Graham Reid | | 5 min read
That room must have held maybe 60 people and my recollection was – aside from Herbs who made up quite a crew – there were very few musicians present.
It was attended by record company people and music writers like myself.
I don't even recall any music being played that night.
As they say, “You come a long way, baby”.
For years now the annual Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards has been given national television coverage, it is heavily sponsored by Vodafone among other major corporates (which is why you get a few often uncomfortable looking Warriors on stage making some presentation) and the red carpet is littered with various All Blacks, models and glitterati . . . none of whom you ever see at a gig.
If that sound snarky, it isn't meant to be.
Just an illustration of how far New Zealand music has come in terms of its national profile, and how embedded in our culture it is today.
It wasn't always so of course. Older
folk will remember how mainstream radio – sometimes programmed from
overseas – wouldn't play songs by New Zealand musicians (not good
enough/doesn't fit our format/poorly recorded etc among other
excuses). It's hard to believe in these days of our Lorde that there
were serious and on-going discussion right up to government level
about a legally enforced music quota just to get programmers in New
Zealand radio stations to play music made in their own country.
For many, many years I judged various categories (general, Maori, roots, folk and jazz) and it was actually quite easy: there weren't that many albums or songs to consider.
This year, despite an invitation, I didn't . . . simply because there are so many albums, songs and artists. I just didn't have that much time. I'm too busy writing about it as it happens and when I can . . . or talking to music students at uni about everyone from Pixie Williams and Ray Columbus to Upper Hutt Posse, Savage and Dawn Raid. Shining a light on a history most do not even know exists.
So when we were celebrating New Zealand music this year at Vector Arena in Auckland, on November 20, it was worth remembering, it wasn't always like this.
Here's a rundown of who was up for what, and who won . . . and where Elsewhere has something on the artists they are highlighted (just on the first reference). There are also video clips and images where relevant, and some of the awards at the end had already been handed out.
Personally I was delighted to see Supergroove there getting that New Zealand Legacy Award. When I edited The Voice – the Herald's first attempt at a stand alone entertainment lift-out section I chose to put them on the cover of the first issue in a photo which had them walking on water. They were the biggest band in the land.
You can't please everyone though, because one of the major cinema chains wanted their new blockbuster release on the cover and when they saw Supergroove there they immediately withdrew all their advertising in attempt to kill off The Voice. It worked, although we took about nine months to die.
No matter. That was the right decision. Supergroove were always going to be more important than Independence Day . . . and time has proven me right.
So have a listen and a look . . . and if you are ever in Auckland and near the Langham pop in for a look: far right after the lobby, about the size of school classroom.
Album of the Year
WINNER: Lorde - Pure
Heroine
. (free stream here)
Sol3 Mio - Sol3 Mio . (selected songs free here)
The Naked And Famous - In Rolling Waves (free stream here)
Tiny Ruins - Brightly Painted One (free stream here)
Ladi6 – Automatic. (free stream here)
Single of the Year
WINNER: Lorde – Team .
Broods – Bridges .
David Dallas – Runnin '.
Ladi6 – Diamonds.
The Naked And Famous - Hearts Like Ours
Best Group
WINNER: The Naked And Famous - In Rolling Waves
@Peace - @Peace and the Plutonium Noise Symphony .
Sol3 Mio - Sol3 Mio .
NZ Herald Legacy Award
Supergroove (right)
Best Male Solo Artist
WINNER: David Dallas - Falling Into Place .
Stan Walker - Inventing Myself
Best Female Solo Artist
WINNER: Lorde - Pure Heroine.
Ladi6 – Automatic.
Tiny Ruins - Brightly Painted One
Breakthrough Artist of the Year
WINNER: Broods.
Doprah.
Sol3 Mio
Best Rock Album
WINNER: Blacklistt – Blacklistt .
Clap Clap Riot – Nobody/Everybody .
Ekko Park - Tomorrow Tomorrow Today
Best Pop Album
WINNER: Lorde - Pure Heroine .
Benny Tipene – Toulouse.
Stan Walker - Inventing Myself
Best Alternative Album
WINNER: Tiny Ruins - Brightly Painted One
Grayson Gilmour - Infinite Life!
Liam Finn - The Nihilist .
Best Urban/Hip Hop Album
WINNER: David Dallas - Falling Into Place .
Ladi6 – Automatic.
PNC - The Codes
Best Roots Album
WINNER: Tama Waipara - Fill Up The Silence
House of Shem – Harmony .
Mark Vanilau - Dark Horizon .
Best Electronica Album
WINNER: Opiuo – Meraki .
Bulletproof - #Listen .
Sorceress - Dose
Best Music Video
(article continues below these clips)
WINNER: Campbell Hooper - Hearts Like Ours (The Naked And Famous) .
Thunderlips - Stranger People (Doprah) .
Tom Gould - Runnin (David Dallas)
Best Maori Album
WINNER: Rob Ruha - Tiki Tapu .
House of Shem – Harmony .
Tama Waipara - Fill Up The Silence
Best Gospel Christian Album
WINNER: Mosaic Music - You Surround .
Lifestyle (of Worship) - Lifestyle (of Worship) .
Saving Grace - The Urgency
Best Classical Album
WINNER: Jack Body - Poems of Love & War .
Dame Gillian Whitehead – Alice .
Voices 16 - Voice of the Soul
Best Album Cover
WINNER: Anna Taylor & Ken Clark - The Nihilist (Liam Finn, right)
Henrietta Harris - Infinite Life! (Grayson Gilmour)
Robert Wallace - Automatic (Ladi6)
Best Producer
WINNER: Joel Little - Pure Heroine (Lorde)
Thomas Healy - Brightly Painted One (Tiny Ruins) .
Thom Powers - In Rolling Waves (The Naked And Famous)
Best Engineer
WINNER: Joel Little - Pure Heroine (Lorde)
Doug Jane - Waiata (Dame Kiri Te Kanawa).
Hayden Taylor - Blacklistt (Blacklistt)
People's Choice Award
WINNER: Stan Walker
Lorde .
Sol3 Mio .
David Dallas .
Broods .
NZ On Air Critics' Choice Prize line-up
Estére.
Lake South.
Randa
Additional Tuis presented in 2014:
Auckland Council Best Pacific Music
Album:
WINNER: Sol3 Mio - Sol3 Mio
David Dallas - Falling Into Place.
Ladi6 - Automatic
Best Country Album
WINNER: Kaylee Bell - Heart First
Anna van Riel - Whistle and Hum.
Marian Burns - The Paris Sessions
Best Folk Album
WINNER: Tattletale Saints - How Red is the Blood
Into The East - Fight From the Inside.
Chris Priestley - Unsung Heroes
Best Jazz Album
WINNER: Nathan Haines - Vermillion Skies .
Phil Broadhurst - Flaubert's Dance .
Reuben Bradley - Mantis: The Music of Drew Menzies
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