Guilty Pleasures: Electric Light Orchestra’s Eldorado
ELO’s grandiose 1974 monstrosity is an over-the-top masterpiece, according to long-time appreciator GARY STEEL.
World’s Worst Records – Fallout Boy
MATT KELLY is so fed up with Fallout Boy that he writes his own review of this utter dreck in verse.
World’s Worst Records – Bruno Mars
MATT KELLY digs up a record that Bruno Mars might just want to forget in which the pop phenomenon is caught literally taking his
The long-delayed release of a legendary 1968 performance by Zappa/The Mothers
Frank Zappa and his Mothers would never be hotter than they were the week in 1968 when this gig was recorded. GARY STEEL takes
World’s Worst Records – David Hasselhoff
MATT KELLY presents Part One of a survey of the complete musical works of Sir David Michael Hasselhoff. Eek.
Arooj Aftab’s heart-stoppingly gorgeous Night Reign
GARY STEEL finally finds something to melt into in Arooj Aftab's bewitching and sensuous new album, Night Reign.
Perfect Pitch
Twenty-five years ago GARY STEEL met up with wayward Kiwi electronic duo Pitch Black for a nice chat. A NZ Music Month special.
World’s Worst Records: Janelle Monae
MATT KELLY absolutely loved her previous album but Janelle Monae's latest sucks so bad that he can't help feel let down.
Jayrem – The ‘not Flying Nun’ 1980s Kiwi record label
To celebrate NZ Music Month GARY STEEL digs up a rare 1986 interview with Wellington record label owner Jim Moss.
World’s Worst Records – The Portsmouth Sinfonia
MATT KELLY writes about a record that is both diabolically awful and amazingly great and which everyone should get out there and hear.
Mike Oldfield with bells on
Mike Oldfield’s Tubular Bells is over 50 years old but still sounds fresh. GARY STEEL chats with the man behind the upcoming Auckland performance
World’s Worst Records – Blackout Band
1001 Albums You Must Die Before You Hear #103: Blackout Band – Video Games (2007) MATT KELLY writes about the strange case of a
Aldous Harding: The lost interview
Especially for New Zealand Music Month GARY STEEL disinters a 10-year-old interview with Aldous Harding conducted at the time of her debut album.
World’s Worst Records – The Small Faces
MATT KELLY is aghast at how far this formerly great band had fallen by the time of its reunion albums and explains their sad
Icehouse, 40 years ago
It’s not often you get to interview Iva Davies (Icehouse) and Jo Camilleri (Jo Jo Zep) at the same time. GARY STEEL did way
Random Vinyl Play: This 1969 debut is an unheralded classic
In a new column, GARY STEEL dips into his vinyl racks. Today it’s the tasty debut by UK psychedelic band Caravan.
30 Years Ago: Michael Nyman’s unexpected chart success
Michael Nyman is not a pop star. Yet his soundtrack to The Piano has landed him in the commercial marketplace, writes GARY STEEL
1001 Albums You Must Die Before You Hear – Macho Man Randy Savage
MATT KELLY loves records by washed-up wrestlers but Randy Savage's attempt to musically spar with Hulk Hogan is an unmitigated disaster.
1001 Albums You Must Die Before You Hear #100: Metallica with Lou Reed – Lulu
MATT KELLY somehow manages to listen to 90 minutes of possibly the worst collaborative album by major rock figures ever made.
NZ music’s battle to be heard – 40 years ago, that is
NZ music acts whining about how hard it is to make a mark in 2024 might find this piece about the struggle to make
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