New Zealand Music
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
If you want to view a scrollable copy of our current Database, go to our site at NETSOUNDS. You will find the Option to view our Database two thirds the way down the opening page. Read NETSOUNDS instructions for buying and thenscroll to your heart's content and see
All the info we have always placed onour Databases.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Meet An Amazing New Zealander - The charming ...
WING 
WING is originally from Hong Kong but has made New Zealand her homeland.
This shift in her destiny has proved an important one for a love of singing has produced a
new career as an Enterainer. Wing sings to patients in Auckland's Hospitals and after being
repeatedly tols she should make a CD, she took that advice and produced "I Could Have Danced All Night", which sold out and lead to "Wing Sings The Carpenters", which lead to "The Sound Of Music / My Prayer" and very recently, "Wing Sings All Your Favourites" which includes songs from Phantom Of The Opera. Her 5th Album was released Globally several weeks ago and a full Set Of 5 CD Albums "Special Deal" is offered by Wing on her own Web Site.
UPDATE: Wing has been featured (soundtrack only) on America's top "South Park" TV Show
as well as singing AC/DC hit's especially recorded for a major Texan Radio Station. Her "Beatles Hits" and "Dancing Queen" (Abba Tribute) Albums are selling very well, especially since the launch of her "wingtunes.com" Download Site. This is a major success for a NZ Artist. [10/02/2006]
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
Great New Zealand Compact Disc Releases . . .
Wing's Christmas CD
Hot off the presses - Wing's 5th CD is out now. "Everyone Sings Carols With Wing" is her
best one yet. Wing is a Naturalised New Zealander and outstanding vocalist.
Torch Songs Here !
Magdalena Darby's CD Album "My Sin" is brilliant and a feast of electrifying "Torch Songs"
with just voice and piano. In the Shirley Bassey mould, Magdalena's CD is a must if you like
dark, rich, heart wrenching songs delivered by a powerful voice.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
Rare 45rpm - HAYSTACK - Early Prog. Rock
Marilyn Harter Sings
Haystack Mid 70's Country Rock Band from Masterton, New Zealand. They entered several local tv Talent Shows and won hands down. Marilyn Harter's smooth voice is the "face" of an extremely talented team. Husband Charlie wrote most of the material while Neil Francis
penned some solid songs more in the Beatles era rock genre. A few musician friends joined them for the Album "As I Appear", the title taken from the most beautifully crafted ballads ever
recorded.
Ray Columbus, in his Review for the "NZ Listener" in 1977, said this was one of the best he'd heard and .."by the end of side 1, the listener is ready for something a bit more progressive and Haystack deliver." After seven soft, dreamy, romantic songs, they dive right in at the start of side 2 with a powerful duet between Charlie and Marilyn called "Let's Go To London" and stay on the heavy, darker side with "Let There Be Time" and a rather ahead-of-it's-time, feminist statement "tell me all about it BRIGHT BOY" (thought you had it made!). Today their Album is very collectable and sells for $100 USD. The 45rpm issued for Radio, is even rarer as only 200 copies were pressed and the BCNZ got 54 of those for Airplay.
FOR MORE Information, click HERE
________________________________________________________________________________________________________
CARLY BINDING'S FIRST SOLO ALBUM
Formerly with True Bliss, Carly Binging's solo career is starting to take off big-time
with solid sales of "Passenger", her first solo album. Distributed in New Zealand by
Festival/Mushroom Records, available globally via the Internet.
Tracks are : Alright With Me, Love Will Save Me, This Is It, Unable Too, We Kissed,
Let It Slide, Rescue Me, For What It's Worth, Not That Cold and My Liberty. You can obtain a copy from us directly or order On-Line at www.nzmusic.musicstack.com For more
information on Carly and True Bliss, visit www.truebliss.co.nz
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Visit the darker Side of Gypsy - Musically, That Is.
C A R O U S E L
A New Zealand group with a difference. All original material, Carousel's first album is self titled
and they describe their unique sound as being darker than Gypsy. A family affair, the line-up is
Francesca Mountfort on cello, Susan Colien-Reid on violin, guitar and vocals, Eli Mrhusich on mandolin and banjo, and Peter Mrhusich on guitar. They've been performing "live" in New Zealand since 2000 and this is the result of their own songwriting and experimentations with improvisation.
