I realized looking this blog the other day that kiwirock history of NZ rock’n’roll is a bit miss leading. The stories you will find here are about the international acts that came to New Zealand. Most of them I will have promoted but there maybe be others. Most of the stories are written by famous New Zealand rock’n’roll /music journalist. These stories will give you a flashback and the feel on what was happening at that time in New Zealand rock’n’roll. Most of the stories relate in some way to the posters that I’m selling. Which relate to individual artist that came to New Zealand at that time. But there are other articles about local artist.
Kiwi rock celebrates 35 years with concert series
•24-June-2010 • 1 CommentThe Auckland Star 14 Dec 1989
NEW Zealand rock n roll will be celebrating 35 years of Its own series of concerts at Carlaw Park. Organised by Auckland promoter Hugh Lynn and rock writer John Dix(the concert series is based on Dix’s recent book, Stranded in Paradise on the history of Kiwi rock), Kiwi Rock Stranded in Paradise will feature a series of eight con certs starring many “famous old names.
It will coincide with the running of the Commonwealth Games in Auckland. First up, on January 13, will be The Devil’s Music RockS Godzone,starring the likes of Johnny Devlin, Dinah Lee, Maria Dallas and Tommy Fergusson,
The Swinging ’60s concert on January 17 will star Max ‘Merritt and the Meteors, Ray Columbus and the Invaders and The La De Dogs a combination of former members of The members of The La De Das and The Underdogs.
One January 21, The ’70s concert the will star the reformed Street Talk, Hello Sailor and Mi-Sex. Blerta and Friends on January 23 will revive the ghost of the old hippie roadshow with Bruno Lawrence, Jenny Morris, Rick Bryant,The Croeediles,Mammal,Corben Simpson and Beaver getting together again.
On January 26, alternative music will be to the fore with The Best of Flying Nun and on January 31 The’80s will feature six acts of the last decade (still to be announced).
Local musical institution Herbs will feature in a retrospective on February 4, with Ten Years of Herbs. And the concert series will end on February 10 with Rocking Into the ’90s. The format is still to be finalised.
Southern bands to make splash
Christchurch Bands DoIpIria. and the Catherine Wheel team up together for shows at the Venue this weekend. Both bands have tracks featured on Pagan Records’ recent left field music compilation positive Vibration and have made independent cassette good airplay on student radio.
Morris kicks off ‘Shiver’
Jenny Morris kicks off the New Zealand leg of her Shiver tour tomorrow night at Devonport’s Esplanade Hotel. Playing at the “Powerstation on Saturday, Continue reading ‘Kiwi rock celebrates 35 years with concert series’
Herbs to Tour with UB40
•24-June-2010 • Leave a CommentINNER CITY NELOS 12 JULY 1983
Herbs to Tour with UB40
By Simon Johnson
Herbs And UB40
Reggae band Herbs may tour with the English group UB4O later this year.
Herb’s manager Will Ilolahia says UB40 wants the Auckland-based band as its support group when ‘it tours Europe in November.
“But whether we can go hinges on finance,” says Will. “If we can get it organised,we’ll be off.” This year has been an exciting one for Herbs. Following hot on the heels of the UB40 request, is an Announcement from the Department of Foreign Affairs that Herbs has been chosen to represent New Zealand in the Asian Arts Festival.
Hong Kong is hosting this year’s festival in late October. Herb’s appearanee in Hong Kong will follow close behind their Pacific tour. The group is leaving for the Pacific on August 25 where it is scheduled to visit six Islands, ending with performances in Tahiti.
“We can’t wait to get up there,” says Ilolahia. “They think we’re all country musicians down here. They’ve only ever seen Brendan Dugan.”
Ilolahia believes the climax of the tour will be the band’s visit to Tahiti. Continue reading ‘Herbs to Tour with UB40′
Genesis follow lead of Phil Collins
•24-June-2010 • Leave a CommentTHE STAR, Saturday, November 28 , 1981
Genesis follow lead of Phil Collins
Genesis : “ Abacab” ( vertigo). Tony banks and Mike Rutherford are not stupid – or proud. If Phil Collins can be much more success ful than they are quick enough to capitalise on his success for Genesis.
If Genesis’s latest epic is not the son of “In The Air Tonight” it’s at least the illegitimate offspring. Those huge drum beats which crashed out of Collins’s album echo in “Abacab,” although the irony is that it was the influence of ex-Genesis leader Peter Gabriel that got them on to Collins’s record in the first place.
Instrumentation by the other two is kept to the minimum so as not to overshadow the vocals of Collins, while they even repeat his use of the Earth, Wind and Fire horns for “ No Replay At All” and his composition “Man On The Corner” could have been an “In The Air Tonight” track.
But the most important feature is that “ Abacab “ is much simpler than the normal overblown Genesis effort – again a Collins influence. They’ve actually tired to sound as if they are improvising too ( sample “Who Dunnit?”), something which will shock their fans who are used to the strict disipline of the old days.
