Winston Watusi Music Plus

Consider this week something of a smorgasbord: the regular gigs, with a couple of slightly unusual treats on the side.

We'll start with ANZAC Day, since it's occurring next Tuesday, April 25.

It happens that Derek Toner, of the bands Nine Mile Stone and Toner, has released a song dedicated to the memory of his great grandfather Company Sergeant Joseph Phillips, who died in World War One. Though he knew about his relative growing up, Derek credits Sir Peter Jackson's extraordinary film ‘They Shall Not Grow Old' with renewing his interest. The song took two years to write.

Fortunately his family had compiled an amazing collection of his great grandfather's history. Derek was sent newspaper articles describing his wedding to Frances in Poona, India; Wikipedia articles about his troop the Connacht Rangers or ‘the devil's own' as they were called; letters from the army to his wife explaining they did not know what had happened to him or where he was; and another moving letter from the Irish Woman's Association stating that the best hope would be he was a Prisoner of War.

Derek initially struggled to connect to such a distant subject but things came together when his father asked him to help write a song about someone from the late-1800s. After immersing himself in that time period, something was awakened. Derek says: 'For days I could think of little else except Joseph”.

Then it was a matter of catching the song. Derek says: 'I was consumed for the next two weeks. Writing, editing, listening, rephrasing, polishing. This had to be perfect”. Then he spent a long weekend locked away researching photographs from that time for a video.

The result is the very touching song titled ‘Joseph Phillips', which you can hear and watch at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SX6MVZ1C8q4.

More songs

And, since we're on the subject, let me offer you a couple more ANZAC songs from Tauranga. Elizabeth Robinson recorded the beautiful ‘Price You Pay' at the Colourfield Studio in 2011. It's a song by Welshman Jeff Murphy, who also reads the narration, quoting WW1 poet A E Houseman. Have a look at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2_HpXvVqKo

There's also the thoughtful ‘Grandpa's House' by Nigel Masters, recorded at his Boatshed Studio during 2021's lockdown. Find it at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wE1-CET60o

Right. On to a gig since one of NZ's more unusual folk outfits is flying in to The Jam Factory next weekend. The eccentrically-named Turkey The Bird play Saturday, April 29. They're a trio who have recently finished an extensive and very successful South Island tour.

Resident in New Plymouth, there's an Irishman, a Swiss fellah and one genuine Kiwi, and they describe themselves thus: 'will remind you of the famous Margarita cocktail infused with a hint of Simon & Garfunkel, two ounces of Mumford and Sons, a splash of banjo and served on ice on a sunny day. Catchy folk songs with stunning rich melodies and effortless smooth lyrics. Songs that tell uplifting stories about love and life”.

Having listened to a fair amount of their music, this sounds about right to me. These guys are unpretentious, fun and very good at what they do: expect harmonies, bass, acoustic guitar and banjo. Tickets are $25 from EventsPronto and $30 on the door. Things happen at 7pm.

Looking ahead

And next week I'll look at another act coming to The Jam factory, Matt Joe Gow and Kerryn Fields, who are visiting from Australia on May 6 bringing their style of alt-country/Americana with them. They are most excellent.

That same weekend the indefatigable Shirley Ryder, singer, songwriter, creator of five albums, three books, many music videos, an online web series and much more, will be adding another feather to her creative cap when at midday on May 7 at the Tauranga Citizens Club she launches her autobiography ‘The Wendy House'.

Shirley certainly has a story to tell: she was diagnosed with terminal ovarian cancer in 2017, which is when she began writing ‘The Wendy House', which follows her from Cyprus to England to NZ, weaving Shirley's lyrics around her musical journey.

Unusually, but somehow unsurprisingly for Shirley, the book comes with a theme song. You can hear it at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1iH4pLoe2Y

Turkey The Bird will play at The Jam Factory.