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.
Albums
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
Finally, An Aussie Band That Sounds Nothing Like Cold Chisel
Not bad at all, writes GARY STEEL about the debut album by Aussie electronic duo Bad French, whose musical and lyrical sophistication surprises and delights.
Rare Gems From The Vaults Reviewed
Three legendary artists reviewed, a double album, a triple album and a seven-disc box set of rare gems.
Here’s The Greatest Kiwi Post-punk Band You’ve Never Heard Of
Back in the early 1980s Alms For Children turned into This Sporting Life and then disappeared before many even knew about them. Now, at last, there’s a compilation to memorialise them, writes GARY STEEL