Posts by Robyn Gallagher
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Like my gran used to say, once a hobag, always a hobag.
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When I was in the sixth form, picking subjects for the seventh form, the only hard word I got from my parents was that I should do a maths paper, so I picked maths with statistics.
Funnily enough, I turned out to be completely rubbish at stats. It was if there just wasn't enough room in my brain for all those formulas and equations 'n' shit.
I didn't figure out what I wanted to do with my life (career-wise) until a couple of years later when I discovered that internet thing.
Still don't got no degree. Funny how things work out.
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From the HOS article:
Helson blamed tall poppy syndrome for the controversy.
Which reminds me of the idea that "tall poppy syndrome" is claimed by people who think they should be immune to any criticism after achieving a certain amount of success.
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Wifey (aka "The Little Woman" aka "if you call me Wifey or The Little Woman again, I'll kick your fuckin head in") was a grad school designing inflatable (MEMBRANE) habitats for the Moon and Mars before I knocked her up, whacked her on the back of the head, and dragged her back to my cave^W^W New Zealand.
It's ok, dude. You can just call her "my wife". We won't think you're gay.
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Isn't the sail pretty similar to what is on Wellingtons waterfront, next to the maritime museum?
Not really. Wellington's Queens Wharf has three fairly generic sails covering a plaza (photo).
The giant verandah planned for Auckland's Queen's Wharf is much bigger, and seems to be shaped in reponse to both the buildings and the wharf.
I'm happy with this design that acknowledges that Auckland is actually quite a rainy place.
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Mostly it is asking you a question that if you say no to you feel bad:
"Do you care about global warming?"
A dude tried that with me on Courtenay Place.
Dude: "Do you care about children?"
Robyn: "No." -
Another thing this telethon won't have - the thrill of actually being able to watch stuff on the telly in the middle of the night, well after the Goodnight Kiwi's usual bedtime.
I suspect this telethon will have a bit of appeal for people who are the Mr Vintage retro t-shirt wearing sorts: watching telethon, longing for Georgie Pie and Billy T James' giggling.
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where are the women writers?
The only NZ woman rock writer I can remember was Donna Yuzwalk of Rip It Up. She infamously wrote something that pissed off Axl Rose, who dissed her at G 'n' R's Auckland concert. She was good.
But where are the women writers?
Because when it's only men writing about rock, they tend to only tell their stories. Why doesn't NZ have a writer like Lucy O'Brien?
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the local RTR Countdown magazine (deputy ed Finlay MacDonald!)
I think you'll find that deputy ed was Steve Braunias.
Oh God, I was only 12!
I remember Gary Steel was the editor and Finlay was on staff - to the point where there was a hilarious photo of him published in one issue which my friend and I thought was hilarious.
I'd love to get hold of some of those issues (digitise!).
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A lot of what's being discussed here is rock writing, but what about pop writing?
The Australian edition of Smash Hits and the local RTR Countdown magazine (deputy ed Finlay MacDonald!) were far more influential on my writing than the boring old NME ever was.
Smash Hits was founded by Nick Logan, a former editor of the NME and during its golden era in the late '80s, it was filled with such a playful, subversive spirit. It worked because it had the right balance of scorn and reverence toward pop stars.
Is that kind of writing still around? I dunno - I feel like I'm too old to care about most contemporary pop but I still like that kind of lively writing on any subject.
(That's enough - ed.)