has worked with a long list of great artists including Hollie Smith, Stan Walker, Ladi6, Louis Baker, Jermaine Clements and Shapeshifter. Before going out on his own, he worked at Peter Jacksons’ Park Road Studios and was part of the team that made The Hobbit Trilogy, Mortal Engines and Hunt For The Wilderpeople. These days Toby is all about
his family and all about the music. We had a great chat that continued well after we stopped recording. Great talks. Enjoy!
Artist Search
We're opening the podcast up to artists and inviting people to email us their music. We're looking for music that's a little more interesting and inspiring than the usual 1, 4, 5, 6 over a 'beat' deal. We know there are some innovative and creative artists out there who haven't found a way to get heard and we would love to hear from you and play selected songs on our show. Email us at [email protected]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
SEEKING NEW TEAM MEMBERS
Want to share your love of music with the world? Seen what the industry is going through, and want to do more to help? Look no further than the premiere NZ music website - Muzic.net.nz!
The MNZ team are looking for more amazing individuals to join
our team of volunteers, as reviewers. The criteria is simple - you must be computer literate, get along well with others and be able to meet due dates. You'll hear new music before anyone else, have full access to a media only music platform, meet
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Please note - due to COVID, the gig dates on these features cannot be guaranteed.
Please refer to the band/musician official website or relevant ticketing agency for further information.
Our next newsletter is going out on Sunday 3 April!
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