DEBATE ISSUE 7 | MUSIC | JUNE 2020
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EDITOR Rebecca Zhong debate@aut.ac.nz DESIGNER Ramina Rai ILLUSTRATOR Yi Jong NEWS REPORTER Jack Pirie CONTRIBUTORS Lyric Waiwiri-Smith, Seth Nicholls, Sophia Romanos, Hazel Buckingham, Taylor Tutawa, Andrew Broadley, James Tapp, Harry Creevey, Jessy Thurston, Prayag Shethia, Alana Rae ADVERTISING Jesse Jones jesse.jones@aut.ac.nz PRINTER Nicholson Print Solutions
DISCLAIMER Material contained in this publication does not necessarily represent the views or opinions of AUTSA, its advertisers, contributors, Nicholson Print Solutions or its subsidiaries. This publication is entitled to the full protection given by the Copyright Act 1994 (“the Act”) to the holders of the copyright, being AUT STUDENT ASSOCIATION (“AUTSA”). Reproduction, storage or display of any part of this publication by any process, electronic or otherwise (except for the educational purposes specified in the Act) without express permission is a break of the copyright of the publisher and will be prosecuted accordingly. Inquiries seeking permission to reproduce should be addressed to AUTSA. Debate is a member of the Aotearoa Student Press Association (ASPA). Follow Debate! debatemag.com debate_mag autsadebate debate@aut.ac.nz
contents
3 From the Editor 4 Debate FINALLY has ‘Answers’ from the Vice Chancellor 6 Make Yourself at Home 8 10 of the Top Coming-of-Age Soundtracks 10 The Definitive Ranking of High School Musical 12 How Music Shapes Social Norms 15 What's On 16 Your Biggest Fangirl 20 The Top of the Bottom 22 A Phenomenally Biased and Crushingly Uninformed Review of my Favourite Album Ever
24 A Love Letter to Auckland’s Gig Scene 26 The Aging Melody 28 Across the Ditch 30 Puppy Love 32 In Celebration of the New Zealand Hip Hop Scene 34 Puzzles
from the editor Kia ora e hoa mā, In the winter of 2019 I had just completed my final year of assignments. Three days earlier I had bought a one way ticket to Seoul, leaving me with only four days to pack away the life I had built down in Wellington. Despite it being winter time, it felt like one of those sweltering January days, you know, the kind where it feels as if the air itself had declined and no matter what you wore, you always found yourself to be unbearably sticky. My flat was charming in the way most flats are. Eclectic but not in a refined 'I understand design’ kinda way, but more in a ‘I can’t afford or commit to anything nice’ kinda way. I’ve always been a bit of a hoarder. This is immediately apparent to anyone who had entered my room. Over the years I had accumulated copious amounts of unfiltered boxes, overflowing with
clippings, half used paint pots, sheet music and records. The paints had long since dried and the pages of sheet music had mostly browned. The table tops were covered with brightly coloured offcuts from forgotten sewing projects and room corners were squeezed tight with stacked up second hand books. My oddball museum was often mistaken for clutter, and I can’t really blame anyone for thinking that way. I’ve always had difficulty parting with things. In my room, I feel as if everything in my orbit has become part of me in some way. My rooms have always been a mess, but I always knew exactly where everything sat. I like that I knew how to jump over the sewing supplies that were conveniently left out for when inspiration arrived. I like that I knew that the replacement buttons of every blouse I had sported could be found in the bottom shelf of my dresser.
I tried to organise the chaos while making piles to discern which items to keep, but I quickly learned that this wasn’t the most efficient system. They’re all useless things which only made it more confusing why I had so much difficulty chucking any of it away. In the background Boyish by Japanese Breakfast played a song that now reminds me a lot of this period of my life. A time where I was really grappling with the loss of my youth, playfulness and optimism as I slowly prepared for adulthood. Michelle Zauner, who makes music under the name Japanese Breakfast, is one of those artists that I hold a strong attachment to. I remember her saying in an interview that her approach to writing is microscopic, meaning that she often draws inspiration from the mundane. These non-events are later drawn out into beautiful vignettes, exploring the complexity of the unspoken. As someone who has never been able to properly communicate with her parents due to language barriers, I have found great comfort in gestures and actions. This often means I hold on to items or meaningless events in the hopes they hold something of meaning. For me, Japanese Breakfast has evoked a great deal of happiness and melancholy. And that’s the thing about music, it has the capacity to move, influence and resonate with us in a way that transcends any other medium. Our Issue 7 theme for Debate is Music. Something that we all can agree has been influential in our own lives. With life slowly returning to normal, now is a great time to show some love and support to both established and upcoming artists. Keep an ear out for local artists performing on our home grounds and support them where you can! Ngā mihi, Rebecca
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NEWS
Debate FINALLY has ‘Answers’ from the Vice Chancellor By Jack Pirie After multiple attempts and rescheduled meetings, Debate was finally able to secure an interview with the Vice Chancellor of AUT, Derek McCormack. Via Microsoft Teams, I was able to meet the Vice Chancellor and discuss the current situation revolving around AUT. With all that is going on with AUT, and New Zealand slowly returning to normal, now was the best time to get clarification to
help students understand the current situation and what the future of AUT looks like. In our hour-long meeting we covered a variety of topics and a lot of ground. Our first conversation was based around the initial struggles of going into lockdown and how AUT dealt with the situation. McCormack conveyed that the biggest struggle for the university was transitioning from an on-campus university to an online university. When asked about
the decision-making process and the groups that helped make those decisions, the Vice Chancellor explained that there were “several decision makers” including leading academics, paper leaders, financial leaders, as well as “student communication.” As expected, until prompted there was very little discussion regarding the power dynamics within these decision-making groups. In a previous Debate interview with AUTSA President Sisifa Lui, we were able to uncover that AUTSA had to fight to get onto the COVID-19 Action Planning Group. In the initial phases, no formal invitation was given to AUTSA and there was absolutely no student consultation. Even when student consultation was finally given, it was, well, pretty lackluster on our end, with members of the Student Representative Council (SRC) feelings as if they were simply acting as “feedback chains.”
When asked about AUTSA feeling like a “feedback chain” during these decisionmaking processes, McCormack continued to refute any accusations and instead went on to say that“ they are very satisfied with the communication they have between the two organisations.” The Vice Chancellor said there were “regular meetings” with AUTSA and the SRC and that they were consistently “kept in the loop” throughout the decisionmaking process. However, McCormack also reiterated that “at the end of the day the University is responsible for making the decisions.” AUTSA does not bear the burden of decision making. The job of AUTSA is to put forward the students' voice “and it has been heard.” When asked about the change in systems of learning, the Vice Chancellor said upsetting a number of students was “unavoidable,” however, at the end of the day “by in large we have provided something that works.” McCormack has said, “far too much has been made of the decision to go to block learning” and the reverse. When questioned about students feeling uninformed of the future of learning at AUT, McCormack asserted that he didn’t “think there was any uncertainty at all,” as the decision to revert to semester learning was made weeks before returning. McCormack has gone on to say that students’ lives being affected is an “overstatement.” It seems like the Vice Chancellor has shown a lack of empathy during this time. Empathy towards the international students that sat in uncertainty due to visa restraints that came with the extension of the school year. Empathy towards the students who bear financial challenges and would have had to make alternative summer job arrangements. Despite these concerns being an “overstatement”, they are very real and very relevant.
When asked about whether greater student consensus and consultation was needed during the block learning process, McCormack went on to say that “I don’t think that making decisions on the basis of some sort of referendum is going to be any more satisfying to students than us [AUT] making the decisions based off our experience on delivering education. Students would be badly served if we went out and asked what does everyone think… we want to factor in student opinion, and we do that, and we have done that throughout this period.” The Vice Chancellor goes on to say that the relationship with AUTSA is “good” and that “students have a very good opportunity for input at AUT.” Another significant issue that needed addressing was the current situation in the halls of residence. When talking about the halls, the Vice Chancellor made it abundantly clear that the “University does not own either of the halls and we don’t manage them.” The Vice Chancellor went on to explain that, “what happened at the beginning of the lockdown, was that the managers of Campus Living Villages (CLV) decided to withdraw all of their staff and services.” AUT were forced to step in and make sure the students in the halls were sufficiently looked after. McCormack has once again said that “no students were pressured or forced to leave.” With no safety precautions or social distancing in place, we once again see McCormack disregarding and showing a lack of empathy towards vulnerable groups. Despite reiterating that no students were forced to leave, there were also a number of students who had to leave because they were immunocompromised. Because AUT failed to implement any safety precautions, these students had no option but to leave.