They still write little Scenarios, which either iritate or spellbind depending on whether you are a dedicated enough fan (try “Me And Sarah Jane,” which goes on ad nauseum).
Genesis have managed to play safe. By repeating bits of Collins’s solo effort and at the same time put on abrave face of at at least attempting to break the old ground rules.
That virtually equal amounts of “Abacab” fail and succed is due to what seems to be at least an attempt to progress, throwing out various curves in the hope that a few are caught. I can’t see it stopping the rot that set in a few albums back, but I at least salute their attempt in trying. Meanwhile when is the next Phil Colins solo coming out?
Herbs headed straight up
•24-June-2010 • Leave a CommentWanganui Herald 1984
Time out Rock Music With Dave Rogerson
Herbs headed straight up
When “Pacific reggae” band Herbs formed late in 1980 after a musicians’ meeting in a south Auckland classroom, they decided top plan for international recognition.
Time Out Rock Music with Dave Rogerson
Sure, we’d heard it all before – there probably isn’t a band in New Zealand that hasn’t dreamed Of fame. But Herbs suceeded where many others failed.
Now, after four succes sive appearances at Sweetwaters, support gigs for Stevie Wonder,Black Slate and UB40 various singles, two albums, national tours ‘and two Pacihc itineraries (one including HongKong), the band can say it has achieved its aim.
And it shows no sign of quitting now. Herbs recently finished recording a third album “Long Ago”, at Auckland’s Mascot Studios, The album is for summer release and the band is currently on a ” Long Ago NZ” national tour to publicise it.
Over the past couple of years, the band has had some line-up changes, but the founding duo of Dillworth Karaka (rhythm guitar, vocals) and fred Faleuauto (drums, vocals) is still there to provide continuity.
Other member are Jack Allen (bass,Vocals), Tama Lunden (Keyboards, vokals) Carl Perkins (percussion , vocals), Willie Hona (lead guitar, vocals) and Morrie Watini (saxophone) Any song written and recorded by New Zealanders and released in this country between August 17, 1984, was eligible for nomination by record companies.
There were 26 nomination, which were for warded to all commercial radio stations, where local panels selected their top 10 songs.
America’s bad boys are here
•24-June-2010 • Leave a CommentThe Waikata Times 15-Dec-1988
America’s bad boys are here
Rebellious hits shot raunchy rockers to top
By STEVE SCOTT
Guns ‘N’ Roses, America’s bad boys of hard rock who will perform in Auckland on Monday night, are a bunch of rowdy, raunchy, gut-level rockers who live on the streets of Hollywood and put their experience to music.
Members of the band Duff “Rose” McKagan, Slash, W Axl Rose, Steven Adler and Izzy Stradlin admit that tension is part of their daily lifestyle.
From the confinement of dressing rooms to the luxury of hotel rooms “mood swings” can happen at any time resulting in bottle of vodka being thrwon from wall to wall as tempers explode.
Somehow, their tension, which forces lead singer Axl to travel separately to and from concerts to avoid friction, spills over into their music. And It’ s the Gunners’ rebel lious music that in October, shot them to the top of the Billboards album and single chart.
The album Appetite For De struction was originally released in July last year, along with their single Welcome To The Jungle, but both were rejected by Continue reading ‘America’s bad boys are here’
David Bowie Teeshirts
•24-June-2010 • Leave a CommentThe Cronicle 24th Novembr
David Bowie teeshirts
“Fashion turn to the left, fashion turn to the right” – and these teeshirts are sure to be the lates fashion with David Bowie fans. The shirts have been printed by the Levin firm, Classic Textile print Ltd. David Bowie opens the New Zealand part of his seriuos Moonlight Tour Tonight at Atlethic Park in Wellington.
David Bowie teeshirt
Mr Les Jensen (holding the finished teeshirt) and Mr Les Thomson worked around the clock to finish the order of 5000 teeshirt in two days.
Made in Levin
Special train for rock fans
•24-June-2010 • Leave a CommentTaranaki Herald 22nd November
Special train for rock fans
When 250 David Bowie fans from the South Island arrive in Wellington for his concert on Thursday the train that brought them will wait in Picton to take them back
David Bowie TwoSheet Poster
for this is no ordinary train. It is the Otago Excursion Train – the only train in New Zealand that can be hired. Though hiring a train may seem a costly exercise, it is becoming increasingly popular clubs or large groups of people, according to the Otago Excursion Train Trust.
It has carried Young Farmers to their annual conference, Scouts to their jamboree, and now – for the first time – rock fans will be its passengers. Seven years ago,it was impossible to hire a train in New Zealand. But train enthusiasts believed there was a market for private hire. So they got together to try e make their dream a reality.
It took three years of negotiation to get the unconventional idea of hiring a train “on the rails”, But it happened. Since then the enthu siastic members of the Otago Excursion Train Trust have been working to renovate old carriages. Most of these were built about 1920 – Continue reading ‘Special train for rock fans’
