Hard News by Russell Brown

The Wireless has also interviewed Damian Vaughn, along similar lines to me.

I think it's a bit glib to describe Aaradhna's speech as "the highlight/only event of significance" at the awards last night.

It may well have been the former, but it wasn't the latter. I thought several of this year's performances, including Aaradhna's, were stellar.

So she may have thought about this matter after her manager made the entry, I guess. Good on her.

So she may have thought about this matter after her manager made the entry, I guess. Good on her.

Who knows, but either way, it's got her a hell of a lot more press than just winning the award.

Who knows, but either way, it’s got her a hell of a lot more press than just winning the award.

Indeed. And like Damian says, it was "a highlight of the show and just fantastic". It was something that couldn't be flattened out by the television production and it gave the whole thing a boost. It's worth knowing some context, though.

For some unknown reason, I was seated at table 12 this year, rather than down the back with my journalist brethren. It was pretty cool being out of the hubbub zone and able to enjoy what was at a times a hell of a show. Bruce Ferguson's video work is incredible in the room.

So she may have thought about this matter after her manager made the entry, I guess. Good on her.

Who knows, but either way, it’s got her a hell of a lot more press than just winning the award.

i reckon that’s a touch cynical (forgive me if I am missing your point)- although to be fair, thought last night that it will be great promo for her. But- we also need to remember the world we are in – a very weird world (sadly not “post-trump” or “post – brexit”) has seemingly legitimised latent racism, which to me strengthened the power of what Aaradhna said last night.

Her acceptance of a nomination in this category may have been well thought out by her – lending itself to an opportunity to express the important views she stated last night.

I was watching with our 17 year old daughter, and for both of us it was a jaw-dropping highlight of the night, and one which both of us have talked about today – and has also been a topic of conversation with her friends as well.

And, maybe it worked on the cynical level. It made me seek out her music on bandcamp Treble Reverb- I only knew the excellent “stand up” (again, via my daughter).

But mostly, it was a wonderfully strong and courageous (and thankfully well supported in the venue) stand against the sometimes lazy and unintentional racism (and other “isms” ) that do occur beyond the experience of many of us. It was a little bit confronting; a little bit uncomfortable; and a little bit awkward. It made us think and reflect and talk- just like art should do.

There was a good discussion on the 'Urban' tag by ethnomusicologist Dr Kirsten Zemke on Morning Glory this week. While covering much of the above, the focus was more on the fact it was an audience defined term rather than a musical genre, in a racially loaded sense. There is a lot of historical debate about this, and I feel Aaradhna did well to use the platform to highlight another way in which we 'other' people.

Unfortunately I think they cut this section from the opening of the Podcast.

It was a little bit confronting; a little bit uncomfortable; and a little bit awkward. It made us think and reflect and talk- just like art should do.

Totally agree.

Step right up folks!!
You have only until 3pm this arvo to bid on this fine paste infused and wrinkled artefact of the past...
What with Christmas coming - this could be the left-field gift that makes the day!
;- )
http://www.trademe.co.nz/music-instruments/music-memorabilia/posters-prints/pop/auction-1200718165.htm

Are we there yet?
...went out the window back in the '60s and again in the '80s, when Mobil gave away these Carl Barks drawn Walt Disney Donald Duck comics (and Mickey Mouse) - luckily I have some for sale over on Trade Me
http://www.trademe.co.nz/books/comic-books/walt-disney/auction-1200637942.htm

and other fine anthropomorphic funny animal comics as well (mostly with a Carl Barks story ) see my other listings:
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Members/Listings.aspx?member=1629586

It is hard in certain lights, not to see 'urban' as a euphemistic tag like Trump's much trumpeted 'inner cities' ....

There was a good discussion on the ‘Urban’ tag by ethnomusicologist Dr Kirsten Zemke on Morning Glory this week. While covering much of the above, the focus was more on the fact it was an audience defined term rather than a musical genre, in a racially loaded sense.

I don’t agree with her history at all. She’s right that it’s a radio format, not a music genre, but the urban contemporary format and its name were the creation of the legendary black radio DJ Frankie Crocker. The format’s success was a crucial breakthrough for soul, funk and R&B artists in mainstream radio and it changed the American radio industry.

