In 2008, I suggested that June rather than May would be a better month to celebrate New Zealand music. Although lacking the alliteration, that was the month in 1977 that Murray Cammick and Alastair Dougal began a rebirth in the industry by launching Rip It Up. This month Rip It Up – now owned by Satellite Media, with Murray as a columnist – celebrates its 35th year. To mark the occasion, special edition T-shirts of old covers are available. Last week, while looking in the June/July 2003 RIU to re-visit Murray’s obituary of the influential retailer Dave Perkins, I came across this feature and thought it epitomises how the music business has changed in nine years. The shift has been bigger than vinyl to CD, or 78 to vinyl. You expect pop stars and politicians to fade away, shops to close and media buyouts, but here it’s not so much a case of movers and shakers leaving the industry, as the industry leaving its movers and shakers.
50 Most Important People in New Zealand Music (2003)
50. James Reid – the Feelers
49. 8 Foot Sativa
48. King Kapisi
47. Brent Eccles – promoter
46. Murray Cammick – Wildside, Rip It Up co-founder
45. Teina Herzer and Aaron Dustin – founders, nzmusic.com
44. Terence O’Neill Joyce – RIANZ
43. Mike Chunn – APRA
42. Tyson Kennedy – Steriogram
41. Campbell Smith – artist manager
40. Bridgit Darby
39. Adrien De Croy – York St Studios owner
38. Chris Hocquard – lawyer, Amplifier founder, Bfm chair
37. P. Money
36. Bernie Griffin – chair IMNZ, owner Global Routes
35. Cath Anderson – NZ Music Commission
34. Sean Coleman and Shaun Joyce – Sounds
33. Terry Anderson – music buyer, The Warehouse
32. Daniel Wrightson – Juice TV
31. John Pilley – National Radio music manager
30. David Rose – MD, Satellite Media Group
29. Damian Alexander – Blindspott
28. Bic Runga
27. Pete Rainey and Glenn Common – Rockquest
26. Nesian Mystik
25. Helen Clark
24. YDNZ and Brother D – Dawn Raid
23. Kog Transmissions
22. Ian Fraser – TVNZ
21. Michael Bradshaw – BMG
20. James Southgate – Warners
19. Chris Caddick – EMI
18. Mark Ashbridge – FMR
17. Michael Glading – Sony, RIANZ chair
16. Adam Holt – Universal
15. BNET
14. David Brice – PD, ZM Network, Classic Hits
13. Leon Wratt – PD, The Edge
12. Brad King – PD, The Rock
11. Andrew Szusterman – PD, Channel Z
10. Rodger Clamp – programmer, More FM etc
9. Judith Tizard – politician
8 and 7. Dion and Jimmy – the D4
6. Dolf De Datsun – the Datsuns
5. Brent Impey, CanWest
4. Drinks: Coke, Pepsi, Red Bull, DB Export etc
3. Che Fu
2. Brendan Smythe – NZ On Air
1. Neil & Tim Finn
“Must Mentions” – Arthur Baysting – NZ Music Commission; Dave Dobbyn; DJ Presha – Subtronix label; Mai FM; Jasper Edwards, Fabric Club, London; DJ Sir Vere; Stephen McCarthy – bands.co.nz; Venue Owners: King’s Arms, the Temple, Bar Bodega.