Modern Music
Split Enz
New Zealand’s first truly successful rock group internationally was Split Enz, whose founding member Tim Finn is still a significant player in the New Zealand rock scene today. Split Enz was formed in 1972 and disbanded in 1984. Tim's brother Neil - one of New Zealand's greatest singer/songwriters and guitarists - joined the band in 1977. The band was known as much for its theatrical talents as its music and its wonderful and often bizarre costumes often took weeks to create. Split Enz still has a big following despite having been disbanded for years. In 2001 the music of Split Enz was used in an innovative production by the Royal NZ Ballet, called Ihi Frenzy.
Bic Runga
Runga is a talented Kiwi Malaysian-Maori pop artist, who has successfully fused European pop rhythms with Polynesian influences. She writes, sings and produces all her own music, and her biggest hit ‘Sway’ featured on the soundtrack of the movie American Pie.
‘I remember the first song that I wrote. I remember bringing it to a band and suddenly thinking it wasn't my song anymore. That's when I decided that I wanted to do my own thing.’ She is sensational in live performance, with a stunning clarity of voice and superb guitar playing skills. She was awarded the International Achievement Award at the New Zealand Music Awards, the Tuis, in 2000, and has numerous other awards to her name. In 2000 she also toured with two of New Zealand's best-known music artists Dave Dobbyn and Tim Finn (formerly of Split Enz). An album Together in Concert Live was recorded as a result of the tour's success.
Bic's younger sister Boh is lead singer of top New Zealand band Stellar*.
Further Information
Email info@crsmanagement.co.nz
Flying Nun
Since 1981 the typically New Zealand sound of bands such as The Verlaines, The Chills, The Clean, The Headless Chickens, Straitjacket Fits and Chris Knox have been taken to the world by independent record label Flying Nun. Flying Nun was formed by Roger Shepherd in Christchurch, in typical kiwi DIY (Do It Yourself) fashion. The label’s second release was the single ‘Tally Ho’ by The Clean, which flew into the kiwi charts and stayed in the top 50 for six months. The distinctive Flying Nun sound altered little over the first five years of the label's existence. Bands recorded on primitive equipment using cheap eight-track studios. They would deliver their own recording, album cover, poster and sometimes a cheap video made by film student friends, to Flying Nun, who would release batches of three or four records at a time every few months. When CD technology began, Flying Nun teamed up with WEA records to enter the digital age and the record company is still going strong today, with new acts such as Garageland and Betchadupa big in New Zealand. Flying Nun is now based in Auckland, but its heart remains in Christchurch and Dunedin.
Further Information
Flying Nun Records
PO Box 677
Auckland
New Zealand
Fax +64 9 376 1859
Email info@flyingnun.co.nz
These topics may also be of interest to you
|
