About Us

What is Witchdoctor?

Witchdoctor is a online entertainment magazine.

We write for grownups about products and ideas. We don’t do clickbait. We don’t write upwardly mobile “lifestyle” stories. And we care not a fig about celebrities and influencers.

Witchdoctor is NZ’s only portal for reliable, intelligent and up-front reviews and stories about music, film, television, technology products (hi-fi, AV, gadgets and more) and associated ephemera.

We write about things we like to do, like listen to whole albums on audiophile hi-fi systems, cook and eat really great food, and basically look for the best of everything. In fact, nothing is off-limits for Witchdoctor, as long as it’s intelligently written and is worthy of a wider audience. And hopefully, we do it all with a wry smile and with a different perspective to the generic one coming from the crumbling monoliths.

We’re an independent media company that values smart, intelligent writing. If you’re really rich, please give us money to help us continue doing what we do, and to do it even better.

Witchdoctor is published by Crusty Old Gits Ltd.

Support Us

Witchdoctor is on a quest to save high-quality independent journalism. As the monoliths of corporate media fall, our small team is battling away to provide content that’s free of clickbait sensationalism and so-called fake news and packed with information and intelligent perspectives.

But we do what we do on the tiny little bit of oil that still remains on that old rag. If you value what we do and you’re in a position to help us feed the kids and animals (and thereby, to sustain Witchdoctor), even donating a little bit will help us a lot.

Unlike other sites, Witchdoctor will never kick a boomer when they’re down. And while other entertainment platforms practically ignore consumer technology, hi-fi and coverage of non-trend music, film and TV for grownups, we luxuriate in it.

As long as we’ve got the cash to continue, we’ll give you honest assessments of products, art and entertainment, no-crap coverage of contemporary issues, and pieces that are simply really thoughtful. Thanks for having us in your world.

Just press the button below. It’s easy and safe to give through the Press Patron system!

The Witchdoctor Team

MAJOR DOMOS

Gary Steel

Gary Steel is a Witchdoctor founder, part-owner and Editor-in-Chief.

He has been subjecting the NZ public to his withering opinions on music for more than 40 years, and refuses to get soft in his dotage.

Steel has worked for newspapers, edited and published magazines – including the pop phenomenon RTR Countdown and Witchdoctor’s forerunner TONE – and even run a record store full of obscure music no-one wanted to buy.

Gary is super-keen to review albums and prefers vinyl and CDs any day over streams or downloads. He can be contacted at garys@witchdoctor.co.nz

 

Pat Pilcher

Part-owner of Witchdoctor, Pat has a wealth of experience reporting on tech products and issues for the likes of TV, radio, and reviewing for TONE magazine.

Shiny gadgets have long held a serious fascination for Pat, whose home – formerly a mess of spaghetti-cable – is a test zone for everything ‘smart’ and wireless.

His prodigious business smarts and entrepreneurial vision are behind some of Witchdoctor’s more audacious moves, and he’s always looking ahead to the newest, shiniest gadget.

 

CONTRIBUTORS

Ashley Kramer

Ashley Kramer is co-founder of Witchdoctor, former TONE sales manager and contributor and honorary Witchdoctor team member.

Ash’s journeys have taken all over the show as a digital nomad working on a myriad of fascinating web-based projects, but as well, he’s still contributing lucid and comprehensive reviews of hi-fidelity products.

 

Richard Varey
Richard is an independent science writer with education and work experience in both physical and social sciences. He’s also an audiophile.

Originally from Yorkshire and based in Hamilton, Richard maintains his own hi-fi blog when he’s not putting esoteric gear under the microscope for the benefit of Witchdoctor readers.

Claiming to be a ‘musicophile audiophile technophile’, Richard has a large record collection and a particular interest in the passionate and innovative work of small, independent audio artisans.

Andrew W. Baker

A long-time hi-fi reviewer for Witchdoctor, Andrew lives in a small town near Auckland where he cultivates his ongoing interest in superior modes of musical reproduction.

Like most audiophiles, Andrew has a long-running addiction to vinyl, but his sonic adventures extend to the latest developments in wireless and streaming reproduction.

 

Paul Rose

Paul reviews films. His illustrious history includes many years in the music industry as a label owner, venue booker, publicist, band and record store manager, including a three-year stint at the helm of Real Groovy. More recently, he managed the Rialto cinema in Auckland and co-ordinated the NZIFF’s programme of short films. He writes for magazines and websites, too!

 

Rebekah Davies

Rebekah is a writer, photographer, musician, and actress; and feels exceptionally lucky to have realised all these pursuits in a professional capacity, as nothing fulfils her more than creating things: be it a song, a photo, a character, or a film review for Witchdoctor. www.rebekahdavies.com

 

 

 

 

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No editorial content may be reproduced for commercial purposes without written permission.

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