Recent Vinyl #12

Covers Special - International Chris Knox

I expect that by now you're all up with the news that Chris Knox , an iconic kiwi artist with a 30 year career taking in solo material, The Enemy, The Tall Dwarfs and The Nothing, has suffered from a stroke. Rather than go over all the details here I recommend that you check out the blog that has been established to provide news and updates on his recovery - http://chrisknox.blogtown.co.nz/. The irony is that that blog could well be Knox's first official website.

Since forming The Enemy in Dunedin in 1977 Knox has earned a crust as a musician, cartoonist and critic. His stroke has meant he can't do any of those things at present so fans are being called on to support him by buying his music. It's hardly an imposition. Knox's last album, A Warm Gun, recorded with his band The Nothing is one of his finest albums. Buy it from his blog and you'll ensure maximum profits return directly to Knox.

Some of Knox's more talented fans, including David Kilgour, The Mint Chicks, Lou Barlow, Graeme Downs, Guided By Voices, The Mountain Goats, Jay Clarkson, Martin Phillips, Jay Reatard, Yo La Tengo, Lambchop, Shane Carter, Pumice, Alec Bathgate, Will Oldham, Jeff Mangum, and Bill Callahan, are currently working on a fundraising album of Knox covers.

The list of contributors to that tribute album are an indication of the high regard with which he is held by musicians around the world. So it's no suprise that his songs have already been covered by many kiwi and international artists. This episode of Counting The Beat gathers some of those covers.

Perhaps the best known cover of a Knox song is Frente's 1993 version of the classic 'Not Given Lightly', which while going nowhere overseas certainly garnered the Australian band a lot of attention in New Zealand.

A couple of years earlier the Tall Dwarfs song 'Face of Fashion' was covered by Marshall Crenshaw, an American singer songwriter who got his break playing Knox favourite John Lennon in a Broadway show and playing Buddy Holly in the movie La Bamba.

In 1999 ethereal 4AD group Hopeless Blister covered another Tall Dwarfs song, ' Outer Skin'. The song originally appeared on the 1993 Tall Dwarfs album PolyPhoto, Duck-Shaped Pain and Gum.

Perhaps because of his iconic status Knox has been covered by relatively few New Zealand musicians. One group that has is The Hasslehoff Experiment (pictured) who in 2002 recorded a cover of The Tall Dwarfs 'Brain That Wouldn't Die' for the Flying Nun 21st anniversary album Under The Influence, an album that also featured Knox covering his Tall Dwarfs bandmate Alec Bathgate.

In just the last month two Knox songs appeared on a compilation released by German label Morr Music. The compilation, Not Given Lightly, is a collection of electro-acoustic covers of Flying Nun and eighties kiwi indie songs, including the title track and a cover of the Tall Dwarfs 'All My Hollowness To You' by It's A Musical.

Incidentally, this is only the second time ever that Counting The Beat has included music by non New Zealand artists. I've loaded a number of Knox clips on the video page. Also National Radio have a heap of material available to be streamed - Chris Knox interview and song - Interview about The Nothing - The Nothing live .

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Out of Print: Startrackers

I was rummaging around in the record cupboard under the stairs looking for a single I wanted to feature in the podcast when I came across a magazine in one of the record crates. It was Spunkzine, issue 4 of an Australian alternative music fanzine that usually went by the title Spunk Magazine. This particular issue included Startrackers, a giveaway cassette (remember those) featuring 22 bands from around the world, bands that were breaking through on the alternative scene of 1995.

Most of the songs on the cassette are exclusives, including the five contributions by New Zealand acts. Three of the kiwi songs are demos or early takes of songs that saw release by the artists - there's a rip roaring demo of 'Ritual Tragick' from the 3Ds, a song from Swarthy Songs for Swabs. The 3Ds are one my favourite bands of all time so any excuse to hear or play them is welcome. There is also an early take on 'Seed' by Shayne Carter, a song he didn't officially release until the Dimmer album I Believe You Are A Star six years later. The third early version is from Chug, something of a Dunedin superband featuring including Norma O'Malley (ex-Look Blue Go Purple) on guitar and vocals, Alf Danielson on bass, Gary Sullivan (ex-JPS Experience and Solid Gold Hell) on drums and former 3Ds and Goblin Mix member David Mitchell on lead guitar. Their Startrackers song 'Cat Bag' later featured on their 1997 album Metalon.

The other two are songs you'll only hear on Startrackers - there's 'Move It' some great home -recorded guitar squall from King Loser and a song recorded by Chris Knox especially for the compilation, a theme tune called 'Spunk Rock'.

