Karl Steven finds new groove

Supergroove frontman Karl Steven is finding a new groove for himself in the music industry with a hot new show, The Kiwi House, set to launch next Sunday on Kiwi FM.

Each week he will talk to different guests and play their favourite music. "The idea for the show," Steven told Spy, "is to be entertaining, whether or not one is familiar with the guest or the music, and to convey a sense of excitement about the songs. The songs will be a way into the person's life and work."

Steven, best known as the skinny white guy from the eight-piece funk band, has been writing music and producing artists as diverse as Tourettes to Bic Runga. He has composed music for the screen and lent his harmonica skills to Dalvanius Prime, among others.

He's also no slouch in the academic department. He has a PhD in Ancient Greek and Roman philosophy from Cambridge University and teaches philosophy. He is also the proud recipient of a certificate of merit for "competence in folding up music stands," which he received in 1989.

Tweet of the week

Mike Hosking: "i got two tower burger vouchers from kfc this week kate just got a wendys card... thats food for the weekend taken care of!!"

Life begins at seventy

The king of discount jewellery Michael Hill took a well deserved break in Fiji last week. He was Spy-ed enjoying the restaurants of Port Denarau, while what appeared to be his 33m luxury super yacht was anchored offshore. Looking fresh and relaxed, Hill has been busy promoting his book Toughen Up, in which he insists the recession is an opportunity, not a problem.

A finalist at the recent World Entrepreneurial Awards in Monte Carlo, Hill is also working on his own line of watches and fragrances. Is he becoming a global brand? At 70, Hill's drive is amazing but then again, as Michael Parkinson once said: "70 is the new 10."

Amassing a personal fortune estimated at more than $230 million, Hill deserves to enjoy the fruits of his success. However he's far too busy to sit on his laurels on his superyacht for long. He was last seen leaving Fiji at speed via Nadi airport.

Male menopausal music makers

Our middle-aged boys now have a passport to stay up late and wear tight leather trousers. The Rolling Stones they ain't, but some big names on Auckland's social scene will take to the stage as part of a collection of six male menopausal music makers next Saturday. Former vodka chief Geoff Ross will join former All Black Craig Innes and former Black Cap Dion Nash, alongside Geoff Chunn, Tim Dobbs, Simon Foote and many others all in the aid of a good cause.

Six old-boy bands will perform for the Raukatauri Music Therapy Trust on Saturday, August 29. They find it hard to get gigs so they are staging a musical face-off to raise funds for New Zealand's first music therapy centre. The gig takes place at the Jubilee Room at the Blind Institute in Parnell from 7.30pm. Tickets are $49. Email trustee Chris Dobbs (cdobbs@workingstyle.co.nz) for tickets. Go along and support the cause.

No looking back

Caroline Evers-Swindell is planning a surprising new future away from the bright lights of Olympic rowing: floristry. She lives with fiance Carl Meyer (also a former Olympic rower) in Cambridge and works in the local florist two days a week. "I have always been keen on floristry," she told Spy, "so I always wanted to have a go at that. You can't do a course while you're rowing and to be able to work the other two days is a dream come true."

She's loving retirement. "There are no inklings of wanting to get back into that boat," she said. "We just love the freedom of doing what we want when we want. It's not that we didn't love rowing. We just gave it everything. It's just nice to have something different." Twin sis Georgina is happily married and living in North Canterbury, where she works as a teacher aid and is planning on going to teacher training college next year.

Starship Swing

Buy your tickets to Starship's Supernova Swing at Vector Arena on September 16. Tickets are priced from $39. Go to www.ticketmaster.co.nz or phone 0800 111 999, but be in quick. Some very enthusiastic Lucy Lawless fans are travelling from Oz and the States to see their idol sing with Peter Urlich and a sexy, smoky singles number.

Glory days

Former top model Charlotte Dawson hit the catwalk this week as a celebrity model at the Diet Coke Little Black Dress fashion show in Sydney with a look that chanelled the 1980's. Serpent tongue, model's own.

Photo: Charlotte Dawson at the Diet Coke Little Black Dress fashion show. Photo / Supplied