The track title which jumped out at me almost immediately from New Plymouth alt-metal act Agent's debut album, released early in September, was Ballad of Russell Crowe. Vocalist/guitarist Jimi Donaldson laughs when I query him about it. ...more

Jakob stroll into the Odeon Lounge at about 4pm - visibly showing the signs of a long car trip; guitarist Jeff Boyle, drummer Jason Johnson and bassist Maurice Beckett stiffly stride over to the Odeon's couches, heckling each other along the way. ...more

Apparently à gogo is a French expression conveying ‘in abundance’ and ‘Kokomo à gogo’ is the name blues and roots act Kokomo have given their eighth album. ...more

NZ Idol has all but exhausted its credit and we are blessedly (please lord) way too small for a Rockstar: Supern(z)ova - but there is a reality TV series currently establishing a whole new paradigm for marketing fresh musical talent in this country. Henderson to Hollywood is the name of the nine episode documentary which has been screening Saturday afternoons on TV2, helping to make West Auckland's Spacifix a household name. ...more

Second albums are notoriously difficult - especially if they happen to follow a debut that made you world famous - and not just in New Zealand. ...more

On the night of The Veils' launch party for 'Nux Vomica' there is a Kiwi invasion underway across London. Goldenhorse are at Water Rats in Kings Cross, Bic Runga is playing at London University College and Die! Die! Die! are at the Buffalo Bar in Islington. It must have been a hard choice for some. ...more

Even if you haven't heard their name, you're probably familiar with Tourist's 2004 hit Do You Feel The Cold? The song's hypnotic melodies, distinctive indie-flavoured guitars and classic britpop flair attracted strong interest and rave reviews from music professionals worldwide, topped the bFM top 10 for four weeks and earnt the Auckland quartet an enviable nomination at the International Songwriting Competition last year. ...more

It's one of those questions every thinking musician regularly asks of themselves and their band mates - what can we do to sell more music? More gigs, sexier videos, a flasher website, bigger radio payola, more on-stage nudity...? Everyone sees different solutions, mostly with one thing in common - they've been thought of, and done, before. ...more

Some have touted him as a very marketable commodity, others choose to attack his music for its lack of depth, pointing out the similarities to American styling and image-based marketing. It seems everyone has an opinion on him, his music, his crew, his boss and their label Move The Crowd Records. ...more