If you're looking for something more interesting, here is a ride your ears will enjoy taking. One track has been earmarked to be used as the Soundtrack for a short subject movie in the making. The moods, tempos and arrangements are varied enough that you'll never drift off into a dreamworld because 'this one sounds just like all the rest' here. We highly recommend this if your taste reach past the Top 20 Charts. Available directly from us or On-Line at www.nzmusic.musicstack.com
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Nominated in Six Catagories in the 40th EMMY AWARDS - including Best New Artist, Record Of The Year, Best Male Country Vocal Performance, Best Country Song, Best Song Of The Year and Best Country Album . . . . .
PETER CAULTON is ...
A Kiwi Lad Doing Well Overseas
Just one of 2 Albums
Peter Caulton started working the dance circuit, became the On-Board Entertainer for P&O Cruises, appeared on countless C&W TV Shows in New Zealand, toured as the star of the "Wrangler (a brand of jeans) Country Show" and recorded "Six Days On The Road" for Viking Records and "Diddle, Diddle Dumplin" and "Pickin' White Gold" for Tree Records. The latter made it to #14 and had another successful Kiwi Lad guesting, one Midge Marsden (ex Barry & The Breakaways).
In the mid Seventies Peter moved across the Tasman to Australia and by the mid Nineties found himself in America and teamed up with WSB Records, a small label based in Texas with a BIG International connection - the BEAR FAMILY (Bear Records) of Germany. While Peter's two US Albums aren't available in New Zealand, his Tree recordings can be obtained from Wonderland and NZ Music's On-Line Stores. (See Kiwi Made Music Vol.2). Peter has come a long way from Resident Singer at "The Royal Oak" and the Tree Sessions but most Kiwi's don't even know he's made it to the Grammy Awards Show - with no less than 6 Nominations. How many other Kiwi Entertainers have got that far? Not many. Maybe John Rowles, Spit Enz and Crowded House.
Well done Peter !
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Ex Gutbucket
LAURENCE COOPER
STILL GROOVIN' AFTER ALL THESE YEARS
... and sounding better too !
Laurence's first recording was with Rick Bryant and Gutbucket for the then newly formed Tree Label and followed in hot pursuit after The Supernatural Blues Band proved Blues could sell in NZ. That was 1969 and Laurence went on to greater things when he joined another now 'big
name' group, Tapestry.
In the mid 1986 he joined a Wellington based Alternative band called Sneakers Fall Apart and the other members encouraged him to play his own material, which he did in a spin-off duo/trio called Face To Face. Since then he has moved to playing solo, performing his own songs
as well as continuing to play the blues he started out with. The above CD was released in 1998 and features the Australian blues band "The Hippos" in supporting roles. After the CD's release and acclaim, a new band was formed called "Blue Shift" and this group has a real 'who's who line-up - Bevan Cross (guitar) who played for Dick Thrust, Andrew Bicknell (bass) of Razorbacks, Graeme McFarlane (drums) of Tapestry and several other local bands, and led by Laurence Cooper (guitar and vocals) of Gutbucket and Tapestry of the 60's & 70's.
We hear a second CD is in the production processes at present so now's an excellent time to add "56 Coopers Lane" to your Collection or become more familiar with this very talented artist who has stood the test of time better than most.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
URLICH
KIWIANA - KIWI TALENTS - Both Vocal and Artistic Painting
Margaret Urlich has outdone everyone - even Spitz Enz - for the best presentation of a Compact Disc. Only Michael Jackson's pop-up pack outdoes it.
Ten expanding pages of oil painting of Kiwi Architecture and lifestyles of the Baby Boomer's generation - 1920's architecture, holiday batches,small towns - it's all here. Superb. Well worth having just for the packaging yet alone Margaret's world-class vocal performances.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
TWO VERY INTERESTING CD RE-ISSUES FROM N.Z.
Bruno Lawrence is well known as a Movie Staroutside of New Zealand to to Kiwi's his name is more commonly linked to pop music. BLERTA was a travelling Road Show band who
had several very big hit songs and besides having a very famous Leader, it produced several future Stars in their own rights. EMI NZ has issued this CD of all the BLERTA material they originally issued on both 7 inch Singles and Lp.
