What's Gone Down
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GAME REVIEW: Metal Gear Solid HD Collection
Metal Gear Solid is a funny old series, isn’t it? It has moments of exquisitely tense and thrilling gameplay...and then bookends those moments with increasingly lengthy, increasingly absurd, increasingly exposition-filled cutscenes. -
GALLERY: Kerretta & Cobra Khan At The Kings Arms - 01/29/2012
Instrumental rockers, Kerretta played two New Zealand shows this week before they venture off to the States. Check out the photos from Saturday nights show at the Kings Arms with Cobra Khan -
WIN: 1 Of 5 Double Passes To Lipton Ice Tea Sounds In The Sun
We've got five double passes to the Lipton Ice Tea Sounds In The Sun on the 3rd of March at Unitec (139 Carrington Rd, Mt Albert). Featuring Shapeshifter, Katchafire, 1814, Kidz in Space, Bulletproof featuring Jessie G and Rugged Tekniques, DJ Sir-Vere, Unknown Peace along with the world winning Pre... -
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GALLERY: Big Day Out: The 90's
Each decade has had a distinct rock identity, often more than one, and the early '90s was an amalgam of a lot of things that had come before. Heavy licks and psychedelic jams, mid-length to long hair, nudity, the odd bit of cross-dressing, songs about disaffected youth, peace, fucking and aliens. -
WIN: 1 Of 5 Double Passes To A Few Best Men
The film is A Few Best Men, a fantastic comedy from the directors of Priscilla Queen of the Desert and writers and producers of Death at a Funeral. The film follows English lad David, when he announces he is getting married to an Australian, his hapless mates give a whole new meaning to the phrase '... -
WIN: 1 Of 5 Double Passes To Like Crazy
A love story is both a physical and emotional tale, one that can be deeply personal and heartbreaking for an audience to experience. Director Drake Doremus' film Like Crazy beautifully illustrates how your first real love is as thrilling and blissful as it is devastating. -
NEWS: The Descendants & The Artist Win Big At Golden Globes
The 69th Golden Globe Awards are all wrapped up for another year. Check out the full list of winners below. -
DVD REVIEW: Metropolis
Made in 1927 this silent masterpiece is rightly seen as one of the most important and influential films ever conceived. It’s part of the big three: German Fritz Lang’s Metropolis, American D.W. Griffith’s Birth of a Nation and Russian Sergi Eisenstein’s Battleship Potemkin; films that design... -
REVIEW: Thievery Corporation - Culture Of Fear
Washington DC-based duo Thievery Corporation embraces the quasi-political nature of their name with Culture Of Fear, their sixth studio album. “Seems to me like they want us to be afraid, man. -
RIP IT UP MOVIE CLUB: New Trailer Goodness
Here at Rip It Up one of our most favourite past times to do on the internet is watching movie trailers. We've almost got it down to a fine art including knowing the best places to look, what makes a good trailer and most importantly what makes a bad trailer. -
DVD REVIEW: Placebo - Coming Up For Air / We Come In Pieces
Placebo has always been a band to push the envelope when it comes to how music should be experienced. In their infancy they emerged onto the British music scene when -
REVIEW: Wu-Tang - Legendary Weapons
There is no denying that the members of Wu-Tang do possess legendary weapons; Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) and Wu-Tang Forever are indisputable proof of that. -
FILM REVIEW: Senna
This documentary on Brazilian Formula One racing driver Ayrton Senna, who won the F1 world championship three times before his death at age 34, has rightfully been an audience favourite almost everywhere it has played. -
NEWS: Awesome Rip It Up XMAS Subscription Offer
Rip It Up and our friends at EntertainMe are offering you a 12-month annual subscription (six issues) to Rip It Up magazine plus your choice of one of the following five albums, all for just $35! -
RIP IT UP MOVIE CLUB: Top 10 Christmas Films Of All Time
Nothing beats a good Christmas movie so with that in mind we've collated our favourite Christmas films of all time. Be sure to tell us below what your favourite festive flick is. -
LEE GILMOUR'S STYLE BLOG: Deciding On Which Converse Is Never A Problem
The once official shoe of the National Basketball Association has relished from its 60's predecessor... -
CONNOR NESTOR'S BLOG: Festie Blog Special!
Ok, so it’s that time again. Summer is the season of music here in kiwi land and this year we have been spoilt for choice! Here are a few chuunnneess from the festies, that I reckon are going to be amazing to see live. -
FILM REVIEW: Submarine
In recent years we’ve had a few too many quirky indie coming-of-age romcoms. That this was a British film, not American, and didn't star Michael Cera -
LEE GILMOUR'S STYLE BLOG: Cool Styles For December
December marks the point in which the people of NZ become a little crazy. Branch outside, bare the legs, drink on pretty much any sunny afternoon and go -
GAME REVIEW: Mario Kart 7
The Mario Kart series, now more than nineteen years old, is in its seventh iteration. That might sound like the kind of observation that only comes from detailed research, but it's right there in the title. Mario Kart 7 - you see? -
SHARYN WAKEFIELD'S BLOG: How To Make A New Year’s Resolution
As 2011 comes to an end and 2012 fast approaches, people start to make their New Year’s Resolutions. This goes hand in hand with everyone having to hear the tagline “Oh it’s my New Year’s Resolution”, until at least mid-February, before most people forget about them, or give up on them. Th... -
SHARYN WAKEFIELD'S BLOG: Don’t Even Ask Me Why I Think About This
Sometimes when I’m procrastinating about having toast for breakfast again, thinking I’m bad ass by... -
FILM REVIEW: The Inbetweeners Movie
Based on the successful TV series of the same name, this is a film about four British lads who have just finished high school and head to Europe on a pre-University holiday with hopes of hedonism, intoxication and lots of sex. It's the sort of comedy that hammers over and over again on teens trying ... -
REVIEW: Beirut - The Rip Tide
Zach Condon is one of those kids you should just really hate. It’s this kind of unbridled jealousy that has made him so successful and revered. Under the nom de plume of Beirut, Condon takes the simplest and most effective sounds from all over the globe and creates very other-worldly music with th... -
REVIEW: Punches - Etheria
Nigh on three years in the making, the latest record from Kelly Sherrod (Voom/Dimmer) and James Duncan (Dimmer/SJD) under the name of Punches after their 2006 debut is something of a quiet revelation. -
GAME REVIEW: Tekken Hybrid
Game reviewing can often be pretty formulaic; by definition, we have a set of rules to adhere to - scores to assign to categories like Gameplay, Graphics, Sound and Value. Games, however, have no such rules and occasionally, something comes along that simply refuses to adhere to the norms. -
REVIEW: Mariachi El Bronx - Mariachi El Brox II
Credit where credit is due; when The Bronx alluded to the fact they wanted to become a mariachi band, they went out and did it. They did it with gusto, their first release a surprisingly fun album. -
REVIEW: Mogwai - Earth Division
Mogwai put out one of the best records to be released so far this year with Hardcore Will Never Die, and this four-song offering features off cuts from that masterpiece. -
GAME REVIEW: Super Mario 3D Land
Nintendo’s been cranking out Mario games since, well, since video games as we know them were invented. Literally. So, despite the fact that the jumpy plumber’s had the odd little hiccup - where “hiccup” means only great, rather than incredible - the one thing he’s never jumped is the shark... -
GALLERY: Foo Fighters at Western Springs Stadium - 12/13/2011
Check out the photos from last nights epic Foo Fighters show at Western Springs Stadium in Auckland... -
REVIEW: The Drab Doo Riffs - A Fistful Of Doo-Riffs
The latest release from Karl Steven's (Supergroove) super-group The Drab Doo-Riffs, A Fistful of Doo-Riffs is a remarkable little, reference-loaded, rollicking party time. Even better, as the band cycles through references to Ennio Morricone, Hank Williams (or perhaps our very own Tex Morton), class... -
CONNOR NESTOR'S BLOG: The Summer Of Bromitment
I've been thinking about how many summers I've spent in a haze...losing all my mates cause I want to go and do something different, eat something different, or for some dumb reason like trying to chase girls, or just being a tad too drunk. -
DOWNLOADS OF THE WEEK: Top 10 Free Downloads Of The Year
There is definitely such a thing as a free lunch. Eat away on all the tasty offerings from all over the internet. When napster died it was not the end of free music. You can still get it and without tainting your innocent soul. You just got to know where to look. -
GAME REVIEW: The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
How do you start a review of the latest game in the quintessential Nintendo series, The Legend of Zelda? It's 25 years since the first Zelda game made its debut on the Famicom -
DOWNLOADS OF THE WEEK: Raekwon The Chef, Kano, Serenades
The Wu-tang member spat this set of rhymes out a couple of years ago and they have been sitting idle... -
MAGAZINE: Inside The Massive New December/January Issue Of Rip It Up
Inside the new bumper summer issue of Rip It Up, we look back at the 50 biggest music moments of 2011... -
GAME REVIEW: Saints Row: The Third
As much as I love Battlefield 3 for its heightened realism and terrifying, palm-moistening online play, there are times when I just want to unwind after a hard-day’s work. Not enter a warzone filled with snipers and AT mines around every corner. Even GTAIV and Skyrim feel like work sometimes. If I... -
DOWNLOADS OF THE WEEK: Lupe Fiasco, Roy Irwin, Mike Posner
Thanksgiving in New Zealand is just another day in November sometime. In the USA it has a bit... -
INTERVIEW: Grooveman Spot (aka. DJ Kou-G)
Grooveman Spot (aka DJ Kou-G) has been kicking around the Japanese music scene since the early 90s. A wide-eyed kid from Sendai city, he was captivated by hip-hop as a teenager. Kicking his journey off as a dancer after watching videos by MC Hammer and Heavy D, the next step in his journey was CD bi... -
DOWNLOADS OF THE WEEK: Interview w/ Citizens!, OnCue, Kid Cudi
I always admire a band that know what they are and wear that badge loud and proud. This UK group... -
GAME REVIEW: Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (MW3) is the latest in Activision’s best-selling series and developer Infinity Ward - despite taking a large hit in personnel recently - wanted to try something bigger, more explosive, and more intense than ever before. Did they hit this ambitious goal? You can defin... -
FEATURE: Say Yes To A Smarter Future At SIT
With over 30 years of teaching experience and over 130 programs to choose from, it’s no surprise that the Southern Institute of Technology (SIT) is a popular place to study. -
DOWNLOADS OF THE WEEK: Slim The Mobster, The Madden Brothers, Frank Ocean
Plenty of rappers will use the word gangster in reference to themselves and to be honest they are about as... -
GIG REVIEW: Portishead w/ The Adults, Vector Arena, Auckland - 10/11/2011
Familiar with the individual members of The Adults’ work but not the band itself, I checked out a few tunes beforehand, including the compelling video for ‘Nothing To Lose’. -
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CONNOR NESTOR'S BLOG: Five Tunes To Celebrate The Good Weather
After an eventful morning of work, Friday afternoon has rolled around and this week our playlist is all about... -
SHARYN WAKEFIELD'S BLOG: Workplace Boredom Busters
November is almost halfway through and Christmas is on the way – which means the workdays feel like they’re 16 hours long instead of eight. -
DOWNLOADS OF THE WEEK: Drake ft. Lil Wayne, ASAP Rocky, Washed Out
Drake is like an incontinent octogenarian - leaking stuff all over the show. Here is yet another track from... -
NEWS: 2011 Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards Winners Announced
Auckland indie band The Naked and Famous and sultry songstress Brooke Fraser are the big winners at the 2011 Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards. -
LEE GILMOUR'S STYLE BLOG: Latest Looks 'Ladies Of Pop'
We're all keeping a close eye on the latest outfits to emerge from our favourite stars, so each week we'll pull out the latest looks and see if we would ever, or never, wear these garments. This week let’s check out what our favourite 'Ladies of Pop' are wearing at the moment. We catch them as th... -
INTERVIEW: Onra
Based in Paris, but of Vietnamese descent, Arnaud Bernard, better known as Onra, is one of the most exciting talents currently active in the international beat music scene. Since 2006, Onra has been calmly and consistently slipping out quality singles, EPs and albums. 2007's Chinoiseries, a study in... -
LUKE WINSLADE'S BLOG: My Predictions For The 2011 VNZMA's
naivety So tomorrow night is the New Zealand Music Award's (Tui Awards) here in Auckland. Aside from the general booze up with our music peers it's the night of nights to celebrate all things New Zealand muso's have achieved over the last year. -
RIP IT UP MOVIE CLUB: Is Drive The Best Film Of 2011?