Video: I've loaded an excerpt from The Heavenly Pop Hits doco on the video page that is virtually all about the 3Ds along with a clip from King Loser and the Dimmer video for Seed

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Bad Politics Baby

The level of political support and funding for NZ music has been one of the successes of the last nine years of the Labour govt. While there are legitimate arguments that the NZ On Air model leads to a glut of sound-a-like commercial fare there has also been a huge surge in interest in NZ music, a dramatic increase in airplay and subsequently the kiwi music scene has become more sustainable for musicians and record labels alike.

Never-the-less, despite the current political support for music, very few contemporary kiwi musos are making songs about politicians. To find songs praising politicians we need to cast back into history. In the early 70s, Norman Kirk, the leader of the Labour Party was a very popular figure – so much so that when Ebony wrote a song about him, 'Big Norm', it became a minor hit. A decade and a half later Gerry Otimi and the Inventors School heralded another Labour leader in song with 'Kia Kaha David Lange'. Take a listen and it will be obvious why Gerry didn't share Ebony's success. You can hear the song on the Counting The Beat Nuclear Free podcast (mp3).

It's even rarer to have politicians themselves make records. National Party MP Marilyn Waring surprised many, especially those fromher own party, when she released a single in 1980. She was originally approached abour recording a single with punk band Proud Scum, a collaboration I wish she had seen through, but rejected that in favour of a cover of John Lennon's 'Working Class Hero'.

NZ music hasn't always had the political support it enjoys now. Marilyn Waring was part of a National government headed by the infamous PM, Rob Muldoon. In those days rock and pop records attracted a 40% sales tax, while opera and classical recordings were deemed to be cultural products which were tax exempt. Musicans and the music industry railed against the distiction to no avail. Dunedin band The Knobz took exception and recorded the tongue-in-cheek protest song 'Culture' featuring a Muldoon impersonator and a video clip filmed on the steps of the Beehive. (There's a ropey version of that clip on the video page)

Muldoon impersonations also featured on a satire record by Danny Faye in the mid 70s. One side features 'My Way' recorded in the style of Muldoon while the other is in the style of Labour leader Bill Rowling.

As we head toward the current election one of the (many) disappointing aspects of the campaign has been the lack of campaign songs. Where are the rousing anthems of political prowess and utopian vision? They are few and far between. National have commissioned a song from a New Zealand songwriter - the insipid 'Choose A Brighter Future'. Meanwhile Labour comissioned a song last year, 'A Better Way With Labour', which was written and recorded by none other than Chris Knox. Sadly it hasn't been blasting through prime time telly in the political broadcasts – you've got more chance of hearing Mr Knox on a bread ad. I don't know if Labour decided the song didn't fit the image or whether Knox couldn't come up with a decent rhyme for a new verse on trust (it's all about trust, you know) but you can hear the song here on Counting The Beat.

Download the Counting The Beat - Bad Politics Baby podcast

Vinyl Crackle - Out of Print 2

I was talking to someone about stereos the other day and we got on to talking about turntables. I love listening to vinyl but, like many people I suppose, the convenience of CDs and digital music, not to mention the busy fingers of the household toddler mean that I don't do it that often. However, the conversation prompted me to scramble around in the cupboard under the stairs to which my records have been banished by the toddler's mother and pull out a few gems. I then spent a great evening sitting on the floor in front of the stereo, headphones on. And since none of these records have been released on CD I made digital copies too.

The Hallelujah Picassos heyday was in the early to mid nineties when they released a couple of albums and EPs of their unique meld of hardcore, reggae and ska. Live the band were phenomenal, a high energy, punky-reggae party. Every time I saw them live I came away soaked with sweat, deaf and raving about how brilliant they were. My first encounter with the Picassos was a few years earlier when they had a song 'Clap Your Hands' included on a Pagan Records compilation Positive Vibrations. I saw a clip for it on Radio With Pictures, and although at that point they were still developing their sound I loved their brattishness and cheek as they leaped around, the song descending to thrash, the band all chanting "clap your hands, clap your hands, clap your hands . . . for jesus".

I've written before about how great the Crawlspace record store was. It was there that I picked up a limited edition 8" plastic lathe cut single by Trough, a duo from Palmerston North, who on the song 'Avondale race 10' play along to commentary of said horse race. Trust me, it's better than it sounds. Trough also released three other lathe cut singles but none of them matches the energy or originality of this song. Best NZ song about horses I can think of.

David Eggleton is probably best known to many New Zealanders as a book reviewer in The Listener. Also a prolific poet, Eggleton has collaborated with a number of musicians over the years to release three albums of his poetry set to music. Eggleton's poetry is all quick fire word play and commentary on NZ culture, politics and society delivered with a staccato rhythm . I think his 1987 album Wake Up is the best, but unfortunately it's vinyl only so I've included 'I Saw It In The NZ Herald' on the podcast. You can download the whole of his 1993 CD Poetry Demon here.

