Made in NZ
Posted: Sun Jul 27, 2008 8:51 pm

---

Hello fellow Musicians and artists. I am a Musician in the weekends, songwriter whenever I am inspired and a Print Sales rep during the day. So often I hear my prospects say "no thanks, we get it off-shore for a quarter of the price!" I am kept sane by the exciting fact that there are a million lyrics and melodies yet to be written... and they can't be made in China :-)

This message was edited by colours on Mon Jul 28, 2008 12:24 pm.

RE: Asian Made
Posted: Sun Jul 27, 2008 8:57 pm

---

.....ok i culdnt understand that thread both wasted AND sober. wts wif the title and wots it about again?

This message was edited by tidsy on Sun Jul 27, 2008 8:59 pm.

RE: Asian Made
Posted: Sun Jul 27, 2008 9:37 pm

---

I really fail to see the analogy...

What???

Anything can be manufactured in China...

NZ Made
Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2008 12:20 pm

---

Sorry. My point is... that yes everything is now made in China and NZ Made is becoming a rare thing BUT what we are able to create uniquely as artists and songwriters they CAN'T manufacture in China.

Someone will get me - I'm sure - and they're the ones I'd like to hear from.

This message was edited by colours on Mon Jul 28, 2008 12:24 pm.

This message was edited by colours on Tue Jul 29, 2008 10:17 pm.

RE: Made in NZ
Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2008 1:16 pm

---

I understand fully (and understood the first post, after a re-read)

I got some pants from Illicit... MADE IN CHINA... weak sauce. So much for being alternative and unique.

You'd love Ben Elton's "We Will Rock You" comedy musical - it's based in a future where the formula for making catchy songs has been cracked, and perfected, to the point that COMPUTERS make tunes that are cool for a day or two until the next fabricated single comes out.

And it's getting a bit like that now

RE: Made in NZ
Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2008 9:30 pm

---

Thanks K.I.N.G.

I'll look out for Ben Elton's "We will rock you"

I do remember seeing a piece on telly about software that has been developed that can recognise a hit song - so I guess the possibilities are endless - maybe songwriting-development software.

That's crazy about the Illicit pants.

I used to Screenprint and I can remember about 20 years ago we had a contract from Reebok to print T-shirts. We knew they'd sell the Shirts for around $40 - $60 for and yet they used cheap Chinese-made T-Shirts which were probably bought for around $5.00 and the print would have cost only $1.00 - crazy.

I guess it shows just how much we will pay for labels.

I suppose I can't grizzle. If China were to strike oil, I'd be the first one to buy their cheap gas!

RE: Made in NZ
Posted: Tue Jul 29, 2008 10:06 am

---

This is true, unfortunately.

And the other reality is that your average John Q. Citizen isn't as discerning as the music lovers around here are, and would quite happily buy the soul-less dreck they repeat day after day on the radio. Some of us acutally want more than just a catchy chorus and a good hook, we want deeper music that makes us think and feel - THAT'S the kind of music they'll never be able to fabricate.

RE: Made in NZ
Posted: Tue Jul 29, 2008 9:41 pm

---

I had to chuckle when I read your comment because here I am desperately trying to come up with good hooks! I've written a dozen or so songs over the years and usually only got to one verse and chorus, or two verses no chorus - and then stopped because it didn't feel like a hit!

I guess my anticipation to make serious 'commercial' money from songwriting comes from playing covers week in, week out, and barely paying the bills from it - and still having to go work for the man during the day. I just want to be able to stay home with our kids and not even have to gig anymore - you see, our kids have been babysat almost every weekend of their 8 and 9 years of life and their Mum and Dad still get threatened with getting the phone cut off at least once every year!

However, there are exciting prospects on the horizon for my wee family musical unit. You see, I'm your average Jo three-chord construction feel-good songwriter while my partner is your 'out-there' jazz buff, competent bassist, guitarist , percussionist and vocalist.

You mentioned 'music that makes you think'.

My partner told me about the Andy Warhol era and told me about these cafes you could go to where they'd have someone playing live music in one side of the cafe and someone else totally independant on the other side - perhaps reading poetry.

Actually, one day he gave me a taste of what he was talking about. We were listening to Gato Barbeiri (brass player - not sure if trumpet or sax) and it just sounded like a mash of angry brassy nonsense but then Donn, my partner, began to narrate a scene from where we dive on the East Cape and the music seemed to fit perfectly with the picture he was painting of the dusk light falling on the ocean and the waves crashing in sporadically onto the rocks - it was mind-blowing, I thougt he'd practised it but it was all improv just like his playing abilities.

Maybe we could get those type of Andy Warhol cafe gigs happening again!

Isn't today's music exciting with the amount of different genre being explored and collaborated?

Me... I love it all.... and I'm sure that such a diverse appreciation and assimilation must surely be a key to success.

RE: Made in NZ
Posted: Tue Jul 29, 2008 10:15 pm

---

My God - I should consider writing a book!

Okay, here's a short thread - just to show I am capable of keeping it short...

DAVE DOBBYN...YOU ROCK!

Still producing great NZ-Made!

RE: Made in NZ
Posted: Wed Jul 30, 2008 10:12 am

---

*runs away*

can't stand dobbyn.... nothing personal, not even his songrwriting, his voice just grates me the wrong way. to each their own

RE: Made in NZ
Posted: Thu Jul 31, 2008 12:33 am

---

LOL.

Yes each to their own.

Granted his voice isn't that of a smooth Teddy Pendergrass, but then neither is Bob Dylan's and Bob is one of the great song-writers of old. Was it David Bowie that said that Bob is the man with a voice like sandpaper!

LOL.

