April Sun in Cuba Street
Words By Matthew Casey & Sally Ward
Taika Waititi, Lord of the Rings, Jacinda Ardern, American Football without pads, our nation is famous for a lot of things. Let's talk about our music.
Our music is a large cornerstone of our culture and has led us to fame on the world stage. We’ve seen Lorde performing at the VMA’s, and more recently, Benee’s “Glitter” popping off on TikTok. But have we forgotten that one of our greatest successes, which topped charts in 5 countries, “How Bizarre,” is by a group called the Otara Millionaires Club? The varying history of our nation's music has helped shape us into who we are today. Personally we think New Zealand Music is the best on earth. In celebrating 20 years of New Zealand Music Month, we look at why it’s the best. If the world thinks Jacinda’s cool, they’d be fizzing like your big $2 bottle from the local suprette if they heard “Not Many” (Remix).
Defining ‘New Zealand music’ is not a task for the weak. Although, Andrew Witty has done a good job explaining the complexities to us. It could rest on where the influence is drawn, where the music was written or even who performs it. Witty explained that “NZ music identity is still highly contested in an NZ setting”. Some artists are seen as Kiwi overseas, but not perceived that way locally, ”muddying an already tricky dialogue”. For example, Natasha Bedingfield went to school here but not many of us would consider “Unwritten” an NZ greatest hit.
New Zealand music accompanies a lot of firsts. I had my first kiss with Kids of 88 playing in the background at my intermediate social. In retrospect, it would've been terrible, and I definitely haven't improved my game since then. For a lot of us, our first time getting drunk was off some trash your older sister bought for Christmas in the Park, texting your crush for meet ups, with Broods playing on the big stage. It was the first time you watched a Scribe music video and wore a hat and hoodie, up until your grandad called you out for wearing a hat inside. New Zealand music is the tomato sauce to the fish n chips that is your life.
Recently, Static88.1 host Joel Harrison talked about an RNV phenomenon. Whenever someone was posting at RNV (or even their lockdown throwbacks) they weren’t posting about Playboy Carti or RL Grime. They were posting about a 63 year old rockstar, who’s last hit single came out in 2005—Dave Dobbyn. While Loyal played, there were scenes of friends with their arms over each other's shoulders, tears flowing like the Waikato River, and it was truly beautiful.
When everyone’s far too pissed at your Aunty Julz’ 50th and even dad’s had a few KGB’s, you are singing along, together, to the likes of “How Bizarre”, “Slice of Heaven” or “April Sun in Cuba”. The power of this shared community over that is a factor in why NZ music really delivers as a cultural tool. It doesn't have to be from the stereotypical mainstream. Your old man probably enjoys Dunedin rock, Ladi6, and some cheeky Ben Lummis. It's something you share between the generations, you may have already introduced your little sister to Scribe and Lorde’s first EP. The beauty is that it brings you all together.
No one sings about New Zealand like New Zealanders sing about New Zealand. Well, no one else sings about New Zealand (except U2’s “One Tree Hill”). We are a small island nation at the bottom of the Pacific like a little life raft. Most people think we’re part of Australia. It’s important that we listen to our own stories, and support those that are telling them, because no one else will.
The weird thing about living on a little life raft in a globalised world is that we play a lot of international artists through our speakers, but they’re talking about their own streets. In 1981 Blam Blam Blam released ‘“There Is No Depression in New Zealand”. This came out against the backdrop of rising unemployment, growing resentment of the government and the Springbok Tour. The hook goes like “We have no dole queues/ We have no drug addicts/ We have no racism/ We have no sexism.” It’s an upbeat banger dripping in irony, articulating the feelings living in the shadows.
Home Brew used the line “there is no depression in New Zealand” in their song “Listen to Us”. We’ve all missed the messages they’ve sent and gotten drunk in a shit house flat to “Alcoholic.” It takes skill to turn hard truths into something that sounds good playing out of your garage speakers. It’s a trojan horse of a song. These are important messages which provide a critique on important societal issues. At this point I’d rather hear it from Tom Scott than some gassed up first-year political science major (chill, the joke’s on Matt).
Then there’s the straight up familiarity you won’t get anywhere else. We’ve all been to the fish n chip shop from the "Wandering Eye" music video. When David Dallas said “ain’t hexed my drive since my Honda civic got rusty,” I felt that. I never had a Honda Civic, but I know exactly what he means. It’s the perfect car for sneaking off to a woolshed party in. When Brett McKenzie pipes up with “ooo you’re a legend Dave” for getting “The Most Beautiful Girl [In The Room]” to his party, we all thought of a Dave. And of course, the Sky Tower in The Beths’ music video for “Happy Unhappy” is iconography at its best.
We’ve only had proper sound recording equipment since the 1940s. "Blue Smoke" (1949) was the first song recorded here. It was written by Ruru Karaitiana with vocals by Pixie Williams. The song was picked up by that American dude Dean Martin (allegedly the ‘King of Cool’) and did well overseas, too. Their legacy has meant that other artists can do their work, for local and international audiences, wherever they call home. It’s good music. It’s been there for you, as Kids of 88 was there for Matt’s First Kiss, even though it’s probably better to forget that one.
Just like everyday is Mother’s Day, every month is New Zealand Music Month. Now is the time to reflect on what that means to you. There’s no substitute.