In many ways not a lot has changed about Tauranga music in the last 15 years or so. There is still a fitful live scene with only a couple of venues offering regular... Read More

It is often claimed that popularity has something to do with quality, but I consider this errant nonsense. These days particularly, if music, a film, or whatever,... Read More

Writing about Dennis Hopper last week started me thinking about mavericks, and my favourite maverick writer, who would have turned 73 earlier this month. I'm... Read More

I've been enjoying the new Steinlager ad on TV, starring Vincent Gallo. I don't have a huge interest in advertisements, and liquor ads are no different. But I had... Read More

Hot Club Sandwich is coming to town, which is always good news. As I said last week, these guys are about my favourite band in the country - along with the Windy... Read More

Now that the World Cup is reaching its conclusion - go Holland! - the days of sleep deprivation are nearly over and everyone can go out to gigs again. Which... Read More

I guess everyone has their American flags at the ready for this weekend, preparing to wave them in celebration of Independence Day. Probably not. There still... Read More

Many an occupation, be it fruit-picking, white water rafting or landscape gardening, is seasonal; being a musician is much the same. Summer is the busiest time... Read More

Winter really is here; there was frost on the ground again today so thick and white it looked like snow. This isn't usually something that affects us here at the... Read More

There's been somewhat of a furore in the past week over the Bay's most prominent international celebrity, the inimitable Richard O'Brien. As many who follow the... Read More

It's getting hard to ignore the number of sons of famous musicians who are ploughing their own row in the music field. I guess the obvious suspicion is that if... Read More

Different places in New Zealand are associated with different things: Kaikoura - crayfish, Raglan - surfing, Nelson - art, Auckland - complaining. The same is... Read More