Henry Oliver talks to Denver McCarthy, who made perhaps New Zealand’s best techno album nearly 20 years ago. In 1998, a 20-year-old Denver McCarthy released perhaps New Zealand’s best techno album, Inside a Quiet Mind, on Kog Transmissions. It was a more-than-promising debut for a young producer, combining dancefloor-ready four-to-the-floor bass drums with ethereal, introverted synths. … Read more
The ever-deepening storm centred on the Joanne Harrison fraud case just became a hurricane. Yesterday’s State Services Commission investigation report is likely to trigger a new chain of events that could extend well beyond embattled Auditor General Martin Matthews, writes Peter Newport The State Services Commission investigation, published yesterday, makes one thing very clear: Joanne … Read more
Tara Ward washes up on the shores of Love Island, the British reality sensation that has been compared to the works of Chaucer and Shakespeare. I am late to the Love Island party. I am Jessica, sauntering in with my pleather swimming togs, ready to board the love train after every other bastard has already coupled … Read more
We asked filmmakers to choose a favourite from the Film Festival lineup and also tell us about their own films in the festival. In this second instalment of the series, Florian Habicht explains his scary movie with ‘more heart than horror’, Nic Gorman ties his sub-Antarctic thriller to the dystopian Russian classic Stalker and Simon … Read more
New verse inasmuch it’s previously unpublished, but really it’s old verse cos it was written ages ago, by Wellington writer Hera Lindsay Bird. Bruce Willis You Are The Ghost It’s not that your wife doesn’t love you. It’s because you died and now you are a ghost and she can’t hear you talking to her. That time … Read more
The best-selling books at the two best bookstores in the galaxy. NOTE: The Spinoff’s mystery bestseller commentator is off on a hike or something, leaving this week’s list stripped of furniture. But the important details still remain. AUCKLAND UNITY 1 A Horse Walks Into a Bar by David Grossman (Vintage, $26) 2 No Is Not … Read more
Jodie Whittaker will play the 13th Doctor on Doctor Who. Here’s a quiz that uses the word doctor in its many forms. Having trouble viewing the quiz? Take it here. The Spinoff Media is sponsored by MBM, an award-winning strategic media agency specialising in digital, with vast experience across all channels. We deliver smart, tailored media … Read more
Jane Yee and Duncan Greive are joined by a very special guest, Sam Cable, one of last year’s winners of The Block NZ and a man with at least $200,000 sitting in his bank account. Duncan and Jane went full Blockaholic this week with special guest Sam Cable, 2016 winner of The Block NZ, and … Read more
The Spinoff presents the video premiere of SWIDT’s ‘Player Of The Day’, featuring UFC champion Dan “The Hang Man” Hooker and New Zealand Warrior Roger Tuivasa Sheck. SWIDT MC Spycc says: ‘Player Of The Day’ is stadium music. It’s a song about winning, beating the odds, and just owning whatever field you’re in, whether its music, sports, … Read more
A near-flat six-minute walk from the east end of Victoria St all the way to Stanley St? Walking, or biking, through tunnels under Albert Park, with lifts up to the universities. It could happen, writes Greater Auckland’s Matt Lowrie. Auckland’s hills help to define our city. Sometimes they’re a blessing, sometimes they can be a bit … Read more
Roz Palethorpe is a new mum and a science teacher who wonders why parents and people trying to conceive are always a target for myths and pseudo-science. It’s a well-understood phenomenon that fear is profitable. Make someone feel unsure or uncertain in their own judgement, offer a solution that happens to be your product, and … Read more
Andra Jenkin reviews The Power, a wildly successful feminist sci-fi novel which imagines a world where women are in control. Naomi Alderman’s The Power is speculative fiction set in a future and based on the fascinating premise that women are suddenly able to inflict pain and death at will. This is the power of the … Read more
Andrew Little just talks naturally to New Zealand in the party’s first ad ahead of the election. Toby Manhire dives deep and scrawls captions on top of their captions. The National Party had its “Let’s Get Together” jingle, which we deconstructed using science yesterday. Today it’s Labour turn, with their “Fresh Approach” debut video ad. First, the video as … Read more
One day last year Sam Brooks started re-watching The Nanny and didn’t stop. Six seasons later, this is what he learned. “Did The Nanny ever actually play in primetime in New Zealand?” This is something I often wondered as I made my way through all the show’s six seasons last year. My main memory of … Read more