The University provided three free meals a day for students that remained in halls, as well as rebate on rent for students who had left before entering alert level 4. The Vice Chancellor made it very clear to Debate that “we are not the owners… we are an intermediary… the full handling of the money was done completely independently.” The Vice Chancellor says AUT has acted in “good faith” in regard to the students to ensure they get some relief in costs during COVID-19. As a result of the outbreak of COVID-19 the University estimates that the financial loss sits at approximately $50 million NZD for the year 2020. However, the University has saved approximately over $500,000 per month in maintenance fees, including things such as water and power. The Vice Chancellor was able to share that the City Campus has been fully cleaned during lockdown and is preparing for what the VC referred to as “blended learning” moving into semester 2. The Vice Chancellor said that “we accept that there will be some impairment” for students during this online learning period. When asked about ‘grade bumps’ that the likes of Auckland University have integrated into their grading system, the VC said that AUT will not be following the same suit as AU. However, paper leaders and staff have been told to mark assignments empathically with an understanding of the difficulties that students face during this time. The University will make sure that any failed paper will not affect any students' G.P.A. With all that is going on in the world and with AUT in particular, transparency has never been of more importance. With anxiety exuding from both students and staff do we feel that AUT is putting our minds at ease, or rather radiating a foggy transparency and still keeping us in the dark?
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Make Yourself at Home A Letter to International Students By Prayag Shethia (International Affairs Officer) Okay, so introductions and icebreakers have never been my thing. But I guess here we are: Kia Ora, Namaste, I am Prayag Shethia, a second year student studying a Bachelor of Engineering majoring in Mechatronics . I’m an international student from Mumbai, India. I landed in Aotearoa two years ago with an intense ambition to learn, grow and build connections. As an international
student we are often met by challenges that aren’t acknowledged by our academic institutions. Because of this, when we encounter new obstacles we often feel isolated and belittled. I got into the role of International Affairs Officer earlier this year to voice our concerns and support international students. 2020 has not been a very fulfilling year for most of us. The world has come to a freezing halt, and none of us are quite sure how to navigate this uncertainty. But for us international students so much seems to be on the line. While we did sign up for new experiences and challenges, none of us anticipated that it would come in the form of a global pandemic. We all feel very individual during this time, and being away from home only makes things more difficult. Work is being done behind the scenes, however there is always more to be done. There is strength
in numbers, so if you have an experience you would like to share do reach out. In this article I have curated my opinions and a brief summary on some of the events that have occurred which directly address and impact international students.
Representation in NZUSA’s National Action Plan A few weeks ago AUTSA declined to be one the signatories for NZUSA’s (New Zealand Union of Students' Associations) ‘National Student Action Plan’ to help counter and action the plan to help soften the effects of COVID-19 on students across New Zealand. NZUSA has been and is still doing a massive job for the students in NZ and I greatly acknowledge their work. However, the main reason for not signing was that the the plan failed to acknowledge and represent a few communities including international students.
Refund Appeals? Online Learning? UGHHHH The flip flopping of 'block learning’ created a massive sense of uncertainty and worry among international students. This decision directly impacted international students in a number of ways, raising issues with visas, academic semesters and finances. Switching to online learning with the normal semester model has some pretty obvious downfalls, which further raised one of the biggest questions of all - when an international student is paying almost four times the fees and not receiving the practical degree that was expected, whatever the circumstances may be, was it really worth studying? Followed by refund appeals, deferring enrolments and massive dissatisfaction, international students were completely unhappy with AUT not considering their voices. As a direct response to international student discontent, I have appealed to the ProVice Chancellor and Vice Chancellor of AUT for partial refunds for semester one.
A Massive Win for International Students Following several weeks of careful and persistent public consultations with the Ministry of Education, Education New Zealand, ISANA NZ, Office of Ethnic Communities, and regional international student representatives from NZISA’s Representative Council, on Thursday 21st May 2020, $1 million was allocated by the New Zealand Government towards a hardship fund for international students. Thank you to our representatives at AUTSA and NZISA for your hard work and
dedication! This new $1 million international student hardship fund supports currently enrolled fee-paying international students who are in temporary financial hardship. Each student is able to receive up to $1,000 from their organisation or education providers. This grant can be used for direct cash support, living costs (excluding salaries, tuition fees and air travel costs) or the purchase of resources such as food parcels. Please be strong and ask for help, in situations like these it is more than okay to.
SUPPORT! It is vital to raise awareness for international students because we deserve just as much empathy and consideration as any other student during this turbulent time. Here are some support systems available during this trying time.
1. AUTSA AUTSA can help you navigate through just about anything. Including accomodation, academic issues, wellbeing support and so much more. Get in touch with me – international.affairs.officer@aut.ac.nz or autsa@aut.ac.nz
2. NauMai NZ NauMai NZ offers help to international students studying or about to study in New Zealand. It's your place for information on life as a student in Aotearoa https://naumainz.
3. NZISA The New Zealand International Students’ Association (NZISA) is an umbrella body that brings together international student leaders nationwide. NZISA represents the collective voice among international students studying in New Zealand. https://nzisa.co.nz/
4. Ethnic Communities Numerous ethnic groups have supported their communities during this time. They provide information, advice and services to, and for, ethnic communities in New Zealand and administer funds to support community development and social cohesion. These are just a few recommendations, as there is a lot of support out there. If you do need help, feel free to come talk to me. I am not as scary as I may look and I love making new connections and meeting new members of our community. I am here to help. These are tough times but I encourage you to make the most of your university experience. Believe in yourself. It is okay to fall down, it is okay to stumble, because you will learn. But, if you do fall, remember to get back up and start running again, because we’re not at the end yet. Whatever goal or target it is that you are striving towards while here at AUT, make sure to give it your all. You cannot shoot an arrow unless you pull it back! Stay strong, and reach out.
studyinnewzealand.govt.nz/
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10 of the Top Comingof-Age Soundtracks As we got acne, pubes and boobs, films got great tunes By Sophia Romanos
Have you ever found an onion ring in your hot chips? You didn’t ask for it, you didn’t even think you wanted it, but it’s there and you’re quite excited about it. This is how I feel about a bloody good movie soundtrack. I like to think that you’re enthusiastically nodding right now. Half the time we don’t notice what cinematic mumble is going on behind a film - but when it’s done right, it’s a fucking masterpiece. We’re toe-tapping, bopping our heads and yelling “Where’s the reMOTE, JOHN?! Turn it UP!” Growing up we were exposed to a lot of crap our parents liked to watch (sorry, Ma) but the comingof-age films lining the 7-day-rental shelves at Video Ezy were hidden gems of the soundtrack world. Join me as we brush through 10 of the best coming-of-age soundtracks.
The Breakfast Club
Perks of Being a Wallflower
Hey, hey, hey, heeey. If you’re not already whispering the sweet lyrics of Don’t You (Forget About Me) then feel free to turn the page, because we’re obviously not on the same one. The Breakfast Club I must say was never close to my heart, but you have to be deaf or Joe Exotic/in prison to not appreciate a classic when you hear one.
It is over-praised, alas, it must be included. 2012 meant suddenly everyone’s favourite song was Come on Eileen - a bop I knew from excessively playing SingStar '80s as a child. Regardless of my prejudice, Perks is a beef stew of some excellent '90s hits. Fleetwood Mac’s Landslide makes a feature, as well as Bowie’s classic, Heroes. The Smiths are a bit bleak for me, but in the year of black and white Instagrams and uniforms rolled three-times at the waist, it somehow spoke to our sweet, cynical teenage souls.
