News of New Zealanders via Global Media

Savage thoughts

Savage thoughts

King Kapisi spins the crowd: “Taking the crowd through a full turntable tutorial, including “the crab” and other techniques, Kapisi has them in the palm of his hand”.

Musical score

Musical score

“Pragmatic and visionary” New Zealander Grant Cooper scores a sugar plumb of a job, conducting New York’s Syracuse Symphony Orchestra.

Return to the scene

Return to the scene

Despite facing the sixth anniversary of the day Neil Finn saved his life by pulling him from a Piha rip, Pearl Jam singer Eddie Vedder is preparing to return to New Zealand for the…

Musical extravaganza

Musical extravaganza

“The concept for these shows is to invite friends whose music I admire to collaborate with me in presenting a week-long musical extravaganza which I optimistically expect to be a blast.”  

ATC in Manila

ATC in Manila

German-based lolli-pop group ATC, including Kiwi member Joe, hit Manila with their Europop/R&B blend.

Everywhere you go…

Everywhere you go…

Neil Finn, international star and “nice guy” of New Zealand pop, has invited a few friends to perform his “unmistakable” sound in Auckland.

Singing High

Singing High

New Zealand soprano soloist Rebecca Ryan sings world premier of  re-discovered Handel work.

Topp Twins

Topp Twins

The yodeling Topp Twins rock 25th Port Fairy Folk Festival in Melbourne.

Garageland USA

Garageland USA

Jeremy Eade, lead singer of New Zealand peppy-punkers Garageland, tours the US doing acoustic from latest release Do What You Want.  

…you take Finn with you

…you take Finn with you

One Nil  is the result of a musician “looking for collaborative work, where someone else is bringing something to the table”, but it’s still vintage Finn: still “rooted in the form and structure of…

Lord of nations…

Lord of nations…

“Barton’s encore – her own variations on the New Zealand national anthem, inspired by a tour of that country made at the invitation of James Judd – was full of devilish pyrotechnics, skittery bowings…

One Neil

One Neil

Neil Finn tours the UK and Ireland later this year in support of his album One Nil. His current mini-tour is rarking it up in London: “This one-off gig felt like a party where…

Garageland sale

Garageland sale

Auckland indie-poppers Garageland team with UK distributors foodchainrecords to release Do What You Want Stateside. PDF Copy

Touch of Class

Touch of Class

German band ATC’s Around the World (La La La La La) is big in Germany, but hasn’t hit New Zealand yet, home of singer “Joe”. 

Jazzy sound

Jazzy sound

New Zealand’s c.l. bob impress in Melbourne,  “an inventive ensemble whose music ranges from AfroCaribbean shuffles to Hendrix-style mayhem”.

Luna Live!

Luna Live!

New Zealand-born Luna lead Dean Wareham’s “uber-romantic, world-weary lyrics” feature on recent release Luna Live!

Tools out

Tools out

Carving New Zealand jade is among the retirement pursuits under consideration by Australian songster Rolf Harris.

Country & Urban

Country & Urban

New Zealand-born country singer/ songwriter Keith Urban’s “Rollercoaster” gets a Grammy nom, while Keith himself fronts Music Row mag and toasts his top-ten success.  

Neil plugged in

Neil plugged in

New Zealand maestro Neil Finn talks live, performs and announces the launch of his new website.  

Spin the disc

Spin the disc

Radio Pacific DJ Des Coppins hit the airwaves nude after losing his shirt, and his trousers, in an unwise bet.  

Perspective

Perspective

New Zealand-based singer Lucky Ali’s latest album cover reads: “The artist acknowledges that his success and acceptance is as temporary in nature as his own existence and that there are far more important issues…

Crowded post

Crowded post

Aussie(?) pop heroes Crowded House to feature on Australian Post stamps.

Edge Music

Edge Music

“Folk and traditional tunes” from New Zealand feature on the Glen Ellyn Children’s Chorus’ new CD, Flights of Song.

Dream note

Dream note

New Zealand-based Indian singer-songwriter Lucky Ali talks about his “upbeat, perky and positive” album and his two wives.