So far this year we've had our fair share of super hero flicks (Green Lantern, Transformers 3, Captain America, and Thor) but for me my personal favorite of the year thus far isn't your typical hero film. -
SHARYN WAKEFIELD'S BLOG: What Would You Bring Back?
Over the years we’ve seen so many TV shows, toys, songs, games, slang words and even fashion come full circle around the trend cycle. They’ve made new and improved movies of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Care Bears, Smurfs and there's even a Captain Planet movie in the works..."The power is ... -
DOWNLOADS OF THE WEEK: Immortal Technique, Bridget Kelly, A$AP Rocky
Congrats to Kanye West on having a wonder around Wall St amongst all the protesting squatters. And that’s... -
LEONIE HAYDEN'S BLOG: Songs I Like #1
Fun. are one of those bands that are really tough to Google (see also Final Fantasy, Men and Panda Bear). A new signee to Fueled by Ramen (Paramore, Gym Class Heroes), the band have actually been around a bit longer than some of their young label mates, in various incarnations, including as The Form... -
GAME REVIEW: Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception
To call Uncharted 3 one of the most anticipated titles of 2011 would be like calling the Atlantic Ocean mildly damp. When it comes to bombastic blockbuster experiences, no series does things bigger, better, and with more polish than Naughty Dog’s homage to pulp adventures. The script and acting in... -
LEE'S STYLE BLOG: Beloved Rip It Up Essentials
To start off the style blogs on Rip It Up we are going to take it back to basics, back to our favorite jackets, holy Motley Crue t-shirts, ripped jeans and we better not forget our ever precious Dr Marten boots. These items of clothing portray comfort, your personal style and most of all the history... -
DOWNLOADS OF THE WEEK: The Jealous Guys, The Weeknd, Cocaine 80s
With their introspective and extrospective view of hip hop combined with perfectly placed rhythmic... -
INTERVIEW: Isaac Aesili of Funkommunity
Funkommunity is the new project from vocalist Rachel Fraser and producer, DJ and multi-instrumentalist Isaac Aesili, names which will be familiar to many of you with a working knowledge of the New Zealand soul and beats scene. -
REVIEW: The Art Of Flight Soundtrack
I like music. I like snowboarding. It is no surprise then that I really like the soundtrack to The Art of Flight – the snowboarding film to change all snowboarding films (apparently). I haven’t seen the film yet, but merely watching the trailer has excited a few snowgasms. I am thoroughly lookin... -
DOWNLOADS OF THE WEEK: Wale ft. Kid Cudi, Mac Miller, XV
I read in a Complex interview that Cudi didn't want to work with Wale anymore after a wee bit of beef. So what the hell is this then? Rappers making up and being friends? That’s not gangster. I’m glad that sometimes diplomacy can get a result. -
REVIEW: Active Child - You Are All I See
Listening to You Are All I See makes me feel like I’m on the moon, and with track names like ‘High Priestess’, ‘Ancient Eye’ and... -
REVIEW: Kimbra - Vows
At its core, Vows is a soul record, digging deep into a crate including Prince, Arethra Franklin, Sinatra, and a swag of Motown artists. The record is carefully orchestrated throughout, utilising its melodic artillery effectively, whether filling as much aural space as possible (e.g. ‘Cameo Lover... -
REVIEW: Big Talk - Big Talk
Following in the footsteps of Brandon Flowers, Killers’ drummer Ronnie Vannucci shows he didn’t want to join his band mates in taking a sabbatical by getting together with his old guitarist Taylor Milne and creating Big Talk, an outing that proves once and for all that you should never underesti... -
DOWNLOADS OF THE WEEK: Common, Gilbere Forte, David Lynch
It is easy to imagine Common recording this. Half smile, half snarl as he spits into the pop filter. It is his... -
INTERVIEW: Amy Lee Of Evanescence
I was in LA when the Evanescence single 'Bring Me To Life' was released, and to say it was a hit of tsunami-like magnitude would be an understatement. Every store on every corner was blasting it, and you couldn’t turn on MTV without seeing the accompanying video that spawned a million goth mall ra... -
GAME REVIEW: Dead Island
I have a confession to make. I’m becoming increasingly bored with zombie games. Without a doubt they are taking over as the undead younger brother to the tired “World War II” staple. Hell, some developers have thrown their hands in the air and sold out to both — I’m not looking at you at a... -
REVIEW: Wu Lyf - Go Tell Fire To The Mountain
A girl recently told me that when we were growing up as teenagers, she secretly liked me because “I was mysterious”. I thought I was just being the shy kid, but it seemed to be an inadvertent plan that worked (to my surprise), and one I’ve tried to run with; (a few good wins – but also to my... -
DOWNLOADS OF THE WEEK: Deerhoof, The Internet, Pusha T
For a band that laughs in the face of ‘proper’ song structure they really are still able to keep things so tight. Every punch of noise in this live album is perfectly in time. Even when it does get loose you can’t help but feel it’s meant to be. I guess if you tour non-stop for 17 years then... -
INTERVIEW: Baths
American musician Will Wiesenfield has been making and performing music for more than a minute. Raised in Woodland Hills now residing in Chatsworth, California, he started out playing piano as a child, before learning the electronic music trade in his teens, and serving an apprenticeship of sorts th... -
DOWNLOADS OF THE WEEK: Wait What, The Checks, Domo Genesis
What a simple concept, to take an airy indie act and combine them with the hard hitting vocals of rap. But if it is so simple then why did you not think of it? Most often -
DVD REVIEW: Rubber
Here’s a film about a rubber tire mired in the desert sands that becomes perversely animated, filled with some life-force that seems to give the round and rolling object a consciousness a sense of purpose - ultimately turning it into a killer tire. It starts off slow, breaking bottles and small an... -
RIP IT UP MOVIE CLUB: Rip It Up’s Top 10 Sports Movies
Love it or loathe it… there is no denying that the 2011 Rugby World Cup has captivated the country like no event before it. Featuring fireworks, flags and flash-hakas… the next few weeks will go down in history marking quite possibly the biggest sporting event ever to be hosted in our small nati... -
GAME REVIEW: Driver: San Fransisco
With over 300km of sandbox roads, free-roaming mission-oriented game play and a recognizable interpretation of a US city, you could confuse Driver: San Francisco with a Grand Theft Auto title. However, just like back in 1998 when Reflections Interactive -
ARTIST OF THE WEEK: Haunted Love
Back in 2009, we introduced you to Haunted Love in the Who's Next section in the magazine. Herein, we reconnect with the duo, giving you the lowdown on their debut album. -
DOWNLOADS OF THE WEEK: Stacy Barthe, Sigur Ros, Chris Isaak
Chances are if you have ears you have already heard heaps from Stacy Barthe. She is the person... -
INTERVIEW: Tonight Alive
Up and coming aussie rock act Tonight Alive popped into Rip It Up to chat about their latest album 'What Are You So Scared Of?' .. and gave us an exclusive free track download! -
EXCLUSIVE FREE DOWNLOAD: Tonight Alive - Breaking & Entering
One of Australia's most exciting up and coming rock acts Tonight Alive were in the country this week and... -
REVIEW: Wolf Gang - Suego Faults
I couldn't help but sit in amazement when listening to the opening track (‘Lions In Cages’) of Wolf Gang's Suego Faults. The melody, the rhythm, the resonance… all of which felt like I was listening to an appropriation of MGMT's ‘Kids’. -
GAME REVIEW: Little Big Planet Vita Hands On
Successful beyond most people's wildest dreams, Media Molecule's 2008 PlayStation 3 title LittleBigPlanet caught many - including industry commentators and gamers alike - by surprise. Its charming mix of adorable characters, approachable gameplay, and intuitive content-creation tools formed a robust... -
NEWS: Avalanche City Take Out APRA Silver Scroll Award For 2011
Avalanche City's Dave Baxter has taken out the most prestigious award in New Zealand music tonight by being honoured with the 2011 APRA Silver Scroll Award for 'Love Love Love'. -
GAME REVIEW: Resistance 3
When Sony launched the PlayStation 3 back in 2006, Resistance: Fall of Man was, quite literally their “pièce de résistance”. Since that time, the post-apocalyptic shooter that chronicles a chilling and devastating invasion has gone on to sell millions of copies, both on the PS3 and Sony’s ha... -
ARTIST OF THE WEEK: Cults
Cults’ Brian Oblivion and Madeline Follin are strolling through the streets of New York after seeing 4AD band tUnE-YarDs play. It’s late at night and the city sounds remarkably quiet, though navigating what traffic and pedestrians there are on foot isn’t an ideal way to conduct an interview. -
DOWNLOADS OF THE WEEK: Blink-182, Elzhi, King Fantastic
I am a big fan from way back. When I heard Blink were doing it all over again I felt what I think we all felt – excited to hear and see them again, but wondering if perhaps it would just come across as pathetic, desperate and sad. When the first single dropped I had to try real hard to take someth... -
RIP IT UP MOVIE CLUB: Johnny English Reborn, Footloose, Real Steel
I’ve gone for a bit of a nostalgia trip for this week’s Rip It Up Movie Club, as I take a look at three films to... -
CONNOR'S BLOG: Five Tunes You Need To Listen To This Week
Here are five sweet new tunes you simply need to listen to this week. -
DVD REVIEW: Foo Fighters - Back and Forth
I’ve found the really great music documentaries I’ve seen are engaging because of the talent being interviewed, more so than because of the music that surrounds them. Take Metallica’s Some Kind of Monster; although the album that was produced out of that era was universally hailed as their wor... -
ARTIST OF THE WEEK: The Black Lips
When Black Lips frontman Cole Alexander finally takes the phone from his tour manager at 2pm US time, he sounds both completely disinterested and incredibly high. Erratic, partly nonsensical and often incomprehensible, his behaviour is hardly surprising considering the track record of the band as a ... -
FREE DOWNLOAD: Photonic - You, Babbling Fluent Babylonian
New Zealand based electronic soloist Photonic is to release his third album Rif Mountains on September 12th. The twelve-track disk features all-original compositions from Photonic’s Craig Scott, including the new radio single ‘Gold Rush’. -
DOWNLOADS OF THE WEEK: STS, Terius Nash, Gallows
Why should you sit up, read this and listen to STS? How about because he has already featured on several tracks from The Roots! You want more than that? Well then, maybe because he has the support and production of Ski Beatz, Emile (Kid Cudi’s pervious producer), Will Power and The Knux? Still not... -
REVIEW: Pitbull - Planet Pit
He may be the go-to rapper for every pop/dance track cluttering up the top 50 right now, but Pitbull has been chipping away and carving out a career for a few years now. This is in fact his sixth studio album, and although he may not be winning lyricist awards any time soon, there’s no denying tha... -
RIP IT UP MOVIE CLUB: Abduction, The Zoo Keeper, What’s Your Number?
