Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Heard any good tunes lately?

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  • robbery,

    re: Radiohead, albeit at a grassroots level, the model isn't dead yet

    not really the same thing though, he's using that model in an attempt to avoid dealing with the copyright issue he faces if he sold his music up front.
    If he was seen to be making money from selling his collages he'd be ripped apart by the copyright owners in seconds, he still may be, depending on whether they think he'd be worth the effort.

    new zealand • Since May 2007 • 1882 posts Report Reply

  • robbery,

    this is catchy - joy formidable

    These guys are obsessed with the gordons, they're still in school I think
    body 125


    dunedin alt country go-betweens kinda
    the alpha state

    "summer sun" is the sound of warmth if it ever gets here.

    new zealand • Since May 2007 • 1882 posts Report Reply

  • Simon Grigg,

    simon,
    lets have your...

    Not sure if I can narrow things that much and and these are strictly off the top of my head

    NZ bands..6 ok?
    1. Split Enz at the Christmas Pandemonium gig, His Majesty's 1975
    2. Nathan Haines, St James, 2003
    3. I'm gonna go generic and say Toy Love any Saturday afternoon at the Windsor Castle, 1979
    4. The Features / Sobs, Liberty Stage 1980
    5. The Newmatics / Shoes This High / Screaming Meemees..XS Cafe, 1980
    6. Lava Lava, Cause Celebre 1996


    Best foreign in NZ..god...a few..
    The Clash, 1982: New Order, 1981; Ice T at the Box, 1989; Public Enemy at Ak Town Hall, Run DMC at Powerstation 1989; Beasties there same year; Bowie at Western Springs, 1978; Zappa, 1974; Teardrop Explodes, Mainstreet, 82; Lou Reed circa 74 at His Majesty's

    I've already given two non NZ but Grandmaster Flash & The Furious 5 in London in 82 and the DMC gig in 1990 at Wembley with Mantronix, Public Enemy, Jungle Bros, De La Soul, Boo Ya Tribe and a whole lot more, James Brown in London 84

    But to be honest any weekend night at The Box between 1990 and 1997 listening to Rob Salmon or Greg Churchill's epic sets was the equal of any of those.

    Just another klong... • Since Nov 2006 • 3284 posts Report Reply

  • robbery,

    good list simon. particularly envy the features one.
    I knew greg churchill when he was spinning cocteau twins on rdu.

    new zealand • Since May 2007 • 1882 posts Report Reply

  • Jake Pollock,

    not really the same thing though, he's using that model in an attempt to avoid dealing with the copyright issue he faces if he sold his music up front.

    Yes and no. He's still primarily a gigging DJ, and, if you listen to his music, its very clearly geared towards live performance -- it's basically 80s night for hipsters: a hook from Queen or Twisted Sister for the nostalgia, rap lyrics for the appropriation of black culture, set over big beat. It's not for me, but this guy is huge as a live performer, and giving his music away is as much calculated towards the word-of-mouth equivalent of the digital age (posting a link on facebook, maybe?) as avoiding copyright issues. I'm sure the plan is to end up as big as fatboy slim, filling up stadiums -- you don't need to sell your album to do that, you need people to hear it.

    Oh, and best gig was Tom Waits' in Columbus, Ohio, at the end of June. The second best was Tom Waits in Knoxville, Tennessee, the following night.

    Raumati South • Since Nov 2006 • 489 posts Report Reply

  • Simon Grigg,

    -- you don't need to sell your album to do that, you need people to hear it.

    exactly.

    Just another klong... • Since Nov 2006 • 3284 posts Report Reply

  • robbery,

    and giving his music away

    his music? the copyright issues would see it as him giving other peoples music away, that he hasn't cleared rights for.

    I completely agree with you, his motivation is to pack stadiums, there's no left field belief in the honesty system going down here, he's using the recorded works as a loss leader to pull people into his live performance, where he makes the money, which he doesn't have to share with copyright holders. $$$ca-ching$$$

    new zealand • Since May 2007 • 1882 posts Report Reply

  • Simon Grigg,

    his music? the copyright issues would see it as him giving other peoples music away, that he hasn't cleared rights for.

    Well, yes, his music. There are legal questions relating to the way he created it, that have yet to be decided, if you read the article, but it's still his creation. The Fair Use argument is very grey and I think he's wrong but that's a different question to his distribution mechanism / model.

    Just another klong... • Since Nov 2006 • 3284 posts Report Reply

  • Sofie Bribiesca,

    ....The Cure,1981 Capitol, Sydney,Siouxsie and the Banshees was particularly good at same venue, Followed the Meemees around also,Had a bit of a thing for Proud Scum too back then:) Mercury Rev at The Powerstation was another fond memory.Western Springs is always a buzz. Most recent being The Stones.For an intimate, I'd go with BB KIng, 2am seedy(ish) bar in Sydney,him, Lucille, and about 10 of us.