Shrek & Shrek 2 Yes. They are. They are coming of age films and I don’t want to hear you question me like that. Did you see Donkey’s progression in maturity? From prisoner to Dragon-spouse? If that’s not coming-of-age I don’t know what is. All Star by Smash Mouth is an obvious hip-thruster, but Counting Crows? David Bowie’s Changes? Who is responsible for such an impeccably curated smoothie blend of tunes? Frou Frou’s Holding out For a Hero can go die in a hole as far as I’m concerned - but I’m probably biased because we all know the fairy godmother is devil spawn.
Matilda Excellent, excellent, excellent. Please do me a favour and put this soundtrack on shuffle as you go for a little stroll around the block. Never speak of it to anyone, but nevertheless, it must be done. The scene where Matilda eats Cheerios and starts boogieing on the chair as Little Bitty Pretty One plays is enough to make me want to eat that horrible cereal.
The OC Caaaaaaliforniaaaaaaaaa here we cooooooo-oh-ome. An iconic TV show of the '90s. The OC with sexy, wife-beaterwearing Ryan Attwood was the beginning of great teen dramas and hormones. Notable mentions include Youth Group, The Killers, Ryan Adams, and Gorillaz’ Kids with Guns. I remember hearing Jeff Buckley’s Hallelujah for the first time and shedding a little tear. Now it just reminds me of Shrek.
Home Alone White Christmas performed by The Drifters, paired with Macaulay Culkin make this film what it is. Argue with me and I’ll send you a copy of the CD for Christmas. And some coal.
The Jungle Book Please do not confuse this Jungle Book
with that live-action remake that should never be spoken of. The animated Disney classic has only the best musical numbers of all time (Mama Mia, sweetie, block your ears). The Bare Necessities will make you want to dance around your house in your own bare necessities, and I Wan’na Be Like You is a serious tune. I can’t read music, but I can foot-tap really well and I’m always foot-tapping to this film.
Angus Thongs and Perfect Snogging Renting this CD from the city library was the start of the rest of my life. She’s So Lovely, Girls and Boys in Love and Toothpaste Kisses are songs each and every one of you should be adding to your Spotify - As long as you’re still wearing a training bra and enjoy the flavour of strawberry lip glosses that come free with magazines.
Dirty Dancing Hearing I’ve Had the Time of My Life as Patrick Swayze lifts Baby in the air...no more needs to be said.
Bend it Like Beckham Basement Jaxx really makes this soundtrack what it is. Please feel free to add Red Alert and Do Your Thing to your running playlists because these create an excellent sense of ‘someone’s chasing you’ urgency. Blondie’s Atomic also makes an appearance which is a real confidence boost because she keeps telling you “your hair is beautiful.” Thanks, Blondie, I know.
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The Definitive Ranking of High School Musical By Harry Creevey The High School Musical franchise single handedly set an unrealistic expectation of high school for a generation. The three films have great nostalgic value but all deal with the central struggle of Troy wanting to be more than just a basketball player. This is completely resolved in the first film but then continues throughout the following two films
and results in Troy (the ultimate Mary Sue) being great at everything and eventually getting everything he wants. While Troy gets everything he wants, Sharpay gets shafted at every opportunity. This is resolved at the end of each film but then by the beginning of the next film she’s reset in the role of the antagonist. The only character that has any worthwhile character development is Ryan who goes from Sharpay’s bitch little brother to the winner of the Juilliard scholarship. When thinking of ways to rank the three films, the music seemed like an obvious choice but all three films turn in absolute bangers interspersed by slightly shitty forgettable tunes so I had to come up with more specific categories to rank them on. These are: Troy and Gabriella’s solos, how hot the cast are, how good the costuming is, how problematic they are and the overall enjoyment I had re-watching them.
High School Musical 1 The first film begins with a shot of snowy mountains scored by a cheesy flute theme and quintessential wind noises. This leads into the introduction of our leads. Gabriella is introduced with the line “it’s New Year’s Eve, enough reading” and Troy has to be dragged away from playing basketball with his DILF of a dad. This immediately sets up the forbidden love narrative between the nerd and the jock. As soon as Troy starts singing Start of Something New it’s clear that Zac Efron is lip-syncing and this lack of fidelity when combined with terrible sound editing has a hilarious effect that is noticeable throughout the rest of the film. In the opening school scene I was shocked to realise that skinny jeans were yet to become a thing and straight cut jeans reign supreme in all three films. Troy and Gabriella’s solos = 2 How hot the cast are = 1 How good the looks are = 2 Least problematic = 3 Enjoyment = 2 Total = 10
High School Musical 2 The second film has some of the most iconic imagery from the entire franchise with both Bet on It and Fabulous. However, it also has some classist undertones that makes the film weird to watch. This begins with privileged high schoolers who live in giant suburban houses getting jobs at the local country club. They’re all put out by the demands of the jobs and need a musical number led by Troy to Work This Out to rally together and make the most of the fairly normal roles. The line “bottom of the heap” from the song implies that these jobs are somehow below them and the fact that some parents will “double anything I save” shows the privilege of the students. This class divide is driven by Troy who is given social mobility through Sharpay and struggles with taking advantage of the benefits and staying true to himself and his friends. Troy being Troy is able to transcend these manipulations and his friends end up sabotaging Sharpay’s plans and giving him a chance to redeem himself at the cost of a free-ride scholarship. They also randomly name the nerd who likes hip-hop Martha and try to make her a major character despite her having no character development or lines outside of this in the first film.
Troy and Gabriella’s solos = 3 How hot the cast are = 2 How good the looks are = 1 Least problematic = 1 Enjoyment = 3 Total = 10
High School Musical 3: Senior Year The first thing that struck me watching the third film was how much hotter Zac Efron got, please take note of his arms. This is especially noticeable in Troy’s solo scene where he dances in a thunderstorm of basketballs. The production value in the third film is way higher than in the other films and the looks in the prom number are some of the best in the franchise. This prom scene also sets up the heteronormative roles in the film. In the lyrics they talk about the girlfriend's mother and father which is weird because Gabriella’s mum is a solo mum. These heteronormative roles are perpetuated in another scene where Chad and Troy’s parents have dinner and the two wives bring their husbands' and sons' food and then stand behind the table while they eat. This is also shown with the narrative of Ryan pursuing Kelsey, despite Ryan being written as a very non-straight character. The film has unsettling sexist vibes at several points. Gabriella specifically tells Troy she doesn’t want to go back to Albuquerque because it will be too hard for her to see him again so he drives all the way to see her against her wishes and this is painted as romantic. Then, at the end of year graduation instead of her scholarship being announced, Troy announces it to tell everyone he’s going to Berkeley (he just happened to get into the best public university in the world) because it’s close to Stanford. Troy and Gabriella’s solos = 1 How hot the cast are = 3 How good the looks are = 3 Least problematic = 2 Enjoyment = 1 Total = 10 In summary: I ranked all of the categories separately and came out with the same score for every movie and I think that’s pretty fitting. None of the movies are stand-out, they’re all great fun to watch, give you a kick of nostalgia and make you realise that we’ve come a long way since the early '00s.
