LOOP Music Emailer 6/4/01

NEW ON LOOP.co.nz

ARTICLES:

Looking for a Common Factor
LOOP dropped the old 20 Questions (well, only 17 actually) on Nick Calingaert, aka Common Factor, as he packed his bags for a trip down under, where he DJs in Auckland and Wellington over Easter. See also LOOP.co.nz's exclusive Common Factor DJ mix, in the Audio section below. http://loop.co.nz/music/commonfactor

Cloudboy at BATS
Reviews of all three sellout Down At The End Of The Garden shows by Cloudboy at BATS Theatre to launch their debut album. http://loop.co.nz/music/cloudboy_bats

Demarnia details
So impressed were we by Cloudboy's new album and multimedia live show, that we plundered the LOOP archives and unearthed this interview with Demarnia Lloyd, from the series of interviews that comprised the LOOP WAVE feature in 2000 about New Zealand music. http://loop.co.nz/music/demarnia

Dubbing inna Town Hall styleee
The postponed Orientation gig featuring Black Seeds, Fat Freddy's, Salmonella Dub finally went ahead at the Town Hall on Friday, March 30... any good then? http://loop.co.nz/music/salmonella_dub_live

REVIEWS:

Emmylou Harris - Red Dirt Girl
The Country legend's latest album, Red Dirt Girl is a sure hit. http://loop.co.nz/music/music_reviews/emmylou

Profile: The Best of Emmylou Harris
Emmylou Harris gets funky and country with some great covers that have become standards in both her repertoire and FM stations all over the world. http://loop.co.nz/music/music_reviews/emmylou_best

Profile II: The Best of Emmylou Harris (Vol. II) A nice'n'cheap compilation that fills the gap between Emmylou Harris' cameo-spots in the seventies and her original writings these days. http://loop.co.nz/music/music_reviews/emmylou_best2

Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris - Western Wall: The Tuscon Sessions Country legends produce another top-class album. http://loop.co.nz/music/music_reviews/harris_ronstadt

Fusebox - The Politiks of Jazz:
A cocktail-set of jazz with slight funk. But really it's just a jazz version of Espresso Guitar. http://loop.co.nz/music/music_reviews/fusebox

The Go-Betweens - The Friends of Rachael Worth: New product from lo-fi low-key Aussie legends The Go-Betweens: a quirky case of pop craft that will sadly go ignored by far too many music fans. http://loop.co.nz/music/music_reviews/gobetweens

Various - Room Service:
From the sublime to the ridiculous - the essence of lounge music within noveau-swinger culture. http://loop.co.nz/music/music_reviews/roomservice

Thelonius Monk - The Composer:
For $10 you can buy this compilation - in a way, it might be the only Monk you ever need. But you do need it! http://loop.co.nz/music/music_reviews/thelonius

AUDIO:

Common Factor DJ mix
A recent DJ mix (recorded in October 2000) by Chicago house producer Nick Calingaert a.k.a. Common Factor, who plays gigs in Auckland and Wellington over Easter. Exclusive to LOOP.co.nz, and available for mp3 download or Real Audio streaming for a limited time only (until 5pm NZT Friday 20 April 2001). http://loop.co.nz/audio/commonfactor

un-chart-ed #411: Fabel Music
This week, un-chart-ed chats to Christchurch drum and bass geezer Pylonz - DJ, producer and the main man behind new record label Fabel. He tells how he first got into music production, followed that time-honoured NZ music tradition of doing everything yourself because there's no-one to tell you what to do, and unveils plans to take on the world armed with quality breaks and beats. http://loop.co.nz/audio/un-chart-ed/411

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NEW ZEALAND MUSIC NEWS:
(courtesy of un-chart-ed)

* New Zealand APRA boss Mike Chunn has declared Friday May 18th national Busker Day, "a day when the entire country vibrates to a good song", right in the middle of this year's New Zealand Music Month. Radio industry magazine Median Strip quotes Chunn as anticipating "Folk singers, nuns, midwives... on every street corner we will hear our songs and voices celebrating our music". The nationwide event will be co-ordinated by the high budget, low profile Music Industry Commission and the commercial radio based Kiwi Music Action Group, with the support of local councils, and while a great idea, is not entirely original... Christchurch b.net station rdu sent "local big-shot bands" Stefan van Soest Hit Machine, Degrees K, The Dialtones and Pine out onto the streets to earn their keep as part of the station's NZ Music Week last year.

* Kiwi jazzman Mark de Clive-Lowe was last week named among the line-up for May's Detroit Electronic Music Festival, one of the world's largest free music events which last year drew over 1.5 million people to the birthplace of electronic music for three days of live and DJ performances. The DEMF was founded by legendary techno producer Carl Craig last year, and the second year's line-up sees de Clive-Lowe's Six Degrees band (which also features top notch Aotearoa DJ Manuel Bundy) land a prime spot on the festival's main stage on the opening evening, sitting pretty amongst the likes of noted UK producer/DJ Kirk Degeorgio, Chicago post-rock group Tortoise and uber-hip Berlin jazz collective Jazzanova. The truly world class festival line-up also includes live performances by Autechre, De La Soul, and Detroit's own Inner City, as well as international DJs of the calibre of LTJ Bukem, Carl Cox, Mixmaster Mike and hometown hero Derrick May, who closes the festival with a set on its main stage. The Detroit Electronic Music Festival runs from May 26-28 at Detroit's Hart Plaza. Check http://www.electronicmusicfest.com for more details.

