MH: How’s New York treating you man? How long have you been residing there?

PM: NY is cool. I’ve been here for the past 12 months.

MH: You and D dot are signed to respected New York rap label Duck Down. How did you guys hook up with them and how have they advanced the career of P-Money?

PM: We started talking with Duck Down almost 3 years ago now. Dave’s album The Rose Tint was the first project we worked on together and now my ‘Gratitude’ album. Previously my releases were all on my own label Dirty Records with distribution in NZ and Australia primarily. Working with Duck Down brings the US and International marketing and promotions to the table. They are a great team and we work well together.

P-Money – Welcome To America ft. Skyzoo & Havoc (of Mobb Deep)

MH: The new album ‘Gratitude’ is a return to the hip-hop P –Money of old after a few years dabbling in the pop/electro world. Why did you divert away from hip-hop there for a while?

PM: I haven’t done pop electro. I kinda hate that sound. I have released some Soulful House and Disco-House productions. And on my last album [“Everything”] I explored R&B, Dance and even a Rock number alongside the Rap tracks.

For me it was time to go outside the Hip-Hop format, which was beginning to feel stale. I can appreciate all styles of music and I enjoyed applying my skills and my ear to different genres. I think the tracks on that last album all stand up as good individual tracks. But maybe as an album it’s a little all over the place.

P-Money – The Hardest ft. M.O.P.

MH: You’ve got some big names featuring on your record. What was it like working with these dudes? Any fan-boy moments?

PM: I’m a fan of everyone on the album. I respect these artists and many of them I’ve been listening to for years. I’m honoured to have such a great list of features on the record.

P-Money In Studio with M.O.P.

MH: In your opinion how do kiwi MCs stack up compared to their international counterparts?

PM: We have plenty of great MC’s from NZ. I’ve felt that our best can hang with the US guys for years now.

George FM Freestyle – PNC, Scribe, David Dallas

MH: Who would be some dream MCs you’d love to work with?

PM: Kanye, Jay, Kendrick, Ghostface, Busta, Pusha T and Chuck D.

MH: Trying to establish yourself in the early, early days of NZ hip-hop must have been quite draining. Did you ever think about just throwing in the towel and getting a ‘real job’?

PM: Nope. It was never draining. I love what I do and anything Music or Hip-Hop related was always a million times better than any “real jobs” I had, even when it was unpaid! Would I rather play rap records to a room full of people or make fuckin sandwiches? Or clean a hotel room? There is no comparison. I respect and know what it is to work a 9 to 5, which is why it’s never been a stress to do music. This shit is the best life ever.

P Money ft Scribe and 4 Corners- Synchronize Thoughts

MH: Do you still keep an eye on the kiwi hip-hop underground? Any up and coming talent that you’re impressed by?

PM: Absolutely. Shout outs to The Doqument, Spycc and INF, Raiza Biza, Jay Knight, Spelly Spell and all the young cats getting busy.

MH: What are the best and worst things about life as a musician in little old Aotearoa?

PM: The best thing is the country itself. It’s a beautiful place and the lifestyle is very relaxed compared to most other countries I’ve visited. The worst thing would be the small size of the population, which determines that even when you’re the most successful in your field it doesn’t always add up to much of an income. That’s why we always look overseas for more growth and to export our talent.

P-Money – Break It Down ft. Freddie Gibbs & Fashawn

MH: Ok pretend you’re P Money the ambassador of New York. Where would you take us/suggest we go if we came to the big apple?

PM: Depends what you’re in to man. Go eat, go to a club, go walk the Brooklyn Bridge and take some photos. I dunno man, just walk around. Don’t do one of those sightseeing bus things though. Those are stupid.

P-Money – The Professional ft. Roc Marciano

MH: Bumped into any other kiwi musos over there?

PM: Yup, plenty. All different kinds. Ladyhawke, Liam Finn, Streets of Laredo, Janine & The Mixtape. They’re all here hustling and working.