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How Music Shapes Social Norms By Hazel Buckingham
“If you were a space alien trying to define music, you would define it as humans manipulating the way in which air molecules hit someone’s eardrum. Somehow, that air – when moved and made to hit the eardrum in tiny subtle ways – can make people dance, cry, have sex, move across country, go to war and more.” - Moby
When you try to break down music and explain it ‘objectively’ as Moby does, it seems unbelievable that human behaviour and emotion can be manipulated by it in ways that have consequences of such a magnitude as going to war. It’s hard to dispute though, as I’m sure we can all recall a rush of some kind of emotion at the sound of a particular song – a feeling that many have tried across humanity for centuries to put into words. Music is something that is around us so constantly that often we need to actively pay attention to it in order to notice it. That’s not something new to us in the world of 2020 though, where a lot of us agree that new media technologies have forced us to become “smart, sophisticated, media-savvy consumers'' and the impact of media, such as music or music videos, on us and our behaviour is not something we need to worry about. Maybe back in the beginning of the ‘counterculture’ in the '60s people were impressionable by music, but not anymore. We’ve grown wiser, and we know better. Right? Well, due to ethics surrounding experimental research on humans, we don’t have a single study to ‘prove’ an answer either
way, and it would be nigh on impossible to single out one form of media from any other to investigate its specific effects. It is curious though to review a policy statement released as far back as 2009 by the American Academy of Pediatrics. It stated music, music lyrics and music videos can have a significant impact on children and youth, going as far as to request paediatricians be up to date on the latest research on the subject, discuss music preference and exposure with their patients and parents and help these parents and patients become ‘media literate’ – as this would help protect the youth from the effects of these media forms. This policy statement doesn’t stand alone, in fact you’ll find a range of academic research dating decades back making similar claims and recommendations – some more extreme than others. There’s been particular work done by feminist academics on the role of music and music videos in normalising violence against women and rape culture, specifically linking music videos to harmful myth-based beliefs. In fact, there’s probably a little voice inside your head right now that says “mmhm…we know this…” as you read, and that’s what we’re here to talk about.
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If we know it, how does it still have such an impact? Consider this paradox. Over the lockdown of coronavirus, many people on Facebook have been posting “10 albums that influenced them growing up.” An artist that seems to keep popping up in this trend is Eminem, which seems to reflect a culture of teenage girls who memorised his albums verbatim and used this as their ‘party trick’ to break the expectation that their headphones would be blasting TayTay 24/7. I will openly admit that I was one of these teens. Seemingly harmless, right? Until the next part is laid out for you. One night, Eminem performed his song Kim at a concert. This song is particularly violent and derogatory towards his ex-wife Kim, something that a lot of Eminem’s earlier work is known for. At this particular concert, he abused a blow-up doll representation of her on stage as he sung, while the crowd cheered him on. Kim was present at this performance, and later that evening, attempted to take her life. Yet a survey conducted by Teen magazine a few months later found that 74% of teenage girls would date Eminem. And this isn’t an isolated occurrence. One only needs to look to Robin Thicke’s Blurred Lines which peaked at number one in more than 25 countries, or how the same expartner of Rihanna’s who we demonised in 2009 for his violence towards her reached number one on the charts again in 2019. It’s not just about violence either, and things get even messier where the
lines between music, music lyrics and music videos, well…blur. Recent research published in the International Journal of behavioural Medicine demonstrated that per capita, adolescents in the UK receive approximately four times more alcohol and tobacco related messages from popular music YouTube videos than adults do.
We think ourselves rather immune from big business and corporations as we ‘pull’ the content we want, rather than them pushing it on us. This ranges from the artists as brand ambassadors for certain products (like Robin Thicke and a particular cognac that apparently we know we want) to the normalisation of alcohol use for both celebration and as a coping mechanism. It gets even worse when we consider the extension of social media and the avatars celebrities can create – how can one separate dearest TayTay’s Instagram post of her with a glass of wine in COVID isolation, suggesting it was the best way to pass the time, from her music that blasts out of our headphone speakers? More and more so, we cannot separate the music from the artist or their actions and we must recognise the impact that these seemingly harmless messages are having on both our youth, and on us.
This impact is sometimes termed our ‘super peer’, suggesting that content depicted in both music and its videos may influence our social norms, as well as our decisionmaking, thinking processes and behaviours. This becomes particularly relevant to those that suggest music is merely a reflection of our feelings, or that we come with preconceived ideas to the music – if every interaction with music has the ability to affect our psyche, don’t we truly need to take heed of that policy statement’s warning and ensure we do become music (and media) literate? We’ve become more skilled at using technology, absolutely. But has the required critical thinking accompanied us? We think ourselves rather immune from big business and corporations as we ‘pull’ the content we want, rather than them pushing it on us. We curate our own unique identities in a way like never before with this proliferation of content, is it actually the corporations that are becoming smarter, more sophisticated, and media-savvy? If music does have the impact Moby suggests, or that you have felt, what opportunities for change lie there? Perhaps as we move towards creating our new normal, music and music videos are a secret weapon in our arsenal that we can harness, if we start paying critical attention to what we are listening to. After all, these are messages we memorise word for word, that get stuck in our head for days on end, and unite us the world over.
What's on Civilisation, Photography, Now Where: Auckland Art Gallery When: Sat 13 June - Sun 18 Oct What: Auckland Art Gallery is finally reopening with a new exhibition, ‘Civilisation, Photography, Now.’ The exhibition looks at our built environments and our hyper-connected, 21st century lives through the eyes of the skillful photographers who have so vividly pictured them. Humans engineer vast systems and structures, producing dazzling spectacles and generating complex conflicts. These ceaseless activities are captured in 'Civilisation, Photography, Now' which features the work of 100 of the world’s finest photographers. Cost: $16 for Students with ID, $19 for Adults
Owlpine Presents: The Return of the Gig Where: The Wine Cellar When: Sat 13 June What: For many of us it's been a couple of months since we've been able to enjoy live music in person. The Return of the Gig has put together an intimate seated show at one of Auckland’s favourite local venues. Our local artists for this special evening include Raylee Bradfield, Music By Montgomery and Keeley Shade. Cost: $20
Klang
Waitui Ātea Saltwater Realm
Where: Whammy When: Sat 13 June What: Come down to Whammy to enjoy a night of dancing with the latest installment of Klang. Always known for a super sweet, inclusive space, with great tunes to take you through all the way till the dreaded 4am shutdown. Cost: $15
Where: Central City Library When: Open now till 19 July What: Waitui Ātea highlights the people of the Saltwater Realm, their culture, language and homelands, brought alive by the saltwater communities that call Aotearoa home. Visitors to the exhibition will be able to experience rare and unique items from Auckland Libraries’ Heritage Collections, as well as treasures loaned from other cultural heritage institutions. The exhibition will also showcase the work of contemporary artists such as Michel Tuffery, Fatu Feu’u and Steve Hikaiti.
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Your Biggest Fangirl Music prejudice and K-pop, by someone who knows very little about it. By Andrew Broadley | Illustration by Yi Jong
The lyrics to TWICE songs have been running through my mind all day. And the day prior to this one, and the day prior to that, and with a few Red Velvet songs sprinkled in between, several days prior to that. The South Korean girl group have dominated my thinking of late. I know the names of all nine members (nine seems excessive), have watched their music videos, several interviews of them and even cringed as I clicked on the recommended video “TWICE FUNNY & CUTE Moments – Try not to Laugh”. And I blame COVID-19 for all of it. I spent both level 4 and level 3 babysitting and my main instructions were, if she (‘she’ being an 11-month old baby) starts to cry, just play TWICE. The K-pop girl group are an antidote to all her worries. She squirms, she cries, she does anything you don’t like, and the intense techno beats and colourful visuals of their music videos knocks her into a trance. Now being a lacklustre babysitter, this became my main tool (kudos to all the parents not raising children on a diet of TV). I played TWICE for much of the days, and all of the evenings. They played on repeat, over and over, day after day. Only broken up when the YouTube algorithm threw in a new K-pop group every now and then. Before this
experience, I knew of K-pop, but not much beyond that. I hadn’t spent much time listening to it or thinking about it. Now suddenly it was in my head all the time. I hummed it over breakfast, second breakfast, lunch, post lunchsnack (it was lockdown, don't act like you didn’t all eat your boredom and feelings), afternoon snack, dinner, dessert, and pre night-time shower snack. I went to bed humming and I woke up doing the same. The humming was mainly due to the fact I couldn’t sing along on the count that my Korean is pretty horrific beyond ordering myself some food. 순두부 찌개 하나주세요! But as horrible and annoying as this likely was for those around me, I didn’t tire of it myself. There are many great albums that I love, and I believe to be great works of art, and yet the thought of playing them on repeat for any more than a few hours sounds like a laborious task. But somehow K-pop was different. Now there are plenty of moral reasons you could abstain from K-pop. Mental health issues, exploitation, sexual assault, an overbearing expectation to control every aspect of an individual for the sole goal of profit are all
commonplace (though Western music industries are no strangers to these either). But my reasoning was less a moral high ground and more a personal high ground. In my eyes, K-pop wasn’t real music. It’s manufactured. It’s mindless, crap. Originality or talent isn’t a necessity. It was music for annoying teenage girls and hysteria and obsession. And well, in some ways I wasn’t wrong, and in some ways I was. But I was definitely wrong to write it off. People such as myself who like to think of themselves as ‘music’ people. The kind that don’t stand at the front when we go to concerts because the music balance isn’t as good. The kind who stand in the corner at parties and give long winded answers to the questions: “What music do you listen to?” or “What’s your favourite genre?” We have this sense of superiority that music has to be about creativity and pushing boundaries and artistic expression. Or even more importantly, underground! (Major labels? Gross!) And all that is important, but it doesn’t mean there isn’t a place for other forms of music.
