George and Queen are an indie folk-rock band from Auckland. Originally started in 2006 as husband and wife songwriting duo Neil Newton and Immi Paterson, they have since grown to be a four-piece band, including drummer Rich Pharaoh and bassist Panduka Samarasinghe. In 2007 Neil and Immi released their debut album 'City'. The home-made album received a lot of great reviews, and their single 'Didn't Mean It That Way' went #1 on KiwiFM.

Late September this year the band is releasing album number two, titled 'The Wind Is Up'. Unlike 'City', this album was recorded in the studio, and better represents what the band sounds like live. It is a mixture of modern folk, country and psychedelic rock, whilst still sounded very much like a New Zealand album. Their first single is called 'Lemonade'.

George and Queen will be hitting the road in October for their 3rd national tour, celebrating the release of their album. They're hitting the main centres this time, but will be planning another big nationwide tour soon.

George and Queen are Immi Paterson (vocals, guitar, keyboard), Neil Newton (vocals, guitar), Panduka Samarasinhe (bass) and Richard Pharaoh (drums).

Links:

Muzic.net.nz Profile
Official Website
MySpace Profile
Amplifier Profile

What is the best gig/event you have ever performed at, and why?

Probably North Harbour stadium for the 4Shore youth expo in March 07. Not a massive crowd but the sound and big stage were certainly an experience for the guys. Onewa Domain (for Shore Sounds) and Farmfest (Silverdale) were two other really great outdoor events we did in 2006-07. In both cases, great sound and audience made them memorable events. At the other end of the scale we played acoustically at Barossa Restaurant in Titirangi and that was just very cool.

What is your favourite NZ venue?

Hmmm....we all like the Kings Arms in Auckland. Their in-house sound tech always gives us great sound. Very friendly people too.

What can we expect to see from Puppet over the next year?

We'll be recording our shows multi-track live with our good friends at the Rock Factory and then [hopefully] putting a 5 track live EP together for Christmas. We'll fly lead singer Chloe over from Sydney for a launch show in either Dec or Jan and then we've maybe got some festival work over the summer.

With Chloe having moved to Sydney in March 07 the biggest challenge over the past year and a half has certainly been how to maintain any form of band activity with band members living in two countries. But, we now seem to be in that fortunate place where quality opportunities keep coming up.

What other NZ musicians or bands would you like to see more of, and why?

One of our fav bands is Jakob. Stellar musicianmanship, great compositions. Oh, and Lucid 3....play MORE shows guys! They are simply the best! . I'm also partial to Pitch Black and Minuit. If I'm in the mood for some dirty Rock and Roll it's The Twitch or Shihad all the way.

If you could, what rumour would you start about Puppet?

We refused to open for Amy Winehouse. haha.

What advice would you like to give to other aspiring musicians?

When things get tough, just believe in yourself, chase your dreams and keep at it. Practise, practise, practise. Put 'Musician' or 'Entertainer' before 'Rock/Pop star' and 'famous' on your 'what I want to be' list.

Puppet is Chloe Rice (vocals), Ben Liebert (guitars), Greg Ratcliffe (bass) and David Tan (drums).

Links:

Muzic.net.nz Profile
MySpace Profile
Amplifier Profile

Deaf Awareness Week: Listen Loud and Lose It

Nearly half of New Zealand’s youth have potentially damaged their hearing by the time they reach 25 years of age.

This startling fact was revealed in the National Foundation for the Deaf’s latest survey to launch Deaf Awareness Week 2008 with the message “Listen Loud and Lose It.”

The Market Knowledge survey conducted with 18-25 year olds showed 48% of respondents have experienced ringing in the ears for a few hours, or more, after listening to music. Of those who have experienced ringing or dullness in the ears, 94% have suffered for a day or more.

Commonly known as tinnitus, ringing, buzzing or humming in the ears, is often the first sign of hearing damage.

Marianne Schumacher, executive manager of the NFD says it is so important to educate Generation Y about how to enjoy music so they don’t pay for it later.

“Prolonged exposure to excessive noise can lead to permanent hearing loss. While this doesn’t threaten lives, it has a major impact on a person’s quality of life through impaired communication and the social isolation that hearing loss can bring.”

The survey showed 87% of respondents listen to music on a daily basis, in many different locations and using a repertoire of listening devices – in the car (48%), on laptop or computer (40%) and on a personal music device (37%).

A frightening 12% listen to music for up to 12 hours per day. Home is the most common place to listen to music (96%), followed by the car (83%) and at work (53%).

Generation Y is used to having a choice of when and where they enjoy their music and for many it is a very major part of their life.