Mai FM was the first “urban contemporary” station in New Zealand – Ross Goodwin launched with the format as the founding programmer and it, too, changed New Zealand radio, by identifying a young audience that pop radio had been largely ignoring.

I suspect Mai’s ascendancy at the time had something to do with the “Urban” name being adopted for the category in the 2003 Music Awards. The press release at the time explained it this way:

Best Urban Album -

The category has been broadened to reflect an international trend that has also been evident in New Zealand. Last year the awards celebrated only R&B Hip Hop, but in 2003 this award encompasses the broader spectrum of the urban genre being produced in New Zealand.

Dance, Pacific Island and Roots were introduced the same year – it was definitely an opening up, an attempt to recognise a greater diversity of music. (“Roots” was blues, folk and country and didn’t last long.)

Maybe “urban” has outlived its usefulness, but you have to ignore a few things to declare its origins racist.

I also think Dr Zemke is wrong to say “urban” doesn’t include white artists. Tyrese Gibson complained last year that Top 40 radio was ignoring his number one album while “urban radio plays Robin Thicke, Justin Timberlake and Sam Smith.”

There is a lot of historical debate about this, and I feel Aaradhna did well to use the platform to highlight another way in which we ‘other’ people.

Yeah, I totally get the need to explode every now and then and she was great doing it. But I see people now declaring racism on RMNZ’s part and I just don’t think it’s warranted.

Maybe “urban” has outlived its usefulness, but you have to ignore a few things to declare its origins racist.

Not least the way it was widely embraced as ‘Urban Pacific’ and then ’Urban Pasifika’.

Not least the way it was widely embraced as ‘Urban Pacific’ and then ’Urban Pasifika’.

Good point.

I wish I'd got the whole song (late onto it and then accidentally touched the stop button with about 45 seconds to go), but this is still pretty awesome. Matthew Heine, Andrew Moore, Marty Doo and Mark Anderson as Suicide Wednesday, playing 'TV Eye' last night at a party at Tabac:

What about that Matthew Heine, eh?

This is off-topic but nevertheless musically related.

Going back to the recent Nowhere! Festival, some of you may have been and seen the Terminals on the Sat night. I was by good chance there too. To cut to the chase, singer Stephen Cogle's treasured songbook vanished after their set. It was full of lyrics, notes, arrangements etc for Dark Matter and recent Terminals' songs. Stephen referred to it throughout as the night's track list. It was A5-size, fattish.

Did anyone by chance see it or know of its fate? It disappeared somewhere between the Whammy stage and equipment storage at Audio Foundation. He'd dearly love to get it back.Let me know or get in touch directly with Stephen if you know him (I don't think he's on PA.)

She’s right that it’s a radio format, not a music genre, but the urban contemporary format and its name were the creation of the legendary black radio DJ Frankie Crocker. The format’s success was a crucial breakthrough for soul, funk and R&B artists in mainstream radio and it changed the American radio industry.

Sure, and I agree with you that I don't think RMNZ is a clot of racists. Neither does Aaradhna -- what she actually said was a lot more complex and nuanced than the "Aardhna cries racist" headlines. Though I guess nobody should be expecting The Herald to be leading a discussion that (thank God) was happening on much more thoughtful level elsewhere.

But "urban" does still have a baggage attached, and as I said on Twitter it's hard to believe a Frankie Crocker could make it in an increasingly narrow-cast commercial radio market today. But it's taking nothing away from the man's eclecticism (which included plenty of white artists) -- or the enormous influence he had on a dazzling array of artists -- to grant he played a lot of black and Hispanic music "white-orientated" radio wouldn't touch with the proverbial barge pole.

Hell, about the only positive thing that came out of Prince death was a lot of history lessons being laid down. It's never quite as simple as black and white, but colour lines aren't irrelevant either.

that guitar sound takes me back to some of those ferocious SPUD gigs at the Gluepot - say what you will about Glen's vocal, but that band was a force of nature.

Good news, it's been recovered - there will be more Terminals!

Oh, and Dark Matter will play again this week as part of launch of Cheap Thrills II. the second edition of the magazine which is documenting and celebrating all the great music - then and now - being made in the Garden City.

And why not, here's that great Terminals' track from their first album, Uncoffined