This week the Rip It Up Movie Club takes a look at three movies which will be released over the next few... -
REVIEW: The Horrors - Skying
Originally panned as being nothing more than a novelty band with silly names, this post punk flavoured five piece from Essex answered their critics with the brilliant, Portishead-assisted sophomore album Primary Colours. -
GAME REVIEW: Gears of War 3
I got to play 4 player co-op through the first Act of Gears 3 at a recent event and while I definitely enjoyed myself I wasn’t wowed by anything that I played. As the third game in the series, it is safe to say you mostly know what to expect from a Gears game when it comes to the gameplay – in t... -
REVIEW: Gotye - Making Mirrors
Gotye (aka. the alter ego of Australian multi-instrumental musician Wouter De Backer) is a bit difficult to define musically; he seems to be a bit of a post-modern music box – which is always a risky venture – the form tends to up a matter of taste. Making Mirrors, for the most part, makes the i... -
GAME REVIEW: Forza Motorsport 4
Forza Motorsport 4 is the next title in Microsoft's exclusive racing simulation. But is that all it is? We had a chance to have a sit-down with Dan Greenawalt, the creative director for developer Turn 10 studios and one of just a few people involved with the series since it was originally pitched, a... -
ARTIST OF THE WEEK: Trivium
For Florida metal band Trivium, things have moved awfully fast. Barely out of their teens, they exploded onto the global metal scene with their debut album Ascendancy in 2005, which was certified gold in the UK and won them Best New International Artist in Kerrang! that same year. -
DOWNLOADS OF THE WEEK: Peoples, Adult Swim, Radical Face
Believing In Greatness. The title really does some it all up. Its like a hip-hop self help book, but written on a level that is a lot easier to appreciate and harder to dismiss. -
REVIEW: Hollie Smith & Mara TK - Band Of Brothers Vol: 1
On this very special album, contemporary local soul sensation Hollie Smith teams up with Mara TK (of Electric Wire Hustle and Fly My Pretties fame), to create Band of Brothers Vol: 1 - the long awaited follow up to her critically acclaimed solo efforts Long Player and Humour and the Misfortune of Ot... -
RIP IT UP MOVIE CLUB: The Help, Jane Eyre, Friends With Benefits
Welcome back to the Rip It Up Movie Club. This week I check out a highly anticipated drama featuring one of the hottest young talents in Hollywood, a remake of an old classic and what appears to be a remake of a not-so-classic romcom from earlier this year. -
REVIEW: Kanye West & Jay-Z - Watch The Throne
Kanye West’s My Dark Twisted Fantasy was really good – great actually. Jay-Z’s latest Blueprint was a bit average to be honest. Maybe Watch the Throne is the self-proclaimed King of New York’s attempt at wrestling back the crown from the very protégé he created (and who co-wrote the record... -
REVIEW: Eddie Vedder - Ukulele Songs
Every massively successful rockstar gets to a point in his or her life - usually after the age of 40 - when the critics and the album sales no longer matter, and money and fame afford you a certain degree of invincibility. You attempt to buy protected land for eco ventures (see: Edge, The) and you m... -
ARTIST OF THE WEEK: Cairo Knife Fight
Perennial jokers, Nick Gaffaney and Aaron Tokona a.k.a Christchurch's Cairo Knife Fight also have a serious side. Not that it surfaces much. -
REVIEW: Jamie Woon - Mirrorwriting
I don’t think that fusing minimal dubstep and soul is an entirely new concept, but for some reason 2011 has sent the innovative genre to a wider audience with the likes of James Blake, The Weeknd, and Italian producer Nicolas Jaar all releasing some pretty amazing music this year. Though Jamie Woo... -
REVIEW: Boy & Bear - Moonfire
Moonfire is the debut album from Sydney based folk/roots band Boy & Bear. The band formed back in 2009 and was originally a solo project for singer/guitarist Dave Hosking. All members are strong singer songwriters and originally all fronted bands before joining Boy & Bear. -
DOWNLOADS OF THE WEEK: The Weeknd, Worship, Danny Brown
After the massively positive critical response to the previous release, House of Balloons, this next installment from the Toronto-based R&B crooner was expected to be hotter than eating raw chilli while standing on a black sand beach in the height of summer. -
CONNOR'S BLOG: Splendour In The Grass Day Two
After a well needed sleep I awoke into Day 2 of Splendour. Showered, ate and walked over the hill and into the grounds. First up was the wonderful Cut Off Your Hands who played at noon on the amphitheatre stage. It didn’t seem as though there were heaps of people because of the size of the hill ho... -
REVIEW: Metronomy - The English Riviera
The official website describes The English Riviera using words and phrases such as ‘relaxation and convalescence’, ‘a unique experience’, a ‘romantic' location during the Napoleonic Wars. -
SHARYN'S BLOG: Taylor Swift In Chicago
People have asked me if I thought doing 40 hours of flying to Chicago by myself and vomiting from jetlag was worth it. But after interviewing Taylor Swift & seeing her live show – The answer is YES. -
RIP IT UP MOVIE CLUB: Top 10 Succesful Genre Mash-Ups
With Cowboys & Aliens being released this past week it’s made me wonder...what exactly do you need for a successful genre mash-up? -
TOP 10: Red Hot Chili Peppers Songs
With the new Red Hot Chili Peppers album just around the corner I thought it might be a good time to have a look back at their past successes in the form of a Top 10 Chilis songs. -
DOWNLOADS OF THE WEEK: Crosses, Dirty Sesh & Chris Brown
Crosses is full of the usual vocal talent, energy and melodramatic-ness you would expect as the new side project from Deftones’ front man -
REVIEW: Washed Out - Within And Without
The term “chillwave” sounds exactly how it is – that feeling of paralysed contentment after a sun-struck session on the ocean. Washed Out, one of the genre’s -
CONNOR'S BLOG: Day 1 At Splendour In The Grass
After landing in Brisbane after being treated like kings by those killer dudes at Grabaseat on the flight over we grabbed our backpacks and positive festie vibes and spent Thursday afternoon picking up the necessary supplies for the weekend ahead. before retiring to our hotel for what we hope for a... -
DOWNLOADS OF THE WEEK: Lollapalooza Mixtape, J Cole, Youth Lagoon
I’m not going to bother with reviews out of 5 or stars or “likes” or any of that rubbish. If it’s on here then it's... -
GUEST BLOG: Janine & The Mixtape in New York City
One of the most exciting new artist to grace New Zealand at the moment is Janine & The Mixtape. Her soulful mix of synth-pop is infectious and insanely catchy. Janine recently spent a month in New York recording and playing shows and has kindly writen us a blog about her travels. -
REVIEW: Tyler, The Creator - Goblin
Earlier this year when I first heard Tyler, the Creator’s ghoulish EP Bastard, I remember thinking that it made Kanye West’s My Dark Twisted Fantasy sound like a school girl’s daydream. I listened to it three times back-to-back; the first time it shocked me to the core, the second time it made... -
ARTIST OF THE WEEK: I Am Giant
On The Horrifying Truth, I Am Giant have bound together what they describe as “a collection of stories, thoughts, observations and exploration” into one cohesive and hard-hitting explosion of sound and melody. -
FEATURE: Interview With Kimbra
Being name checked by Perez Hilton will garner you some major worldwide attention, but it’s her unique songwriting and tone that make Hamilton born Kiwi Kimbra one of a kind. -
RIP IT UP MOVIE CLUB: Three Films We Can't Wait To See
With Marvel’s The Avengers due out next year, we still have the rest of the year to be introduced to the colossal ensemble of super heroes -
FEATURE: NZ Finalists For The Footlocker Art Prize Announced
The top entries for the Footlocker Art Prize have been announced and we can now reveal the 5 kiwis who have made it through to the finals. -
ARTIST OF THE WEEK: Katy B
Working alongside the likes of Benga, Geeneus, Magnetic Man and Zinc, singer/songwriter Katy B is helping to take credible underground UK dance music culture overground. -
CONNOR'S BLOG: New Video Goodness
Kia Ora! So there are some great new videos out that you should all watch. Firstly New Zealand's most excited and friendly band The Good Fun! This is the new one for their latest single 'Karaoke'. -
REVIEW: Cut Off Your Hands - Hollow
A few weeks ago I was in Wellington for work. I stayed on for the weekend and naturally gravitated toward Slow Boat Records on Cuba St. Upon purchasing the new Fleet Foxes record (amazing, by the way), I again naturally asked the counter chick if “anything was happening” that night. As it turns... -
REVIEW: Dirty Beaches - Badlands
For those of us still in the Southern Hemisphere, I think it’s pretty safe to say that winter has finally made it. Most of us have swapped the surf for snow (although I managed to slot in both over the weekend – the water turned my brain into ice cream!) and surf-related music has been rightly s... -
ARTIST OF THE WEEK: The Vietnam War
Representing a certain facet of the Grey Lynn and K Road state of mind, The Vietnam War's stirring country tunes have been kept low profile for far too long. -
NEWS: Patrick Dempsey: Transformers was amazing
Patrick Dempsey “loved every minute of” filming Transformers: Dark of the Moon with director Michael Bay and co-star Shia LaBeouf. -
REVIEW: Lyrics Born - As U Were
The theme of As U Were is obvious from a quick glance at the tracklist, which features titles such as ‘Kontrol Phreak’, ‘I Wanna B W/U’, ‘Coulda Woulda Shoulda’ and ‘Lies X 3’, to name but a few. Add ‘(What Happened 2 Our) Love Affair?’, which concludes the set, and yes this does... -
REVIEW: Foster The People - Torches
“Sometimes life it takes you by the hair, before you know it, it’s gone and you’re dead again”. Foster the People’s Torches opening line punches you right in the heart with its agonising semi-haiku of love and love lost. -
REVIEW: Taking Back Sunday - Taking Back Sunday
Taking Back Sunday are back, and their new self-titled record is a fresh start from a band reunited with their original line up. But they are back, and the music is as solid as ever. -
CONNOR'S BLOG: Five Bands You Need To Listen To This Week
Here are five smashing songs from five incredible bands you should definitely check out this week. -
REVIEW: City And Colour - Little Hell
Well, we are in a new decade and it seems ‘emo’ has had its day (for now). Following this, it is not surprising that City & Colour aka Dallas Green has moved back in time (sort of), taking a page from Ryan Adams' book and sliding into those truly time-tested genres of country/folk/rock. He does ... -
ARTIST OF THE WEEK: Battles
Battles recover from two tumultuous years and release Gloss Drop, an album that cohesively summarises these struggles. Mirrored, the critically acclaimed debut from American post-rockers -
BOOK REVIEW: Husker Du: The Story of the Noise-Pop Pioneers
That title may be a bold claim, but there is a lot of truth to it too. Andrew Earles (also known for his fine essays in the AC/DC High Voltage Ultimate Illustrated book and in Vice magazine), has compiled a fine book that documents all phases of one of the most important bands in American history. -
REVIEW: American: The Bill Hicks Story
“I don’t like anything in the mainstream and they don’t like me” - Bill Hicks. As I watched this truly impressive and comprehensive biographical appreciation of -
REVIEW: Bridesmaids
Bridesmaids is a raunchy comedy about a bridal party in the lead up to a wedding - and may set alarm bells ringing in the minds of many movie watchers. That’s fair enough, but if you’re thinking Sex and the City meets Bride Wars - don’t. Both those movies are utter rubbish and Bridesmaids is b... -
NEWS: Child Jumping Fad Scores Top Honours At The 2011 V48Hours Final
Chumping: the unusual game of jumping over unsuspecting children. The new ‘fad’ had hundreds in... -
ARTIST OF THE WEEK: Liam Finn
After globetrotting around the planet with bands like Pearl Jam, Wilco and the Black Keys, Liam Finn has fashioned a new album that explores a new sound - and recording process. -
REVIEW: DiRT 3
Some of us are born with it. That adrenaline-fueled desire to want to push things to their limits. To drive that extra bit faster, to corner a little bit tighter and to be airborne for slightly longer next time you hit that jump. Sadly, a lot of these same people also have a shorter lifespan. But fo... -
REVIEW: When You're Strange: A Film About The Doors
In 1971, Jim Morrison was dead at 27 years old. His body was found in a Paris hotel room bath, heroin and whiskey having done what they do. -
BALCONYTV: The Adults Perform New Song 'Anniversary'
Jon Toogood and Julia Deans from The Adults graced the BalconyTV Auckland balcony a couple of weeks back and boy did they deliver. Check out their performance of new song 'Anniversary'. -
GALLERY: Cut Off Your Hands w/ Ghost Wave & Panther & The Zoo
Indie darlings Cut Off Your Hands played the Kings Arms in Auckland on Friday. Our photographer Amanda Ratcliffe went along and caught some pics. -
REVIEW: The Low Anthem - Smart Flesh
I must admit that I was predisposed to like The Low Anthem, based solely upon the title of their previous release, Oh My God, Charlie Darwin. Luckily for my prejudice, I was not let down. -
