Music

For Whom The Bell Tolls...

So, 2023 has been a rotten year for musicians; and we're only just reaching February... It's been the first conversation at recent musical gatherings. For me,... Read More

Zombies, eurovision, and the blues

This week we have blues gigs. And a welcome lashing of trivia. And if you thought we'd start with something useful, like the gigs, then you've clearly... Read More

There’s lots of folk coming to town

And we're back again for 2023, firing on several cylinders, ready to roll. I hope y'all had a good break, if you were lucky enough to have a break.... Read More

Bob and Quentin – read all about it!

I've got a couple of books for you this week. It was either that or another column hunting round for suitable New Year's Eve entertainment. And since a bunch of... Read More

Anthony Coulter‘s pilgrimage to the sea

It's getting harder for musicians to produce recorded music. A liner note in a CD I received recently says: 'With a single Spotify stream now returning $0.0007... Read More

A December deluge of music

December eh? December has arrived and with it, the countdown to Christmas. It goes like that. October, November - nothing happening, Christmas is months away.... Read More

Blues? Folk? Try sci-fi psych-rock...

Right. I've had a couple of weeks off from local music; let's remount the horse... There is, as you might expect, an absolute glut of eclectic live music occurring... Read More

Oblique artistic strategies

Brian Peter George St John le Baptiste de la Salle Eno got me thinking about art this week. Eno's been around the block and is a smart chap. I don't know if a... Read More

Bob Dylan’s philosophy of song

Bob Dylan has written another book; it's one every songwriter will want to read. Let's take time off this week from the local. Why not? Things continue apace... Read More

November is Blues Month

November is New Zealand Blues Month. Why not? I was thinking about the recently-minted Blues Roots & Grooves Festival in Palmerston North and I reckon it would... Read More

Mike Garner plays the washboard blues

Musicians tend to do a bit of everything - but not Mike Garner. Particularly in a place the size of Tauranga you'll find most musicians have played a broad range... Read More

Gigs! Bogle! Rehaab! Sonorous!

This week - a couple of live shows. There's a blues afternoon at the end of the month but, first, a fella coming to Katikati who needs no introduction. So what... Read More