Bandstanding: Wendy Morris

Organiser, promoter, caterer, and ‘bringertogetherer’ of people Wendy Morris started out as a volunteer for fundraising events for aid organisations. She founded The Auckland Songwriters Collective and once organised a tour for space-rock band Hawkwind. In other lines of work she owned and ran a mobile home park. And yes she’s a musician, “but my songs are seldom autobiographical – I would have to have had a pretty messed up love life if they were!”

Music lessons at primary school began with the dreaded recorder at age seven, but by age 10 Wendy could read music and play a variety of instruments so she formed her own pop band and performed her original songs at assemblies, talent contests and every available opportunity. By age 14 she was performing with adult bands.

“I had some exciting times in Auckland’s city music scene and earned some nice pocket money from it. In hindsight it was quite a risky pastime for a young teenager but I got to meet many interesting people and gained a lot of valuable experience.” Debut album Filigree Moon was recorded in 1995. “It was a folk album with a band called Tanglewood. Then my music gradually became more pop/rock in style and in 2012 I recorded my album Entangled at Manuka Studios in Orewa – it has pop, country, rock, jazz and reggae influences.” Graham Brazier was featured on four of the album tracks, playing guitar, harmonica and singing backing vocals. “It was magical hearing his distinctive voice bellowing away at full volume in the recording studio, while he did various takes on my song Why Did it Feel Like Love. It really sent tingles down my spine hearing that great voice singing my lyrics. He was extremely supportive of my music. We became close friends and I spent many entertaining hours with him. I got to hear many of his works in progress and he was always keen to hear mine.” Dave McArtney (of The Pink Flamingos and Hello Sailor fame) and freelance drummer extraordinaire Bruce Morley also had input. “Bruce gave his time very generously and acted as a musical mentor to me. Sadly all three of these people have now passed away and none of them were very old.”

Early influences like Led Zeppelin, Uriah Heep, Split Enz and Queen may be recognised in Wendy’s music but her inspiration for lyrics often comes from observing the lives of others. “Ideas for lyrics and melodies come to me in unison, while I pick or strum the guitar. The biggest help I’ve found for improving the quality and quantity of my song-writing is to be part of a songwriters group. I often host song-writing groups for

experienced songwriters and the idea is to bring new material along to receive feedback and constructive criticism. We endeavour to inspire one another to write more songs and we set writing tasks with deadlines, to create a bit of pressure to write.

“Once my songs are written I prefer to hand the guitar playing over to other musicians. I have been known to perform on the guitar occasionally but much prefer to concentrate on singing when performing. The songs I write feature a lot of vocal part harmonies and it’s great to be able to focus on my interaction with the other singers.”

Wendy’s band The Wendy Morris Band is high on her list of priorities at present. “In the mid 2000s I moved to Whangaparaoa and lived in a very creative household with musicians and poets. My house-mates decided to pull in some musicians to work with me, leading to the Wendy Morris Band being formed around 2011. I’m very privileged to have such a talented group to work with. We all enjoy the collaborative process of arranging original material and creating a unique sound together. The name of the band was only ever supposed to be a working title until a proper name was decided upon, but we’re still waiting for that to happen!”

More recently Wendy has been running regular live music events at the Base Café in Titirangi, as well as various one-off events around Auckland. “Over the years I’ve grown to realise the power of musical gatherings to bring people together in a positive way. Friendships are formed and there are many networking opportunities. In many ways loneliness can be worse for people than poverty, so creating a sense of community is just as important to me as the music itself”.

A long-term but transient Westie, Wendy landed back in our neck of the woods just over a year ago. “The call of the West has always been there for me. You can take the girl out of the West but you can’t take the West out of the girl! I’m so impressed with the abundance of talented musicians residing in the Western suburbs – and I get really excited when I discover performers who aren’t very well-known but have bags of talent. I’ve been meeting and showcasing some amazing young musicians and many well-seasoned mature performers, who aren’t necessarily seeking fame or fortune but are brilliant musicians and worthy of international careers. I like to help in getting the word out about them when I can.” Current local faves include The Fuzzies, Ha the Unclear, Murder Chord and Freaky Meat. “They’re all quite rocky, edgy and very original.”