ARTIST OF THE WEEK: Unknown Mortal Orchestra
From hobbyist bedroom recordings to wowing ?uestlove and staying on the road forever, Ruban Nielson's Unknown Mortal Orchestra project is taking him to the places we always expected The Mint Chicks would. -
LUKE'S BLOG: Highlights From Glastonbury 2011
Despite being on the other side of the world we can still enjoy all the glory of this weekend's Glastonbury Festival thanks to the fine folks at the BBC and the wonders of the internet. Below is a collection of performances from the weekend that caught our fancy. -
REVIEW: British India - Avalanches
One of the remaining flagbearers of the garage rock explosion, Avalanches marks British India’s third outing. It’s been met with a deal of trepidation by the Australian public - their last album, Thieves, being very much the problematic second album bands struggle with. What makes this release a... -
REVIEW: UNKLE - Only The Lonely
It is perhaps apt timing that UNKLE’s latest EP, Only The Lonely, has come out around the time James Lavelle’s touring Australasia. With some calling this ‘leftovers’ and others a companion piece to Where Did The Night Fall, Only The Lonely boasts collaborative efforts with Leila Moss (the D... -
REVIEW: The Kills - Blood Pressures
They have built a career on being edgier and grittier than their peers, but there’s been concern that Jamie Hince and Alison Mosshart offer not much other than a bit of hustle and bustle. On ‘Midnight Boom’, The Kills integrate a certain rhythmic and stylistic adventurousness with their minima... -
REVIEW: The Dodos - No Color
It's redemption time for Long and Kroeber - highly touted as revivalists of a once-more stagnant alternative folk movement stemming from their second album Visiter. They've learned the hard way that changing a formula sometimes is for the worst. -
REVIEW: Alexander - Alexander
In late 2009 while staying with a friend in Marina Del Ray, Los Angeles, I was introduced to the hobo-folk-symphony that is Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros. I’m not sure why, but there was something about the Cat Stevens meets the Pogues genius of Up From Below that perfectly fit my LA experien... -
REVIEW: Noah And The Whale - Last Night On Earth
‘There is more to be found in the world than dreams'. Preoccupied throughout with the boundary between youth and age, innocence and nostalgia, big dreams and their pallid reality, Noah and the Whale’s third release, Last Night On Earth, -
CONNOR'S BLOG: The Final Day At Coachella 2011
Coming into day three of Coachella Music & Arts festival the facts must come out. All up nearly 100,000 people attended the festival. It really puts it in to perspective how massive this festival is thus having such a massive line-up and day three was by far the best. -
REVIEW: 2011 Headphone Review
Local DJ Scott Lelo takes a look at a full range of headphones currently available in New Zealand. -
CONNORS BLOG: Breaking Down Friendly Fires New Album Pala
Firstly let me say that this album has got hits. The sun drenched, Hawaiian-shirt wearing boys are back with an album that will make your hips swing like never before. -
MAGAZINE: June / July 2011 Issue Of Rip It Up In Stores Now
The new issue of Rip It Up is a huge movie special and includes a visit to The Hangover: Part 2 set in Bangkok, where we get up close and personal with the wolf pack. -
REVIEW: Nicolas Jaar - Space Is Only Noise
Chilean producer, Nicolas Jaar makes you feel like you are swimming underwater. In fact, Space Is Only Noise has as much to do with feeling as it does with listening; it’s a multi-sensory experience that takes a while to grow, but wisdom knows that patience makes the heart grow stronger – which ... -
NEWS: Foo Fighters Release New Video for 'Walk'
The Foo Fighters have released their new video for 'Walk' off the Wasting Light.. and it's a good Classic Foo Fighters style video... -
FEATURE: Interview With Avalanche City
Fresh off a massive promotional tour of the US and UK, Avalanche City are literally taking the world by storm. We caught up with man behind it all Dave Baxter to ask him about what he's been up to, his thoughts on the state of NZ music and what the rest of 2011 has in store for him and the band. -
REVIEW: The Hangover: Part Two
So 'The Wolfpack' have returned for yet another 100 minutes of carnage and debauchery. Although this time they find themselves in trouble in a place way out of their comfort zone. The story is pretty simple. Stu (Ed Helms) is getting married in Thailand,So 'The Wolfpack' have returned for yet ano... -
ARTIST OF THE WEEK: Kidz In Space
Inter-galactical pop visionaries Kidz in Space have just released their long awaited and highly anticipated debut album Ghost. To celebrate the release we thought we'd have a look back at the history of the group and how they have come to be one of New Zealand's most exciting new acts. -
REVIEW: David Dallas - The Rose Tint
There has long been a saying that “the best things in life are free”. Then along came the internet and all of a sudden everything was free. We all know the sad tale of p2p pioneers Napster, and the subsequent punitive response from the major labels (which actually stunted the growth of the music... -
REVIEW: The Weeknd - House Of Balloons
I get a strong feeling that The Weeknd’s Abel Tesfaye has dropped the “e” in “weekend” because he, well, drops a few of those deceptive little ‘happy pills’ himself once Friday draws to a close. -
REVIEW: Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues
As a youngster I remember being hauled along by my parents to various folk festivals around the Waikato region. These little get-togethers happened at the foot of Mt Te Aroha, the Hunua Ranges and everywhere in between. -
SHARYN'S BLOG: Getting Ready For The Gaga Invasion
Not long to go now until Lady Gaga’s album ‘Born this Way’ will be out and I cannot wait!!!!!! It’s gonna be really interesting to see how her music has evolved for the entire album since the first 3 singles have all been so different. -
NZ MUSIC MONTH: Interview With Kimbra
As part of our series on NZ Music Month 2011 we caught up with the wonderful Kimbra to find out what life is like for her over in Melbourne, who her inspirations are and what we can expect from her upcoming debut album 'Vows'. Watch the video below. -
NZ MUSIC MONTH: Interview With Clap Clap Riot
Clap Clap Riot are finally getting set to release their very long awaited debut album later in the year. With the recent release of their brand new single 'Everyone's Asleep' and as part of our 2011 Music Month series we talked to frontman Stephen Heard about the new single, the upcoming new record ... -
NZ MUSIC MONTH: Interview With Kidz In Space
As part of our celebration of NZ Music Month we caught up with Matt and Ashley from Kidz In Space to talk about NZ Music Month, what its like touring with the likes of Kora and Gin Wigmore and the release of their upcoming debut album, Ghost. Watch the video below. -
NZ MUSIC MONTH: Interview With Cut Off Your Hands
Kiwi indie darlings Cut Off Your Hands are back! Hallelujah! After almost 2 years of being off the radar the Auckland based band are set to release their second album Hollows in July on Speak n Spell Records. -
REVIEW: Lykke Li - Wounded Rhymes
There seems to be a lot of female hurt coming out of Scandinavia at the moment. Last year, petite pop legend Robyn took Nordic heartbreak to exciting new levels through the amazing Body Talk series. On a more ‘indie’ level, the androgynous meandering of Karin Dreijer Andersson (The Knife, Fever ... -
CONNOR'S BLOG: Coachella Day Two
Woke up at the La Quinta Resort and Spa after an amazing sleep on a cushioned beach chair, after the 3am Taco stand (that were amazing) and the picking up of my bags from the front desk it was straight to get a quick bite at Louise’s Pantry. Amazing service & amazing omelettes. -
REVIEW: Left Or Right w/ Mountaineater & Alazarin Lizard At Sammys, Dunedin
Sammy's has got to be one of the coolest venues in NZ, straight up. The perfect blend of size, aesthetic, vibe... -
REVIEW: Frank Ocean - Nostalgia, Ultra
In a culture that’s smothered by the likes of Usher, Chris Brown and other mainstream darlings, it’s easy to write off the entire RnB genre as one that’s entirely made to market; where the goal is to merely ‘make money’, not actual art. -
RIP IT UP TV: Friday May 6 - Episode 28
On this weeks episode of Rip It Up TV we talk exclusively to Kidz In Space + new music videos from The Wombats, Lady Gaga, Eddie Vedder, Dutch Uncle, Taking Back Sunday & Chooka. Plus new movie trails for Green Lantern, The Devils Double, 30 Minutes Or Less. Enjoy! -
LUKE'S BLOG: Sad News + New Music From TBS, Liam Finn, Arctic Monkeys & Kimbra
We got some sad news last week with the big boss man Phil Bell (aka DJ Sir-Vere) announcing he will be... -
CONNOR'S BLOG: Coachella Day One
This here is the story of my travels to the glorious Coachella Music Festival 2011 in the Indio dessert, California. After an amazing flight thanks to Grabaseat with the NZ Cheerleading team I landed in at LAX, -
NEWS: Homebrew Finally Release Their Long Awaited Music Video
It's been a long time coming but Homebrew have finally finished the music video for their latest single 'Underneath The Shade'. (Watch below). -
REVIEW: Toro Y Moi - Underneath The Pine
Toro y Moi can be loosely translated from the “Espanola-Françoise” to English as meaning “the bull and me” which in no way describes young-wonder Chaz Bundick’s hazy phosphorescence (dubbed “chillwave” by some music journalists). It’s probably a coincidence that the act played in Bu... -
VIDEO: Rip It Up TV Friday April 29
This weeks episode of Rip It Up TV features new music videos from Moby, The Decemberists, Manchester Orchestra, Lykke Li, Kimbra, Bruno Mars and the Beastie Boys. Plus nw movie trailers for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, Hesher and Crazy Stupid Love. -
GALLERY: Derek Trucks & Susan Tedeschi Band At The Powerstation
Legendary American guitarist Derek Trucks was last night joined by the amazing Susan Tedeschi Band at a packed... -
REVIEW: The Parallax: Hypersleep Dialogues by Between The Buried & Me
Between the Buried and Me are a band that have consistently produced fantastic material since their... -
GALLERY: New Photos From The Upcoming Comedy Your Highness
We can't wait to see the new medieval comedy, Your Highness starring Danny Mcbride, James Franco, Natalie Portman & Zooey Deschanel. Check out a bunch of new photos from the film. -
REVIEW: Mortal Kombat For PS3/Xbox 360
The fighting game series that has showcased over-the-top violence for nearly 20 years has finally made it to store shelves for its 9th iteration. However instead of simply tacking the number 9 to the end, this new Mortal Kombat is a reboot of the series, starting over with a clean slate and looking ... -
FEATURE: The Ten Most Underrated Foo Fighters Songs
In celebration of the Foo Fighters being on our latest cover and their new album Wasting Light dominating the charts around the world we thought why not look back over the bands back catalogue and pick out the 'Ten most underrated Foos songs'. RipItUp.co.nz writer Hugh Collins shares his thoughts on... -
REVIEW: The Peoples Key by Bright Eyes
Conor Oberst is a songwriter who has spent a career poeticising the all-time divisive topics of religion and spirituality, and the lived-out realities which emerge from them (from soup kitchens to suicide bombers). Notable records through Obert’s moniker Bright Eyes include, country/folk modern cl... -
REVIEW: Battlefield Play4Free
The idea of "free" games with a pay-as-you-go scheme attached is not new, but this new entry in the Battlefield series, the second to use the "freemium" model (after 2009's Battlefield Heroes), goes a long way to cement the model outside of Asia (where it has been a popular method of charging people... -
LUKE'S BLOG: Jimmy Eat World Top 10 Live Performances
To celebrate tonight's Jimmy Eat World show in Auckland at The Powerstation I thought I'd put together a lil Top 10 list of my favourite Jimmy Eat World songs and live performances. I was over in Sydney last week for a bit of a holiday with friends and was lucky enough to get hooked up with a free t... -
REVIEW: Invented By Jimmy Eat World
Every one of us has two or three bands that saw us through our youth, allowing us to express what we couldn’t say or think in our developing minds; in essence, allowing us – through musical form – to understand whatever we were going through at the time. Jimmy Eat World were one of those bands... -
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REVIEW: Wasting Light By Foo Fighters
From the minute the first track ‘Bridge Burning’ explodes from your speakers, you know quite clearly that this is a new album from the Foos - delivering yet another collection of absolute stormers that would fill any stadium to capacity and then some. -
REVIEW: Beastwars By Beastwars
Jam-packed with more action than a season of 24, Beastwars’ self-titled debut is one of the most jaw dropping metal albums I've ever heard recorded in New Zealand. -
VIDEO: Rip It Up TV - Friday April 8
This weeks episode of Rip It Up TV features Death Cab For Cuties live video shoot, Britneys apocalypse vid, Beastie Boys Trailer, The Kills performing live on Radio1, Fleet Foxes, and the trailer for Scream 4.. -
NEWS: Death Cab For Cutie - Pull Off Live Video Shoot!