Three quarters of the people that listen to music regularly said it sounds better louder. Younger people (18-20) and females in particular, are most likely to turn it up to a high volume.

For more information, head on over to the National Foundation for the Deaf website.

Full Article

Seven of our best at Auckland’s Vector Arena

Seven of the biggest, brightest and boldest New Zealand music acts are set to rock Vector Arena at the Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards – and all Kiwi music fans can be part of the action!

Kora, Shihad, Cut Off Your Hands, Anika Moa, Tiki Taane and Scribe are all confirmed to perform in front of the 5,000-strong crowd.

For a mere $47 New Zealand music fans can enjoy a diverse mix of music – from the rocking sounds of Shihad to the hip-hop hits of Scribe.

Legendary Dunedin band Straitjacket Fits – the recipient of the 2008 New Zealand Herald Legacy Award – is set to be honoured at the ceremony with a special performance by the “Fast Women”. This one-off all girl super-group will perform Straitjacket Fits’ 'She Speeds' and is led by Fur Patrol’s Julia Deans with support from Anika Moa, Lani Purkis and Greta Anderson.

Full Article

Closing date looms to Handle your Jandal

Just under three weeks remains for entries to the Radio Active 89FM's Handle the Jandal, the nationwide competition for creative Kiwis to make their own music video.

The deadline for entries is 10am, Monday October 13, 2008. All entry requirements and information is available from Radio Active 89FM’s website www.radioactive.fm or Hadden Morrison, ph 04 801 9899, email [email protected]

Handle the Jandal is the annual competition for Do-It-Yourself New Zealand filmmakers to create music videos for local bands and artists. It’s about matching rising music stars with up’n’coming filmmakers, so all videos must be completely self-funded and may only use New Zealand music.

Music videos do not have to be produced especially for Handle the Jandal. Entries will be considered for all music videos so long as they were made in 2008 and self-funded.

This will be the 10th Handle the Jandal competition. After a one-year hiatus, it has moved to a new venue, the spacious and regal St James Theatre, Courtenay Place on Thursday November 27, 2008.

Full Article

Dux de Lux Roundup & Decknology Finalists for 2008

Competition’s been tough but RDU is pleased to announce the finalists for the Dux de Lux RounDUp and Decknology – they are (in no particular order!):

Dux de Lux RounDUp

• Jimmy Zoom & the Beytown Grifters
• Tiny Paper Daggers
• Sexy Animals
• The Klap

Decknology

• Shortkutz
• Seb Wild
• Import
• Insomniac

Full Article

Big Day Out 2009

The first announcement for next year's Big Day Out will be made this Tuesday, 30 September 2008.

Big Day Out 2009 Forum

Antagonist A.D A New Name & A New Album

New Zealand hardcore heavyweights Antagonist is back with new album: 'We Are The Dead' and new name: Antagonist A.D.

ElevenfiftySeven is proud to be releasing the brand new full length album 'We Are The Dead' on the 6th of October in both New Zealand and Australia via Melbourne label Trial & Error. This sophomore album follows 2006s’ celebrated release 'These Cities, Our Graves'.

Antagonist A.D formed in late 2004 but after trading members & gaining direction a new redux saw the light the following year. 2005 was a dark year for New Zealand hardcore with prominent bands breaking up, crucial venues being lost & key promoters bowing out. Antagonist A.D pushed on and quickly made a name for themselves as an extremely hardworking band and breathing new life into the local hardcore scene.

Antagonist A.D’s music and message could be described as 'Modern hardcore with old school ethics'. It's raw metal core at its purest and sincerest. Not watered down or compromised in anyway Antagonist A.D delivers the frantic intensity of hardcore, while utilizing a heavier edge. Lyrically the band speaks of topics ranging from social & political commentary to the brutally honest self-retrospect and analysis. Simply Antagonist A.D words are full of venom, conviction & passion.

Full Article and Tour Dates

Cobra Khan New Album and Gig Dates

Cobra Khan’s emergence from the wreckage of New Zealand hard hitters Sommerset, Day One and Balance has been as well documented as the amount of thrashing the tracks from their mini album Sleepless Lions received since its release in 2006. They’ve played shows big and small over the last few years, building on the live reputation of their previous endeavours to a point where their loyal local following looks forward to Cobra Khan’s now somewhat semi-annual live performances.

