Music News - Real Groovy congratulates 95bFM on 45 years
05 November 2015 - 0 Comments
It’s been near on 45 years since the Auckland student radio station began broadcasting illegally from a boat in the Waitemata Harbour. Since then, the bosom morphed into the mighty 95bFM, the longest-standing independent radio station in New Zealand.
In early 2010, 95bFM’s audience voted on the top 95 tracks of all time on the station – and number one was Darcy Clay’s Jesus I Was Evil. To celebrate this iconic track, and 95bFM’s 45 years on air, Real Groovy are proud to be part of a very special day in-store:
· Releasing Darcy Clay Jesus I Was Evil, a reissue of
the 1996 six track EP for the very first time on 45 rpm vinyl.
· Presenting a live in-store performance from Darcy’s original band with
guest vocalists performing selected tracks from the EP.
· Offering a brand new vinyl reissue of Hello Sailor’s classic
debut.
· Welcoming Harry Lyon and friends to perform live in-store.
· Hosting BFM’s friends and family, who will be broadcasting live and
DJing all day to keep the party going.
Darcy Clay Jesus I Was Evil 12” EP 45rpm
"I like playing guitar, but I like getting it right, and I’m actually – to tell you the truth – not a very good musician. I stuff up heaps, eh." – Darcy Clay
Trevor Reekie, co-owner of Antenna Recordings with Timothy Moon who co-signed Darcy, had just pushed play on a home recording he believed to be a contender for the Top 20, and an unhealthy percentage of his audience were struggling to see how it could be framed to work for them.
The sound that poured from the speakers was cut from a far more ragged cloth than the EMI staff were used to, but their reservations were outweighed by the assurances that Darcy Clay’s makeshift assault on the New Zealand Singles Chart was bound to succeed.
It was perfectly natural for the distribution arm of EMI to worry about the potential of their partner’s new signing, given the sales that imported R&B and hip-hop acts were reaping at that time in the late 90s. This home-made recording being pitched at them by Reekie – from a white-overall clad artist with a fast and loose attitude to how the industry was supposed to work – did not follow the rules, making Clay appear less than ideal as a candidate to fill the cash registers.
To have reached this point was already some kind of miracle. Clay connected with the right people at the right time, people who could see his unpolished delivery within the three minute borders of ‘Jesus I Was Evil’ for what it was – raw, untamed rock and roll, channelling the same enthusiasm that drove kids to smash up dance halls throughout the United States and Europe in the 1950s.
Bill Kerton was one of the first to pick up on Clay’s brilliance. As program director of Auckland’s 95bFM a copy of Clay’s 4-track recording found its way into his hands and without hesitating, Kerton fearlessly threw it into circulation on bFM’s highly coveted playlist and the top of the North Island got their first taste of the Grey Lynn native.
Live Performances from Jesus I Was Evil EP
Darcy Clay’s original band perform selections from the album live in-store with guest vocalists.
Hello Sailor vinyl reissue.
The years when Sailor ruled the local scene were only five in total. They got started in 1975; released two fine albums Hello Sailor (1977) and Pacifica Amour (1978); tried to invade Los Angeles in 1978; returned to NZ to rock the nation then toured Australia in 1979; returned to NZ for some final shows and some pay bills before saying goodbye in 1980.
Punks targeting Sailor as 'old wave' in 1977 was a little weird because they had been influenced by the US proto-punk of Iggy and the Velvets and tore the house down with their take on songs like 'White Light/White Heat', while the Kiwi young punks got their recipe out of England’s NME cookbook.
When Dave McArtney sadly died on April 15, 2013, one former '1977 punk' Buster Stiggs (Suburban Reptiles, The Swingers) commented on those times: “The old wave vs new wave thing was just a way to get publicity. I did a radio interview in Wellington with Graham, Harry and Dave where we totally slagged each other. Graham referred to us as ‘The Suburban Roof Tiles’. I renamed them ‘Goodbye Sailor’. After the interview we had a good laugh and partied on hard. ‘No one could play Iggy Pop's ‘Nightclubbing’ like the boys did.
No one can deny that Graham Brazier epitomised rock'n'roll rebellion and everything the punk attitude espoused. When he sadly passed away on 4 September 2015 he left a legacy of fronting a band that never lost its bottle or ability to thrill an audience, and songs that are part of the kiwi consciousness. The first Sailor album contains some of their most memorable songs and on Saturday 21 November, that classic debut from 1977 gets a long overdue, better than ever sounding vinyl reissue.
Live Performances from Hello Sailor
Harry Lyon and friends will complete the afternoons live music with some of the great tracks from Sailor’s debut album!
BFM Broadcast Live including guest DJs
95bFM will broadcast the morning show from 9-11am and have invited a selection of their favourite DJs to spin vinyl throughout the rest of the day.
Come out and see us on Saturday 21stNovember at 438 Queen Street from 9am to 7pm and help us celebrate with the good folks from 95bFM and friends.
More information at http://www.realgroovy.co.nz/Information/304
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