In 40 YEARS IN 52 WEEKS, GARY STEEL trawls through his archives to celebrate a lifetime of writing about modern music, and pens some new perspectives to mark the occasion. The subject of today’s piece: 1979.
Albums
Lots And Lots Of Albums
GARY STEEL stole a dead man’s job and kept doing it for 19 long years.
The Great Witchdoctor Blindfold Test – TOM BAILEY
In Witchdoctor’s famous BLINDFOLD TEST, we invite a musician into an audiophile sound lounge and play them a provocative record selection. This week, former Thompson Twins and sometime International Observer TOM BAILEY is put to the test at Auckland’s Audio Reference showroom. GARY STEEL is the DJ selector.
Record-filing Blues And The Loss Of The Man-cave
GARY STEEL has a mid-to-late-life crisis as he loses his man-cave and pontificates the importance of exactitude in the filing of record collections, and other related ephemera.
Faust Are The Best Group Ever
So says GARY STEEL, who interviewed Hans Joachim Irmler of the Krautrock legends in 2006. Presented as part of an ongoing series, Flashes From The Archives Of Oblivion, in which Steel dredges up key moments from his considerable archive. When Real Groove’s esteemed editor gave me the rare opportunity to […]
Music For Walking Across A Bridge
GARY STEEL enthuses over an album that reverberates with soothing trumpet, atmospheric ‘found’ sounds and imaginative evocation.
Record Roundup: Recent Albums Reviewed & Rated
GARY STEEL actually listens all the way through a bunch of albums and has his say about them.
Concept Album Tells Story Of Settlers To NZ
Devin Abrams’ last album as Pacific Heights won him the electronic music category at the NZ Music Awards. Its follow-up is a – wait for it! – concept album, explains GARY STEEL.
King Of Doom
From the archives of oblivion: Every week GARY STEEL rescues a story from his bulging back pages. This week it’s the turn of the King of doom, Peter Hammill, one of the most fascinating figures of ’70s rock and leader of Van Der Graaf Generator. Rock history is littered […]
The Victory Of The Musical Magpie
Don’t worry, it’s the 21st Century, it’s okay to like pop music and weird shit too, writes GARY STEEL.
Then He Saw Your Face, Now Robert Wyatt’s A Believer
In his ongoing series From The Archives Of Oblivion, GARY STEEL digs up old stuff and reanimates it just because he can. Here’s the story Steel wrote after having a nice long chat with the genuinely legendary Robert Wyatt.
Don Brash’s Pakeha Nightmare Shows The Way Forward
Dudley Benson’s Zealandia starts and ends with the sound of crickets, but it’s what’s in between that really sends GARY STEEL