Prime Minister and Minister of Arts, Culture and Heritage Helen Clark, handed over a $2 million cheque to the newly formed New Zealand Music Commission yesterday. A good time, we figured, for bit of a pop quiz.
Now that you've established a music commission, would you consider changing the job title to Minister of Pop Culture? Or perhaps establishing an under secretary for rock 'n' roll? And who would suit the job?.
I am going to stick with arts, culture and heritage because it's part of the broad spectrum from contemporary music through to classical, rock, modern and more traditional. I'm in the more traditional end myself. [As for that job] there's quite a lot of competition. I've got a number of ministers who have pretensions as rock band singers. Like Mark Burton, Mark Gosche - and Mr Maharey is a great follower - and they have got together and done a gig or two.
Do you think TrueBliss have a future under a Labour Government?
Well, put it this away, TrueBliss needed a lot of help to get where it did. I think it would require continuing injections of a high level of support. Which is a very diplomatic answer.
Tony Blair had Noel Gallagher around for drinks at Downing St after he was elected, would you entertain the idea of having, say, Shihad or Stellar* around to your place for tea?
Well, I can tell you who I had in last week: a band called Breathe, and they're launching something new. I have stared the camera down the barrel for them and said "this new album from Breathe is the worst piece of music I have ever heard." Actually they played it to me and I said I think it sounds all right. But they said, 'You are not allowed to say that, you have to say it's the worst thing you have heard in your life.' So that's their promotion from me. I'm only too happy."
You've got Dave Dobbyn on the commission, any particular favourites of his?
Old classics like Slice of Heaven and Be Mine Tonight. We'll stick with that.
Obviously Wild Thing has already been taken, but if you absolutely had to walk on stage to a classic rock tune, what would it be?
(sings) Leader of the Pack.
A quick word... with Helen Clark
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