Continued on page 18 >>

Your Local MPs

Hon Carmel Sepuloni MP for Kelston

Kelston Electorate Office

200C West Coast Road, Glen Eden 09 818 4131 kelston.eo@parliament.govt.nz /CarmelSepuloniLabour @CarmelSepuloni

Dr Deborah Russell MP for New Lynn

New Lynn Electorate Office 1885 Great North Rd, Avondale 09 820 6245 newlynnmp@parliament.govt.nz /DeborahRussellLabour @beefaerie

>> Where to from here Continued from page 8 Schoon’s interaction with Māori art is complex and problematic. What he saw as a form of collaboration now looks like appropriation and cultural presumption. He was exhibited at the iconic New Vision Gallery with two of his key collaborators, Gordon Walters and Titirangi potter Len Castle, who introduced him to the community of Titirangi potters and craftspeople. Schoon chased his ideas across diverse art forms, with little concern for boundaries between art and craft, image and object, finished and unfinished.

Alongside paintings, drawings, and photographs, the current exhibition at Te Uru includes prints, ceramics, jade carvings, and carved and decorated gourds. The exhibition also includes a Schoon mural that has been hanging within a marae complex in Rotorua for almost 30 years.

At the Corban Estate Arts Centre there is open space to walk and linger, and, opening on April 11, a fascinating glimpse into Pacifika through the lens of two photographers separated in time.

Initially shown at the New Zealand Portrait Gallery, Wellington (2019), Edith and George: in our sea of islands, is recontextualised in the Homestead Galleries. With 100 years separating them, photographers Edith Amituanai (b.1980) and the late George Crummer (1868-1953) each capture moments in time from their own local Pacifika communities. The two sets of portraits present important conversations around colonisation, migration, settlement and identity in the Pacific.

So here we stand; on the cusp of a new and frightening world. All I can cling to is that we need to continue to safely engage with our arts and culture – our spiritual life-blood – and support the artists in our community in all possible ways.

Theo Schoon, Incised gourd, 1955-1965. Chartwell Collection, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki. Photo: City Gallery Wellington.

>> “... the power of musical gatherings ...” Continued from page 17

With the busy summer season drawing to a close, Wendy is looking to develop a house concert circuit. “House concerts are enormously popular in some countries but haven’t really become widely popular here yet. They provide a chance to hear artists up close and personal, plus the option of enjoying a drink or two without it having to be an expensive outing. I’m hoping to find some lovely houses with enough indoor space to provide seating for small concerts in the cooler months.”

Meanwhile, The Wendy Morris Band are always keen to consider offers to play at clubs, parties, bars, festivals, etc. Upcoming local gigs include intimate venues such as UFO in New Lynn and Kiwi Valley in Henderson. And you can get along and check them out at The Clare Inn, 278 Dominion Rd, Mt Eden on Wednesday April 22, from 7pm.

For more details go to The Wendy Morris Band facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/thewendymorrisband/

Edith Amituanai, Veronique at the Ranui PIC Sunday School Ball (2012). Courtesy of the artist.

It was recently announced that White Track, from Marawhara Walk picnic area in Piha to Anawhata Road has been reopened. However, it will be some time before other tracks will be accessible to local residents.

Among the walks and routes around Titirangi, ‘design confirmation’ is underway for Arama Reserve, Opou Reserve and Rahui Kahika Reserve and they are supposed to be open again by the middle of this year.

A quote has been sought for the work required to reopen Mahoe Walk and Paturoa Way and they should be reopening by the middle of the year.

‘Detailed design’ is underway for Arapito Plantation, Bill Haresnape Walk and Titirangi War Memorial Track. These should be reopened late this year.

‘Concept Design’ is underway for Tinopai Reserve but it won’t be reopened until early 2021

The news is not so good for Okewa Reserve which is still under investigation and there is no date for it to be reopened.