About us // Mō Mātou


Overview

AudioCulture is, “the noisy library of New Zealand music”.

AudioCulture is an online celebration of the people who have created the music, the scenes they shaped, and the audiences they played to.

On AudioCulture, visitors can read about People, Labels and related Articles, listen to music (via Spotify and Soundcloud), watch music videos (via NZ On Screen and YouTube), listen to interviews and performances (via Radio New Zealand National), view images (photographs, posters, hand-written song lyrics and more), and browse discographies (via Discogs); and share AudioCulture content with their social media friends.

AudioCulture is working with artists, historians and music industry people to tell the stories of nearly one hundred years of New Zealand popular music culture, from the first vinyl recording in the 1920s to digital streaming.

AudioCulture is an ongoing work in progress, with gaps being filled and stories being added continuously.

As it continues to grow, AudioCulture will evolve into a valuable cultural asset: a repository of Aotearoa aural history treasures, from Aaradhna to Zonk. The site kicked off with 250 pages, ranging from Bill Sevesi to Bic Runga, The Clean to Concord Dawn, Lew Pryme to La De Da’s, Māori Hi-Five to Manuel Bundy. Another 300 pages followed in AudioCulture’s second year. By January 2022 we had 1800 pages.

Many of the stories of New Zealand music are stories of Māori music. From waiata sung in Te Reo to the towering personalities of Howard Morrison, Dalvanius and Prince Tui Teka, and contemporary wahine Moana Maniapoto and Anika Moa. AudioCulture also strives to encompass influences from New Zealand's wider ethnic diversity, including Pacific and Asian music and musicians.

AudioCulture was the brainchild of respected NZ label owner, writer, producer, DJ and broadcaster Simon Grigg. He was AudioCulture’s founder and first Creative Director. In September 2016 Simon stepped back (he is now the Founding Editor) and handed the reins to New Zealand music historian and author of the 2010 Book of The Year, Blue Smoke, Chris Bourke. Chris is joined by musician and writer Steven Shaw, the site's editor, and publicist Renee Jones. Murray Cammick, founder of Rip It Up, was Editor at Large from 2012 to 2015. AudioCulture has curated a pool of more than 45 noted writers and contributors. AudioCulture also has photographs from the lenses of many documenters of New Zealand’s music scene, including a large number of never-before-published original images. We add to these continually.

The site is funded by NZ On Air and overseen by the same trust that’s in charge of its sibling project: the award-winning screen showcase NZ On Screen (the Digital Media Trust). National Library of New Zealand is an AudioCulture partner, as is Radio New Zealand, and the site links to and sources from many (extraordinary) existing online archival sources.

AudioCulture is for everyone with an interest in New Zealand popular music, whether they are a music fan looking for entertaining information, an academic looking for facts and figures, or a nostalgia-buff going on a trip down memory lane.

The project welcomes contributions – written and visual – from writers, fans, and those who were in the mosh pits, bedrooms and on the dance floors.

This interview with Simon Grigg and Murray Cammick appeared on Radio New Zealand National on 30 November 2013:

Governance

The project is governed by an independent Charitable Trust, the Digital Media Trust, comprising four independent Trustees and up to three appointed by NZ On Air.

Trustees: Sarah Bacon (Chair), Tracey Bridges, Allanah Kalafatelis, Julia Parnell, JP Tocker, Damian Vaughan and David Wright.

Our annual reports may be found here

Digital Media Trust Vision

Aotearoa is richer through a greater understanding of ourselves
Ka tū teitei a Aotearoa nā tō tātou āta kite i a tātou anō

AudioCulture is brought to you by:

Stephanie Hopkins – Executive Director

Chris Bourke – Content Director

Steven Shaw – Editor

Simon Grigg – Founding Editor

Chris Caddick – Project Manager and Content Board Chair

Leanda Borrett – Marketing and Publicity Manager

Renee Jones – Publicist

Gareth Shute – Editorial Assistant, Writer

AudioCulture would like to specifically thank Brendan Smyth, Music Manager of NZ On Air until 28 February 2016, who, in large part, made AudioCulture possible.

Janine Faulknor was our Project Director from July 2015 until August 2018. Tess Bullen was, from mid-2014 until July 2015 our Project Director par-excellence. A number of people have contributed to the site, and/or have provided their time, energy and inspiration. These include: Brigid Grigg-Eyley (who gave us our name), Simon Woods, Irene Gardiner, James Kirkus-Lamont, Michael Potton, Brenda Leeuwenberg, Gemma Gracewood, Sandy Mamoli, Andy Neale, Emerson Vandy, Matt Steindl, Manu Taylor, Chris Hocquard, John Dix, Liisa McMillan, Cath Andersen, Andrew Clifford, Ant Healey, Adam Holt, Stephen O'Hoy, Will Pollard.

Website design by Philip Kelly. Development and support provided by Hashbang.

Partners

AudioCulture has received outstanding support from a number of music industry-related organisations. The Trust would like to thank in particular:

  • NZ On Air
  • Recorded Music NZ (formerly RIANZ): for broad and ongoing support in the establishment of AudioCulture.
  • New Zealand Music Commission: for ongoing support and encouragement in the AudioCulture project.
  • Independent Music New Zealand: for coordinating and giving voice to the independent record labels who have been the life-blood of the New Zealand music industry for many years.
  • National Library of New Zealand
  • APRA/AMCOS, and Recorded Music NZ (formerly PPNZ): for assistance with music rights clearances and for ongoing support for AudioCulture.
  • Radio New Zealand
  • To the extraordinary writers, photographers and video makers who have contributed to AudioCulture.
  • To the many music historians, bloggers and writers who have inspired AudioCulture.
  • And perhaps more than anyone to the vast number of passionate New Zealanders who have created the unique sounds that we are wanting to document in AudioCulture.
  • Our work is also shared by Wellington Music, a browsable tribute to the decades of music that have contributed to Wellington's sound.
  • With the help of SurveyHero.com we can create beautiful online surveys.

Rights clearances

The music on this site has been licensed by APRA | AMCOS, Recorded Music NZ or is covered by industry agreements.

Images have been licensed or cleared with the copyright owners, however where we have been unable to contact the owners best efforts have been made. See the site Terms and Conditions for more information.

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