Author: Fraserhead

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Oprah meets Ice-T uptown

*** Many thanks to Deano Murakami aka Deano von Lounge aka DJ Butcher for reminding me of this. Deano was due to join us on the show this Saturday after flying in from Osaka, Japan but got busted going through customs with some unlicensed whale meat. ***

For your Christmas/New Year lull viewing pleasure, here’s one of those classic TV moments you never thought would happen (well not back in 1990 anyway).

In 1990 Oprah Winfrey hosted a discussion about the PMRC (Parents Music Resource Centre) and their “Parental Advisory” labelling of records.  Guests on the show were Jello Biafra, Tipper Gore, Rabbi Abraham Cooper, Juan Williams, Ice-T and Nelson George.

I remember watching it, by pure chance, one lunchtime in the RDU offices (it was my first year there) and with the dozen of so people milling about it was a real “WTF?” moment before any of us had ever used the term “WTF?”. I think that’s the effect of Oprah Winfrey reciting Ice-T and Guns N’ Roses lyrics cold. Someone should give her a record deal.

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Picasso Core! God bless the Hallelujah Picassos.

Hallelujah Picassos.

“Sounding at odd times like a flying nun on drugs, a New Zealand punk rock garage band, or a psychotic turnbuckle gone AWOL, they can be jangly, grungy, or snot-nosed . . . very alternative pop.”
RAD magazine, November 1989

Our good buddy Peter McLennan) aka Dub Ayslum and former member of the Hallelujah Picassos) gave us the good news this week that the new retrospective Hallelujah Picassos album “Rewind the Hateman” is out now. Have a listen below.

First time I ever heard the Hallelujah Picassos was in 1989 on UFM (formerly Radio U and now RDU) with their track “Clap your hands”. Loved it so much I went out and bought the Pagan Records “Positive Vibrations” compilation.

At the time, with a lyric like “…clap your hands for Jesus…” I did wonder if they were a Christian band trying to put the “fun” back into “Christian Fundamentalism”, but a closer listen to the lyrics revealed that they probably weren’t.

The Hallelujah Picassos were active from 1988 through to 1996, and like contemporaries Salmonella Dub, Supergroove, and Head Like A Hole amongst others, brought some much needed colour to the local music scene.

I loved the Picassos because they crossed genres (garage, pop, reggae, dub), could be light and dark, and sounded like they were having a blast.

“Rewind the Hatemen” (the remastered 1993 album “Hateman in Love”) still sounds quite fresh. “Black Space Picasso Core” is still nutty sampledelic, “Bastardiser” still garage rocks, “Hello Pablo” still has sweet melodica action, and “Shivers” is still The Bats / Able Tasmans collaboration that never happened.

Here’s the track that (sort of) started it all…

More info:

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King Midas Sound dummy mix

Sorry. No show today due to other commitments.

Instead, for your listening pleasure allow us to recommend the King Midas Sound mix recently did for Dummy Magazine.

Put together by vocalist Kiki Hitomi, the mix is a very comforting and soothing yet dark and moody affair. Perfect for late night listening or gardening on a sunny day (the latter is for real – I’ve done it!).

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“Amatilda” artwork by Jan Stoewe

Jan Stoewe - Amatilda face illustration.
Illustration: Jan Stoewe

Being a shallow kind of guy, I’ve always been of the opinion that album artwork should be as good as the music. Sure, it’s ultimately about the music but beautiful artwork and packaging can create a mystique that makes me feel more attached or involved in the music.

A perfect example is the new Jan Driver album “Amatilda” recently released on Boysnoize Records (and recommended to all you freaks who like Mr Oizo or SebastiAn). The artwork has been done by Jan Stoewe and a piece for each album track (as well as audio) can be viewed on the Amatilda website.

More info:

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Earthquake stops play again :(

Damage to the music room at The Joint HQ.
Damage to the music room at The Joint HQ.

More damage at The Joint Mansions
More damage at The Joint Mansions

On Tuesday 21 February 2011 at 12.51pm a 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck Christchurch and Lyttelton.

Many lives have been lost (147 at last count), the damage is widespread, and many people still have no power and water.

This is much, much worse than the 4 September 2010 earthquake.

Our thoughts go out to those who have lost loved ones, family, friends and colleagues. We can’t imagine what you must be going through.

I’m not sure when we’ll be back on air. RDU 98.5FM is out of action but music doesn’t feel that important right now. Keep up to date with RDU happenings at www.facebook.com/RDU985FM.

To all those affected by the earthquake – kia kaha. We will get through this. But it’s going to be hard and it’s going to take a long time.

More earthquake info…