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report Reply

  • Sofie Bribiesca,

    ....The Cure,1981 Capitol, Sydney,Siouxsie and the Banshees was particularly good at same venue, Followed the Meemees around also,Had a bit of a thing for Proud Scum too back then:) Mercury Rev at The Powerstation was another fond memory.Western Springs is always a buzz. Most recent being The Stones.For an intimate, I'd go with BB KIng, 2am seedy(ish) bar in Sydney,him, Lucille, and about 10 of us.

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report Reply

  • Simon Grigg,

    For an intimate, I'd go with BB KIng, 2am seedy(ish) bar in Sydney,him, Lucille, and about 10 of us.

    In a different style altogether, Carl Craig upstairs at the Studio in 2004. It was the worst promoted, and over-priced gig I'd seen for years. There were about 50 of us and it was like having him play in your front room.

    Just another klong... • Since Nov 2006 • 3284 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso,

    For an intimate, I'd go with BB KIng, 2am seedy(ish) bar in Sydney,him, Lucille, and about 10 of us.

    Wow, my envy is strong.
    For best concerts I have to go with musicians I didn't particularly care for, especially Eurythmics 1984 - that was an absolute cracker. Conversely, Nick Cave 1995 (or thereabouts) was a big disappointment. Although by fat the worst concerts I ever attended, hands down, was Crowded House, Milan 1993. It was badly promoted, the venue was empty, they fought on stage and buggered off - utterly disgraceful.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • Sofie Bribiesca,

    Just noticed my posts. Am known for repeating myself but not knowing I've repeated myself, puts a whole new light on the ol' brain haemorrhage:)
    One thing I do remember about The Cure,1981 Capitol, Sydney, was the Paddington Green Hotel on the night we went to the concert. Upstairs playing a game of pool afterwards, and in walks Robert Smith with the band, so there we finished the evening playing more pool with The Cure .....nice guys.

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report Reply

  • Simon Grigg,

    Conversely, Nick Cave 1995 (or thereabouts) was a big disappointment.

    for a variety of reasons I don't like Nick Cave at all but I saw The Birthday Party in Melbourne at Bombay Rock in 1981, home ground, and it was an amazing hour or two (and went to a BP recording session).

    Just another klong... • Since Nov 2006 • 3284 posts Report Reply

  • Karen Crisp,

    Bonnie Prince Billy at the Dog's Bollix 2004
    Radiohead at Reading Uni 1997
    Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash at Glastonbury 1994
    Nick Cave at the same festival
    Kraftwerk at the Brixton Academy 1991
    Fetus Productions at the Oriental 1985
    Split Enz at His Majestys' 1982

    Auckland • Since May 2008 • 28 posts Report Reply

  • Jackie Clark,

    or a variety of reasons I don't like Nick Cave

    No, I'm not a fan, either. Best live music by far would have to be at Mahina's tangi. Her songs being sung by Andrew Fagan, Shona Laing, Charlotte Yates et al - now that was special. Otherwise, I loved the Stones at Western Springs in the 90's, One Million Dollars were always a riot live, and on a more biased note, I loved Breaks Co-op live at St James.

    Mt Eden, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 3136 posts Report Reply

  • Ben Austin,

    This isn't really a great piece of music, but it is kind of awesome anyway - a movie trailer about one man's struggle against the Drug Companies, using only the powers of Naturopathy - he even narrates the trailer via song! I really have to give the Guardian's Ben Goldacre mad props for finding this

    The trailer

    London • Since Nov 2006 • 1027 posts Report Reply

  • robbery,

    Fetus Productions at the Oriental 1985

    was that the one where they had a drummer wearing a hood?
    if so that tour was excellent. I second that, only for the chch shows. powerful, great sound too.

    new zealand • Since May 2007 • 1882 posts Report Reply

  • Peter Darlington,

    And on a different note.

    RIP to the Black Moses.

    Nelson • Since Nov 2006 • 949 posts Report Reply

  • Danielle,

    And on a different note.

    RIP to the Black Moses.

    Totally crushed by this. I actually said 'OH NO!' out loud at my desk.

    I will be playing 'Do Your Thing' today. And endless Hayes-penned Stax recordings. And his epic versions of 'Walk on By' and 'By the Time I Get to Phoenix'.

    Here's hoping he's hanging out with Dark Lord Xenu and L. Ron Hubbard right now. Or whatever Scientologists are supposed to do when they die...

    Charo World. Cuchi-cuchi!… • Since Nov 2006 • 3828 posts Report Reply

  • Simon Grigg,

    RIP to the Black Moses.

    Yeah, totally gutted. Nobody else could write (and successfully deliver) a lyric like this.

    np: By The Time I Get To Phoenix, with MoonLight Loving queued

    Just another klong... • Since Nov 2006 • 3284 posts Report Reply

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