I find everybody's voice grates on me if I listen to their whole album, I've got to mix it up, even genre...I can't listen to the same genre for too long... it grates on me - is that just me?

RE: Made in NZ
Posted: Thu Jul 31, 2008 7:26 am

---

Heh, I love a harsh voice. I love Dylan and Tom Waits. Nuff said.

Dobbyn's just to "nice" for me. Very mummys & daddys "awww that's a nice song" stuff. That ain't me. Heh, only in NZ can a goofy looking ginga midget be so successful

RE: Made in NZ
Posted: Sat Aug 16, 2008 1:23 pm

---

OK my time for the book.... ) As I have had a "few" and am passionate and recently upset about this topic..

Yeah I'm not a lay down my cards fan of Dobyn and also love the Harsh voice of Dylan & Waits- but really do have a lot of respect for him being able to make music for so long and still be able to sell records and pull crowds - escpecially in NZ - as our music labels and financial backing is so frail - I GIVE HIM THE BIG UPS FOR THAT..

On saying that - for him to also weather the NZ culture to tear down home grown, regardless of if it is music or manufacturing. Even tho there are huge culture changes already in motion on this - NZ needs to get over the tall poppy syndrome and just get out there and go hard. So what if it stinks - it's KIWI, invest in NZ for our future and our kids future.. I AM 100% buy NZ MADE.. where I can but as said in other threads.. this is probably because I am now living offshore 'very patriotic'.

Now understand this is not directed at K.I.N.G's response about Dobyn - it's bigger than that for me...
An Example - I saws a review on the Rock2WGN Festival (from what I understand the first attempt in a long while for a multi-day music festival in NZ since Sweetwaters YAY I was thinking, more festivals more exposure more musical culture development regarless of the johnra) - Anyway a review by a guy on stuff.co.nz - was picked up by a uk rag and blasted back on the front page Titled IGNORANT KIWI KISS FANS, a uk reporter took this review and wrote about how ignorant we were to give KISS and OZZY a bad review, blurting on about our shear lack of understanding of the greatness of these musicians and finished up saying..."AND NZ wonders why the music world often ends at Australia".
I was embarassed, but mad at the UK reporter for executing exactly what he was bashing us for ' basing a whole opinion on one reviewer's comments - narrow sighted, pissy little jorno from WGN picked up and quoted overseas dissing Ozzy & KISS. What trash we allow to publish in NZ, DOES have an impact overseas.
Thanks for listening to my ramble... KiaKaha (Stand Strong) NZ..

RE: Made in NZ
Posted: Sat Aug 23, 2008 7:44 pm

---

Hey BxX,

Great to hear your thoughts. You write better than me when you've had a few - perhaps I outta go have a few myself!

I think that there is some good financial backing in the form of Creative NZ. They fund 7.5 million $ a year toward individuals and groups for various artforms including music - something which they are stepping up in 2009.

Yes, it is a bit sad about the UK review. Hopefully we'll come back with some great stuff and really stick it to the critics.

I think we're on the right track for greatness. I am hearing it more and more when I listen to different bands on Juice TV. There are Rock Bands using jazz licks on guitar and I heard Che Fu mixing it up with a Middle Eastern flavour. The more we incorporate these other styles into our music, we'll start to make waves. OMC used the South American Tiuana Brass sound in 'How Bizarre' and went on to make 7 million bucks.

Never mind BxX...I promise you NZ will come up with something soon that will blow the world - we might even invent our own Genre - Suzanne Lynch's son's band Zed claimed to have created a new genre, but alas it is still simply Rock!

Rock on NZ!

RE: Made in NZ
Posted: Sat Aug 23, 2008 8:09 pm

---

P.S. I love Gene Simmons' show - his family are really well-rounded and down-to-earth! I barely remember KISS but I think I preferred them to the heavy-metaller, Ozz.

I certainly wouldn't pay to see Ozzy now though - however I would go see an old rock star like Neil Diamond, but only since seeing him on American Idol. I never thought much of him when I was younger, but when you hear someone like him perform after the youth of the Idols, you can hear that special x-factor that made him great in the beginning.

It's ironic because the song Neil Diamond performed on American Idol 'Simply Amazing Grace' was similar to Dave Dobbyn's recent song acknowledging themselves as the rat-bags they were in their young Rock'n'Roll days and dedicating their songs to the woman in their lives who weathered the storms and stuck by them throughout the years - thank you guys.

Age has certainly brought about wisdom in some - but what's Ozz singing about, and can you understand what he's actually singing?

This message was edited by colours on Sat Aug 23, 2008 8:13 pm.

RE: Made in NZ
Posted: Sun Aug 24, 2008 9:26 am

---

I can yes, but I'm not much of a fan of his solo stuff. I'm just impressed with the fact that he can still belt those songs out in his fragile condition.

There's fitter and younger guys who sound immeasurably worse

RE: Made in NZ
Posted: Sun Aug 24, 2008 11:36 pm

---

hey Colours i understand what you're saying in your first post. rest assured tho computers are a long way off making catchy lyrics (people are paid for that somewhere else lol). but take for example putting rhymes together. a computer could find rhyming words but they wouldn't all tell the story that the artist is wanting to put forward. also, there's words that rhyme but don't end with the same letters a computer wouldn't understand how to do that. music wise.....yes perhaps but it's hard to get excited over some computer tune

RE: Made in NZ
Posted: Mon Jun 8, 2009 3:45 pm

---

This is an automatic reply stating that Muzic Bot has closed this thread due to inactivity.

This means that there have been no posts made to this thread for a period of 12 months and the thread has been locked.

Now that this thread is locked, you will not be able to make any further posts to it.