Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Friday Music: Dubious achievements

25 Responses

  • Rich of Observationz,

    I guess the Communications Tribunal will be able to deal with this.

    At length.

    Repeatedly.

    On the taxpayer's dollar.

    Back in Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 5550 posts Report Reply

  • bob daktari,

    digging the jellphonic here, the blog is a daily smile inducer... solid track too

    suns out and its a glorious day... for some beats

    can never get enough of this... and adore that someone has edited the two sides of the 12" release into one as it should be

    speaking of beats or EDM as some stupid american with no knowledge of their own musical culture would put it (spits on the ground)...

    "The critic-heavy I Love Music message board has assembled the top 110 “very nebulously defined” dance tracks of the previous decade."

    http://www.factmag.com/2012/08/30/i-love-music-compiles-top-110-electronic-dance-tracks-of-the-00s/

    and as its the interwebs someone with too much time on their hands (awesomely) has compiled the list into:

    youtube playlist: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5D929515B2E7016D
    and for the spotify crowd http://t.co/wPI5SsQZ

    Both of which a good friend sent me to wallow in.... share and share alike eh

    auckland • Since Dec 2006 • 540 posts Report Reply

  • Grant McDougall,

    Satellite Spies played at the Sandown Hotel, Gisborne, on New Year's Eve, 1999. Gisborne's population is normally 32,000 or so. On Millennium Eve, it swelled to over 40,000.
    And how many turned up to see Satellite Spies bring in 2000, you ask ?

    Twelve, I'm told. Dear oh bloody dear.

    Dunedin • Since Dec 2006 • 760 posts Report Reply

  • Allan Moyle,

    the Sandown Hotel, Gisborne

    ahhh the old "Sandpit" an early '70's corporate brewery concrete behemoth booze barn in the suburbs. Was wrong on so many levels, not least that it was where grab a DPB "granny" was played during week nights by travelling sales reps and in the weekends became the kindergarten bar for the under-agers hiding away from the CBD bars.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 104 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Clarke,

    Small correction, it's Enprise, not Enrise.

    -36.76, 174.61 or thereab… • Since Nov 2006 • 164 posts Report Reply

  • Glenn Pearce, in reply to Grant McDougall,

    Satellite Spies played at the Sandown Hotel, Gisborne, on New Year's Eve, 1999. Gisborne's population is normally 32,000 or so. On Millennium Eve, it swelled to over 40,000.
    And how many turned up to see Satellite Spies bring in 2000, you ask ?

    Twelve, I'm told. Dear oh bloody dear.

    Whereas I recall them being in Whangamata that night in the pissing rain, perhaps it was the "other" Satellite Spies ?

    Auckland • Since Feb 2007 • 504 posts Report Reply

  • Tim Michie,

    Among other regertable recollections (including SS 'warming up' the crowd at some stadium gig) one thing I knew them for was a synducate of businessmen finacing their venture (and I would speculate, losing some shirt). From such failures we may have to thank them for the government sponsorship of creatives (such that it is).

    In the ears this week and
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&v=eTpP4NK0s7o&NR=1

    Auckward • Since Nov 2006 • 614 posts Report Reply

  • Miche Campbell,

    I loved _Destiny in Motion_ when I was 15. I know better now.

    Can't help thinking that the best outcome would be a judge dissolving the band as a legal entity and telling the two of them to get over it and go for a beer.

    Dunedin • Since Feb 2011 • 79 posts Report Reply

  • Simon Grigg,

    That SS story is hilarious. I was pulled aside years back by one member - not saying which - and asked who I regarded as the Satellite Spies and would I support him with a letter.

    I said I really had no idea, and (didn't say this bit) really had never thought about or cared, plus I regarded Destiny in Motion as one of the eighties low points (it made the Nature's Worst compilation list that Wayne Bell and I put together a few years back for a giggle).

    So, no but best of luck with whatever.

    The odd thing - and something I'm going to have to deal with in the months and more to come - is how people blow up such minor achievements in their own minds.

    I'm as guilty as anyone of that, but it seems particularly prevalent in music - a minor hit decades back gets somehow mentally conflated into a major cultural landmark over and over.

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

  • Allan Moyle,

    local beatmaker S.F.T. There’s plenty to dine on at his Soundcloud account

    Thanks for that tip - had listenummage and ended buying the cool Rizvan EP online as a result.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 104 posts Report Reply

  • Geoff Lealand,

    I always thought that Destiny in Motion was akin to a bowel movement

    Screen & Media Studies, U… • Since Oct 2007 • 2562 posts Report Reply

  • Chip Matthews, in reply to Allan Moyle,

    Allan, if you brought the one released yesterday, Riz also has a great one, Gemini from a couple months ago. Notable is the "friends" track with MC Arme, awesome song. Also, check out S.F.T.'s remix of HomeBrew's Yellow Snot Funk. Dude is on fire with the head nod music.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 46 posts Report Reply

  • Chip Matthews,

    You can also hear the S.F.T. track with Raiza Biza over the top. Track was released to the net this week, also well worth a listen. http://soundcloud.com/raizabiza

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 46 posts Report Reply

  • Andrew G,

    Destiny in motion was an 80s minor hit but what's amusing is that both of them still want to be associated with it. OK, admitting you were part of SS at a party amongst friends so they can all have a light hearted chuckle at your expense, that would be ok, but beyond that i can't see why you'd want to be remembered for it.

