NZ On Air
Much criticism is levelled at NZ On Air's role in the music industry since that organisations inception, be it for their funding models or simply the staffers who have helped shape and then implimented their policies.
I personally feel that NZ On Air should have had a more cultural aspect to their model - a damn hard thing to qualify, and I also wish that the focus and money had been used differently, at least in some areas - which I don't intend to go into here
But one has to give credit where it is due and it isn't given enough in many quarters.
NZ On Air has pretty much single handedly created the state where NZ musicians and music is commonly heard on all our radio stations, is found liberally scattered through our many music channels and is most importantly talked about in a positive manner by the general public.
New Zealanders don't think all locally made music sucks the kumara.
Once upon a time the general consensus was NZ music was all crap....
Yes things might need to evolve at NZ On Air, some things should perhaps be altered (the number of videos funded per album for example) but I for one respect and appreciate all that NZ On Air has done for our musicians, record labels.
They are not the evil doers some would have us think.
Big ups NZ On Air!
The Major Multinational Record Companies
For all their percieved evilness, without the major companies either directly signing, sub licensing, P&D deals or simply offering up distribution to many local acts we wouldn't have the multi platinum selling artists we've witnessed over the past few years.
Sure Fat Freddy's had no help from the majors - but they are the exception, not the rule! Remember this every time they are used as an example of the alternate world to the majors, as is too often the case.
The partnership of the majors and NZ On Air has brought our local music to a point where most kiwis are proud of their culture - this has been done in a relatively short time and is a major and amazing accomplishment.
Respect to the many hard working and dedicated people found in the major label offices - massive respect to those who went out of their way to do the opposite of what the local branches of these companies are meant to do - push their companies acts not invest locally, facing no doubt the displeasure of their offshore owners.
Radio, Television & Print Media
The PD's, the DJs, the programmers, the decision makers who took a punt on this local music lark, against all their gut instincts I wager, and found over time the public responded favourably to our musicians and their music
Cheers.
The Government
For giving us NZ On Air, NZMIC and other organisations and for being supportive of the arts in general.
It sure ain't perfect, thankfully so. Things can laways be better but without a start point and a basis to build from, nothing comes but hot air.
We have a hell of a lot more than hot air, thanks to the hard work and support from and of our politicians.
NZ Music Retail
From the huge impersonal Chains down to the owner operated stores, without retail taking punt after punt on local artists big, small and obscure as fuck the music would have not gotten into our homes, cars and places of business as much as it has.
Retail is also I believe the weakest point in the music chain - but never dissed for no one in the industry will do that for it all but ensures backlash from the gatekeepers to the publics purse strings...
Saying that there are and have always been people in stores, managing stores, running chains that have gone out of their way to help artists, labels, distributors achieve sales or at the very least have a presence in their stores.
Hats off to the music retailers.
Promoters / venue owners / recording studios / sound people
Always there and always ready to both benefit and support the local scene.
A vibrant scene means their worlds are vibrant too.
The musicians, bands, producers, DJs, artists
For without them there is no music.
We have some truely gifted, some extremely talented, some average and some fairly mediocre artists. Without them all we have no noise.
Turn it up and keep it coming please.
The label owners, the talent spotters, the taste makers, the managers
Recognising and pushing talent into the right quarters to allow them to create and entertain is a special and rewarding role in all but the wallet.
You people are special, nurture the talent you find and protect them from themsleves and the many perils of the bizness.
The New Zealand Public
Without whom none of the huge leaps forward in the acceptence of our local musicians output could ever have happened.
Its awesome to see how passionate so many people are for our local musicians.
Its so easy to play the blame game, even more so with the benefit of hindsight.
Its important to discuss and debate the many aspects of change that impacts and will always effect the music world. It is equally important that we acknowledge from where we have come from to see just how big the strides have been and how far the local music scene has come.
As a dedicated follower of local music for over quarter of a century I can say that musicially we have never had it so good as we have these past few years.
Sure the parts of the industry are in crisis and massive changes in technology are having a huge impact on how we get, listen to and experience music but one thing has never changed.... the impact of music that cranks ya chains on you the listener.
Revel in the experience! Pull out a NZ CD or bunch of files or slab of vinyl you love today and have a listen... that music exists and can be heard thanks to a huge number of people.
Now have ya hater hat on hand, for tomorrow maybe we'll stick the boot in once again.
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