Business is Boring is a weekly podcast series presented by The Spinoff in association with Callaghan Innovation. Host Simon Pound speaks with innovators and commentators focused on the future of New Zealand, with the interview available as both audio and a transcribed excerpt. Today’s guest has broken new ground, confounded any stereotypes and excelled at … Read more
Winston Peters battled Duncan Garner to the death in a live TV interview this week. Spinoff body language expert Hayden Donnell scoured the footage for hidden secrets. It’s been eight long months since the last installment of the New Zealand Herald’s groundbreaking interview series with body language expert Suzanne Masefield. In the series, Masefield revealed … Read more
‘If you create the community, then great things will come from it.’ In Hawke’s Bay, a papa kāinga – or community housing development – is providing a blueprint for social housing provision in New Zealand. On a hilltop overlooking the long stretch of Waimarama beach in Hawke’s Bay is a cluster of new houses that … Read more
Hussein Moses reads the 2004 memoir from the Red Hot Chili Peppers frontman for the first time – and uncovers some unholy truths about our lovely little nation. “There’s a devil in my dick and some demons in my semen.” That’s an actual line from a Red Hot Chili Peppers song. I’m not messing with … Read more
Despite the best efforts of opponents, a divisive shooting club was officially opened in the Kaipara this month by deputy prime minister Paula Bennett. But the court battles are far from over, and now Ngāti Rango o Ngāti Whātua have joined the fray. Don Rowe reports. Three weeks ago Makarau Valley residents Chris and Kat Catchpole were … Read more
With the Film Festival now underway we asked we asked a whole bunch of filmmakers to tell us about a film they’re specially keen to see, and about their own film too. Here’s the first instalment: Paul Wolffram, Katie Wolfe and Robin Greenberg. What Lies That Way director Paul Wolffram recommends Maliglutit I’m looking forward to … Read more
Nichole Brown returned to her marae to bury her daughter’s whenua. She writes of giving back to the land she loves to build the family she has. I cannot think of a more perfect place to spend our final night in New Zealand – cuddled up under the freshly painted walls of our marae, looking … Read more
In our video series Kiwis of Snapchat, comedian Tom Sainsbury sources exclusive Snapchat footage of Kiwi citizens making the news. Today: Wayne Maclaine has been thinking about the housing crisis. Click here for all our Kiwis of Snapchat videos. The Spinoff Auckland is sponsored by Heart of the City, the business association dedicated to the growth … Read more
Shane Bosher was the artistic director of Silo Theatre for many years and directed many of its most famous productions, including Angels in America, When the Rain Stops Falling and Holding the Man. Now he’s back in Auckland to direct two new Silo shows, Cock (co-presented with Auckland Live) and A Streetcar Named Desire. Sam Brooks talked to him about them … Read more
Martyn Pepperell talks to Jet Jaguar about his new album ‘Grounded’, the transportive power of field recordings, and the unreliability of memory. “I find it hard to relate to music critics or fans who only like music they see as some kind of direct personal outpouring of that musician’s thoughts and feelings,” explains Michael Upton, … Read more
The Super Rugby finals kick off this weekend with the best attacking teams in the competition favoured to have it all their way in the first round. That’s all well and good, but finals footy is finals footy, and as Scotty Stevenson discovers, we may need to have a conversation about discipline, too. You never … Read more
The New Zealand Veterinary Association’s companion animal spokesperson Rochelle Ferguson is one of thousands of veterinarians celebrating today’s ban on tail docking. She explains why this cause is so close to her heart and the long dark road taken to get here. In 1995, when I entered my first practice as a new veterinary graduate, … Read more
The film festival starts in Auckland on Thursday and follows soon after in other centres. Simon Wilson wanted to write about all the films he was keen on seeing but we told him that would fill up the internet, so here’s his restrained response: ten films and five tips. Five good things to do at … Read more
Charlotte Graham reviews the ‘horrifying’ new memoir by Roxane Gay. Content warning: this article discusses sexual assault and eating disorders, which may be distressing for sufferers and survivors. When Roxane Gay was 12 years old she rode her bike into the woods with a boy she was dating, and he and his friends took turns raping her. … Read more
Everyone loves a nostalgia trip, remembering a time when the world wasn’t melting so fast. Join Lucy Zee as she looks back at the white guys who once were on New Zealand TV way too much. Imagine a world without white men. Well for starters, New Zealand would have hardly any television commercials. My parents … Read more