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Major label influence is seen as the death of authenticity, the very idea of a guiding hand ‘manufacturing’ an artist for profit can rightfully give the impression that an artist is untalented or not worthy. So, an industry such as K-pop where it is built on the very notion of manufacturing goes against these beliefs. In the K-pop industry, a few large corporations send
uniqueness and independence. They do their best to shy away from their label influence and team of writers that construct everything from their sound to appearance and personality; K-pop almost seems to do the opposite.
out worldwide auditions, selecting children that are at times as young as 12. These children are then signed on as ‘trainees’ where they go through a K-pop boot camp (which they often have to pay for). The label’s pool of hopeful artists train for years in the hopes they get the chance to debut. Artists openly talk about their time as a trainee. Labels upload footage of groups practicing and preparing for all the varying aspects of life as an idol (the term used to refer to famous K-pop artists). Manufacturing is not only done, but advertised and flaunted. In the West, artists try to convince us of their authenticity,
an artist is signed to, or what sound they choose to create. An artist may not have control over all aspects of their sound, and they may not be creating something ground-breaking and new, but they can still be authentic in their love for music and performance. And authenticity aside, I don’t see why there has to be any stigma beyond that. Sometimes I want to turn on the radio and hear a song fresh off the top 40 that sounds like all the other songs fresh off the top 40, and I think that’s okay. Music should first and foremost be about enjoyment. But we have linked this attitude to a sense of cultural class. That a ZM listener is
But whilst authenticity is important, it’s unfair to link that authenticity to who
inherently less cultured and intelligent than the guy listening to an LP. But so often we get caught up in the image of music that we push our enjoyment of it to the background. To this day I’m still not sure if I am supposed to actually like The Sex Pistols or just say I do. It’s great to expand your music repertoire, to expose yourself to a variety of genres and sounds but don’t be afraid to relax to something easier. I love film for example. But I don’t want to watch Twelve Years a Slave every day. That sounds really depressing. Some days you just want to sit back and watch Fast and Furious 17. Or that Transformers film where for some reason there are robot dinosaurs and the robot car people are riding them and there is a big ancient robot sword (wow Transformers got really wack). Mainstream pop music bangs. It’s fun, it’s enjoyable, it goes exactly where your mind wants it to go. There’s no surprises or challenges and some days are perfectly okay. We will always need auteurs. The people that propel us forward and create new culture and forms of expression. And you never know where that is going to come from. It wasn’t too long ago that artists such as Migos, Lil Uzi Vert, and 21 Savage were seen as the death of rap, now they are hailed as highly influential in a new era of hip hop. Who’s to say that K-pop doesn’t have a place at this table? Despite all this talk of manufactured music and a lack of originality or complexity, I learned over the course of lockdown, that K-pop is far from predictable or unoriginal. Massive synth leads, rap breakdowns, beat switches,
key changes, tonal shifts, spoken word sections, dance breaks, and group chanting are all commonplace. It’s a bloody roller-coaster and to write it off as predictable and lacking innovation is a complete injustice. If anything, you could argue (and upset metalheadz around the world) that K-pop draws heavily from prog-rock’s F.U. attitude to song structure and format. K-pop tracks often lack traditional song structure, often switching it out for a series of sections that can have little interlocking them. Calvin Harris-esque synth leads drop into Travis Scott inspired breakdowns, dance breaks remnant of vintage Pussycat Dolls and then throw out huge choruses circa High School Musical. It’s all kinda a shit show, and it all kinda works. It may be manufactured, and it may borrow heavily from largely Western influences. But when you blend the shit out of something pre-existing and mix it with your own cultural and musical influences you get something completely new, and far from unoriginal. K-pop isn’t for everyone. I’m still not entirely sure it’s for me. But what I did learn was that it’s wrong to write things off based on preconceived ideas. And this obviously doesn’t only apply to music. But in music, much of why we choose to consume is based on image and public standing. Everything has a place (within reason, don’t go and rep some pro Nazi band tee anytime soon) and in limiting yourself to what will be received well by the cool kids or the critics you are denying yourself
the potential to stumble across hidden gems or just something fun. Whether the music is happy or sad or simple or complex or predictable or original or the result of a damn singing contest show, give it a chance before you make a decision on how you feel about it. Usually the only time we allow ourselves to break this rule of music class is when enough time has passed for irony to come into play. Pop music is cool if it’s early 2000s, but the modern wave of pop artists is reserved for fangirls.
In the West, artists try to convince us of their authenticity, uniqueness and independence. They do their best to shy away from their label influence and team of writers that construct everything from their sound to appearance and personality, K-pop almost seems to do the opposite. And fangirls are like music credibility kryptonite. We have decided that the hysteria and passion of young girls discredits the thing in which they have the hysteria for. Despite fangirls being the early adopters of the Beatles, Elvis, and many of the successful artists we have seen and continue to see today, a fan base of white men is the only real way to have any level of credibility. In a current sense, artists
such as Tame Impala, Mac DeMarco, Arctic Monkeys, Beach House and many more are suffering from a wave of popularity amongst Dr. Martenswearing high school and university girls that is tarnishing their reputation amongst ‘music dudes’. And it's bullshit. It suggests that the opinions of young women have no reputable weight or depth (a problem women have to face in many areas beyond just music). Feel free to dislike these artists, I dislike some of them too, but to do it because of their growth in popularity among girls is nothing but sexist. And it has no standing whatsoever. I think fangirls are in many ways the coolest fans out there. Because they just don’t give a fuck. They are like the modern-day anarchists of music fandom. They don’t care about the judgement or the Pitchfork rating, they only care about how that music makes them feel, even if that feeling is dancing on their bed and singing into a hairbrush. Even if that feeling is getting shitfaced on a Saturday night. Music is the best thing ever. I love it. I love music so much that I am a straight white guy that doesn’t listen to podcasts. I don’t have the time for them. And I want everyone to love music too and to be a music person. I want everyone to expand their horizons beyond what we are fed by our peers or by our algorithms. But that isn’t only for the ZM listeners and The Edge callers. It’s for us music people too. Get off your high horse and put on something shitty, you might just find it’s not so shit.
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The Top of the Bottom
By Jessy Thurston Meme songs are some of the most annoying yet catchy tunes that will get stuck in your head for hours on end. After sitting down and forcing myself to listen to them all once again (and jamming along to a handful, I’m not gonna lie), I’m here to review and rate some of the biggest novelty tunes from worst to best.
12. Watch me (Whip/Nae Nae) - Silentó (2015) This meme song was famous for introducing those two, awful dance moves that everyone was doing for a while - whether ironically or not. It got old super-fast and the meme died out but none-the-less it will be ingrained into our memories for eternity.
11. Harlem Shake - Baauer (2012)
slaps. Easy to learn the lyrics to, and the pop after the chorus is too much fun to not join in with. Although I wouldn’t have chosen green for the main character (red is obviously the best flavour), this tune is so much better than its cartoony counterpart, Peanut Butter Jelly Time, which didn’t even deserve a spot on this list.
