Steve
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Tommy Adderley

Tommy Adderley was a well known singer and entertainer who sadly passed away on February 5th 1993. Tommy had immigrated to New Zealand many years earlier and become well known very quickly. His ability to sing and play the harp was unequaled in this country.
During 1985 during Queens birthday weekend Tommy along with others such as Roger Fox created the Southern Cross Jazz Festival. Many guests such as the great Midge Marsden, Jacqui Fitzgerald, Beaver, Frank Gibson’s Space Case, The Queen City Big Band, and many more appeared on the bill. The event that particular year was held at the old Mon Desir Hotel in Takapuna, Auckland New Zealand which is no longer there, having been replaced by apartments.

Here is a picture of Tommy, with Brian Smith on Saxophone and the sensational Billy Christian on Bass Guitar. The proceeds from this event were given to charity, and in this case it was the Wilson Home for crippled children.

 

 

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Steve
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Peter Caulton

Peter Caulton another sensational New Zealand entertainer was sadly farewelled today in Auckland.

One of the real great New Zealand artists who deserved far more recognition in this country passed away on March 13th 2018. A former member of Stage Door Trio, Country Flyers, and Good News, Peter Caulton performed regularly at local pubs and concerts. He was far better known in Germany where he spent many years entertaining troops and of course locals. He made many appearances on television shows as Happen Inn, Country Touch, and Studio One.

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Steve
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Glyn Tucker

glyn-tucker

Singer, Songwriter, Recording Engineer.

Here is a brief article written by Glyn Tucker, a great friend and enthusiastic music lover and entertainer.

I was a singer-songwriter-guitarist, and by the mid seventies had quit playing gigs and started a professional recording studio in Auckland. It became well-known over the next 21 years as Mandrill Recording Studios….During that time, as owner of Mandrill we chalked up 22 Gold Albums, 3 Platinum albums.They included Split Enz, Little River Band, Alastair Riddell, Citizen Band, Ardijah, Dave Dobbyn, Shona Laing, The Exponents, The Mockers, Satellite Spies, David Hasselhoff, Kiri TeKanawa, Carl Doy, and many many others….International producers and engineers we worked with included, John Boylan, Kim Fowley, Tim Palmer, Jay Lewis, Ernie Rose, Graeme Myhre, Mark Moffat, Bruce Lynch, Paul Streekstra, Dave McArtney, Harry Lyon, Dave Marrett, Jaz Coleman, and so many others….Working with these guys I got to learn a thing or two … secret techniques the pro’s use every day to give their recordings that special “something” that makes platinum and gold albums….From time to time I intend to write about some of these very special techniques and share them with you right here Behind the Music Scene.
The stuff I’ll be sharing with you does not originate in the classroom, or from a textbook. Instead, I am talking about the stuff that comes off the recording studio floor, and from the producer-engineer’s chair in a sweaty control-room at 4 in the morning, with the air-con broke, and the mix ain’t working because of a badly recorded vocal track!
These secrets emerged from the blood on the studio floor….(probably from the producer trying to cut his wrists)
Modern recording processes, have changed considerably since those pioneering days and nights I spent at Mandrill Studios. However, the laws of physics never change, so no matter what medium or format you are recording with today, these secrets are just as valid as the day they were first used on hit records; perhaps 20 years ago. (or more)I hope I can make your journey a little easier and smooth the way for you in your quest to produce the next smash hit recording that will take the world by storm.
Or perhaps just to make your next demo a work better, or even to produce a work of art of the highest quality for the listening pleasure of those of similar taste.
No matter that you may be working out of a small, poorly equipt home recording studio, without proper acoustic treatment, and no sound-proofing……the principles you will learn will help you get the best out of what you’ve got, and make a real difference to your end result.
So, watch out for my posts.
Have fun makin’ music my friends

Glyn Tucker­

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Steve
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Larry Killip

Larry-Killip

I have had the opportunity of taking some photos of my good friend Larry Killip.

Larry is a fantastic musician, a song writer, guitarist,  singer and in addition a recording engineer (and by the way a terrific photographer himself).. I will talk more about Larry later on but how I got to know him was rather special.

A great many people have helped me shape my life and enjoy a very good career. Where I have arrived at lately has no relationship to where I started, I have come to realise it was these very good people who appeared in my life helped me on my way.
My parents of course were a great influence even though they came from a very humble background. My departure after a miserable three years at Huntly College in New Zealand had sadly placed me on a road to nowhere.

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Steve
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Gray Bartlett

Gray-Bartlett

New Zealand’s number one guitarist and iconic Kiwi is Gray Bartlett MBE. Gray has just recently released his latest album Private Conversations and this album is a MUST buy. Hank Marvin has reviewed the album and has given it his thumbs up. Gray is currently touring New Zealand with a raft of New Zealand talent and has concerts lined up in all of the main centers around the country.