INXS Movie

INXS Movie

Kiwi singer Jon Stevens will feature in parts of the upcoming band bio-pic. Stevens replaced the late Hutchence, the only line-up change in fifteen years.  

Popstar export

Popstar export

Put it up there with kiwifruit and spreadable butter – the Popstars formula has become a unique New Zealand export success. Pop-packager extraordinaire David Foster will be involved in the US edition.

Harvey tour

Harvey tour

Singer-song writer PJ Harvey heads to the edge for a summer tour.

Out of flight juice

Out of flight juice

Kiwi music icons The Mutton Birds are due to tour the UK. They’re expecting a warm reception, but nervous they’ll be grounded if petrol shortages strike again.

Aria noms for Shihad

Aria noms for Shihad

Shihad, hard edge rockers of Wellington, now Melbourne, have three nominations for the Australian Recording Industry Awards, the Arias: best group, best album and best rock album.

Menace Knox in Chicago

Menace Knox in Chicago

Truly edgey Chris Knox described as “an acerbic, forceful wit, accomplished tunesmith and almost menacingly extroverted showman.”

Post-punk Beat

Post-punk Beat

“New Zealand post-punker Chris Knox and Austin, Texas-based cult figure Daniel Johnston are as indie as indie gets. Both write unflinching lyrics about love, life and madness. Both record their ditties on low-fidelity four-track…

High Dependency Unit and Loraxx play Chicago

High Dependency Unit and Loraxx play Chicago

The Chicago Independent Arts Festival begins in early October. New Zealand bands High Dependency Unit and Loraxx are going to be there, giving Chicagoites a taste of the Edge.  

Musicking: an activity not a thing

Musicking: an activity not a thing

New Zealander Christopher Small’s books have been paradigm-changing events. His latest “Musicking” focuses on what Small believes is music’s ultimate function: “to provide insight into relationships: between and among notes and chords and rhythms…

Striking a Cool Note

Striking a Cool Note

The arts festival running concurrently with the games in Sydney features Vaughan William’s Sinfonia Antarctica performed by the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, with narration by Sir Edmund Hillary.  

Listen up there, folks!

Listen up there, folks!

Jim Cuddy, one of the starring acts at the upcoming Ottawa Folk Festival, praises the depth of folk talent in New Zealand, but claims we’re not sufficiently proud of our “roots music”.  

Chris Knox: Not the Hallmark variety

Chris Knox: Not the Hallmark variety

Rolling Stone praises Chris Knox’s latest effort: “You can always count on a rock eccentric to make you scratch your head – but touch your heart? That’s usually not the province of ordinary weirdos,…

Rock at Home

Rock at Home

Alex Ross’ investigation of New Zealand music rock: “surface blips in the international musical marketplace give only a hint of an amazingly rich music…

Festival founding flutist celebrates the Hampton summer

Festival founding flutist celebrates the Hampton summer

Internationally acclaimed New Zealand-born flutist Marya Martin (Winner of the prestigious Young Concert Artists International Auditions) is the flute and artistic artistic director of the Bridgehampton Chamber Music Festival. Newsday talks to…

The Dunedin Sound #2

The Dunedin Sound #2

On August 9th, the 34th annual MacCrimmon Piobaireachd recital took place, as always, in the drawing room of Dunvegan Castle in Skye, Scotland, the seat of the 29th Chief of Clan MacLeod. It featured…

Lilith Lacroix Goes to the Olympics

Lilith Lacroix Goes to the Olympics

Well she’ll be performing, but at the Opera House, not Stadium Australia. Lilith, aka New Zealand composer Gareth Farr, brings his percussion concertos, Hikoi and Wairua to the Sydney Olympics Arts Festival. He’ll need…

Kiwi singer new sensation in INXS

Kiwi singer new sensation in INXS

Two years after the death of Michael Hutchence, Australian rock legends INXS have announced that they will return with former Noiseworks lead-singer Kiwi Jon Stevens at the mike. “We’ve got to get on with…

Firmly at the Front of the Nu-skool Jazz and Beats Movement

Firmly at the Front of the Nu-skool Jazz and Beats Movement

On the verge in London, Mark de Clive-Lowe’s album Six Degrees continues to spread the vibe. ” has assembled a collection of spacy tracks ornamented by his elegant Rhodes commentary. Popular on the…