John Hanlon was a 1970's Superstar in New Zealand and a Global Conservationist before it was a popular Issue. John is known on the Global scene and his music still much sort after and loved. EMI NZ have excelled themselves in issuing this attractive "Very Best Of John Hanlon" title complete with the cover photo (above right) reproduced on the cd itself.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
An individual Kiwi lad wrote, recorded and packaged this
interesting album (CD) all by himself.
VENETIC "Darkness, Sweetness & Light" - CD [NZ artist]
This is actually a very enjoyable album in a garage - rock vein and truly 'garage' in sound. Using acoustic guitars, both six and twelve strings, and a beer create (Kiwi know-how)
as percussion, we think you will be pleasantly surprised at how enjoyable this sincere material is. Prog rock music - definately a must to hear album ("Real Groovy" Magazine gave it a good review).
Order from GEMM / NETSOUNDS - Look under :
Venetic - CD - Darkness, Sweetness & Light - [nz]
Visit Venetic's new Web Site : www.venetic.com and hear two songs from this
Album plus Preview his next Album which is coming out very, very soon.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Out Of Time
Is a songwriters collective fronted by Wayne Nelson of Little River Band.
OUT OF TIME IS WAYNE NELSON - "ROUND & ROUND" is available right now
Check it out at these On-Line Stores:
www.nzmusic.musicstack.com
www.wonderland.musicstack.com
www.beatzone.gemm.com
www.wlrrecords.gemm.com
www.netsoundsmusic.com/wlrrecords
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
WWiV "A Rock'n'Rol Point Of View" - CD [NZ artists]
Here's a rather enjoyable rolid rocker od an album with a distinctive NZ sound (North Island, not South Island Scaffs) that will rock your socks off. Solid wall od sound, soild and very
original material with a Kiwi-point-of-view but anyone anywhere can relate to this great listening message. Good value.
Order from GEMM / NETSOUNDS - look under :
WWiV - CD - Rock'n'Rol Point Of View - [nz]
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
New Zealand Indie Labels were very active in the late 60's in NZ.Tree Records of Wellington released enough singles to fill two compact discs with just their Singles. They also issued 4 LP's
VARIOUS ARTISTS "Kiwi Made Music" Vols 1 & 2 on CD
Peter Caulton, Midge Marsden, Rick Bryant, Supernatural Blues Band,Gutbucket, The Group, Random Thoughts, Lianne, Aardvark and the prog rock group Haystack are all here - and more. A feast of music styles are prepresented incluyding NZ's very first true blues recordings.
Available alone or as a set, you need both to have a very rare Collection of top rate NZ music (65% orig NZ songs). Hits like "The Only Living Boy In New York", "I Shall Be Released", "Get On The Line" and "If I Were A Carpenter".
Tree Records (TCD 4032/4034) $10.85 USD each or $18.85 USD the set
+ p&p. Available drom GEMM
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
A Handy Book On New Zealand Top 20's
We have in store a number of copies of this amazing book which is a clear must read if you want a better undertanding of the New Zealand local artists/talent scene. Perhaps you're a local and know who everyone is, but do you know the when, and for how long, answers to those interesting questions that pop up from time-to-time.
A full listing of New Zealand's Charts, they are also very helpful for overseas people to find out if a song made it to #1 in New Zealand too.All this information is available in two volumes
"NZ Music Charts - Albums" ($35 ZND) and ...
"NZ Music Charts - Singles" ($30 NZD) both plus p&p.
The "Singles" book has the "Top 20's" up until 1975 then becomes the "Top 40" until 1979 when the chartings were increased to the "Top 50". Both books are approved by the NZMI Association (New Zealand Music Industry) as being the true and authentic Chart Listings.
Singles (1966 - 1996) and Albums (1975 - 2000) both written and
published by Dean Scapolo. Very valuable research sources
and great trivia questions supplier. Available from us
right now.
Order from GEMM as BOOK - (look under)
Scapolo Dean - NZ Music Charts - Singles
Scapolo Dean- NZ Music Charts - Albums
Scapolo Dean - NZ Music Charts - 2 book set
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
This Section introduces you to New Zealand's own recording Artists.
It also features a number of Artists who's music can be bought
from us through GEMM
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Aardvark 70's band active in the Private Functions Circuit in Wellington, New Zealand. Versatile, their jazz music was especially good. Recorded one Single for Tree Records but not interested in chasing a recording career. Line-up : John MacGibbon (keyboard)
Paul de Frense (bass)Bruce McKinnon (drums) Mike Loader (vocals). "Motorway Madness" and a fine extended version of Carol King's "It's Too Late" gave drummer Bruce McKinnon an excellent platformto display his finer skills.
