So Leonard Cohen has died. It is, says Simon Wilson, the end of the Bacchanal. When I was a boy of 15 I was infatuated with a girl who was perfect in every way except one: she was not infatuated with me. I know. Still, she did like me and she was kind, and she did … Read more
Every Friday, ‘The Album Cycle’ reviews a handful of new releases. ALBUM OF THE WEEK Body/Head – No Waves On Wednesday afternoon, as the whole office began shouting the numbers the NYT’s likelihood-of-winning meter was landing on and our faces reddened with the growing realisation that Trump was going to win the presidency, I took a … Read more
New Zealand’s biggest drum n’ bass band tell fellow metalhead David Farrier about their favourite Slayer and Pantera albums, and how playing with Tool inspired their heavier new direction. The release of their new album Stars seemed like a good time to talk to Shapeshifter about their love of drum ‘n’ bass, maybe touching on … Read more
Free-to-air New Zealand television coverage of the US election night came down a choice between watching President-elect Donald Trump’s acceptance speech on TV3 or competitive cooking show Masterchef on TVNZ 1. These three people watched the former. Alex Casey I spent a lot of yesterday searching for a person in the televised election coverage who … Read more
The Spinoff was in the room for the MediaWorks 2017 launch today, and was treated to a speech from the “semi-retired” Paul Henry. Despite the recent interview re-exposing his atrocious attitude to women, Henry absolutely tore the swanky Northern Club apart – if only for using the word “squits” about 400 times. Here is his speech, … Read more
Feeling depressed? Angry? Self-righteous? Victorious? Nothing? Just feeling? Henry Oliver presents a playlist for nine emotional responses to yesterday’s election. Born Against – Half Mast “Aaaaaaaaaaaaauuuuuuuugggghhhhhhfuckaaaaaaaaaaaaauuuuuuuuuuggggghhhhhhhhhhhfuckfuck fuckauughaaaaaaughfuckaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaauuuuuuggghhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaauuu uuuuuughfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckFUCK!!!” Public Enemy – Fight the Power “Don’t mourn, organise! There are only three years, eleven months, three weeks and three days until the next election.” Anohini – … Read more
The exit of Paul Henry and the dumping of Story make for another miserable glut of headlines. But the talent that does remain, Duncan Garner and Guy Williams especially, lends hope that the darkest hour is before the dawn, writes Duncan Greive. Over the past 18 months, there have been a number of disastrous periods … Read more
On the eve of shows in Wellington and Auckland – his first in New Zealand since the death of his long-time musical partner Grant McLennan – songwriter Robert Forster talks to Russell Baillie about life in the Go-Betweens, and his new book, Grant & I. Most rock memoirs peter out at the end. The fun’s … Read more
We’ve heard from nearly every celebrity and their dog about which presidential candidate to vote for. But which box would some of our favourite TV characters be ticking tomorrow? Ron Swanson from Parks and Recreation “Ron would not like Hillary either. She is a career politician. Ron has no love of career politicians… he would certainly … Read more
With the launch of our brand new music section, here’s what’s been happening in the music business this decade. Click here for more figures on music in New Zealand, thanks to figure.nz.
Last night’s LATE at Auckland Museum panel discussion delved into the relationship between artists, audiences and critics. Russell Brown reports on what went down – including some surprising revelations about how musicians respond to their harshest reviews. Surely, I thought, they’re not going to spend all night talking about the critics. But they did, and … Read more
Former Mediaworks news chief Mark Jennings writes on the background to the departure of TV3’s heaviest hitter, the huge hole it leaves, and the challenge ahead for heir apparent Duncan Garner. When Paul Henry’s expletive-laden interview appeared in the New Zealand Herald eight days ago it looked like a clear case of presentercide. By deliberately labelling … Read more
‘Best Songs Ever’ features various contributors to The Spinoff Music assessing recent songs and singles. Little Mix – ‘You Gotta Not’ The latest Little Mix is a barnstorming ‘No Scrubs’-style anthem about men that still live at home, rumoured to be shots fired at Zayn Malik (er, again). It’s just unfortunate such a banger had … Read more
Inside the Lightbox is a sponsored feature where we pluck out shows from Lightbox‘s extensive back catalogue. This week, we offer up some healthy political alternatives to binge on before the American people decide on the fate of the world as we know it. Parks and Recreation Leslie Knope is what you imagined all politicians were … Read more
