Honoured muso out of comfort zone

Jordan Luck was filmed accepting his honour on behalf "of all musicians". Photo / Mark Mitchell

Jordan Luck found it easier playing gigs than accepting his royal honour from the Governor-General.

Gigs are easy for former Exponents frontman Jordan Luck, but standing before the Governor-General to collect a Queen's honour? Well, that's a "wee bit weird".

Adding to his ever-increasing pile of accolades, Luck was yesterday made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit - for his services to music - at an investiture ceremony at Government House in Wellington.

With a documentary crew in tow, Luck turned up to accept the award "on behalf of all the musicians".

Luck has had the crew following him for two months. They're spending a year creating a documentary on the Exponents' 20-year career.

The band called it quits in 1999.

Luck said he felt humbled as he stood before the Governor-General, Lieutenant General Sir Jerry Mateparae.

"Meeting His Excellency was brilliant; the achievement thing was a wee bit embarrassing. The gigs are easy - that's your natural environment. This is a wee bit weird."

In 2007, the Exponents were the first band inducted into the New Zealand Music Hall of Fame, and Luck is an ambassador for Parkinson's NZ and KidsCan Charitable Trust.

Psychologist Nigel Latta also used the word "humbling" to describe becoming an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit at yesterday morning's ceremony.

"It's amazingly humbling because you're surrounded by people who have done astounding things ... Everyone says it, and I get why they say it," he said.

The 44-year-old, who has been a clinical and forensic psychologist for almost two decades, has become known for his television programmes aimed at helping parents deal with children and teenagers, including The Politically Incorrect Parenting Show and The Politically Incorrect Guide to Grown-ups.

But something more serious is next on his list of projects.

"This one is looking at really big social issues, like why do we kill one kid every five weeks in this country and what's happening with all those teenage drinkers being out of control."

Latta also hosts Beyond the Darklands which looks at some of New Zealand's most prolific criminal cases, but said the season currently screening on TV One would be his last.

He said television was a great way to educate people and he hoped he could do something constructive with his profile.

"This is a chance to do some things that have been driving me mad for 20 years and now you get this great big soapbox to stand up and say what do you do about it."