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Steve
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Hank Marvin on Gray Bartlett

Hank-Marvin

Hank says good things about Gray Bartlett’s latest recording

Gray Bartlett is an icon in New Zealand, he is probably our most well known guitarist and has had incredible success around the world, particularly in Japan. Gray has just completed his latest Album called Private Conversations and he is currently on tour in New Zealand. Here is what Hank Marvin has to say about Gray.
Hank’s Review: “Gray Bartlett is something of an institution in NZ, well that’s what he told me.
 Seriously folks I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know Gray over the last couple of years and discovered that he’s a man of various talents. However it’s his musical talent that really stands out on his latest CD, “Private conversations” which allows him to display both his virtuosity and versatility as a guitarist, which reminds me I need to practice more.
The choice of material is diverse, engaging and he interprets the compositions with clarity and sensitivity; qualities that many guitarists lack. Gray’s command of different guitar techniques is also demonstrated as he switches easily from beautifully performed finger style acoustic, to slide guitar, to country rock and even to heavy blues rock; yes, our boy has serious chops.Check out Gray’s version of APACHE it’s almost as good as mine.
Congratulations to Gray on a FAB CD, buy it, you’ll love it.”
Hank B Marvin go buy Gray Bartlett’s album now.

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Steve
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Glenn Campbell

Glenn Campbell

Glenn  Campbell was playing with the New Zealand group, “The Flaming Mudcats”

You can read all about them on their own website but I could not have written the blurb any better so I have taken parts of it and posted it here. This restaurant in Devonport has music every second Tuesday and last night the crowd were given a standard well above the norm. As far as I am concerned these guys were at a level that should be able to demand a following all over the world let a lone New Zealand. Glenn Campbell has been playing all of his life and his ability as a steel guitarist had virtually the whole attendance in awe. Now my take on this is interesting as live music in a restaurant can be rather intimidating to people who wish to go socialize talk and  be merry. In the past at Correllis some singers and performers have been drowned out by the high level of conversation going on. In the case of Glenn Campbell and this wonderful Group “The Flaming Mudcats” there was no way that would happen. Everyone was spellbound.
Whether you like your blues contemporary, traditional, low down or funky…., you’re gonna love “The Flaming Mudcats”.
As a matter of fact, you will be blown away by these guys even if blues don’t happen to be  your thing. The level of  sheer musicianship and energy  they bring to their live performances.
After being on the scene for six years, this Auckland based group has established themselves among the country’s premier blues acts.
With their signature brand of rocking rhythm and blues, “The Flaming Mudcats” have taken their show to festivals and clubs in the USA, Australia, The Pacific Islands and throughout New Zealand.
They have also appeared live on national radio and television.
The Flaming Mudcats are four dedicated musicians who share a common passion and love of the blues.
Whilst drawing inspiration from their eclectic influences, their music provides a refreshingly original take on the universal themes of love, loss, and cruel women.
The band is fronted by vocalist Craig Bracken, one of the country’s most accomplished harmonica players, with guitarist Doug Bygrave providing the six string raucousness.
 Anchoring these two, is the tight and true rhythm section comprising Ian Thomson on drums and Sean McCarthy on bass.
With a sound, raw, real, and gritty, these cats do it all – swing, shuffle and boogie.
The Flaming Mudcats have to date recorded two well received albums – 2011’s “Gave You What You Wanted” and 2013’s “Mistress”.
Apart from a lone cover on each, both albums comprise original material and present a wide spectrum of blues styles, whilst celebrating that unique Mudcat sound.

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Steve

Dave Alley

I had never come across Dave Alley until Tuesday 9th June 2015. That is seriously to my detriment.
Dave is one sensational guitarists and yes he has done more than his ten thousand hours. Dave was performing at “Corellis” a very good restaurant in Devonport New Zealand.
Dave was appearing with Cat Tunks and they claim the music is New Zealand blues noir and soul.

Unfortunately i had not taken my camera gear and had to suffice with my trusty iPhone 6 plus.
Corellis has a musical event every second Tuesday and they have no problem filling the place on a winters evening during the week. Not only is the food bargain prices but the quality is also terrific.
How they find these superb musicians is well beyond me and I am astounded at the talent we are able to witness for ridiculously low prices.
Dave Alley blew me away, he hardly looked at his fretboard, yet sung and backed Cat Tunks with fluid licks that even would make Tommy Emanuel sit up and take notice.
My goal now is to seek Dave Alley out at his next gig and make certain I take my Sony A7s to capture some good still shots together with an example of his ability on video.
Anyone in New Zealand who are reading this and can get down to Devonport to “Corellis” and witness great musical performances along with value for money in the culinary department will not regret it. Dave Alley is a performer to watch out for, if you see he is performing at a place near you get out and support this extraordinary talent.

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Steve
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David Hasselhoff

David Hasselhoff

Mandrill Recording Studios and David Hasselhoff

I just came across photo from the 80’s with The Hoff.
This was a spoof shot taken in 1986, soon after The Hoff arrived in Auckland to record the album, “Lovin’ Feelings”.
Bruce Lynch was the producer and David H was taken to Bruce’s home for pre-production session with a handful of musicians.
David knew from earlier communications that we would be making the record at Mandrill Recording Studios, but Bruce and his muso friends set him up to believe that The Boatshed at the back of Bruce’s home was it! (A few years later “The Boatshed” became Bruce’s seriously good recording studio, but at that time was… just a boat shed.)
L to R, Bruce Lynch, Dave McRae, David Hasselhoff, Frank Gibson Jnr, and Glyn Tucker Jnr.
(see the story of the making of “Lovin’ Feelings” on our Blog of March 2015)
Glyn Tucker

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