* Leading Aotearoa hip-hop website phunkrepublic.com is back in action, after server problems saw the site down for almost a month recently. The ever-busy Phunk Republic crew took the downtime as an opportunity to redesign the website, now back in full action at http://www.phunkrepublic.com The new look website is the place to be if you'd like to find about upcoming hip-hop events, read reviews of new releases, view a gallery of excellent NZ hip-hop photography, or join discussions on the boisterous Phunk Republic bulletin board, where recent topics of discussion include less than favourable responses to last weekend's National Breakdancing Championships (won, incidently, by Auckland's Faith City Rockers crew), and the lack of hip-hop representation at the recent New Zealand Music Awards.

* Soon to be departed Wellington band Fur Patrol have launched yet another new website, this time the long-awaited Flash version of their website at http://www.furpatrol.com And Flash it is indeed! The new state of the art site is far too sophisticated for un-chart-ed's poor old computer to handle, but reportedly features hoards of video clips, photographs and other such bells and whistles, and recently broke the news of Fur Patrol's album Pet reaching platinum sales status. That's 15,000 copies sold! Also worth a visit for Fur Patrol fans is the unofficial fan site http://www.fairlyloaded.com, where one can win a copy of the Starlifter EP for sharing their best gig review or "most memorable memory". The site also offers lyrics, set lists, a Yahoo Discussion Club and other serious fan type things. Meanwhile, on the "moving to Australia" front, Fur Patrol have booked an exhaustive 25 date tour for their first couple of months based out of their new home in Melbourne. Tour dates will no doubt appear on both websites soon.

* And it seems that the music industry brain drain will never end. New Zealand music website nzmusic.com drops the goss this week that Wellington's Breathe are contemplating the Russel Crowe-styled jump across the Tasman later this month, although to the not-so-fashionable location of Sydney, rather than popular ex-pat Kiwi hangout Melbourne. At this stage, the band's move is reportedly not permanent, with the band taking a few months to "suss out the Sydney scene", which could well become home if all goes well. Fans might like to watch http://www.breathe.co.nz for official word on the imminent move.

NEW ZEALAND RADIO AIRPLAY CHARTS for week to 1 April 2001:

Alternative Radio Top 10 Plays:
(based on airplay on b.net stations and George FM)

1. Cloudboy (NZ) - Cup Of Roses (Arclife/LOOP) 2. Funkamentl (NZ) - Pistachio (LOOP)
3. Fingathing - Slop (Grand Central)
4. betchadupa (NZ) - I Want It (Flying Nun) 5. Pine (NZ) - Make Way For The King (Arch Hill) 6. Wagon Christ - Receiver (Ninja Tune)
7. Deltron 3030 - Mastermind (75 Ark)
8. Shapeshifter (NZ) - Skycity (DNA Recordings) 9. D-Super (NZ) - Song For Linc (Felix)
10. Blue States - Golden Touch (Eighteenth Street Lounge)

Top 10 New Zealand Plays:
(based on airplay on all commercial New Zealand radio stations)

1. Fur Patrol - Lydia (Wishbone)
2. Garageland - Gone (Flying Nun)
3. Fur Patrol - Andrew (I'm Sorry) (Wishbone) 4. Zed - Driver's Side (Universal)
5. Neil Finn - Rest Of The Day Off (EMI) 6. King Kapisi - Screems From Da Old Plantation (FMR) 7. Kali - Broken Wings (Universal)
8. Nurture - Beautiful (WEA)
9. Tadpole - No Man (Antenna)
10. Salmonella Dub - Love Your Ways (Virgin)

RadioScope Airplay Charts courtesy of Median Strip (http://www.medianstrip.com)

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WEEKEND GIG GUIDE:

Friday 6 April 2001:

Emmylou Harris
One of America's finest singers returns to New Zealand for a series of landmark shows. 8pm, Auckland Civic Theatre, Auckland

Artery Compilation CD release
Celebrate the latest Artery CD with performances from artists on it. 9pm, Artery, Nelson

Total Science
Drum & bass party with UK DJs Q-Project and Spinback of the group Total Science. 10pm, Studio 9, Wellington

Saturday 7 April 2001:

Cloudboy
Cloudboy in the midst of a gallery tour to promote their new album Down At The End Of The Garden. 8pm, Auckland Art Gallery, Auckland

Total Science
UK drum & bass spinners Total Science, with support from Matt (formerly Mute), Presha, Nick D and D-Tour! 10pm, Fu Bar, Auckland

Sunday 8 April 2001:

2001 Viola Odyssey
The XXIXth International Viola Congress. 10am, Massey Conservatorium, Auckland

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CURRENT LISTENING:

Spinning in the LOOP office this week...

Common Factor DJ mix
Our exclusive DJ mix from Common Factor is the perfect primer for next weekend's New Zealand gigs. Get in quick, it's not going to be up on the site for long! http://loop.co.nz/audio/commonfactor

Pioneers: Larry Levan
Excellent documentary from the BBC's Radio 1, profiling legendary New York DJ Larry Levan. Levan defined the modern nightclubbing experience with his sets at NYC's Paradise Garage, and became a god to DJs around the world. http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/media/g2/documentaries/pioneers_larry_levan.ram

MJ Cole Beta Lounge mix
The internet's premier online audio site hooks up with the crown prince of UK Garage. Recorded just last weekend, this is undoubtedly the sound of 2-step at its freshest. The action starts when MJ steps up to the decks, 01:36:42 into the show. http://www.betalounge.com/stuff/lounge3-31-01.ram --

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