Four days of live music at a former agricultural college campus, 1300 indie ‘students’, more than 60 official acts plus DJs, over 40 ‘renegade’ performances, a multitude of parties and extra-curricular activities…oh and it’s BYO. Lydia Jenkin headed off to the Manawatu for four days in late January to experience the Campus A Low Hum music festival first hand. ...more

Auckland rock trio The Twitch have a reputation as a high-energy, booze-fuelled, dirty rock ‘n’ roll kind of band. And it seems that’s the problem. With six years, a drag-clad live show, an album entitled ‘What The F**k is Going On?’ and a trail of empty bottles behind them, the members came to realise that they weren’t being taken seriously. On the eve of releasing their sophomore album ‘Time for Change’, they talk to Chris Leggett about toning back the antics and getting their music noticed. ...more

Maybe a de-essing would be appropriate in that headline because Ryan McPhun is The Ruby Suns – although he employs various band members to help him tour his music live, these days he pretty much does everything else on his own – including writing, recording, mixing, playing the various instruments and laying down the vocals. He is the consummate ‘bedroom’ producer, diligent, meticulous and something of a sonic explorer. Recently however he’s been doing a little more collaboration, and with his recently released stunningly beautiful, third album ‘Fight Softly’, he has (for the first time) allowed fellow bedroom producer Bevan Smith (aka Signer) to lightly lend a helping hand, a second opinion if you will. Having had such a rare glimpse into McPhun’s realm of South American rhythms, ’80s swing, candy rave, eastern instruments and reverb swathed RnB, NZM asked Bevan Smith to sit McPhun down for a revealing Q&A before Mr Ruby Sun heads off on another world tour. ...more

Hailing originally from the west coast of the South Island, singer/songwriter Mel Parsons was one of three finalists in the recently presented NZ Music Award for Folk Album of the Year. It was for her debut album ‘Over My Shoulder’ which was released in May last year, produced by David Long and featuring a number of very talented and established Kiwi musicians. Natalie Pease joined her for a drink in Auckland’s Mission Bay to find out just how Parsons came to be receiving such praise from high places, not to mention the high profile supporters club. ...more

It’s been four years since Farmer Pimp released their only previous recorded output, an EP not inaccurately entitled ‘Good Thing’, which reality seems to surprise both Farmer Pimp principals Mark Michel and Claire Holmes. At first they want to think it was only three years ago that ‘Good Thing’ came to light, but by the time their debut album ‘Sweet Hot Pepper Pop’ surfaces in March/April it will have been over four years. ...more

A lot of shit went down since ‘Long Player’ came out,” says soul chanteuse Hollie Smith, as we sit enjoying the sun on the deck of her shared flat in Ponsonby. “It led me to having a big break from music in general, and writing and all that sort of thing.” The bright Auckland sun is rather in contrast to the topic of conversation. Ostensibly NZ Musician is here to find out all about Smith’s new record ‘Humour and the Misfortune of Others’ but that album can’t be discussed without first delving into the turbulent issues surrounding its creation. ...more

Think you know Pig Out? Think again. With the release of ‘Rave X’, the duo of Marie Celeste and Kit Lawrence have created the ultimate electronic music mash-up, smashed up their electro roots and trashed the rulebook on musical genre identity. Karl Puschmann shared a cuppa with the pair to find out just what they think they’re playing at. ...more

February 8, 1969 – January 31, 2010 ...more

Rumours surfaced in the latter half of last year that Roger Shepherd, who of course established Flying Nun in the early ’80s, was actively looking to buy back the label he left well behind him more than a decade ago. Of course, for such an unusual event to occur, it would require the label’s current owner Warner Music NZ being willing to sell. Well, it turns out that both were true and in the last few days before Christmas the announcement was made, the Nun had flown home. There are various, even contentious sides to this tale, so NZM decided to cut out the middle man and go straight to the source. Since he has generously written for us in the past, we asked Mr Flying Nun (then and now) just what the story is? ...more

Christchurch hip hop MC Jdubs first came to national attention in mid-2008 with two vocal features alongside fellow Canterbury rapper Aeries, on Shapeshifter-member Devin Abrams’ second solo album (under his Pacific Heights alias) ‘In A Quiet Storm’. Now about to release his own solo debut entitled ‘The Keynotes’ which features some of NZ’s beats/dub/roots/hip hop royalty, the fast rising 24-year old talks to Martyn Pepperell about expectations, lifelong passions and ramshackle recording booths. ...more

Forming in 2005, So So Modern first garnered attention in Wellington for their mind melting live shows – fantastic costumes and intense energy frequently had fans in a state of mild hysteria. They released the ‘Friendly Fires’ EP in 2007, gaining a considerable fan base for their ‘new wave rave’ sound. They weren’t quite like anything NZ had seen. Now, as they prepare for the release of their debut album ‘Crude Futures’, and another international tour, Lydia Jenkin managed to nab the exuberant lads for an intellectual chat while at Campus A Low Hum music festival. ...more

There are any number of journalists/music critics/trivial pursuiters who could have come up with this as a likely title for a book, so we should all be grateful it was Nick Bollinger who followed through. Apart from being an informed and entertaining writer, he is a lover of good music, and by virtue of being a regular print and radio reviewer as well as a musician, he has a uniquely intelligent perspective. His book does not look just at the popular or successful in a predictable greatest hits fashion, rather it seeks out the seminal albums of their time, the artist-defining albums and often the unrecognised genius. ...more

The seventies might not have seemed so funny for those who were consciously there, but in the hands of Ian Chapman it turns out they were hilarious – not to mention glorious in their sartorial splendour. Orange, he urges us to admit, was made to go with brown… ...more

From interviews with over 1000 people, mostly but not exclusively musicians, Justin St. Vincent has chosen 100 for this book that ‘provides readers with a tapestry of new thoughts on music and spirituality’. ...more