another blast of nostalgia. I absolutely loved this video and song way back when...

My favourite track of the moment.

[update. video was taken down from YouTube - here's a live take from some TV show]

I'm going through a bit of a Madchester nostalgia trip at the moment, and, having just listened to the Happy Monday's Pills Thrills and Bellyaches, I recalled that the video for the song 'Kinky Afro' was a bit of a classic. You can just about imagine the scene, where ideas for the video were being bandied about.

Director: Right lads, we've got a big budget, what do you fancy, concept-wise?
Shaun: Spend the lot on E, hire some models, we'll shoot the vid and then have a big party with 'em afterwards!
Director: Done!

In keeping with the best of the year vibe, here's Eating Media Lunch's "Outstanding Moment in a Live Broadcast".

Peter McLennan over at dubdotdash has compiled one of the best end of year music round-ups for NZ music, with picks for 'NZ Relase of the 2006' and 'Musical Trend for 2007' being made by "an all-star cast of musicians, artists, authors, academics, DJs, bloggers, indie label henchmen, and music fans."

Veteran DJ Greg Churchill gives Pluto the big ups, and also takes the time to have a go at NZ On Air in a diatribe worthy of the nzmusic.com forums...

As usual NZ electronic and dance music in particular gets NO local funding, focus and support, yet the likelihood of this music making it big on the worldwide stage is a somewhat far greater possibility and realisation than 99.9% of the music gaining NZ On Air $$.

And Andrew Dubber makes the best prediction for 2007 (for which I predict the comeback of psychedelic rock, by the way)...

I'm looking forward to a dark experimental collaboration between Shayne Carter, Jordan Reyne and Paul Casserly. Double 10" vinyl only. Possibly with traces of dubstep and with dashes of outrageously infringing samples. Side 3's a Dub Asylum remix. Trevor Reekie will release it and it will turn out to be the international pot of gold we have always expected lay at the end of his particular rainbow.

We can but hope.

Just about everyone else who submitted responses to Peter's round-up listed more than one release, (blatantly ignoring the instructions), so here's a few more NZ releases from this year that I enjoyed...

• Over the Atlantic - Junica
• The Mint Chicks - Crazy? Yes! Dumb No!
• Luke Buda - Special Surprise
• Sam Flynn Scott - The Hunt Brings Us Life
• Montano - Montano
• Lawrence Arabia - Lawrence Arabia
• Connan and the Mockasins - Uuu It's Teasy

Check out the whole list here.

We go clothes shopping.

I'm standing there in Glassons with my seven and four year old sons as my wife tries on pretty dress after pretty dress. My younger son, ever inquisitive, asks what type of music we're listening to is. Until that moment, I had been subconsciously blocking it from entering my brain. I listened...

Get outta my dreams
Get in to my car
Get outta my dream
Get in to the back seat baby
Get in to my car
Beep Beep, yeah
Get outta my mind
Get in to my life
Ooooooh
Oh I said hey (Hey) you (You)
Get in to my car

..."Well, " I said, "I suppose it's kinda pop music."

My son thought this over then announced...

"I hate pop music!"

The dark side of student politics...

Visit the 'Real RDU' website here...