The 10th anniversary of the month long promotion is currently upon us, and various T.V, radio and newspaper etc outlets eager to prove that they are down with the kids, by plugging tried and tested muso's (i.e. Opshop) who, for some unknown reason, haven't permanently fled overseas to larger markets.
But as NZMM ticks over double digits, I (as an enthusiast of a less than mainstream genre of music, i.e. metal) gotta wonder what NZMM actually is. Even as a host of radio show, it has had little impact on my month of May each year.
NZMM is run by the NZ Music Commission, the board of which includes: (From http://nzmusic.org.nz/about/)
Anthony Healey - Chairperson (Director of Operations for APRA. Board Member, SOUNZ)
Richard Thorne (Publisher of NZ Musician Magazine. Chair of MAINZ Advisory Board. Board Member METANZ - Music Education Trust of Aotearoa New Zealand)
Phil Howling (General Manager of Warner Music NZ. Board member of RIANZ.)
Darryl Parker (Director Finance & Operations. Sony Music NZ)
Chris Hocquard- Deputy Chairperson (Principal of Dominion Law. Chair of 95BFM. Owner of Amplifier.co.nz)
Teresa Patterson (Partner in CRS Music Management. Promoter of Big Day Out NZ & Executive Council member of the Music Managers Forum (MMF))
Mark Kneebone (Chairperson of IMNZ. Manager Isaac Promotions and Tardus Music)
Ngahiwi Apanui (Principal Te Aiorangi Communications. Composer/Singer, Puatatangi Committee. Member, Event Manager - National Maori Music Summit 2006)
Along with the commission- NZ on Air, RIANZ, APRA, Independant Music NZ and the Radio Broadcasters Association are also 'closely involved' (nzmusic.org.nz)
NZ on Air fund plenty of local televisual and music etc programs etc etc (like spending just over $6.7million on 13 new episodes of "Go Girls" season 3 i guess, a piece on information I now cannot erase from my mind, I avoid this program like the plague and it's mere existence infuriates and confuses me)
But musically, they fund musicians and bands which enables them to release music and videos, it seems you can get about $5,000 to put togeather a music video, and if you're supper lucky (or more to the point, super popular) $50,000 for a new album.
Looking on www.nzonair.govt.nz already established artists, like Nesian Mystik, Anika Moa, Opshop, pluto..(the list goes on) are, or seem to be receiving this $50,000 to release new albums. You gotta ask, if these well known groups need $50,000 to release new material, how the are 'average' bands meant to compete...
I don't know any specifics, no doubt that money is a loan & paid back via sales, but it looks like a resource that seems available only to a limited section of musicians, i.e. most probably tween media favs. Understandably, it mostly works fine- probably 90% of the population's music taste is based around what radio station they listen to- how often are questions like: "What music do you like?" answered with a radio frequency. But it's not called NZ "pop music" on air, or NZ pop-music month.
At the end of it, I'm stuck with the thought that NZMM is a vehicle to validate NZ on Air (music) funding choices.
This is the whole reason why NZ bands are not breaking the world stage, The NZ on Air system likes to be seen as successful and will only support mediocrity, bands that are seen to be successful in NZ. They do not want to take any risks and support any cutting edge bands in case they are seen to fail. So these bands are left to survive on their own and most of them don't make it but some do, but you don't hear about them until they have some success overseas and then NZ on Air will "help" them.
ReplyDeleteif we keep supporting mediocrity we will never be competitive on the world market.
Chris Prenter