Tara Ward brings you her rankings for Shortland Street last week, including the sad departure of Curtis, Halloween disasters, and way too much condensed milk. 1) TK’s fabulous Halloween tribute to…um, Cheryl West? It’s the halloween gift that keeps on giving. This is spectacular on a bazillion different levels, so feast your eyes, my pretties. Wait til … Read more
The Spinoff and Spark proudly present the first episode of Pod On The Couch, a weekly podcast exploring music and the people that make it. First up: Leonie Hayden, Tigilau Ness and Graham Reid join host Duncan Greive to talk about a new tribute to Bob Marley. Stepping in for Spinoff Music editor Henry Oliver, Spinoff … Read more
The Spinoff presents TGI Funny Girls, an exclusive look at a brand new Funny Girls sketch every Friday. If you thought The Notebook was Nicholas Sparks’ magnum opus, think again. His recent collaboration with Funny Girls brings us Autumn Leaves. It’s a little bit scary, a little bit romantic and funnier than anything ever made by … Read more
Alex Casey sits down with Roseanne Liang and Ally Xue of Friday Night Bites to talk about diversifying the typical Kiwi TV show, the legacy of Harold and Kumar and waiting for the boomers to die. Friday Night Bites is the new web series created by the all-Asian, all-female, all-star team behind Flat 3. Directed … Read more
With the Presidential election just days away, America is on the verge of making history regardless of who wins. Tara Ward watched as Michael Moore made a desperate, and perhaps successful, attempt to talk sense with potential Trump voters. “I think Hilary Clinton will have dead people vote.” It’s indisputable logic like this that makes Wilmington, … Read more
‘The Album Cycle’ features new releases reviewed, every Friday. ALBUM OF THE WEEK D.R.A.M. – Big Baby D.R.A.M. Rising to prominence when his vibe-blurring future classic ‘Cha Cha’ copped a sort-of-backhanded co-sign by rap’s most ruthless sonic magpie, D.R.A.M. probably could’ve been forgiven here for turning in a forgettable cash-grab and promptly relocating his entire career … Read more
The veteran scribe talks to Grant Smithies about glam’s ‘gleeful celebration of falsehood, façade and artifice’ – and casts judgement on New Zealand’s own platform-booted glam heroes, Space Waltz. It’s about the size of three bricks, side by side. Maybe four. If you accidentally knocked it off your bedside table, it could kill your passing … Read more
Cartoons, whether they do so intentionally or not, play a large role in shaping the beliefs and prejudices of children. Lucy Zee looks back at the ’90s cartoons of her youth and how they may have been more forward-thinking than they’re given credit for. There’s nothing better than being 8 years old, nursing a big … Read more
Neil Cross, the acclaimed NZ-based novelist, scriptwriter and creator of Luther, tells Duncan McLachlan about violence and drama, being scared of the dark, and what makes him headbutt walls. Alert: contains spoilers for Luther. And Moonlighting On 4 May 2010, the BBC introduced us to DCI John Luther. His friends called him John. To the rest of … Read more
Kevin Keepa went from busking for loose change on Wellington’s Lambton Quay to winning fans’ hearts on The Voice Australia. To mark the release of the Koi Boys’ debut album, he tells his story. As told to Mana magazine‘s Leonie Hayden. I was born in Taranaki, but my mum and my dad moved us down … Read more
To celebrate the start of Movember, Pete Douglas gives a run-down of his favourite TV moustaches through the ages. It’s hard to believe it’s been 11 years since Outrageous Fortune hit our screens and set the tone for the next decade of local TV drama. People loved the show for a range of reasons, but … Read more
The Nobel Committee’s recognition of Bob Dylan shines a light on the transformative power of songwriting – a craft that very much belongs in New Zealand schools, writes Mike Chunn. Listening to a song is like taking a journey. The mechanics of that trip depend on the song, in the main. That is, words and … Read more
Madeleine Chapman strikes a pose and mixes up a storm on Spark’s All Access Pass experience at the Volume exhibition in Auckland. “I think you should retake that one.” Laughing hysterically while trying not to cry, I looked at myself superimposed on to a Rip It Up magazine cover. There I was, eyelids half-closed, as … Read more
‘Best Songs Ever’ features various contributors to The Spinoff Music assessing recent songs and singles. BEST SONG EVER FOR THIS WEEK: Austra – ‘Utopia’ Sometimes it feels like the loneliest place in music is the hinterland between chart aspirant pop and austere electronic music. Those who who exist in that space lack for all kinds of … Read more
By Numbers is a new regular feature examining a musical artist and their work as a business through a series of numbers. First up: The Naked and Famous. “We feel like an American band now,” says Thom Powers, the songwriter, guitarist and most reliably aggro interviewee in The Naked and Famous. They’re so American that they won’t … Read more