In one take live to the internet Death Cab For Cutie shot their video for 'You Are A Tourist' off the upcoming album Codes and Keys -
GALLERY: SXSW Music + Film Festival, Austin, Texas
SXSW Music + Film Festival took place in Austin, Texas a couple of weeks back. Here's some pics from the week featuring The Strokes, TV On The Radio, The Kills, Chk Chk Chk. -
GALLERY: Body Rock 2011 In Wellington
New Zealand’s longest running bboy event went down on Friday the 4th of March at Civic Square in Wellington. -
GALLERY: The Drab Doo-Riffs 'Scraps Tour' In Hamilton
The Drab Doo Riffs are on a nationwide tour at the moment. We sent our photographer Amanda Ratcliffe to their show over the weekend at Ward Lane in Hamilton. -
WHO'S NEXT: Gareth Thomas
Lady Alien, the new solo record from singer/multi-instrumentalist Gareth Thomas of Goodshirt, can be loosely defined as being, "about a girlfriend from outer space". Talking from the sewing studio in Ellerslie, Auckland that serves as his current crashpad, -
VIDEO: Mercury Crowe On BalconyTV Auckland
Wellington based Mercury Crowe visited BalconyTV Auckland recently to perform their single 'Ride' off their debut self titled EP. -
NEWS: The Melvins Talk About The Christchurch Earthquake
American Hardcore Punk band The Melvins have spoken out about being caught up in last weeks tragic earthquake in Christchurch. Frontman Buzz Osborne revealed to Spinner the bands lucky escape. "We were at the airport just seconds away from checking our bags when the first big rolling quake hit. If t... -
REVIEW: Campus A Low Hum 2011 In An Explore More Van
Since it's inception in 2007, Camp A Low Hum has gained a reputation for being an elite music festival. The line up is kept top secret until the festival gates open and Blink (the organiser) deliberately avoids publicity. This makes for a very exciting buzz ahead of the festival and lots of speculat... -
GALLERY: Campus A Low Hum 2011
A Low Hum is the on-going project founded by photographer and music impresario Blink (born Ian Jorgensen), and is based in Wellington, New Zealand. Under the umbrella A LOW HUM, Blink organises tours, releases records, makes music videos, organises one-off events/festivals and publishes magazines & ... -
NEWS: Queens Of The Stone Age Cancel Wellington Show
This morning, Queens Of The Stone Age announced the cancellation of their Christchurch gig and the postponemnet of their Wellington date from tonight to tomorrow night. The band have now confirmed that the Wellington show has been canceled. So to clarify, the band played Auckland earlier this week b... -
NEWS: Queens Of The Stone Age Rethink NZ Tour
Following the devastating earthquake in Christchurch yesterday; Queens Of The Stone Age have postponed their Wellington concert and canceled their Christchurch concert. The Frontier Touring Company regrets to advise that, due to the latest Christchurch Earthquake, the Queens of the Stone Age show at... -
BLOG: Celebrity Beef
Celebrity beef pisses me off, since when did it become a way to sell records? Have you noticed the last 3 albums 50 Cent has released he’s had a beef with a massive rapper beforehand to catch your attention? -
NEWS: Radiohead Have Released The King Of Limbs For Download
Following news of a mystery broadcast from Hachiko Square in the Shibuya district of Tokyo, Japan; Radiohead have canceled the broadcast due to security fears. Thousands of fans traveled to the square in the hope of an appearance by the band despite an official announcement that Radiohead would not ... -
INTERVIEW: Julia Deans In Preparation For GrassRoots
Are you looking forward to playing the GrassRoots festival? Hell yeah! Do you ever get nervous before performing? I do, particularly at festivals and events where there are a whole lot of acts performing. It's easier to feel more at ease when it's your own show, as you get to set up and get a feel f... -
REVIEW: Dead Space 2
It’s been three years since Isaac Clarke left on the rescue mission to the USG Ishimura. Three years of nightmares and visions that have left him tied in a straight jacket and locked in the bowels of the Sprawl. That is until the Sprawl, a giant space station orbiting Saturn, is overrun by the hor... -
INTERVIEW: Stu Cook & Doug 'Cosmo' Clifford Of CCR
They’ve both featured on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine - one after writing the hit that made the feat famous - and both have been responsible for a string of hit songs that helped define classic rock in the US and internationally. Now, legendary rockers Creedence Clearwater Revisited and Dr ... -
NEWS: Deftones Fans Riot After Bankok Gig Cancellation
Last night, a group of Deftones fans in Bangkok rioted because the band canceled their performance after making the fans wait an hour and a half. The band were set to play the Thunderdome Arena (which can hold 25k peolpe), but were forced to cancel because of electrical problems. -
NEWS: Jim Beam Homegrown Has Almost Sold Out
There are less than 2,000 tickets left for the Jim Beam Homegrown Music Festival in Wellington on March 5 2011. The past three Homegrown’s have sold out and organisers are predicting all 17,000 tickets to be gone by the end of the week; “the last couple of thousand usually go in 2 or 3 days so i... -
REVIEW: Wuz Here By Big K.R.I.T.
Big K.R.I.T is a 24-year-old rapper and producer from Missippippi, who was recently signed to Def Jam after gaining critical acclaim with this digitally released album: Big K.R.I.T was here. Apparently he released five mixtapes before getting this far, but to be honest I had never heard of him, so i... -
NEWS: Elton John Leaks Apple's iPad 2 Plans
Elton John appears to be the unlikely leak behind details of Apple's iPad 2. The year's most anticipated - and secretive - tech launch has apparently been outed by the man so technophobic he once said we should "turn off the internet". However, it seems that his late-blooming fatherhood has softened... -
GALLERY: Parachute Music Festival 2011
The Parachute Music Festival is a Christian music festival held annually at Mystery Creek Events Centre, Hamilton, New Zealand. It lasts for three nights and four days, featuring music and a wide variety of other activities. It is usually held in the last or second to last week in January (whichever... -
REVIEW: Fornax Chemica’s Debut Album Chemical Furnace
Fornax Chemica’s debut album Chemical Furnace is 50 minutes of solid instrumental musicianship inspired by ancient Inca culture and deep space. The Auckland trio recorded their album at RadioStar Studios in California, where it was produced by Sylvia Massey (Tool, RHCP, Johnny Cash) and mastered b... -
INTERVIEW: The Cast Of Jackass 3D
To celebrate the release of Jackass 3D on DVD, we have an interview with the cast. Don't forget that you can win a copy of Jackass 3D on DVD here. An important question to start with. How many testicles were damaged in the making of Jackass 3D? Jason: All of our balls got hurt. There's nine dudes wi... -
NEWS: Enrique Iglesias Doesn't Like Valentine's Day
Enrique Iglesias has told The Belfast Telegraph that he "doesn’t like Valentine’s Day because wants to make women feel good every day". Enrique has been dating tennis star Anna Kournikova since 2001 and believes he should be nice to her all year around, so there doesn’t need to be an excuse to... -
INTERVIEW: The Jury & The Saints
With the recent release of The Jury & The Saints debut album 'Daydreams' we sat down with frontman Jesse Smith for a chat. You're still a relatively new act but in that time you've managed to achieve quite a few solid runs on the board already. Has the response to Jury and The Saints surprised you? -
BLOG: My Most Anticipated Albums For 2011
Is it just me or is this year just flying by already. January has come and gone and we're now into Febraury! Woah! One of the best things about this time of year is looking ahead in anticipation at all the exciting new releases coming out. And boy is there a lot! So many of my favourite bands have n... -
NEWS: Adele Reaches Number One In The NZ Charts
New Zealand has voted with the most defining vote of all - their wallets! Double Grammy winner - Adele gets the big thumbs up from the New Zealand public as her album '21' soars into the number one slot this week. Other territories to hit the high note include Ireland, Germany, Holland, Switzerland ... -
NEWS: Sales Of The White Stripes Rocket Following Split
Following the news of The White Stripes split earlier this week, sales of The White Stripes' albums have all increased substantially. Amazon.co.uk have reported a sales increase of 2,644 percent to The White Stripes live album and 'Under Great White Northern Lights' documentary since the announcemen... -
NEWS: RIANZ Chief Campbell Smith Moves On
Recording Industry Association CEO Campbell Smith has decided to step down from the role so he can devote more time to his artist management and concert promotion businesses. Smith accepted an invitation to lead the Recording Industry Association of New Zealand (RIANZ) in 2005. In the six years as i... -
NEWS: The Whites Stripes Have Broken Up
Jack and Meg White (who presented themselves as brother and sister but were actually ex-husband and wife) released the news with a statement on their website whitestripes.com "The reason is not due to artistic differences or lack of wanting to continue, nor any health issues as both Meg and Jack are... -
REVIEW: Man On The Moon II By Kid Cudi
Scott Mescudi aka Kid Cudi suffered his share of controversy last year with reports of a former cocaine addiction, telling fans he was bored with rap and his tendency to rage after a few too many drinks. On his sophomore effort Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr Rager, he lets his personal life im... -
NEWS: Friendly Fires Announce Second Album Title
English dance punk band Friendly Fires have announced the title of their second album. 'Pala' wll be released in the spring. Lead singer Ed Macfarlane announced the album name to NME and said that songs recorded by producers Paul Epworth and Andrew Weatherall are under consideration for inclusion. -
BLOG: Music Or Lyrics?