MH: Proudest achievement in your career thus far?

PM: Helping others.

MH: What are your favourite towns/clubs/ festivals in NZ to play at?

PM: Rhythm & Vines is number one.

P-Money – Rhythm And Vines Festival 2013

MH: Who are some of your favourite musicians/bands outside of the hip-hop realm?

PM: Isaac Hayes, Stevie Wonder, and Michael Jackson.

MH: Any words of wisdom to young producers/musicians looking to follow in your footsteps?

PM: Try not to follow trends. Create what you like. Complete your tasks and don’t be lazy.

P-Money x Ayebro Interview (Part 1)

P-Money x Ayebro Interview (Part 2)

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It’s NZ Music month at the mo, and to me the month has lost a bit of the pizzazz it had 10 years ago. You may get the Edge or ZM playing a bit more local stuff, doing a few interviews with Dane Rumble etc., and maybe a few punters will feel a moral obligation to attend a friend’s gig or listen to their old Six60 cd. The intent is noble, but in my opinion much more could be done to promote NZ music right here in little old Hamilton.

Hamilton has for quite some time been a cultural laughing stock for the rest of New Zealand. Many great local acts bypass Hamilton (usually in favour of the Yot Club in Raglan) because they know the public’s hunger for local music just isn’t there.

Why is that, you may wonder? Well, I put it down to the fact we don’t have a strong local student radio station championing kiwi music. Now before I go on, I must say that the people behind Waikato Uni’s current incarnation of Contact FM do a good job. Daniel Farrell has done some amazing interviews with local politicians and bands, and the committee/DJ team are some of the finest musical minds in our fair city. Where the station falls down is the fact the signal barely makes it out the uni gates (it’s not that bad, but it’s not even city-wide).

If nobody can hear, then nobody cares. A small audience means a lot of things (no money, usually), but the saddest, in my opinion, is the fact some of our country’s finest underground talent (e.g. Tourettes, Collapsing Cities, Loui the Zu, etc. etc.) don’t get their amazing music into the ears of New Zealand’s fourth largest city (with one of the country’s youngest populations).

Now what could the people of Contact/Waikato Uni do to boost the station’s audience without needing to buy a frequency?

The simple answer is to just play the station around the bloody campus! It’s a simple step that could be done relatively easily (as I understand). If the station is played around campus then Contact automatically has a captive audience of up to 13,000 people (who needs a big frequency?). With this figure the station may be able to sell advertising/sponsorship. Now I know the present Contact crew isn’t really keen on creating a commercial operation, but in my opinion a little money coming in can’t be a bad thing (a potential 13,000 person captive audience is a pretty big thing for any potential advertisers to ignore).

Money the station makes can go back into supporting local music, firstly through APRA payments. Now nobody gets rich off APRA (the Australasian Performing Rights Association, which makes sure artists get bank) in Aotearoa apart from Dave Dobbyn, but as a struggling kiwi musician, any money, however small, can’t be bad!

Also, any money made can go back into things like music showcases, possibly even a festival (think Radio Active, Wellington’s ‘One Love’ Waitangi fest) that showcase our local Hamilton and kiwi talent in a large, exciting, and dare I say it, mainstream capacity. We’ve got the amazing Soundscape of course, but I think the more festivals, the merrier.

Another thing that pains me is that Hamilton has such a rich wealth of fine musical minds, who would be great on-air talent or DJs. Imagine local rap heavyweight Diaz Grimm serving you up the finest in local hip hop, Soundscape pioneer Greg Stack bringing you new/unreleased electronic goodies or the Knights of the DUB Table fam serving up a bit of Wednesday night reggae for your midweek study break spliff.

Now sure, this wealth of talent could DJ on Contact now, but when you’re not sure if anyone’s listening you have to ask yourself ‘what’s the point?’ There has to be a carrot, and that carrot could be the fact that DJs know people are listening. The bands that they are breaking, the education they are giving, is being heard by the masses.

