The more we know...
...the less we know.
My Photos
www.flickr.com
|
Saturday, August 25, 2007
Sunday, August 19, 2007
Kia Ora
I'm so out of touch with New Zealand music.
Headless Chickens - Gaskrankinstation
When I was growing up, New Zealand had a peculiar relationship with home-grown talent. Well, when I say "peculiar", I mean we didn't have much time for it. We had been spoon-fed all our media from UK and US sources. Anything not performed in an American or British accent of some description was generally considered a bit crap. We had a full-blown cultural cringe - curious for a country which is normally so fiercely, defensively nationalistic - and our music scene was all the poorer for it.
Bailter Space - Splat
Artists either struggled along in obscurity, or went over to Oz and struggled on there with at least the promise of making a living from it. There was the odd hit, and there was a thriving counter-culture around it, but on the whole New Zealand music was marginal and as such, was easily known. Regardless of your tastes, you always at least had some grasp on what bands were out there.
Supergroove - Sittin' Inside My Head
That's all different now. After a couple of decades of strong campaigning, home-grown music quotas on TV and radio and the introduction (some might argue as unfortunate) of a strong commercial music scene, the NZ music scene is thriving on all fronts. It's led, it would seem to me, by the kind of indie guitar pop that typified New Zealand music in the mid-late 90's, there are now all manner of flourishing scenes. Hip hop, metal, folk, dance and more in all their various permutations and flavours are going strong.
Head Like a Hole - Spanish Goat Dancer
And so, whenever I try to dip my toes back into the world of New Zealand music, I'm completely lost. Out of touch, like some doddery old fool. Okay, so I'm hardly cutting edge on the music front. But the lack of knowledge I have just serves to make me feel that little bit more alienated from my home country. And that's weird. Anyway, it's more just an excuse to put up some old NZ music videos that I really like. Because I can!
Dimmer - Evolution
Oh, hell. How can I not finish with this? Ahh, Netherworld Dancing Toys. How many New Years Eve music video shows have we shared?
Shihad - Derail
Straitjacket Fits - She Speeds
The following is the quintessential New Zealand yob song. Play this in a Walkabout on a Friday night and it would go off like an atom bomb. Which is my way of saying I'm not proud of this song, nor do I particularly like it, but rather put it here to give you an important insight into a particular traditional New Zealand male psyche. Mate.
(I can't get too high and mighty: I do remember staggering about a field at the "Mountain Rock" festival in the early 90's, smashed out of my skull and singing along to this. But they're kind of taking the piss, so it's all okay...)
The following is the quintessential New Zealand yob song. Play this in a Walkabout on a Friday night and it would go off like an atom bomb. Which is my way of saying I'm not proud of this song, nor do I particularly like it, but rather put it here to give you an important insight into a particular traditional New Zealand male psyche. Mate.
Th' Dudes - Bliss
(I can't get too high and mighty: I do remember staggering about a field at the "Mountain Rock" festival in the early 90's, smashed out of my skull and singing along to this. But they're kind of taking the piss, so it's all okay...)
Oh, hell. How can I not finish with this? Ahh, Netherworld Dancing Toys. How many New Years Eve music video shows have we shared?
Friday, August 17, 2007
Good Times, Good Times
So two days ago - after it being nabbed by customs, slapped with VAT and then hit by an £8 Royal Mail handling fee - I received this!
Like season one, it's all very hit and miss. But there's a real joy to watching it. Case-in-point: I'm only one episode in (Don Knotts) and I already get a golden, locked-in-my-childhood-brain Muppet moment:
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Comics Photos for Comics People
Alan Light, original publisher of the Comics Buyers Guide, has put up a set of photos from the 1982 San Diego Comic Con.
It's a great look back at a time when the con was smaller and so many great artists were still about. Your mileage may vary...
Friday, August 03, 2007
Goodbye MySpace
Farewell and adieu.
It was fun while it lasted, but I guess I just woke up to the fact that you were a pointless, ugly waste of fucking time.
And yes, Facebook, I've got my eye on you too. You and your bloody zombies, vampires and werewolves. Step careful...
Lock Up Your Children
It's the bold, shiny future. Behold: robots with guns!
Okay, so they're just remote-operated chunks of machinery, but how long before they're given some kind of autonomous target-acquisition capability?
What would Asimov think?
And does this mean we're that much closer to a robot who can mix a decent mojito?
Only time will tell...
Monday, July 23, 2007
Oldie but Goodie
So I figured I should make a mention here of the fact that a couple of weeks back - in the midst of what I shall ever refer to as the Torrential Summer - I got myself a fee-antz.
Yes, Andrew Salmond has got himself engaged to the wonderful Alexandra Marais. And it's very nice, thank you. And, for a point of reference and thanks to the miracle of Google Earth, I popped the question right here:
Right on that little rise the pin is in.
Sooo, we're looking at maybe next August for the wedding, and it's looking more and more like it'll be UK based.
And that's about that!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