One of the awesome things about music is that it hits people in so many different ways. Personally music to me is emotive, majority of songs remind me of something or someone, either cause we danced to it, they hate it, I did something fun to it no matter what always someone, for example Everytime I... -
NEWS: St Jerome's Laneway Festival Release Auckland Map
St Jerome's Laneway festival is happening on Monday 31 January in Auckland. The organisers have recently released this map. -
NEWS: Return To Forever IV Auckland Show Canceled
Return To Forever IV. Hymn Of The Seventh Galaxy Tour 2011. Auckland Show Canceled. Return to Forever, featuring the reunited line-up of jazz legends - Chick Corea, Stanley Clarke Lenny White, Jean-Luc Ponty plus Australian guitarist Frank Gambale - have announced that their scheduled February 19 Au... -
REVIEW: The Big Day Out 2011
I’m proud to say this was my fifth Big Day Out, and despite the torrential downpour, it was still one of my favourite years. Especially since I’ve made rookie mistakes other times such as not drinking enough water or drinking too much, causing me to be stuck in a mosh pit with the unbearable urg... -
BLOG: Festy Fun
How good was the Big Day Out? Best one ever? I think so. Highlights were Defiantly LCD Soundsystem, Andrew W.K who brought the party, hard. Die Antwoord and Bloody Beatroots Death Crew 77, had the biggest rave with the bFM Monday 1-4 host Richie Hardcore. YEAHHH BOYYY! -
NEWS: Keanu Reveals Two 3D Sequels To The Matrix Trilogy
Keanu Reeves has revealed that the Wachowski brothers are considering two more sequels to The Matrix trilogy. Keanu who played lead character Neo in The Matrix, The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions, told Worstpreviews.com that he and the writers, Andy and Larry Wachowski, have discussed th... -
GALLERY: Shapeshifter Live At Coromandel Gold
A photo gallery of Shapeshifter performing live at Coromandel Gold. Photography by Vaughan Grigsby. -
GALLERY: The Black Seeds At Coromandel Gold
A photo gallery of The Black Seeds performing live at Coromandel Gold festival 2011. Photography by Vaughan Grigsby. -
NEWS: Amy Winehouse Collaboration With Cee Lo Green
Amy Winehouse has reportedly recorded a duet with Cee Lo Green for her new album. British tabloid newspaper The Daily Star has reported that the two singers recorded the song in St Lucia, where Amy owns a house, and where Cee Lo was recording with record producer Salaam Remi. Salaam has worked exten... -
GALLERY: The Big Day Out 2011
A photo gallery of The Big Day Out on Friday 21 January 2011. Photography by Christian Leano. Featuring Andrew W.K. Iggy Pop, Kody & Bic and more. -
GALLERY: Katchafire Live At Coromandel Gold
A photo gallery of Katchafire performing live at Coromandel Gold. Photography by Vaughan Grigsby. Katchafire is a New Zealand roots reggae band from Hamilton, New Zealand. Katchafire formed in 1997 as a Bob Marley tribute band and later began writing and performing their own songs. They have release... -
GALLERY: Kora Live At The Coroglen Tavern
A photo gallery of Kora performing live at the Coroglen Tavern on 28th December 2010. Photography by Vaughan Grigsby. Kora is a five-piece music group from New Zealand, which consists of four brothers from the Kora family. The band, which originally hails from Whakatane, fuses elements of Reggae, Ro... -
GALLERY: Kidz In Space Live At The Coroglen Tavern
A photo gallery of Kidz In Space performing live at The Coroglen Tavern on Tuesday 28th December 2010. -
NEWS: Bjork Half Way Through Seventh Studio Album
Bjork has told Icelandic newspaper Fréttablaðið, that she is halfway through completing her seventh studio album. She also alluded to a tour plan for later in the year by saying "Hopefully I will be able to be on tour in the fall". Bjork said she was wary of giving too many details about the albu... -
NEWS: St Jerome's Laneway Festival Release Timetable
With St Jerome's Laneway Festival less than two weeks away (Monday 31 January), the organisers have published the timetable. Foals are set to headline the Penny Lane stage at 9.25pm and !!! (Chk Chk Chk) are set to headline the Cherry Lane stage at 8.35pm. An Emerald City are set to open the Penny s... -
REVIEW: I Am Not A Human Being By Lil Wayne
Much like Lil Wayne’s career, I Am Not A Human Being has moments of greatness mixed with bad decision-making and sheer laziness. Lyrically, the album is just okay, with some witty lines that are worth listening to. However, Weezy’s definitely not at the top of his game with recycled ‘life’s ... -
NEWS: Mos Def Concert Postponed
Due to circumstances beyond our control, hip-hop artist Mos Def will not be performing in New Zealand and Australia this week. We wish to advise that the near-sold out Mos Def Auckland show at The Powerstation scheduled for Wednesday 19th January has been postponed. Announcement of a rescheduled Auc... -
NEWS: Nine Inch Nails Member Wins Golden Globe
Trent Reznor (of Nine Inch Nails) and co-composer Atticus Ross have been awarded a Golden Globe for Best Original Score. The two musicians won ahead of the scores for Inception and Alice In Wonderland with their soundtrack to The Social Network, the drama about the creation of Facebook. -
NEWS: The Black Keys Are Unable To Appear At The Big Day Out
The Big Day Out is disappointed to announce that The Black Keys will be unable to perform on any of the 2011 Big Day Out events in Australia or New Zealand due to exhaustion. The band have provided the following information as explanation to event patrons and fans: "The Black Keys are sorry to annou... -
NEWS: Bombay Bicycle Club Album Set For Release In June
Bombay Bicycle Club are returning to elecronic recording methods for their third album set for release in June 2011. 'The band have finished around eight songs for the album so far' Jack Steadman told NME. Despite the success of 2010 acoustic effort 'Flaws', Steadman said the band are desperate to g... -
NEWS: Best Folk Album Finalists Announced For NZMAs
Artists from Wellington, Christchurch and Auckland make up the four finalists announced today for New Zealand’s Best Folk Album of 2010. Folk Tui veterans Flip Grater from Christchurch and Wellington’s Bob McNeill are joined by relative newcomers Wires & Wood and Forbidden Joe from Auckland in t... -
REVIEW: Shihad Live At Riwaka Hotel
Opening act tonight was Cairo Knife Fight who, despite only having only two members, created a huge wall of sound by employing the usage of looping pedals. Particularly impressive was Nick Gaffaney’s phenomenal drumming. How he manages to sing, drum and play bass on the synth with his left hand wh... -
BLOG: New Stuff 2011
Before anything! You should go to the Auckland show of the Beaches & Hose Tour this saturday the 15th at The Kingslander w/ HOMEBREW CREW, TEAM DYNAMITE, NOTHING TO NOBODY & DJ SUBSTANCE (who is amazing). Its only $15 pre-sales from Under The Radar. -
REVIEW: Shapeshifter, Ladi6 & Sunshine Soundsystem
A review of Shapeshifter, Ladi6 & Sunshine Soundsystem performing live at Mangawhai Tavern on Boxing Day 2010. The summer holiday circuit is a financial bonanza for a select few local bands. The Feelers have milked it for years, with The Exponents paving their way. Now Fat Freddy’s Drop and Shapes... -
REVIEW: Thank Me Later By Drake
Aubrey Graham aka Drake, shot his way to musical fame pretty quickly after the release of his acclaimed mixtape So Far Gone and subsequent signing to Young Money records. However, despite the hype Thank Me Later generated before its release, cookie cutter lyrics and bland production make for an unme... -
NEWS: Pink Floyd & EMI Sign New Global Agreement
Pink Floyd, one of the world's most popular and successful bands, and their long time record company EMI Music, announced that they have signed a new global partnership. Under the new five-year agreement, EMI Music will continue to market and distribute Pink Floyd's catalogue. All legal disputes bet... -
FEATURE: Smoking Snapper With Hayley J. Hansell
Hayley J Hansell takes us through one of her favorite summer recipes, Smoked Snapper. My family love smoking their own fish and have done so since I was little. We have a multi-kai-cooker now (for real easy back yard hangi) but before this we used a ‘Smoker’ from the Warehouse (available for aro... -
NEWS: Big Day Out Announce Mobile App
Download the app and you & a friend could be on your way to Lollapalooza in Chicago! Gone are the days of a scrunched up piece of paper that was once your festival program. Very Important Punters, the wait is finally over. The first official Big Day Out mobile App has landed! It’s all you’ll nee... -
GALLERY: Castlecliff Lights At The San Fransisco Bath House
A photo gallery of Castlecliff Lights (formerly Ellen Young) supporting Johm The Baptist at The San Fransisco Bath House on Friday 7th January. -
GALLERY: John The Baptist At The San Fransisco Bath House
A photo gallery of John The Baptist performing at the San Fransisco Bath House on Friday 7th January 2011. Photography by Amanda Ratcliffe. -
GALLERY: Rhythm & Vines 29-31 December 2010
A photo gallery of Rhythm & Vines festival 29-31 December 2010. Featuring Ruby Frost, Shihad, Lisa Crawley and Barb. Photography by Dedee W. -
REVIEW: Rhythm & Vines 29-31 December 2010
2010 was the first year Rhythm and Vines sold out, bringing 25,000 festival goers to Gisborne and cementing its reputation as the biggest and best New Year's Eve event in NZ. This was my first time at R&V and from a newbie's point of view I can say it lived up to all my expectations, and the on-site... -
REVIEW: Detonate festival New Years Eve Goes Off With A Bang!