After-Glo 70's Brothers Duo plus a friend (or two). College Band with a strong following in Wellington, New Zealand. Mostly cover-versions of popular songs of the day though they did write a couple of songs themselves.Line-up: Steve Robinson (lead guitar/vocals) Michael Robinson (guitar/vocals) Richard Campbell (drums) Mary Ann Leslie (studio vocals). "I Shall Be Released", "If I Were A Carpenter" and their own "When You Go Away". A broken leg put a hold on things and was to prove the ending of the group.
Gutbucket Late 60's Blues Band that performed with Ricky Bryant in and around Wellington, New Zealand. Originally members of a New Plymouth Band called The Revised Edition, they moved south to Wellington after one band member left to join another top group and
a seond member was killed in a roading accident in Australia.
Their sound was tight and solid, "Spanish Blues" being a fine example of this. Line-up: Ricky Bryant (vocals) Bernard Schmidt (lead guitar) Lawerence Cooper (2nd guitar/bottleneck) Steve
Hemmens (bass) Mike Fullerton (drums). (See also"Ricky Bryant") Lawerence Cooper issued a new solo Album in 1998.
Haystack Mid 70's Country Rock Band from Masterton, New Zealand. They entered several local tv Talent Shows and won hands down. Marilyn Harter's smooth voice is the "face" of an extremely talented team. Husband Charlie wrote most of the material while Neil Francis
penned some no-mean songs more in the Beatles era rock genre. A few musician friends joined them for the Album "As I Appear", the title taken from the most beautifully crafted ballads ever
recorded. Today their Album is very collectable and sells for $100 USD.
The Madding Crowd This Wellington Band was formed to perform at the Taki Rua Theatre as part of the "Fringe" part of the "Wellington Arts Festival" of '94. They were so popular, they stayed together and peformed in and around the Wellington area till 1998. Alternative
Rock, leaning strongly towards the commercial end of the scale, this group are talented songwriters and artists. Texture is a key word to describe their sound. Rough and smooth, soft and hard, sentimental and political, the mixes work well. Their Album is a slow burner - listen to it 3 times and you'll suddenly plug into what they are saying and doing - and love it. Line-up is : Stefan Wolf (vocals/bass) Catherine Tunks (vocals) Daniel Bar-Even (guitar) Bryan Tressider (drums) Peter Nicolas (tenor sax) Tessa Thompson (keyboard/clarinet)
Newton A 70's Folk Protester artist born in Malaya, educated in England and nomadic rover of the World. Real name Roger Hartly Newton Mayson, this singer-songwriter proved to be as elusive as he was talented. While in New Zealand he made a Single for Tree Records then waltzed over to Strange Records for his second Single before vanishing. "A Moving Silence" was a big success while his "Steel Sparrow" failed to reach the spotlight despite being an
outstanding song.
Peter Caulton Currently resident in Germany and under "Contract" to a be the voice of "The Boy Band Killers" (Lee Marvin / Johnny Cash), he started out in Christchurch, New Zealand. A hard working artist who travelled the country with live Shows often. He made his first record for Viking Records. A cover-version of "Six Days On The Road". Under Tree's banner he recorded "Diddle, Diddle, Dumplin" and then teamed up with old friend and fellow tour artist Midge Marsden to record "Pickin White Gold" which reached the Top 10 in Auckland, New Zealand. He has worked Cruise Liners, Travelling Country & Western Shows, been resident vocalist
at a top Hotel and appeared on many tv shows both in New Zealand and Australia before working first in the USA and then settling in Germany to tour Europe. He released a CD in Australia "Southern Man" and two more in 1997 and 1998 which were also released in Germany - a long way from NZ.