In 1986 Eggleton released a joint album with ?Fog which resulted in a short film clip that received a couple of plays on Radio With Pictures, but I remember them best for their 1985 EP, recorded without Eggleton, Fat Man With A Big Dork. The EP received a fair bit of student radio airplay at the time. The title track is a classic but I also really like 'Five Heads of State', which I've included below as a blog only exclusive.



David Mitchell and The Renderers are two of the artists appearing on I Hear The Devil Calling Me, a 1991 sampler of acts on the lo-fi Xpressway label. The compilation features 12 bands but it's only a 7" single so they only get around a minute each. Xpressway was a label set up by Bruce Russell of The Dead C from his Port Chalmers home that garnered a world-wide cult following in indie / experimental circles. In fact I Hear the Devil . . . was released on the American label Drag City.

Chris Knox has now notched up 30 years of music making, from his days with The Enemy through Toy Love to the Tall Dwarfs and his solo material and now The Nothing. And while he has long been recognised critically, it would be fair to say that commercial success has eluded Mr Knox. Hopefully the recent placement of one of his songs in an international TV commercial will bring some well-deserved financial reward. It is now more than half his career ago that Knox released 'Song for 1990', a satirical comment on the outbursts of patriotic self congratulation that marked New Zealand's sesqui year. This EP and a 1996 American re-issue as Songs From 1990 are long out of print, but there is a must-see clip of Knox performing the song live on Australian TV on the video page.

You might also want to check out an earlier episode featuring out of print records - Rare As Hens' Teeth

Download the Counting The Beat - Vinyl Crackle podcast

New Releases from Old Rockers

As NZ Music Month dawns the new releases keep coming thick and fast as bands and labels hope to capitalise on the combination of publicity and parochialism that can see local acts' sales figures soar during May. I know I'm sounding a bit cynical but, while there is need for a debate about whether the states' intervention in the NZ music scene has been responsible for the promotion of bland international sounding acts over more diverse talent, I'm actually a fan of NZ Music Month. I like the idea of celebrating local music, after all that's why I put together Counting The Beat - it's certainly not for fame or fortune. My partner also likes NZ Music Month, if only because it means I might buy some new clothes. Anyway, here's another selection of great new releases - all from acts who have been on the scene for a good while.

How many great records has Chris Knox made? And how many units has he sold? Proving there is no universal balance of justice and good the latter figure may be only slightly larger than the first. Slugbuckethairybreathmonster is one of my favourite records of all time, Not Given Lightly is the favourite of many more. Knox's latest is his second album with The Nothing titled A Warm Gun. I think his songs benefit from the organic sound they get in a band setting, and he has some really good players in The Nothing, which appears to be heading towards becoming a real band. The album includes a couple of good old thrash outs but the best songs are the one which provide a sympathetic setting for Knox's lyrics to shine through. There are also some nice touches of strings and horns on some numbers which serve to complement rather than distract from the songs. Bookending the album are two different versions of 'All I Want Is You'. The second takes a bit of an everything but the kitchen sink approach to instrumentation that nicely combines Knox's pop song writing talent with his quirky musical approach. It's songs like this that mean while it may not be up there with some of his Tall Dwarfs' classics this is a record that will stick in your head and be one you come back to.

Shihad are another band I've been listening to for ages, ever since they embraced post-punk to their metal hearts and released the awesomely powerful Churn. They have always been an incredible live band - I particularly remember one show at the Powerstation, where they played the club like it was a stadium and left me soaked and speechless. However, their recorded output hasn't always grabbed me - while I love Churn, the "fish album", and most of The General Electric, Love Is The New Hate just didn't do it for me, apart from 'Saddest Song In the World'. Now Shihad's seventh album, Beautiful Machine is out. This is more of the of the big stadium rock ballads we have come to expect from Shihad and while that is not normally my cup of tea they do it so well I just can't seem to help but like it. You know, returning to the theme of NZ Music Month, I don't know if I would listen to this music if it was from an overseas band. Perhaps it's my cultural nationalist tendencies that overcome my normal reaction of avoiding anything that would play on The Edge.

The third release from an old fave comes from HDU or High Dependency Unit (they seem to use the names interchangably). Metamathics is only their forth album since forming in 1994 and follows a gap of 7 years since Fireworks that was punctuated only by the singles Tunguska (clip on video page) and Stupormodel, both now included on the album. The album doesn't herald any great change in direction, and that is just fine by me. It combines rip-roaring punk songs like 'Stupormodel' and long feedback drenched soundscapes like 'The National Grid' that remind me of a better recorded Dead C (again, no bad thing). The whole album is streaming on the HDU myspace page. There is also an earlier Counting The Beat episode featuring HDU available to download.

Now, go buy some kiwi music - or don't you love your country?

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