This song sparked a massive trend of videos where one person dances in a normal setting, until the beat drops and a whole lot of other people join in, usually in odd costumes. It was hard to get away from seeing these videos all over your social media, until the trend (thankfully) dried up and the Harlem Shake was no more.
6.Gangnam Style - PSY (2012)
10. Baby Shark - Pinkfong Animal Songs (2016)
5. The Duck Song - Bryant Oden (2009)
The most recent of the songs on the list, this kids tune quickly became popular among teens and adults (we should really question why this happened), and even wormed its way into the DJ set of American DJ Jauz which he played at loads of festivals. He managed to hype up the crowd with it every time. I guess meme songs like this are beautiful in the sense that once they are popular, no matter how annoying, they unlock a memory from deep within when played. Memories of a time when Baby Shark was sung around a campfire while the actions and catchy lyrics were still enjoyable...how good it would be to travel back to the days where it wasn’t a nightmare to have it stuck in your head.
I’m sure this one holds a soft spot in a lot of our hearts. It was kind of my first exposure to the wonders of YouTube. Its simple, yet comedically brilliant storyline is one that remains phenomenal, even after we all waddled away.
4. Sandstorm - Darude (1999)
9. Friday - Rebecca Black (2011)
God tier. Never not a good time. Played at many a school disco back in the day, the song consists mostly of lyrics that are really just sounds, and yet it sends you into a pit of nostalgia every time it’s played. Iconic. The character actually made a twitter account and announced a new album in April this year...it’s about time we bring back Crazy Frog!
We all remember that one year of school where some kid would start singing this every. single. Friday. Bless Rebecca, she tried her hardest, but her attempt at fame backfired famously with the release of this classic track. It was too easy to take the piss out of, even when we were probably the target audience at that age. A shame, really.
8. #SELFIE - Chainsmokers (2013) This one I learned all of the lyrics for and can still remember word-for-word. The monologue in the song is a pretty good piss-take of what some of “the gals” get up to on a night out, and scarily I have both heard and said most of the things she talks about, back in my freshly-18 Bar101 days. I don’t know what else to say about this other than it was kind of brilliantly done, no matter how much it irks me to hear it in the present day.
7. (The Gummy Bear Song) - Gummibär (2007) This one is a childhood favourite, and to be fair, it still kind of
This list would be nothing without this song. PSY created a masterpiece that traveled across the world, despite close to nobody outside of Korea understanding the lyrics. It’s catchy, there’s a fun dance that anybody can easily learn, and the music video is just plain whacky.
Straight up anthem. I grew up with this song being played a lot by my dad, who was blissfully unaware that it was a meme. You can’t really go wrong with this one, especially in the first few seconds. Play this at a rave, it’ll forever go off.
3. Crazy Frog - Axel F (2005)
2. All Star - Smash Mouth (1999) This one is just *chef’s kiss*. The song we all know was made famous by the GOAT himself, Shrek, is a feel-good tune of selflove. The years start coming and they don’t stop coming, and throughout those years All Star has remained legendary.
1. Never gonna give you up - Rick Astley (1987) Ah, the classic Rick-Roll. If you’re not familiar with the prank of clicking hyperlinks that directed you to this song, then you missed the era of the best meme song that has ever existed. Literally impossible not to sing along, and still turns heads more than three decades after it was released. Good for you, Rick Astley, you made it.
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A Phenomenally Biased and Crushingly Uninformed Review of my Favourite Album Ever
By Seth Nicholls You read the title! Today I’m gonna be gushing about my favourite album ever, the connection I feel to it, and the best tracks from it. I will simultaneously go into too much AND too little depth at the same time, all while desperately trying to maintain your attention. The album I’m discussing today (or whenever you’re reading this) is the 1993 reissue of AK79, an anthology album of punk songs from (mostly) Jafa punk bands that were around the late '70s. Thus the title: AK = Auckland 79 = The titular year, woohoo
The album blasts off with Megaton by the Suburban Reptiles, a raging and moshing and marching jam about being free to do what you want. Real party shit. The crashing cymbals and jazzy sax screaming through this four minute track gets the blood pumping fast and doesn’t let down till it’s all over. The Suburban Reptiles are one of my favourite bands on this album, with their vocalist Zero’s unmistakable voice over the blitzing sax, drums and guitar. The album numbers 25 tracks from 11 bands, meaning everyone gets a little time in the limelight and if you enjoy one sound more than the others, you have several songs to listen to in that field. Among my favourite bands in this anthology are Toy Love, a catchy example of the Dunedin Sound scene which makes for one of the most interesting eras in NZ music, and Proud Scum, who have some of the most vicious and crazy tracks on the list. Toy Love brings their titular song Toy Love Song (you have no idea how much I hated writing that out), a post-mortem love song ruminating on a beautiful lover after her melancholy passing. They also play Squeeze and Frogs, showing off their aesthetic range with more poppy and experimental pursuits. Proud Scum, on the other hand, started off with I Am A Rabbit. Y’all, this is one of the most succinctly horny songs I have ever heard. The entire song is the
vocalist addressing, and confirming the concerns of his lover, who thinks he’s only in it for the sex. Don’t get me started on Suicide 2. Scum? Yes. Proud? God yes. This is a clearly a good album if you are already interested in punk, particularly if you haven’t listened to any from the New Zealand scene, but why should you listen to this if you’re just not into it? I believe AK79 is a great album for establishing a greater connection to Auckland proper and appreciating its history. When I listen to AK79 in Albert Park, I think of the crowds that gathered there around those scrappy small-time bands. When I walk past Grafton Bridge with Proud Scum in my headphones, I think about the multiple songs about leaping off it when those safety windows weren’t there. I think about how much that bridge meant, a leap to the death right down the road from Auckland's biggest party location. I also want to draw attention to AK79’s importance as a historical artefact, as many songs on it would never have been recorded otherwise. Much of this Kiwiana music scene may have been lost to time otherwise. Having this available allows us to connect to the past and to reflect upon it. We can connect by understanding our surroundings, whether we look at Auckland or the whole of New Zealand, in the context that these artists saw. A New Zealand
with suicide down the street, a New Zealand before the nuclear ban, a New Zealand that lived and died so long before I was born it seems almost foreign to me. I got listening to AK79 when my father gave it to me, a list of songs that he listened to when he was my age. When I listen to AK79, I get a little glimpse of what life felt like for him. We can also use AK79, and our glimpse into its culture therein, to reflect and question the culture of that time. For example: though I love the Suburban Reptiles’ music, I could never wear merchandise bearing their name. You see, despite having no fascist affiliations, they attempt to rebelliously co-opt the image of the German SS. Despite this being an attempt to be rebellious and punk, well… yikes. Apparently this kind of thing was done just to piss off their very own boomer equivalent and whoever came before them, but using nazi symbolism for ironic means is still a good 35% yikes from me dawg. So I recommend you pick up a copy of AK79, or at least give a few songs a listen on Spotify. A 40th Anniversary version was released just last year. I can’t guarantee it would give you more perspective, I can’t guarantee you’ll learn anything profound, I can’t even guarantee you’ll like the music. I just recommend you take a glance at my favourite album ever.
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A Love Letter to Auckland’s Gig Scene By Lyric Waiwiri-Smith My exposure to Auckland’s local music scene was in 2015, when my friend and I huddled together at the back of class to watch a video of Miss June performing Drool. We observed with impressionable eyes the way Annabel Liddel effortlessly swayed her hips and sneered and sang “you think you’re so fucking cool!” It was the coolest thing we had ever seen in our lives, and my friend couldn’t believe this was my first time hearing about Miss June, and that I had no idea they belonged to an underground world of artists doing this locally. I obsessively began scouring Facebook for my first chance to get in.
