Rnz: Music 101

Music Promoter Kurt Shanks recalls stories from The Buzzcocks New Zealand tours in both 2013 and 2016 including long lunches, details on their riders and their motto 'No Moet - No Show-ay'.

Auckland musician Paige introduces her song Alignments.

Marika Hodgson is a highly sought after bass player working with everyone from Rhian Sheehan to Teeks. Her first solo outing under the moniker Sorrento is a fun funky frolic featuring Troy Kingi.

Grey Lynn rapper Diggy Dupé catches up with RNZ Music's Danielle Street to chat about his new EP Island Time.

Church and AP have built up an incredible amount of hype about their new song 'Ready or Not'. Before it was even released it was the most shazamed song in the country. It is an A rotate on two radio stations and may be set to go to number one in the charts. Not bad for two Auckland teenagers who are clearly just getting started.

Matthew J Ruys is releasing music under his own name for the first time in twenty years. Now based in Los Angeles the self described Jack-of-all-trades discusses where music has taken him over the last twenty years and why now felt right to release his new record, Things Broken, Things Awoken.

In this week's Pocket Edition, Nigerian New Zealand hip hop artist Unchained XL treats to a live session, Trevor Reekie delves into the fascinating story of Switched on Bach, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, and Alex Behan introduces us to a new act called Sorrento.

Kirsten Johnstone reviews I Need To Start A Garden, the debut album from Portland-based songwriter Haley Heynderickx, who investigates self-doubt, religious doubt and existentialism, but with a good dose of wry humour, and plenty of creepy crawlies.

In this week's Pocket Edition, Australian artist Mojo Juju shares her Native Tongue, Mel Parsons and Alex Behan discuss Glass Heart - Mel's latest album and Phodiso Dintwe speaks with Raiza Biza and Remi about their joint EP called Black Hole Sun.

Opera singer Jonathan Fa'afetai Lemalu joins Kirsten Johnstone for an hour of chat and some of his favourite songs.

Hamilton-based Rwandan rapper Raiza-Biza and Melbourne-based rapper Remi speak to Phodiso Dintwe about their new EP Black Hole Sun.

Berlin-based Tongan-New Zealand artist Noah Slee has followed up his debut album Otherland with a short film based on the music and its themes.  He speaks to Yadana Saw about how he plucked up the courage to try his hand at filmmaking.

Singer-songwriter and West Coast native Mel Parsons discusses her new album Glass Heart with RNZ Music's Alex Behan.

For her third album, Native Tongue, Australian Wiradjuri Filipino artist Mojo Juju looked into her family’s ancestry to explain her present.  She speaks with Yadana Saw about putting a mirror to Australia’s complicated past.

Arab-Kiwi rapper Meer has released a string of acclaimed singles over the last few years, including collaborations with Jess B and Siobhan Leilani, as well as being one half of duo Cool Tan. She recently left NZ to live in Australia with her partner, but before that Tony Stamp had a chat to her on Auckland’s K Rd.

Lisa Crawley joins us on the phone from Melbourne to tell us what she's been up to and share her new song 'Baby it's Fine'.

Los Angeles-based singer and composer Julia Holter has just released her fifth album Aviary and is performing in New Zealand in January. She spoke to RNZ's Kiran Dass.

After reuniting for three shows this year Tiki Taane and Salmonella Dub have released a new song 'Ignite'.

In this week's Pocket Edition we host Avondale rapper Melodownz for a live session, and speak with American avant-garde pop musician Julia Holter.

The Beatles 'White Album' is 50 years old and there's a new 6-disc edition to mark the occasion. Nick Bollinger takes a deep dive.