Still the most pleasure I get from this column is writing about people making original music.

A song can change your life; a song can change the world. A song can make you smile in the car; a song can inspire a nation.

Tuner playing at Rosie O'Gradys June 12.

Music is an powerful force and simply because we are at a blip in history where it is undervalued, exploited, given away for free or stolen doesn't detract from the underlying recognition that we all have a musical soundtrack to our lives, unforgettable songs that take us back to particular moments, that conjure memories of loved ones, places or feelings. Music is a powerful force.

Musical friends

Next Friday, June 12, at Rosie O'Grady's at the Mount, Derek Toner – half the songwriting pair behind Nine Mile Stone (née The Mellowdrops) – will be launching his new single ‘Roll Another One' along with his band Tuner and a bunch of musical friends.
Best thing to do while you're reading this is to pop online and listen to it at soundcloud.com/derek-toner/roll-another-one.

While it plays, I'll give you some history.

Derek moved to Australia from Ireland in 1999 with little more than a backpack and an acoustic guitar. He bumped into an old school friend then met the rest of his flatmates.
One of them was Richie Yeats, and Derek, Richie and his best mate Ian started a group called the Good Wans. They had a great time playing at Irish parties in Sydney, anything from Guns N' Roses to Neil Young.

Then they all ended up back in Ireland, where Derek ran songwriter nights and Richie and Ian would often play. Richie also started writing his own music which Derek played on in the studio.

Derek eventually came to live in New Zealand. He got a call one day to say Richie had bone cancer. When he got in touch Richie seemed okay, convinced he could beat it.
Two months later Derek got a phone message telling him Richie had died on June 30, 2012. He left behind his wife and a very young daughter.

‘Roll Another One' has lyrics made up of memories or photographs people had of Richie; Derek launched the song in Ireland on April 17.

Group effort

'It was a huge group effort with many of Richie's friends and family pitching in for the printing of CDs, booking the venue and arranging fundraising,” says Derek.

'At the gig we had his wife, mother, father, brothers and sister whom I'd never met. We packed about 160 people into the upstairs of a bar and pulled 2300 Euros.”
These profits were added to money raised by Richie's family, who do an annual swim called the Golden Mile which last year raised 20,000 Euros.

Derek says he hadn't been home since Richie died so that day visited the grave and met his family before the show. It was an emotional time. The show next week is a chance to bring together as many people as possible who worked on the single: Cian O'Cinnseala from Nine Mile Stone, drummer James Bos, Colourfield Studio boss Tim Julian, Kokomo's trumpeter Sonia Bullot, guitarist Brendan McCarthy, singer Liz Tambylin and a bunch of folk who sang in the backing chorus.

Most impressed

Yasamin Al Tiay will be the opening act, there'll be a short video about the song, followed by Derek and the Tuner band. Raffles will raise more money for cystic fibrosis research. Entry is $10, and CDs $5. The gig starts 8pm.

And a quickie for this weekend. Americana duo Joseph & Maia are playing the final album release gig for their new one ‘Sorrento' this Saturday, June 6 at Mount Brewing Co. Then they're off to the UK. I've been most impressed with the album – sweeping soundscapes and intimate ballads, great Gillian Welch harmonies and good songs. Things kick off 7.30pm and cost is $10 online, or $15 on the door.

All the information and some music can be found at www.josephandmaia.com

The support group, an English duo currently resident in Waihi, Phil and Tilley, are also well worthwhile.

And, back to next weekend: Don't forget the great Don McGlashan is launching his new album alongside guitarist Tom Rodwell and drummer Chris O'Connor on Saturday, June 13 from 8pm At Tauranga Art Gallery. Tickets cost $37.50 at the Gallery or on Eventfinder.