Some of the music played on student radio is not for everyone (student stations are typically Rihanna-free alternative playlists featuring no less than 30% NZ music) but I think people can adapt, and there would be some positive spin offs. Firstly, people will be exposed to new, different music which will possibly expand minds and grow musical palettes. This will hopefully go a long way in changing the country’s perception of Waikato folk being backward, bogan, uncultured knuckle draggers.

Secondly, student radio is the only youth skewed radio product that appreciates the intellect of youth and isn’t afraid to grill a politician on air over a complex political issue (you won’t hear Fletch and Vaughan getting stuck into Paula Bennett over social welfare reform). Imagine hearing one of the uni’s up and coming communications students giving it to John Key over the speakers while you enjoy a nice little coffee at Momento (I’m sure some would disagree, but I would find that entertaining). This kind of on-air content transmitted around the uni would surely be good for expanding young, impressionable minds (that’s what university is all about at the end of the day, isn’t it?).

So to sum it up, Contact FM and Waikato University could do a lot more to help NZ music (and really enhance the city’s culture) by simply playing the station around campus. So what I say to Contact and the uni is that if you’re really serious about helping NZ music, broadcast the station around the campus, assemble the city’s unearthed DJ talent, and start making money that can go back into helping our creative communities. People may not like Contact on the speakers straight away, but surely it’ll do many parties a world of good (and peeps can always switch it back to Fletch and Vaughan on their drive home if need be).

Tourettes – Out Of Water feat. Anna Coddington

Collapsing Cities – Regret

Loui the ZU – In The Winter feat. Lydia Cole

Loui the ZU – In The Winter feat. Lydia Cole from Loui the ZU on Vimeo.

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UNKNOWN MORTAL ORCHESTRA

Dunedin – Thursday July 18th, ReFuel
Auckland – Friday July 19th, Kings Arms
Wellington – Saturday July 20th, Bodega
All shows R18, tickets available today from www.undertheradar.co.nz, Real Groovy – Auckland, RPM & Slowboat – Wellington, Cosmic – Dunedin.

“II finds the usually wild and free Nielson sounding, dare I say it, quite mature, even heartfelt – and yet it’s still an undeniably seductive, hook-filled collection.” – NZ Herald, 5 stars.

“The appeal of both UMO and The Mint Chicks is/was their ability to balance on a knife-edge – that sharp, metallic place between solidity and total destruction” – Undertheradar.co.nz

“Like an indie bromance waiting to happen, you could put UMO’s second album in a room with Tame Impala’s Lonerism and they’d undoubtedly end-up Best Friends Forever.” – Groove Guide

After disbanding the Mint Chicks, Portland, Oregon’s (by way of NZ of course) Ruban Nielson planned to quit music and take on a day job. For a hobby, he started making psychedelic demos in his basement, using samples. Soon, music took over as a career again, and his fun brand of experimental pop ended up in the hands of Fat Possum Records, who released Unknown Mortal Orchestra’s self-titled debut in the early summer of 2011. That album won The Taite Music Prize here in NZ in 2012.

As interest in the project grew, Nielson enlisted the help of a full band (welcome bassist Jacob Portrait and drummer Riley Geara) signing with Jagjaguwar for their sophomore album, II, released in January this year.

Only one look at their long list of tour dates shows this is a band in worldwide demand, tours with Grizzly Bear, Weezer & sold out shows across the US UK, Europe & Japan. Appearances at SXSW (where they were named one of the 30 Must See Acts by Fuse TV), ATP & The Jimmy Fallon show are merely just a stop over on an intense worldwide touring schedule that allows us to celebrate the band here in New Zealand once again this July on the back of their new album II.

With II, Nielson builds on the break-beat, junk-shop charm he’s become known for, solidifying the now trio, as an infinitely intriguing, brave psychedelic band; unafraid to dig deeper and hit harder than the rest to lock into their intoxicating, opiate groove to bring rock’n’roll’s exaggerated myths to life.