Detonate definately lived up to its name; throughout the day numerous bombs went of and multiple things were blown up- a pool table, a go-kart and a car which had people's regrets written on it- and a helicopter dropped a caravan! The bands were just as hot as the explosions; sweaty,energetic, somet... -
NEWS: NZ On Air Announce Significant Change Ahead
After considering Chris Caddick's comprehensive review of our domestic music funding schemes, NZ On Air is now planning wide-ranging changes to the way we fund and promote New Zealand music. We commissioned the review to determine the best way to respond to changes to the music industry and broadcas... -
REVIEW: Gorillaz Live At The Vector Arena, Auckland
Having spent the past three months playing 35 shows around the world; Gorillaz ended their ‘Escape to Plastic Beach World Tour’ at the Vector. As Damon Albarn was introducing the various band members throughout the set, he resited the urge to say goodbye but a lot of the hugs he was giving out l... -
NEWS: Kanye West Streams New Festive Song Online
'Christmas In Harlem' is Kanye West's new Christmas song, streaming online now. The song is a collaborations between Kanye and Harlem-based hip hop group The Diplomats (also known as Dispet). At on 16 Dec at 8.27am, Kanye tweeted "Just got Dipset verses for Christmas in Harlem! Eeeeevrybody on it!!!... -
GAMING: The Technology Behind LA Noire's Lifelike Performances
The latest title from Rockstar Games, L.A. Noire is a dark and violent detective thriller set in Los Angeles during the post-war years of the late 1940's. Players take the reins of newly minted detective Cole Phelps (Aaron Staton of Mad Men) as he solves gruesome and mind-bending cases, interrogates... -
FEATURE: Interview with DJ Bobby Brazuka Of LatinAotearoa
As previously reported, LatinAotearoa are touring New Zealand over December and January. We fire a few questions at DJ Bobby Brazuka about how it all started and what the future holds for Latin Aotearoa. How did you Jennifer and Isaac meet and form LatinAotearoa? I have been dj'ing for about 8 years... -
FEATURE: Interview With Dan Smith Of The Dear & Departed
Marrying his two loves, music and tattoo artistry, kiwi Dan Smith’s life is in balance. His LA based band, The Dear & Departed have just released their new EP ‘Chapters’ in the build up to the new album out in March next year. I had a chat with Dan in the Rip It Up office, just after his time ... -
BLOG: Luke's Top 10 Songs Of 2010
So to kick things off I thought why not start by looking back at 2010. Aside from endless BBQ's, office parties and dodgy Secret Santa gifts (you know who you are!), this time of year is a great time to look back on the highs, lows and in betweens of the last 12 months. So for my first blog entry I ... -
NEWS: Glasvegas Recruit New Drummer
Caroline McKay has been replaced as drummer for Glasvegas after recently departing the band. frontman James Allan told NME that they have taken on Swede Jonna Löfgren as their new drummer. The pressures of band life was the reason for McKay's departure in March 2010. Allan said "It was probably me ... -
GALLERY: Glass Owls & Great North At Void, Hamilton
Glass Owls and Great North perform live at Void in Hamilton, New Zealand. Photography by Amanda Ratcliffe. -
GALLERY: Altiyan Childs Live At Sylvia Park, Mount Wellington
A photo gallery of Australian X-Factor winner Altiyan Childs performing live at Sylvia Park, Mount Wellington. Photography by Christian Leano. -
NEWS: The Streets & Rob Harvey Release Christmas Song
British rapper Mike Skinner of The Streets has made a Christmas song featuring The Music's Rob Harvey. The track 'Scrooge And Marley - I Don't Want It To Be Me' is currently being streamed on the band's official site. -
FEATURE: Interview With Black River Drive
How would you describe your sound? I am really terrible at answering this question even though it seems so obvious, but there is no denying that we are a rock band. We focus a lot on putting on a great live show so our songs are written with this in mind. More and more we are leaning towards the hea... -
NEWS: Bjork Writes Song For Alexander McQueen Film
Bjork has finished writing a song for a short film called 'Lee, With Love, Nick' dedicated to the late fashion designer Alexander McQueen. Alexander McQueen died in February this year. The London-born fashion designer worked with a number of high-profile musicians throughout his career including Rih... -
GALLERY: Dick Dynamite & Faster Pussycat Kill Kill
A photo gallery of Dick Dynamite And The Doppelgangers playing with Faster Pussycat Kill Kill at the Yot Club, Raglan. Photography by Amanda Ratcliffe. -
BLOG: Nicki Minaj I Love You, Lil Kim I Hate You
Have you heard Pink Friday by Nicki Minaj yet??? Holy. Shit. It’s actually amazing, I have had it on repeat for the last 2 weeks it’s so dam good. Not only is she a killer MC, she’s crazy which makes her style & her raps interesting. -
REVIEW: Big Boi At Hordern Pavillion, Sydney
For those familiar with Big Boi’s work, it speaks for itself. As ‘Outkast’ he stays ahead of the field by experimenting with a different brand of hip hop and personality. Individually, Big Boi is the less artisan-more-hood side of the group (in my humble opinion). His hood playboy swag was in ... -
VIDEO: Exclusive Interview With Lars Ulrich Of Metallica (Part 1 Of 2)
In a rare one on one interview, Dan Rutledge sat down with Metallica founder Lars Ulrich pre-show in Auckland, before the band annihilated Vector Arena. This video is part one of two. The second part is coming soon to Rip It Up so watch this space. -
GALLERY: U2 & Jay-Z Live At Mt Smart Stadium
A photo gallery of Irish rock band U2 and American rapper Jay-Z performing live at Mt Smart Stadium. Photography by Rimoni. -
REVIEW: Electric Wire Hustle At Tone Bar In Sydney
Have you heard about the kiwi mass-exodus to Australia? It was in full effect on November 17 at Tone Bar in Sydney when Electric Wire Hustle played the launch of their debut self-titled album. The night started with Isaac Aesili and Rachel Fraser. Their mix of ghostly, soulful vocals, electronica an... -
NEWS: Rhythm & Vines Announce Protege Comp Winner
Wellington Band Manager and Lawyer Wins Rhythm & Vines Role. Wellington band manager and lawyer James Mason has been announced the winner of the R&V Protégé competition. After impressing the judges with his music and legal experience and knowledge, James (or Mace), 27 and from Te Aro, came tops in... -
GALLERY: Dick Dynamite And The Doppelgangers
Dick Dynamite and the Doppelgangers are a psychobilly band from the far side of the sun. Comprised of Dick Dynamite who sings and plays the upright bass, Sammy Featherbelly on guitars, and Chubby Chip on drums; they play a combination of 50s rockabilly music and punk rock with hints of jazz and coun... -
GAMING: Review Of Gran Turismo 5
Each year, normally around Christmas, there’s typically a handful of blockbusters released. This is true in most media industries to a certain extent, but never quite so much as in videogames. Even then, it’s still pretty rare for a title as anticipated at this one to come along: a title that is... -
GALLERY: 2am Orchestra At The Kings Arms
A photo gallery of 2am Orchestra at The Kings Arms on Saturday 27th November 2010. Photography by Amanda Ratcliffe. -
GAMING: Xbox 360 Kinect Hands On Review
Kinect is here, and I’m quite shocked. Not by the device itself - it does what you expect it to do - but by the fact that New Zealand already has it. Guess I’ve gotten far too used to hardware delays in our tiny corner of the world. Not that I’m complaining, of course. With the arrival of this... -
NEWS: The Fall Spark Israel Gig Protestors
John Peel's favourite band The Fall are playing The Powerstation in Auckland on Monday 13th December. They are also set to play a gig in Tel Aviv, Israel on January 20th. The later performance has recently sparked controversy. The band played a show at The Electric Ballroom in Camden, London on Tues... -
NEWS: Two Million Beatles Downloads In A Week
Having released The Beatles back catalogue on iTunes last week, Apple have announced the download figures for the first seven days. They're quite impressive. Over two million songs by The Beatles (I'm resisting the urge to refer to them as the fab four because that's so cliché) have been downloaded... -
GALLERY: Six60 'Rise Up 2.0' Video Behind The Scenes
A photo gallery from behind the scenes at the shoot for the new Six60 music video for 'Rise Up 2.0'. Photography by Amanda Ratcliffe at The Basement on 13th November. -
NEWS: Boom Tunz Concerts Cancelled
Boom Productions, the promoters behind next months two R&B Hop Hop Boom Tunz events in Hamilton and Wellington, starring international artists; Kelly Rowland, T-Pain, Ludacris, and Third World have regrettably been forced to cancel the two inaugural concerts due to poor ticket sales. Director, Neil... -
GAMING: Review Of Assassin's Creed Brotherhood
We should spare a thought for those developers out there right now, working away on sequels (or even threequels), wondering if their vision is really going to take. It's got to be pretty hard work. Do you produce something broadly similar to what went before it, hoping to give fans more of the same?... -
CHART: The Official NZ Music Chart - 22 November 2010
The official New Zealand music chart from 22 November 2010. -
GALLERY: Svelte & Ticket At The Kings Arm Auckland
A photo gallery of Ticket supported by Svelte performing live at The Kings Arms on 13th November 2010. Photography by Jacinda Boyd. -
NEWS: PlayStation Celebrates 15 Years In New Zealand
PlayStation are celebrating 15 years of gaming in New Zealand this week. We're all gaming nuts here in the Rip It Up office (we have a PlayStation 3 in the office) so we think this is important news. Plus we look for any excuse for a celebration on a Friday. It's been a very busy 15 years for PlaySt... -
CHART: The IMNZ Charts - 14 November 2010
The IMNZ Independent Music New Zealand Charts for the week to 14 November 2010 brought to you by Jagermeister. -
NEWS: The Beatles Available For Download, Legally
Yesterday, The Beatles back catalog became available for download on iTunes making it the first time in history that The Beatles back catalog has been legally available online. 'It has been a long and winding road' said 55 year old Steve Jobs, the co-founder and chief executive officer of Apple Inc.... -
CHART: The Official NZ Music Chart - 15 November 2010
The official New Zealand music chart from 15 November 2010. -
GAMING: Need for Speed Hot Pursuit
Zoom, zoom, zoom. I’ve gone and got that Mazda advert stuck in my head. It’s probably because that’s all I’ve been doing for the last few days. Zooming around, in fast cars. Being a badass. I’ve never really been a fan of car racers. Because, well, if I wanted to drive a car I would just g... -
REVIEW: Scream By Ozzy Osbourne
The airbrushed pictures of Ozzy in the cover of this CD made me uneasy. The glossy, epic theme of it all made me wonder if it was going to be a great album or a great marketing exercise. Sadly, without Zakk Wyldes’ stellar songwriting nous, Ozzy has been pushed into a nice little corner while, I s... -
REVIEW: Netsky's Debut Self Titled Album
Reviewing this Belgian up and comers debut album was quite the struggle - not because I did not know what to expect the uplifting liquid drum n bass for which Netsky has quickly forged a reputation is ever present. It was, rather, that he has presented me with quite the nothing album. Not quite good... -
REVIEW: Live By Masta Killa
Before listening to this, all I could think was, ‘Thank God it’s not U-God.’ Masta Killa is one of those artists you either instantly love, or instantly hate, and he - along with Deck and Raekwon - was always one of my favourite members of the Wu Tang Clan. Unfortunately though, this feeling d... -
GALLERY: The Phoenix Foundation At The Power Station
A photo gallery of The Phoenix Foundation performing at the Power Station in Auckland. -
NEWS: The Boxer Rebellion Album To Feature Kings Of Leon
The record will come out on February 7 and was produced with Ryan Adams, Laura Marling and Kings Of Leon collaborator Ethan Johns. -
NEWS: The White Stripes Release $499 Merchandise Collection
Released on December 21, the set features a White Stripes portable record player and LP record box, among other things, plus a copy of 'Merry Christmas From The White Stripes' on a red seven-inch vinyl. -
NEWS: Plan B Considers Giving Away Next Album For Free
Plan B is considering giving away his next album, which will be a hip-hop record, for free. The singer/rapper, real name Ben Drew, told the Metro.co.uk newspaper that he was not planning a traditional promotional campaign for the album, which earlier this year he said would be named 'The Ballad Of B... -