    Napier • Since Mar 2007 • 53 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Brislen,

    Job done - looks like the LinkedIN profile has been updated. No reference to anything in motion.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 200 posts Report Reply

  • DexterX, in reply to Geoff Lealand,

    I always thought that Destiny in Motion was akin to a bowel movement

    How Blasé, How Blasé - Destiny in Motopm - sounded like a retread - the bastard child of a Duran du run run and the Fixx - The 80s produced some awful stuff

    Here is a retread - takes 40 odd seconds to get started - sit back and have a Comfylicious Chairgasm:

    .http://dl.dropbox.com/u/45104813/Hungry%20Like%20The%20Wolf%20Live%20at%20Clare%20Inn.mp3

    .

    .

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1224 posts Report Reply

  • Robyn Gallagher,

    I have a soft spot for "Destiny in Motion" because it was a track on the very first recorded music I bought - a compilation cassette tape called "The Hit Zone", circa 1985. Back then (I was 10) they seemed cool. But with all this hooha, over the name, they seem most uncool.

    I wonder what's so special about the Satellite Spies brand that both guys want it, yet neither seem to be doing much with it. It's not like it's 2004 and they can embark on a "I Heart the '80s" tour along with Peking Man and the Narcs, raking in the nostalgia cash. There's no beloved album they can reissue and tour in track-by-track order. All the cyber bickering seems a terrible lot of fuss just to be able to say, "The Satellite Spies? Yeah, that's my band." Ugh. Shut up and make some music.

    Since Nov 2006 • 1946 posts Report Reply

  • Lilith __, in reply to Robyn Gallagher,

    All the cyber bickering seems a terrible lot of fuss just to be able to say, "The Satellite Spies? Yeah, that's my band."

    Perhaps this is the equivalent of The Dirty Frypan Argument between flatmates? ie. a great excuse for a row? It's not usually about the frypan. :-)

    Dunedin • Since Jul 2010 • 3895 posts Report Reply

  • Samuel Scott,

    HA, wikilarious

    That scrub life blog rules.

    South Wellington • Since Feb 2008 • 315 posts Report Reply

  • Samuel Scott,

    South Wellington • Since Feb 2008 • 315 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Simon Grigg,

    how people blow up such minor achievements in their own minds

    Can picture fascinating interviews along those lines being added to the trove at some stage. Might require strong liquor.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Grant McDougall,

    Glenn, they were definitely in Gisborne for Millenium Eve, as I recall seeing the posters around town...and shuddering. Though given the circumstances, it's entirely feasible they also in Whangamata, too.

    Dunedin • Since Dec 2006 • 760 posts Report Reply

  • Andrew Dubber,

    Might be worth noting that "minor hit" of theirs secured them the support slot for Dire Straits at Western Springs. At the time, the biggest gig any NZ band had ever played at home. Few have topped it since.

    Also - go through every compilation of kiwi hits that's ever been released, and for some reason, that song is always in there — usually either the last track or the second-to-last track. As earners go, it appears to be a bit of a perennial. :)

    Umeå, Sweden • Since Nov 2006 • 23 posts Report Reply

  • Simon Grigg, in reply to Andrew Dubber,

    At the time, the biggest gig any NZ band had ever played at home.

    That honour might actually go to Larry Morris. The Angels were booked to play with David Bowie at Western Springs and pulled out at the last moment. The posters were already printed so Larry quickly renamed his band The Angels and played the gig.

    Might be worth noting that "minor hit" of theirs secured them the support slot for Dire Straits at Western Springs.

    I'm not sure that it hurt, but mostly the support acts tended to be "chosen" because of contacts and relationships with the promoter. I scored These Wilding Ways, who I managed, a U2 support in 1989 because I knew the promoter (and we had an unrelated business relationship at the time) and the above "Angels" scored because Larry was managed by Hugh Lynn who was also the promoter.

    And score it is too - a support gig gets you a pro-rata % of the APRA fee, so if you play 10 songs and the main act plays 20, you get 10/30ths of approx 2% of the gross ticket sales - yay.

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

  • Moz, in reply to Simon Grigg,

    And score it is too - a support gig gets you a pro-rata % of the APRA fee, so if you play 10 songs and the main act plays 20, you get 10/30ths of approx 2% of the gross ticket sales - yay.

    Hence the popularity of short songs in the punk world? Pink Floyd played 12 songs in a three hour set, but we played 24 songs in our 20 minute set!

    Sydney, West Island • Since Nov 2006 • 1233 posts Report Reply

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