II is a precisely assembled insight into a frayed and frazzled period of a fascinating life; journeying from despair to euphoria with stops for highs, hangovers, communication failure, anger and love in between. Unknown Mortal Orchestra was once Ruban Nielson’s closeted, home-recorded concern. With an album that uses his singular musical imagination and extraordinary talent to parade his emotions with unyielding honesty, it is now a fully realized, reinvigorated, mature band operating at the peak of its powers.

After a whirlwind couple of shows earlier this year, the Psych-pop trio return in July for a New Zealand tour proper and we couldn’t be more excited to welcome them home.

“New Zealand/American trio Unknown Mortal Orchestra blend crisp, hip hop-influenced percussion with insanely catchy, fuzzed-out guitar riffs and Motown. The trio find the sweet spot between Mayer Hawthorne’s croon and Black Keys frontman Dan Auerbach’s world-weary melancholia.” – FUSE TV, 30 Must See Acts at SXSW 2013

As well as this acclaim for his solo styling he is well known for his work with numerous garage rock bands of note. Normally associated with King Khan the hat wearing guitar toting rock’n’roll maniac he’s also played major roles in The Almighty Defenders, The Ding Dongs and many more to boot. So with this sort of talent he is set to melt your minds!

On his first time to NZ he’s making it to both islands kicking off his tour in Christchurch at Dark Room on Wednesday 19th June, Wellington’s Mighty Mighty Thursday 20th June and finally Auckland’s Infamous Whammy Bar Friday 21st June.

This tour is certainly not to be missed!

Wednesday 19 June 2013 @ Dark Room, Christchurch
Thursday 20 June 2013 @ Mighty Mighty, Wellington
Friday 21 June 2013 @ Whammy Bar, Auckland

Tickets through http://www.undertheradar.co.nz/ and All usual outlets

The Official NZ Music Month Summit Q Theatre, 305 Queen Street, Auckland Saturday May 25th 10am to 5pm.

The Summit is a FREE day of seminars featuring musicians, music industry specialists and traditional business practitioners who discuss and explain the behind the scenes intricacies of the New Zealand music industry and how you should look at treating your music as a business.

SEMINAR ONE – Your band as a brand

10.00am – 11.00am

How and where bands promote and distribute their music has evolved from the traditional, resulting in a need for a change in their approach to marketing.  We ask why branding has become so important and challenge the thinking… if it’s all about the music, is branding a band selling out?

In this seminar you will hear from experts who will give their thoughts on why considered marketing and appropriate branding is so important to the success of the music reaching it’s audience.

Speakers: Mikee Tucker – LOOP (Fly My Pretties, Tommy Ill, AHoriBuzz), Ninakaye Taane-Tinorau – Tikidub Productions (Tiki Taane), Phil Bell – Mai FM, Pete Dick – Beck’s.

SEMINAR TWO – Radio & the online world

11.30am – 12.30pm

With the changing music landscape and how people listen to music, we discuss how radio is still an important part of a band’s branding strategy and marketing process.  Does the public still listen to radio for the music?

Is it radio or online platforms that have contributed to the rise in single sales?  This seminar looks at what the impact of online platforms has had on bands’ approach to marketing.

Speakers: Chris Caddick – RIANZ, Scott Maclachlan – Universal Music, David Brice – The Radio Network, Brendan Smyth – NZ On Air.

SEMINAR THREE – International Trade Fairs

1.30pm – 2.30pm

International Trade Fairs – How important are they to your international business?

A panel of music industry professionals who have attended a variety of international trade fairs, discuss the pros’ and con’s of bands or managers attending: WOMEX, AWME, MIDEM, SXSW, Canadian Music Week, CMJ, Big Sound, The Great Escape, Reeperbaan, Muse Expo.

