Wednesday November 26th at Big Fan Auckland, Kirsten Morrell is playing a set of new songs plus some Goldenhorse favourites with her new band. The band? Dominic Blaazer, Steven Shaw, Ryan Carroll, Grantkirkpatrick... 1/2 www.audioculture.co.nz/profile/gold...

Jonathan Bree has a new song out - "Live To Dance" - with a video inspired by "The Chaffeur" by Duran Duran, but like the original it's a little NSFW... youtu.be/SZaUxoS1H-o?...

Hari huritau Eddie Rayner! One of our most influential keyboard players, his work with Split Enz is just part of his story so far. He's played keyboards on a Paul McCartney album, been musical director for the APRA Silver Scroll Awards, and much more... www.audioculture.co.nz/profile/eddi...

I've made some playlists to go with my book, Songs From The Shaky Isles. One covers 1900-1960; the next covers the 1960s. All songs written by NZers, organised chronologically by order of composition, with versions picked for listenability. Available on Spotify & Apple Music: linktr.ee/garethshute

In the 2000s, one of New Zealand's biggest music festivals was the Christian festival Parachute. This story is a really good read, by @garethshute.bsky.social. Founded by Mark and Chris de Jong,... www.audioculture.co.nz/articles/par...

Did you go to Parachute Music Festival? Here's the story of the event. Plus I'll comment back with the story by @davidfarrier.com about the terrible DC Talk singer for those who want some additional reading. audioculture.co.nz/articles/par...

Warehouse has my book for cheap! Only $32! (Though obviously independent bookstores are much better if you can afford the RRP)

Huge congratulations to the winners of the Aotearoa Alternative Awards 2025 — brought to you by SRN member stations Radio Control 99.4FM, 95bFM, RadioActive 88.6FM, RDU 98.5FM & Radio One 91FM 🏆🫡

I was interviewed for this piece about a certain Crowded House song and managed to end it with the lamest dad joke possible. You're welcome!

I'm chuffed to have received such a positive response to my book, Songs From The Shaky Isles!

Tongan rugby league fans are the greatest show in sports

November 7: Beastwars launch a new album, The Ship//The Sea. Nov 20: the band go on tour. On Beastwars' origins: "Nathan Hickey & Clayton Anderson found they had a shared love of Kyuss so agreed to jam together..." (By @garethshute.bsky.social). The new... www.audioculture.co.nz/profile/beas...

Love it when Duncan Greive goes full chart-nerd! The podcast is fab too. @thespinoff.bsky.social thespinoff.co.nz/pop-culture/...

"Pluto immediately had success on student radio with 2 poppy acoustic tracks, 'She's Jive' and 'Hey Little'. Yet their real aim was the multi-layered rock sound they achieved on their second album, Pipeline Under The Ocean (2005)..." www.audioculture.co.nz/profile/pluto @garethshute.bsky.social

Gareth Shute tells us a bit about his great new story: Banned! Ten videos and songs “with issues”... @garethshute.bsky.social www.audioculture.co.nz/articles/ban...

The Government of New Zealand has made a new tourism ad and it's surprsingly honest and informative!

Congratulations to The Warratahs, who will be inducted into the NZ Music Hall of Fame at the APRA Silver Scroll awards on October 29. AudioCulture has several pages devoted to the band, and its original members... www.audioculture.co.nz/profile/the-...

I had a fun time digging out some of the more ridiculous reasons for certain local songs/videos being banned over the years. Though the vid for Timberjacks's Come to the Sabbat' did get one airing on TV in the 70s and I doubt they'd show it now...

Vinyl lovers! This new podcast hosted by Charlotte Ryan & Duncan Greive is quite a fun look at the rise and fall and rise again of records in NZ:

Another Bollinger banger! It's going to take a minute to get used to the idea of Prince Tui Teka and Beryl Te Wiata being deemed too raunchy for radio, but they were different times, I guess.

Some amazing photos in this article!

This is the opposite of doomscrolling: it's metal scrolling! We are very excited to share with you our brand new Heavy Metal Timeline, taking you through the history of metal in Aotearoa. @garethshute.bsky.social has done a great job on this: www.audioculture.co.nz/articles/hea...

Brand new: Michael Larsen (from Grey Parade) has put together a great list of Ten Lost Earworms from the 80s, featuring The Mockers, IQU, Sneaky Feelings and more. Do you have any faves here? www.audioculture.co.nz/articles/ten...

I spoke with @tonylstamp.bsky.social on RNZ's mixtape. Some of the chat was about my book - Songs From The Shaky Isles - but mostly we spoke about NZ music history & how my life has intersected with it at various stages. Plus played some laidback tunes! www.rnz.co.nz/national/pro...