Psyclops A Groove Metal band based in Cambridge, New Zealand. 90's band with grunt and a possitive message. All their own material, Psyclops rose rapidly to become one of New Zealand's top Metal Bands.Formed in 1994, they soon had a 5 track EP called "Defaced" recorded and out on cassette. Hamilton Radio Station 93FM picked up on the group and things just grew from that. They practised hard and their final demise came because outside demands on the members grew to the point where they could not practise at all. Australi's "Heavy Metal" Magazine Reviewer was impressed with their feshness in a music genre going sour. Line-up: Jeremy Cole (bass/vocals) Chris Cole (guitar) Adam Wyatt (guitar) Dylan Raethel (drums)
Random Thoughts A Wellington, New Zealand, 60's Band who were extremely popular. They atsrted on borrowed gear to enter the local "Battle Of The Bands". The following year they were back and placed third. Tree Records signed them up and "The Trouble" was issued. It was followed up with a cover-version of "The Only Living Boy In NY" as the Band wanted a strong song for the Gold Disc Awards. Locally they out-sold you-know-who which cost Tree it's distributor of the day. Line-up:Brian Mouton (vocals/drums) Harry Mouton (lead guitar)
Ian Cowie (organ) Kevin Leong (bass). Ian Cowie moved to England in he early 70's which brought the Band to an end.
Ricky Bryant A highly talent blues artist who is still performing today and issued a new Album in 1996. Back in the late 60's a Band called "The Revised Edition" was based in New Plymouth, New Zealand. When a member of the Band left to join another and a second member died in a car accident in Australia, the remaining members re-located to Wellington. Finding getting work was hard for blues Bands, Gutbucket teamed up with Ricky Bryant. United, they started to etch out a niche for themselves as "Gutbucket". Tree Records, newly formed to issue the Supernatural Blues Band single, recorded Gutbucket as well. "Wild About You" was a song Ricky wrote for the Single and it showcased his talents as a Bluesman. A slow burner with guts is the best way to describe the song.
Supernatural Blues Band People were caught by surprise at the energy and raw earthiness of a New Zealand Band recording which was a milestone on many counts. The first local Blues recording (that we know of), issued by a new Independent Label because the big Companies
wanted the song edited and "cleaned up" for public consumption and the group would not compromize, first 45rpm Single to be packaged like an EP with lyrics, photos and bio lines and the struggles the Band was facing just to get work for they were not considered commercial enough. The song was their own. "Out In The Cold" is still Tree Record's best known song. A Wellington Band formed in 1968 by former members of "The Vagabonds" and "The Urchins" and
later joined by Dave Brown who had been playing with the "Phil Jacob's Combo" and "The Dave Miller Set". Line-up: Mike Lee (vocals/harmonica) John O'Connor (lead guitar) Dave Brown
(saxaphone) Bernard Lee (bass) and Vic Stoke (drums). Why didn't Tree issue more of this ground-breaking Band - simply because they never bothered to show up at the Studios.
Dene Kellaway Founder Of Tree Records Dene Kellaway was born in a small town in the lower part of the North Island of New Zealand. Levin had a population of 9000 and was a Rural Service Town. He grew up and was educated there, moving to the Capital, Wellington, in 1964.
By 1965 Dene was publishing a monthly Nationally Distributed magazine called "New Zealand Pop Scene". At that time, The NZ Broadcasting organisation was producing and selling "Let's Go!" to Broadcasting Networks overseas. Tom Jones, The Pretty Things, Gene Pitney, Dusty Springfield and Sandy Shaw were making names for themselves. In 1966 Dene took over the Editorship of a larger Pop Magazine called "NZ Teen Beat". At this point in time he was trying
to get a recording contract without success. "The Hideaway" and "Danceland '66" were his regular singing gigs. October 1968 saw the demise of "Teen Beat" and Dene Published "Groove" Newspaper and made his first record. Six months later an invitation to sit in on a private studio session was to be a turning point. By May of '69 Tree Records had been setup and the Country was being 'knocked for six' by the raw, earthy sounds of "Out In The Cold". A few months later, Dene left "Groove" to run Tree Records.
VENETIC was formed in Wellington in 2002 recorded "Darkness,Sweetness & Light" between August and September of the same year.This first album is garage rock and was recorded using mostly acoustic guitars ( 6 and 12 strings). Wayne Stuart McCullum penne all 13 songs, making it truly original New Zealand recording.Like the Beatles, Venetic used their imagination and used a beer create for their percussion (Ringo's suitcase on "Give Peace A Chance").
Apart from setting up their own web site, Venetic are working on a video and are working on a new album which will be of an ambient psychedelic vein. This new album is expected to be released later this year.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
NZ PICTURE DISC
New Zealanders Crowded House picture disc.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
|