Disinterested in retreading old ground and playing to the conventions of whichever guitar-oriented crowd you’re most likely to lump them into, on their first full-length album Cobra Khan have sidestepped genre restrictions and audience expectations alike to make Helgorithms - an album that brings all manner of influences to bear. After key writer Milon Williams immersed himself in his favourite records before writing Helgorithms. The band has surprised even themselves with the finished product, a sentiment sure to be shared by those hearing it upon release.

Full Article and Gig Dates

The Datsuns return!

Hellsquad Records, Isaac Promotions and Universal Music are proud to announce the imminent release of the fourth album by rock'n'roll powerlords The Datsuns.

From full throttle rock'n'roll to psychedelia to pop melodies, The Datsuns have written a magical follow up to 2006's Smoke & Mirrors.
With the dirgey throb of High School Hoodlums as our first introduction, followed by Human Error, a song which harks back to the balls-to-the-wall simplicity of their self titled debut and the sixties pop feel of Cruel Cruel Fate, Headstunts feels like this band have poured every ounce of musical goodness they have into it. Recorded early 2008 at Svenska Grammofonstudion in Gothenborg, Sweden and self produced, the album plays through with a relentless vigour and sparkle...

Full Article

Battle Circus to tour America, Germany and Australia

Auckland rockers Battle Circus are elated to welcome Tory "Jester" Staples as the band's new drummer. Jester has an extensive history backing some of New Zealand's best musicians.

The timing couldn't have been better for Battle Circus as they have a slew of international plans in the making. The dramatic four-piece rock band will make the foray over the Tasman in early October for their first Australian gigs since February's Fuse Festival. "We always love coming back to Australia, and as we start to branch out farther it's beginning to feel more and more like our backyard," says lead singer and guitarist Marcel Bellve.

Full Article

Knives At Noon EP out soon

Knives At Noon are celebrating becoming a 4-piece by releasing an EP. KaN have been playing as a 4 piece for about 3 months now and could see no better way to celebrate than releasing an EP (yet to be named).

With recording done and dusted they are into the mixing and mastering stage with the assistance of Mr. Dale Cotton.

Full Article

Site of the moment: Southern Amp 2008

With tickets now on sale and with performances from The Dandy Warhols, The Living End, Seether and NZ bands Autozamm, Goodnight Nurse and Tainted, Southern Amp is the NZ music festival you simply cannot miss this year.

The third staging of the South Island’s biggest music festival takes place on Sunday 9th November at Westpac Arena Festival Park in Christchurch from 12.30pm. Southern Amp is bringing in more international acts than ever before and each of the three stages this year will be completely UNDERCOVER with a strictly limited capacity!

Southern Amp 2008 Website

Over the next few weeks, new websites will be launched for Big Day Out 2009, Parachute 2009 and Vodafone Homegrown 2009.

New Artists

The following musicians were added to the muzic.net.nz website recently. Check them out:

Competitions

Congratulations to N. Frame (Rangiora) and M. Hunter (Dunedin) for winning a double pass to see dDub!

There's definitely no shortage of competition prizes to give away, don't miss out on your chance to win:

Reviews

Check out these latest reviews:

- Monkey Magic 2 compilation review
- The Symphony of Screams - 'Heed To The Voices' album review
- Elemeno P - 'Elemeno P' album review
- The Benka Boradovsky Bordello Band - 'Danse Macabre' EP review
- Bond Street Bridge - 'The Mapmaker's Art' album review
- Streetwise Scarlet - 'This Is Pop And Roll' album review
- These Four Walls - 'Fly Home' and 'Under The Shadows' single review

The next muzic.net.nz newsletter is going out on 12 October and will feature These Four Walls & Marvels and Wonders. Future newsletters will be featuring Eqwanox, Antagonist A.D, Cobra Khan and Solstate.

There are five newsletters left for 2008 and they are filling up quickly so if you are a NZ musician or in a band, and would like to promote your music before the year is out by featuring in one of our newsletters, contact Lisa today!

We have space available in our last 3 newsletters (dated 9 and 23 November, and 7 December) and can also feature NZ music websites, venues, record companies and anything else that is somehow associated with NZ music.

If you don't get in now, you will have to wait until next year. The first issue of the muzic.net.nz newsletter for 2009 is planned for mid January.

If you would like to advertise your next album release or tour in our newsletter and/or gig mail out email Lisa. It is 100% FREE to feature or advertise in our newsletter and gig mail outs!

Our gig mail outs will continue through the Christmas break. Our super special New Years Eve and summer festival edition of the gig mail out will go out on 28 December 08 - if you would like to advertise your summer tour in this issue, contact Lisa as soon as possible!

We also offer advertising on the muzic.net.nz website for very competitive prices.

- The muzic.net.nz team

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