This opportunity came to me in the form of Messed Up, a little festival featuring a number of Auckland’s local bands - Yukon Era, Joe Says No, The Moots, Miss June spread across two stages in a run-down hall off K Road. This was a high stakes situation - finally a chance to immerse myself in the hidden world I was obsessed with, but my friends pulled out last minute so I had to go alone, as a very uncool and unsavvy 15-year-old. Getting past the fear of the large, buzzing crowd outside, and the musicians at the door trying to crack jokes with me (I suddenly felt very small and unimportant in my baggy jeans and white shirt), I entered a world where the people danced without fear of being judged, dressed like the people you saw in movies and I watched kids who were still in high school perform to cheers. The floor was sticky with sweat and I had to duck when mosh pits formed and keep my head down when everyone around me was singing along and I wasn’t. I remember after Miss June’s set, the final one of the night, I
waited nervously as the crowd thinned and Annabel started packing up her gear. I approached her very tentatively, and as we made eye contact in low light I said “I really like your music.” She grinned, “thank you so much!” It’s hard to put into words how deeply this experience stirred me. Being teenagers, and young girls especially, music meant everything to my friends and me. Our lives felt so mundane at the best of times, but we had our collection of residential heroes that held up a brighter and more glamorous mirror of our lives. The gig scene felt like our own little universe, hidden down some steps in St Kevins Arcade or a library hall in Grey Lynn or someone’s apartment-turned-venue on K Road, accessible only for $10. When the light in the crowd is low enough, the music loud enough, the people waving their limbs around you strange enough, you have the liberty of choosing who you want to be. It was easy for us to hide under the guise
of being 16 - a true chameleon age. We wouldn’t ever admit it, but we were dumb and easily influenced, and we made mental notes on the older and cooler gig-goers around us. How to dress, what to listen to, ways of speaking and what we should be smoking and drinking. We quickly learned who and what was cool. Friends and lovers were made along the way - some lifelong, some temporary - all while dancing in the dark to a soundtrack that sounded like it was made just for us. Songs about drinking double browns, love, heartbreak, going to parties - these were our experiences.
when we were sweaty and thirsty we could hide out in the nearest park and relive the experience.
Some of my fondest memories come from late 2016-2017. A golden age of live music where some months there’d be multiple gigs to attend every week. New sounds to be heard and our favourite songs to experience again. At the time I was dating one of the drummers so I always had to secure my space at the front of the crowd with my friends, where we’d close our eyes, raise our arms, and get lost in the music. Afterwards,
We always complained about having to pay $10 to see our friends play our favourite songs, but we had no idea how lucky we were. These were some of the most formative years of our life, and we spent our time experiencing unfiltered art for cheap, co-existing with fellow creatives, building our identities and appreciations. Looking back, those years from 2015-2019 feel like the Auckland music scene’s final victory lap.
There were pitfalls, of course. Some of the guys would sexualise and harass and belittle us younger girls. Police also made frequent appearances at the all-ages gigs, we learnt how to perfect the art of hiding alcohol and appearing cool and collected (or just gracefully speed walking away). These were also our best opportunities to get completely wasted, and we did a lot of things we’d rather forget (or maybe that was just me).
The venues we created memories in have since closed or relocated or restricted their age limit. You’d now be hard pressed to find an all-ages venue operating away from the council’s strict regulations, and anyway, venues are now struggling to breathe above COVID-19. The bands we loved broke up or moved away or found a spotlight away from the local scene. Nothing compares to the feeling of being able to enjoy music that is locally sourced and influenced. At 15 I never would have been able to truly comprehend the magic that was going to become a part of my world, and my friends' worlds, and the other regulars we’d see every weekend dancing with us. Hopefully when the fog of COVID-19 clears, and we’re allowed to go back to our beloved venues, and the hidden creatives that have been harnessing their craft while in isolation finally get to show off what they have to offer, we can enjoy Auckland’s music scene again.
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The Aging Melody By James Tapp (IG: @jimbo_tapp ) Music is something special. Even if you don't dance or sing, chances are you have a favourite song. And that's not just something that happens when you hit a certain age, it's right from the start. I got told I was dancing to the neighbour's music while I was still in the womb and I'm sure I'm not the only one. Music brings people together in so many ways, from moshing to RnV to crying your heart out over your highschool boyfriend. Whether it was spending your Saturdays scribbling songs about your favourite stuffed animals to perform a sell-out concert for your family, jamming out on the keyboard, or maybe even banging on some pots and pans, everyone seems to have tried making music at some point. And for a little kid, maybe one who can't even speak yet, this means expression. Humans are unique in the ability to put together elements such a rhythm, melody and beat all together, with emotion being the heart of it all. Crying and smiling are all well and good, but there’s something about music that explains those feelings which will never arise through words. Let's skip ahead a few years. It's the start of a new school year and you've just gone into Year 4. Getting older is cool and all, but now you get to be in the school band. So what instrument are you going to pick? Why are you going to pick it? As a
7-year-old, I decided to pick the clarinet. Within a matter of weeks I could play hot cross buns, within a year I knew the Harry Potter theme song. But why? Why play an instrument when it means I had to be at school early for band practice? I wanted to be cool and back then I thought the clarinet was the way to go. Oh, I also got out of class to go and have lessons. From a parent’s point of view, instruments seem to teeter between blessing and curse. I can't imagine every parent wanting to have a kid who likes hammering away at the drums or just plays everything out of tune. So why encourage it? Learning an instrument is supposed to be beneficial towards language learning and improving memory, with research showing even learning a little bit can help build protection against neurological diseases such as dementia. Let's skip forward again to the present day. It's been a couple years now since I stopped playing the clarinet. So have most of the people I met while playing, and if they haven't, they're in orchestras and jazz bands and wherever else a clarinet fits in. Looking back, picking the clarinet was a fatal mistake, being a rock fan and all. But while I'm not playing the clarinet, everyone knows some dude whose main personality trait is playing Wonderwall on an acoustic guitar at a party. But why? Why is it someone can grab a guitar, play a song and then probably have someone on their
arm by the end of the night? Because it’s social. Music in every aspect is about how we socialise, whether it’s setting a mood, elevating a concert to new heights, or bonding you and your friends forever. For some, shared music taste isn't a huge deal. For others (such as myself) shared music tastes get sparks flying. To prove this, I asked what instruments my mates played when they were younger, and what they wish they had learnt to play. The top answers were keyboard, drums and the guitar. I ask you, what makes up your typical band? Bingo! Keyboard, drums and the guitar. Deep down we all wish we had the ability to jam out and have a good time with our mates. We’ve looked at the past, we’ve looked at the present, now it’s time for the future. No matter what it looks like, there will be music and chances are we’ll like it. Slowly but surely though, The Breeze might start playing the early 2000 hits, maybe a bit of Britney Spears, or for myself some Franz Ferdinand and Sufjan Stevens. Unfortunately, this means we’ll be the future boomers, with the quaranteens and whoever else follows judging us harshly on our music taste. But I can guarantee that they'll have their own music as well which we’ll struggle to comprehend. And that’s the beauty of it: no matter who is making it, when it’s being made or how it's being made, music will always be important and will always exist.
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Across the Ditch Our buddies in Australia actually have a pretty fantastic music scene going on. The few artists I tapped into during lockdown really spiced up my Blackboard-bound days. With talks of a potential trans-Tasman bubble in the future, what better time than now to get into some Aussie acts. These three are a bit of a mix from pop to rock to folk, but all have the vibes to suffice until we can explore their backyard again. By Alana Rae
Hollie Col
Mallrat
Ball Park Music
Hollie is my personal favourite. This became especially apparent when I was informed by Spotify that I played her music every single day of lockdown. This Sydney singersongwriter sends it from the heart. She’ll provide an energising pick me up or gut-wrenching catharsis for any time of the day, so quite ideal all round. Her earlier songs were quite folk but are starting to move toward an indie-pop-rock feel. Either way, her raw emotive story-telling, paired with angelic vocals, make for a wholesome ride down acoustic lane. Be sure to follow her Instagram for some top tier cat content…I didn’t know it was possible for someone to love their pet that much.