Kia ora, it's Rāmere Monday afternoon, and time for the AudioCulture Quiz. This week we have a special quiz celebrating Te Wiki o te Reo Māori, with questions by Gareth Shute. How did you get on? @garethshute.bsky.social www.audioculture.co.nz/articles/aud...

Searching for the Aotearoa music scene on Bluesky? We've done the job for you 😘 (Encouragement to let us know accounts we're missing) 💿💿💿

Nau mai ki te Wiki o te Reo Māori; first up is the phenomenon that is Waiata Anthems. The first album in 2019 covered many genres: the pop of Benee & Drax Project, the soul of Stan Walker & Teeks, & country courtesy of Tami Neilson. By @garethshute.bsky.social www.audioculture.co.nz/articles/wai...

A nice positive story for your weekend...

Crucial lore drop - thank you Nicholas Lindstrom, 95bFM, @audioculturenz.bsky.social & of course @garethshute.bsky.social 95bfm.com/bcast/audio-...

Some beautiful album covers here. And you can see them in person at Objectspace in AK until Nov.

In the recently announced Hottest 100 Australian Songs as voted by Triple J listeners, there were 2 in the Top 10 with strong Aotearoa links: No. 5 was Crowded House 'Don't Dream It's Over', and at No. 10 'Somebody That I Used To Know' by Gotye ft Kimbra. www.audioculture.co.nz/profile/kimbra

Dick Move are making serious noise at the moment, in Aotearoa and overseas. They formed in 2019, in the depths of Karangahape Road’s Whammy! bar, which writer Bee Trudgeon says was a natural segue of late-night political discourse into musical action. 1/2 audioculture.co.nz/profile/dick...

Looking forward to seeing a buttload of bands at Going Global Fest starting tonight 🎩

SONGS FROM THE SHAKY ISLES is No.6 on Newsrooms' NZ Nonfiction bestseller list! Available in all good bookstores! newsroom.co.nz/2025/08/22/t...

This week's 100% fun & funny Aotearoa music special on 95bFM Freak The Sheep is now up! 🥳🤣🎵 Listen here: 95bfm.com/bcast/freak-...

The Music and Times of @chriscudby.bsky.social As well as charting more details of the Low Hum era, @garethshute.bsky.social provides another case study of the art school crossover into NZ indie music. With Elam, this goes back to Split Enz... www.audioculture.co.nz/profile/chri...

What do Golden Axe, Audio Foundation, and Under The Radar have in common? Or – who recorded the first Vaporwave track in NZ? That would be Chris Cudby. @garethshute.bsky.social sheds more light on these questions here, it's a fantastic read: www.audioculture.co.nz/profile/chri...

So close to the goal, I just need another 200 or so people to chip in NZ$3 each (which for my overseas followers is less than 2 American dollars or Euro)

Seems like a trivia question - what do Golden Axe, Audio Foundation, and Under The Radar have in common? Or - Who recorded the first Vaporwave track in NZ? If you are in the NZ music scene, then you'll enjoy discovering the answer to these questions and more ...

After taking #GutInstinct (one of 2024's strangest, boldest Aotearoa features) international, @dillamonster.bsky.social's faux public service announcement/audiovisual purification programme is available to watch at home via New Zealand streaming service AroVision - and at an encore cinema screening

Welcome viewers! Oops sorry, wrong audience. But this week's AudioCulture Quiz is all about music and TV, with questions by @garethshute.bsky.social How did you get on? www.audioculture.co.nz/articles/aud...

If you haven’t checked out the Infinity Sessions yet, here’s what they’re all about, and where to watch the rest of them - had a good time with at home on the couch with The Beths and Chelsea Prastiti last night thespinoff.co.nz/pop-culture/...

Showcased on 7 Sharp last night, @garethshute.bsky.social's illuminating & detail-rich Songs From The Shaky Isles - A Short History of Popular Music in New Zealand is out now in all good book stores AND record stores via Bateman Books 📖

Everyone needs to see The Weed Eaters

‘Immediately cease and desist’: Indie promoters in Auckland told to stop putting up gig posters www.stuff.co.nz/culture/3607...

Here's a short piece about how I put together my new book: www.audioculture.co.nz/articles/gar...

Gone By Lunchtime: Thoughts on the Jacinda Ardern film and book

My new single “Drown” is out now via Bandcamp and streaming x

I went on The Fold podcast with Duncan Greive from @thespinoff.bsky.social to chat about my book Songs From The Shaky Isles AND the entire history of NZ popular music. He used to be editor of Real Groove mag so had some great questions! thespinoff.co.nz/podcasts

I spoke with Chris Schulz about how I was never going to write another book ... but then I wrote another book... boilerroom.substack.com/p/he-said-he...