Interviews·Music New Order – First NZ Tour April 11, 2021 Guest Contributor HELEN COLLETT stalks the members of New Order and their greater entourage during their first New Zealand tour in 1982. Read More
Film & TV·Music ZAPPA – REVIEW March 18, 2021 Gary Steel Lifelong fan GARY STEEL knows a thing or two about Frank Zappa, so who better than to pass judgement on the first official documentary Read More
Albums·Music·Recordings Keith Emerson’s Knife-Edge March 10, 2021 Gary Steel On the fifth anniversary of Keith Emerson’s tragic death, GARY STEEL calls for a reassessment of the pioneering keyboardist. Read More
Albums·Interviews·Music·Recordings Robert Wyatt – interview with a reclusive legend March 9, 2021 Gary Steel Fresh from soaking up Robert Wyatt’s newish book of lyrics and illustrations, GARY STEEL thought the time was right to disinter and publish – Read More
Albums·Music·Recordings·Thought Piece Gitbox Rebellion’s Pesky Digits – Every Rattle release reviewed and rated March 8, 2021 Gary Steel In the first of a new series celebrating the 30th anniversary of New Zealand record label Rattle, GARY STEEL takes a look at its Read More
Interviews·Music Witchdoctor Q&A: Guitar master Nigel Gavin February 2, 2021 Gary Steel Nigel Gavin is one of our best-kept secrets: a guitar wizard with gregarious performative impulses and an astonishing discography. GARY STEEL subjects him to Read More
Albums·Interviews·Music·Recordings Julee Cruise on her David Lynch experience February 1, 2021 Gary Steel Thirty years ago GARY STEEL met David Lynch’s Twin Peaks musical muse, Julee Cruise. For the first time, here’s the encounter in full. Read More
Albums·Interviews·Music·Recordings Tears For Fears – The Seeds Of Love Interview November 20, 2020 Gary Steel GARY STEEL talks with Tears For Fears' Curt Smith in a previously unpublished 1989 interview. Read More
Albums·Music·Recordings·Thought Piece Tim Buckley’s Starsailor – an unknown solar system November 13, 2020 Gary Steel Fifty years ago Tim Buckley released an album that killed his career. Five years later he really was dead. GARY STEEL on Starsailor. Read More
Interviews·Music Bones Hillman – our tribute November 10, 2020 Gary Steel In November 1987 GARY STEEL met up with Bones Hillman just after he joined Midnight Oil. Find the original story and transcript below. Read More
Interviews·Music ALL-STAR TOOT – RIP Toots Hibbert September 13, 2020 Gary Steel To mark the passing of Toots Hibbert (of Toots & The Maytals) GARY STEEL whips out his 2004 interview with the reggae icon. Read More
Albums·Music·Recordings·Thought Piece Random Play – The Sublime Electronica Of Readymade’s Bold September 8, 2020 Gary Steel GARY STEEL makes his reacquaintance with a 2001 favourite that soothed his savage beast while getting roundly ignored by the rest of the world. Read More
Music·Product News·Recordings John Lennon In Surround Sound August 27, 2020 Gary Steel A brand spanking new collection of John Lennon’s work gets released in surround sound and in many formats on what would have been his Read More
Albums·Music·Recordings·Thought Piece Random Play – Bill Bruford’s Odd Encounter August 15, 2020 Gary Steel In '97 the former Yes/King Crimson drummer got together with a couple of jazzers to make one of his most endearing albums, writes GARY Read More
Music·Thought Piece Mike Nesmith’s Infinite Tuesday July 20, 2020 Gary Steel GARY STEEL’s interview with Michael Nesmith was a shambles and his concert experience of ‘The Monkees’ was a travesty, but Nesmith’s memoir is a Read More
Concerts·Music From Genesis To Recreation: Steve Hackett Comes To Town June 11, 2020 Gary Steel Steve Hackett played on all the best Genesis albums and is touring his version of the classic Selling England By The Pound. GARY STEEL Read More
Albums·Music·Recordings New Record Label Revives Lost And Neglected NZ Albums June 5, 2020 Richard Betts What better time than a global pandemic to launch a brave new music venture resurrecting our neglected past? RICHARD BETTS on the Rattle record Read More
Music Kids Love Kraftwerk May 8, 2020 Gary Steel With the passing of Kraftwerk’s Florian Schneider GARY STEEL reflects on his life-long obsession with electronic music. Read More
Albums·Music·Recordings In Praise Of Progressive Rock May 3, 2020 Gary Steel It's a music genre that's been reviled for decades, yet it remains stubbornly popular with music freaks who demand more than a two-chord thrash. Read More
Music What Is Music, Exactly? April 26, 2020 Gary Steel Just what is music anyway, and what is it for? GARY STEEL certainly has an opinon or two about these cosmic vibrations that decorate Read More