Upon first discovery of Mallrat, you simply wish you were her. She has that effortless pop sound and a tendency to undercomplicate. But not long after properly taking in her lyrics, you realise there’s a lot more going on there. Her songs are deeply confessional, but this somehow doesn’t detract from the laidback production and delivery. It’s surprising how universal her seemingly very specific songs can be which, to be honest, only adds to the charm. With a never-ending supply of catchy hooks, this 21-year-old from Brisbane can steal your heart - and mind - throughout the course of her three solid EPs.
I’ll honestly never get sick of lead vocalist, Sam Cromack, serenading me with a good, hearty belt. Ball Park Music is a team of five from Brisbane who I dream of seeing live one day. I mean, watching the orchestration of these layered-to-the-brim songs play out would be an event in itself. This band is pretty well-loved and their longevity is a testament to their timeless ‘bangers’, if you will. There are, however, a few claims they play into the '90s pop rock sound. Despite my lack of expertise in that era, it may explain the dash of nostalgia that comes with their musical journey. Needless to say, I’m here for it.
Verdict: Relatable indie-pop queen.
Verdict: A sunshiney way to let out the angst.
Verdict: An LGBTQ+ artist with charisma for days? What’s not to love. Songs to start with: Let Yourself Down and She Knows Instagram: @holliecol
Songs to start with: Groceries and Suicide Blonde Instagram: @lilmallrat
Songs to start with: It’s Nice To Be Alive and Everything Is Shit Except My Friendship With You Instagram: @ballparkmusic
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Puppy Love By Andrew Broadley My mum has always been a terrible singer and dancer. When she was in school and a part of the open choir, her singing was so bad the school held auditions to find the cause of the bad singing and subsequently kicked her out once she had been discovered. It’s a tragically sad story, and you feel bad for siding with the school, but she really is horrific. When I would walk home from school in the afternoon sun and I would round the bend along the river I would see the large
mid '70s ranch slider wide open. The familiar jingle of the Breeze radio station would be bellowing from within. Although in her 40s Mum preferred to play her music in the same vein as you would imagine her teenage daughter to: doors open, volume up loud and singing to herself, imagining some alternative world where the song applied to her made up narrative. As I would come through the open ranch slider I would yell over the music. But Mum paid no attention to that. She would grab me by my wrists and whisk me into her arms swaying awkwardly off beat to the music. She would continue to sway and sing off key despite my protests and whenever I
told her to stop or turn it down she would simply yell back: “How was school?” Whenever I think of these moments there is one song that comes to mind. And they called it puppy love Oh I guess they'll never know How a young heart, how it really feels And why I love her so Puppy Love is about a first love. An early love. Immature, inexperienced, but full of wonder
power to be their own little architect of the room they build with that song.
and while often ill fated, often held dear in people’s hearts. The song was originally written by some old geezer named Paul Anka, but I will always know it for the whining little high pitched voice of a young Donny Osmond. Some 13-year-old Mormon kid who grew up to be my mum’s heartthrob and my biggest annoyance. Or so he used to be. Because time has changed both the relationship I have with my mother and also the relationship I have with that song. I no longer find myself dreading the idea of walking into a room that is loudly playing Donny Osmond. And I no longer dread the idea of having to
hear my mum sing. Not that she has gotten any better, or I any harder of hearing, but my tolerance has grown. Because these are memories I look back on and I cherish. Music is funny that way, it’s subjective. We so easily categorise it into good or bad. Critically acclaimed or critically panned. But when you really think about it, none of that really matters. Music has always been about expression, and enjoyment. Every artist puts their own little story into the song. And every listener can take that song and subsequent story and reinvent it and take away a different feeling or thought or snapshot of time away, and they have the
My room is carpeted in a new, soft grey. Dark grey, because I was a messy child who often spilled my food. A large mid century book cabinet lines the whole back wall. A cabinet I used to think was ugly so my mum sold it off cheaply on Trade Me and only looking back now do I realise it was not only a beautiful piece of furniture but one that was probably worth a lot more than what it was sold for. The sliding door that divides the living and dining room is closed, trapping in the music even more loudly. Forcing the sound waves to fold in on themselves and be forced out of the open ranch slider and out onto the street. Its vertical timber panels are dispersed between opaque tungsten-brown glass that is indented with a floral pattern and cracked in the bottom right corner from when I kicked a ball at it. The old vinyl/stereo all in one unit crackles with the bass, and the family photos hang above the faded blue sofa that has somehow gotten squishier and cosier as it has deflated over time. This is the room I have built with that song. A room different to every other person. Puppy Love is still a shit song and my mum still cannot dance nor can she sing. That hasn’t changed, and I doubt it ever will. But when I hear that song I feel my mum’s hands firmly around my wrists as we sway together, the afternoon sun streaming into the lounge and up my back. It is in many ways, my very own puppy love.
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In Celebration of the New Zealand Hip Hop Scene By Taylor Tutawa Hip hop in Aotearoa New Zealand has been prominent for more than 30 years. As someone raised on the sounds of King Kapisi, Scribe and Savage (to name a few) listening to these songs now as a 21-yearold has given me a newfound respect and love for our music. Aotearoa has created a dynamic music sound that combines elements of hip hop, rap, funk, soul and reggae with Polynesian culture. It’s the story of hardship and inequality experienced by our minority communities. It’s the celebration of pride, strength and honour for our whānau and 'aiga. It’s what makes our music stand out to the rest of the world. Way back in the mid '80s, Aotearoa was developing its music scene alongside the popularity of hip hop globally. The Upper Hutt Posse were the pioneers of hip hop in Aotearoa with their song E Tu promoting Māori pride with their lyrics giving reference to injustices against tangata whenua in a historical and modern setting. The song’s success showed how Māori artists could achieve popularity in mainstream music, which until this point Māori had not been given fair coverage by TV channels and radio stations in NZ.
By the '90s Aotearoa was creating Hip Hop songs that captured the unique urban setting and culture of the country. 3 the Hard Way’s Hip Hop Holiday was a feelgood track that captured the party vibes of early '90s mainstream hip hop. How Bizarre by OMC reached number one in Aotearoa and blew up in the international scene and became a cultural phenomenon. This song is a laid-back classic that made a comeback in 2010 after Pauly Fuemana’s death. Screams from da old plantation by King Kapisi was a song that spoke of the importance of knowing your own culture, regaining lost knowledge and passing your knowledge to the next generation. Polynesian artists were achieving success that had not been afforded to them in past generations. By 2000 Aotearoa had entered the new millennium as the hottest music spot in the Pacific. The success of Aotearoa’s hip hop scene was acknowledged further through the establishment of the PMAs or Pacific Music Awards in 2005. The awards were created to honour Pasifika artists in all music genres. These music awards have been received by both well-known artists and hot newcomers. Scribe’s Not Many (remix) track is considered one of the best NZ songs of
the decade. Savage’s track Swing blew up the charts and even made it into the 2007 Hollywood film Knocked Up. These artists were the voice of a new generation that were conveying our unique identity to a local and global audience. Now let’s bring it back to the present, 2020. The start of a new decade and another generation of artists have come through. SWIDT, Church & AP and Poetik are killing it right now. Gone are the days of records and cassette tapes (way before my time), and even CDs and radio airtime are fading out. It’s all about how many streams you got on Spotify/Soundcloud, how big your follower count on IG is and how much you smash that like button (thanks YouTube). The music and culture of hip hop hasn’t changed, it has evolved with the times and created something fresh while showing love to its roots. Last month marked the 20th anniversary of NZ Music Month, a unique celebration due to COVID-19 and its effect on the music industry here in Aotearoa. Support New Zealand artists by purchasing and streaming local music. Celebrate 20 years of Polynesian music with this Spotify Playlist. https://open.spotify.com/ playlist/2yGiMdUfEib83wxYgPDFUr?si=S bF1_Bs4RTixS8JO2oVIhA
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PUZZLES (PRINT THIS PAGE OUT IF YOU WANT)
Pop Synths Artist Instruments Rock
Jafa Support Vibe Local Connection
Delivery Perform Genre Meme Aging
Prejudice Social Norms Growth Creation
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