Neighbours no more: Kiwi pop culture export success reverses the flow

Neighbours no more: Kiwi pop culture export success reverses the flow

Aussie girl-group Bardot, the most manufactured band in the history of pop, have become a sensation. “Popstars”, the hit TV show that followed their evolution from nobodies to Spice Girls, was born from a…

Oceania Merge the Edges With Log Drums and Electro Beats

Oceania Merge the Edges With Log Drums and Electro Beats

Former leader of Killing Joke Jaz Coleman joins Maori singer Hinewehi Mohi in a high-tech fusion on their eponymous debut. “This isn’t a fashion record for me, or a passing flirtation with another culture,” says Coleman, recently…

Kiwi Professor of Pop Crafts Summer Sounds from Nashville

Kiwi Professor of Pop Crafts Summer Sounds from Nashville

“If there were advanced academic degrees for pop music, songwriter Tim Finn would have achieved professor emeritus status long ago. This Split Enz and Crowded House alum is a craftsman of the first order….

Masters class

Masters class

Jazz legend Ian Chaplin was joined in concert by the Gerard Masters Trio. Young NZ pianist Masters was hailed as an “imaginative deconstructionist” and his trio “a highly individualistic unit.” The Trio released their…

Tim Finn Inspires Repeat of History in Boston

Tim Finn Inspires Repeat of History in Boston

Finn’s Boston show prompts memories at Boston gig-guide Go!. Years ago, ” was introduced to an outstanding New Zealand pop outfit called the Split Enz. A friend’s older sister was showing off a sweat…

Art Bin editor itches to be scratched

Art Bin editor itches to be scratched

Auckland based Elam School of Fine Arts lecturer Phil Dadson’s innovative percussion group ‘From Scratch’ makes Art Bin editor’s “favourite things” list.

Courtney Love: Nelson Girls old-girl takes on Napster

Courtney Love: Nelson Girls old-girl takes on Napster

As a user Courtney loves Napster, but it carries some risks and the Hole lead singer is wary of corporate relationships in general, “If you want some little obedient slave content provider, then fine….

This is our music

This is our music

“It pays my way and it corrodes my soul … oh give us the money” sings Kiwi indie star Dean Wareham, ex-lead singer of Galaxie 500 has joined the list of college radio icons…

Deep Forest Blends With Massive Attack in Oceanic Swirl

Deep Forest Blends With Massive Attack in Oceanic Swirl

Oceania, with the release of its self-titled debut album and led by ex-Killing Joke frontman Jaz Coleman, makes a spirited and successful atempt to bring Maori music from New Zealand to a global stage. The result is…

Alt-rock poster boys Luna lose a little sheen

Alt-rock poster boys Luna lose a little sheen

Founding bassist Justin Harwood has resigned his position behind the bass, and after eight years in the band, will return to his native New Zealand to raise his newborn baby girl.

Mr. Electric and the Superdudes body-rock at New Orleans Jazz Fest

Mr. Electric and the Superdudes body-rock at New Orleans Jazz Fest

Up and down South Peters Street, a group of fun-loving folk calling themselves the “Superdudes” led by Mr. Electric (a 30-year-old former model from New Zealand) danced, enlisting as many people as possible to…

Six degrees of connection for Mark de Clive-Lowe

Six degrees of connection for Mark de Clive-Lowe

London’s music press has connected with Clive-Lowe’s  album Six Degrees.  Already played on the main dance-floor at the Ministry of Sound and touted as a new step in “futurejazz” for its blending of jazz…

Sounds of Oceania find home in Amazon

Sounds of Oceania find home in Amazon

For much of last month Kiwi release Oceania was featured on the home page of AmazonMusic.com. “Exotic and mutable, the music of Oceania grounds itself in ancient culture while fully engaging in a modern…

Malaysian crooner returns to charts with New Zealand edge

Malaysian crooner returns to charts with New Zealand edge

Malaysian singing star Kathy Ibrahim (who swayed hearts in the late 70’s with such classic as Oh Malaysia) returns to Malaysia to record after an eight year spell in New Zealand studying interior design…