Speakers: Matt Coleman – Let The People Speak Management (Jupiter Project, Artisan Guns, Midnight Youth, Avalanche City, Tom Lark, Titanium, Sound The Ocean, Massad), Janette Searle – The Playground (Sola Rosa, Kara Gordon, Anna Coddington, Ash Graham), Ben Howe – Arch Hill, Flying Nun & Laneway, Alan Holt – NZ Music Commission.

SEMINAR FOUR – Be your own record company

3.00pm – 4.00pm

Traditionally releasing an album was left up to the major labels and intrepid independents. However there are many bands that have successfully self-released albums to extremely high chart debuts and critical acclaim.

In this seminar our panel will talk about putting together an album release strategy, giving you insight into the tools needed to self release your album and how to do it successfully.

Speakers: Ben Howe – Arch Hill, Flying Nun & Laneway, Janine Russell – Noise PR (Beastwars, Iva Lamkum, Clap Clap Riot, Tama Waipara), Kimi Coleman – Let The People Speak Management (Jupiter Project, Artisan Guns, Midnight Youth, Avalanche City, Tom Lark, Titanium, Sound The Ocean, Massad), Tana Tupai – Self-Managed Artist (Tomorrow People).

ONE ON ONE SPEED NETWORKING

For members of the Music Managers’ Forum each seminar will be followed by the highly successful speed networking sessions, where members get the exclusive opportunity to speak one on one with a range of the day’s speakers.  If you are not yet a member but would like to take part in these mentoring sessions, you can become a member via www.mmf.co.nz prior to the day.

For more information, visit www.mmf.co.nz

Read the production notes below,

Produced by boutique house Notable Pictures, The Exponents documentary has been a passion project for the team from the outset. Adam Holt, Chairman of Universal Music NZ, specifically approached Notable Pictures’ company director Julia Parnell in 2011 with the idea to make a documentary marking the 30th anniversary of the iconic band the Exponents, with whom he has had a long time business and personal relationship. Parnell, a music and music documentary enthusiast, of course jumped at the opportunity to create this essential New Zealand rockumentary.

With the band onboard, the team from Notable Pictures – director Marcus Palmer, DOP Dominic Fryer, editor Tim Grocott and Julia Parnell – developed a creative concept that would incorporate the recording of the album of new material and the detailed historical story of the band – a story of triumph and failure, friendship and betrayal, and the most Kiwi of Kiwi music.

The theme of friendship is strong in this documentary and with that comes the reality of a 30-year journey together becoming New Zealand cultural icons. In the Exponents’ eyes, that is exactly why they are iconic. It is about 30 years of friendship and endurance “Slogging those songs around the country for 30 years, until one day they become public property and you don’t own them anymore”. And you know it seems this is actually the aspect of their career they hold closest to their hearts.

Overall, the story is engaging and funny, and the look has a subtle stylish elegance that befits a group of New Zealanders who have given so much to New Zealand’s culture.

The Exponents now has the support of NZ Music Month and will screen on Prime as part of Music Month. The documentary also has the honour of kicking off NZ Music Month with a special screening for the band at the launch of the month’s festivities.

Notable Pictures prides itself on integrity, innovative storytelling and a commitment to documentary making of the highest quality and The Exponents is no exception. It is the quintessential Kiwi rockumentary that Notable is proud to put their name to.”

A Prime Rocks documentary celebrating 30 years of The Exponents, a band whose sound defines what it means to be a Kiwi.

NZ biggest music festival to bring in the new years.
Gisborne, Waiohika Estate Dec 29, 30, 31, 2013 — Jan 1 2014.
Pre-register for Ticket Sales now
www.rhtyhmandvines.co.nz
https://twitter.com/rhythmandvines
http://www.facebook.com/rhythm.vines

Share the past with our ‘History of Rhythm and Vines’ documentary coming soon.

Music by Six60 Forever
Video by Ben Carter http://PonsonbyFilms.com