NEWS: The Drums Record Second Album
The Drums are set to begin work on their second album at the end of their forthcoming UK and Ireland dates. The band kick off two weeks of dates on November 24, after which they will pause to work on the follow-up to 'The Drums'. -
NEWS: Them Crooked Vultures To Release New Album
The bassist indicated that the supergroup, led by Josh Homme, were already planning an album. "Some stuff we've worked on, but we're gonna write pretty quickly and just put it down," he said. "We may be a year or so." -
NEWS: Guns N' Roses Working On New Album
Guns N' Roses are set to begin work on a new album and have promised it won't take the 15 years it took to release 2008's 'Chinese Democracy'. -
NEWS: Phil Collins Admits To Suicidal Thoughts
The former Genesis man, who lives in Switzerland with his two children, said he has even gone as far as thinking about different ways to end his life. -
NEWS: Jack White Drops Hints Of New White Stripes Album
Jack White has hinted that he and his band mate Meg are planning to record new White Stripes material soon. The duo haven't released an album together since 2007's 'Icky Thump', with Jack concentrating on his other bands including The Raconteurs and The Dead Weather. -
CHART: The IMNZ Charts - 7 November 2010
The official Independent Music New Zealand chart for week to 7 November 2010. -
GAMING: Review Of Call Of Duty Black Ops
It seems that Treyarch got the names of their games mixed up. Their previous Call of Duty was given the subtitle “World at War”, but it is with their latest offering, Call of Duty: Black Ops, where you can really fight your way across the globe. If you are not familiar with the Call of Duty seri... -
GALLERY: 1814 At The Coroglen Tavern
A photo gallery of 1814 live at the Coroglen Tavern. Photography by Vaughan Grigsby. 1814 is a reggae band from New Zealand. The band began in 2004 as a three-piece act formed by Patu Colbert and his sons Shaun and Jimmy. Five other members joined the band over the next five years as the original me... -
CHART: The Official NZ Music Chart - 8 November 2010
The official New Zealand music chart from 8th November 2010. -
NEWS: Pulp's Original Line Up Reform In 2011
Jarvis Cocker, Mark Webber, Candida Doyle, Russell Senior, Steve Mackey and Nick Bands have announced the reformation of britpop outfit Pulp in 2011. This will be the first time that the original line up have played together since 1996. The band have announced dates at a couple of European festivals... -
REVIEW: Nothing Hurts By Male Bonding
Sub Pop’s latest signing, British three piece Male Bonding, seemingly set out with their first single, ‘Year’s Not Long’ and subsequently with ‘Franklin’, as another band in tune with the jangly, vocally washed out sound that has been doing the rounds as of late (Surfer Blood, Best Coast... -
REVIEW: Warrior Soul By Kabuki
Don’t by fooled by his eastern name; Kabuki is a mainstay of the German drum n bass scene. By all accounts he earned this position via his DJing talents as opposed to his production abilities. Not to diminish the work he’s put into building up a respectable back catalogue over the last 13 years,... -
FEATURE: Car Hanging From The Sky Tower
If you were in the city yesterday, you might have noticed the car hanging from the side of the Skytower. It's part of SKYCITY's Christmas promotion and this is a video showing how it got there. -
NEWS: Taylor Swift's Album Sells 1m Copies In First Week
With 1,046,718 copies sold in the US in the first week of release, Taylor Swift’s Speak Now album has scored SoundScan’s biggest single-week sales total since 2005 and is the biggest debuting country studio album in history. Speak Now accounted for 18% of total albums sold in the US this week, s... -
NEWS: Mick Jagger Helps To Save London's 100 Club
The Rolling Stones' Mick Jagger has added his support to save London's 100 Club venue from closure. Jagger said that there was a "real need" for the club, which has been threatened with closure due to spiralling rental cost -
NEWS: Death Cab For Cutie's Frontman Plays Solo Gig
Last night, Death Cab for Cutie frontman Ben Gibbard played a solo acoustic show at Seattle's Crocodile, a benefit for the homeless youth organization Teen Feed. -
NEWS: Britney Spears To Release New Album
Britney Spears is set to release her next studio album in early 2011. The singer has been working with US producer Dr Luke on the record, which will be her seventh full-length studio effort. Hollywoodreporter.com reports that the album will be released before the end of March next year. -
NEWS: Laura Marling's Album Features Neil Young Cover
Laura Marling's collaboration single with Jack White is set to be released this month. The Brit folk artist has recorded versions of Jackson C Frank's 'Blues Run The Game' and Neil Young's 'The Needle And The Damage Done', both produced by White -
NEWS: REM's Album To Feature Eddie Vedder, Peaches & Patti Smith
REM have revealed that their new album will feature collaborations with Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder, Patti Smith and Peaches. Due for release in early 2011, 'Collapse Into Now' is set to be more "expansive" than 2008's 'Accelerate'. -
NEWS: Lil Wayne Released From Prison Today
Lil Wayne has been released from New York's Rikers Island prison, after serving eight months of his sentence on a gun charge. -
GALLERY: House Of Shem At The Coroglen Tavern
House of Shem, 1814 and Latinaotearoa. Labour Weekend 2010 in the Coromandel. On Saturday the 23rd of October, The Coroglen Tavern will come alive for one massive Reggae Party. Once again we have some of NZ's finest band's on board, so get your crew together and come and join us in the Coromandel - ... -
GAMING: Hands On Review Of Killzone 3 on PS3
Sony's Guerrilla Games cranked out the first Killzone game for the PS2 back in 2004. Met with mixed reviews, the game was generally agreed to have an interesting setting with cool art but was also widely regarded as being technically disappointing. Killzone 2, however, fixed up those technical glitc... -
GAMING: DJ Hero 2 Review
When DJ Hero 2 launched last year, it was met with a large amount of skeptical nay-saying. I myself wondered if gamers needed yet another music/rhythm title with an expensive peripheral cluttering up the house. But to the surprise of many, DJ Hero ended up being one of the highest-grossing new IP’... -
GALLERY: LatinAotearoa At The Coroglen Tavern
House of Shem, 1814 and Latinaotearoa. Labour Weekend 2010 in the Coromandel. On Saturday the 23rd of October, The Coroglen Tavern will come alive for one massive Reggae Party. Once again we have some of NZ's finest band's on board, so get your crew together and come and join us in the Coromandel - ... -
GALLERY: Casio Shock The World In Auckland
a photo gallery of the Casio Shock The World event in Auckland last week. -
VIDEO: Mark Ronson Interviews Exclusive To Rip It Up
Mark Ronson talks about Bang Bang Bang and his collaborations on new project Mark Ronson and The Business International. These video interviews are exclusive to Rip It Up. -
REVIEW: Fable III
I have always considered that skeletons would be better off spending their money on special rivets for their joints, rather than suits of armour. It would be way harder to smash them apart, right? And if you eliminate the ability to smash them apart, you’d spend way longer hacking at bone while th... -
FILM: New Harry Potter Featurette Online
For all the Harry Potter fans out there (and we know there's a lot of you) we're sure this is going to get your Wednesday off to a good start. A new featurette for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 has just been released. Recapping the last six films and giving us a lil extra glimpse into... -
CHART: The Official NZ Music Chart - 25 October 2010
The official New Zealand music chart from 25th October 2010. -
BLOG: Taylor Swift Airing Dirty Laundry - I Likey!
You know what I like in a song? Some dirty laundry!! Taylor Swift’s new album Speak Now is out today & it is exactly that. She says in the liner notes “This is everything I was too scared to say, these songs are letters to people”. Wow did she mean it!!! Taylor Lautner got a letter in Back to ... -
NEWS: Reggae Singer Gregory Isaacs Dies Aged 59
Reggae singer Gregory Isaacs, best known for his 1982 album 'Night Nurse' (recorded at Bob Marley's Tuff Gong studio), has died aged 59. The Jamaican musician died today (October 25) at his home in London after suffering from lung cancer, reports BBC News. His wife Linda said, "Gregory was well-love... -
INTERVIEW: Russell Brand On Get Him To The Greek
Russell Brand's latest film Get Him To The Greek is set for release on Blu-ray and DVD on Wednesday 3rd November. Here is our exclusive interview with the man himself. Have you always been wearing heels? I’m obsessed with wearing heels, I think it’s because the elevation, like the Tower of Babel... -
NEWS: Exclusive Review Kanye West NYC Screening Of Runaway
Kanye West premiered his 35 minute clip for ‘Runaway’ tonight at the Sunshine Landmark Cinemas in New York. Present at the screening, West took the opportunity to wax lyrical about haters, lovers and Selita Ebanks (and rightly so on the Selita front). -
GALLERY: TMD Crew Presents The Miami Dream
TMD is a crew that many consider synonymous with New Zealand graffiti art - although their membership spans the globe with Germany’s Can2, Sinae, Atom and Wow123, and Australia’s Sirum and Vans the Omega. Spawned during the Auckland graffiti boom of the mid-90’s, TMD has its origins in West Au... -
NEWS: Rihanna's New Album Tracklising Leaks Online
The tracklisting for Rihanna's new album 'Loud' has leaked online after an advance copy of the album was posted online. The 11-track album features collaborations with Eminem and Drake, reports Defpenradio.com. The cover artwork features a shot of Rihanna with red hair, as did the cover artwork for ... -
GALLERY: Metallica Live In Auckland On Wednesday 13 October 2010
A photo gallery of Metallica at The Vector Arena, Auckland on Wednesday 13th October 2011. -
NEWS: Beyoncé And Jay-Z Expecting First Child
According to a US report, Beyoncé recently found out that she is pregnant and is a bit surprised by the news. The father to be, Jay-Z will be coming to New Zealand next month to support U2 at the Vector Arena in Auckland and we are giving away tickets to this gig here. -
VIDEO: Home By LCD Soundsystem
This is the new video for 'Home' by LCD Soundsystem. I want to tell you what it's about but I don't want to spoil it for you. It's probably not going to get shown on C4 because of the drugs references but it's an amazing song and a great video so well worth checking out. -
CHART: The Official NZ Music Chart - 18 October 2010
The official New Zealand music chart from 18th October 2010. -
BLOG: Metallica In Christchurch
When Air New Zealand’s Grabaseat announced they were doing $1 fares from Christchurch to Auckland for South Island Metallica fans, I thought ‘good on them’. When I heard they were doing the Metallica-themed flight, I thought that’s kinda interesting but will probably be lame. When their publ... -
NEWS: Katy Perry Debuts New Single Firework On X-Factor
Katy Perry performed her new single 'Firework' on the British TV show 'X-Factor' last night. She performed wearing a firework themed leotard and holding a sparkler. After the performance, the 25 year old American singer-songwriter joked that performing on stage is 'still nerve-wracking' compared to ... -
REVIEW: Queen Of Denmark By John Grant
Having Midlake as your backing band is about as good as it gets for a solo artist struggling with inner demons and a need to express himself. John Grant, former singer/songwriter with the Czars, has emerged from a self-imposed exile to release Queen Of Denmark, a lush, ambitious opus that will satis... -
NEWS: Christina Aguilera To Divorce Husband On 9/11
You may have heard that Christina Aguilera and her husband of five years Jordan Bratman have separated. Well today the couple have announced that they are to get divorced. According to the divorce petition filed in L.A. Superior Court (available on celebrity gossip site E!), Christina is seeking joi... -
CHART: The IMNZ Charts - 10 October 2010
The official IMNZ Independent Music New Zealand Chart from 10 October 2011. -
REVIEW: Something For Everybody By Devo
It’s ironic that this blast from the past created their name, Devo, to make the point that humankind wasn’t actually evolving but, in their opinion, regressing, considering that their first offering of new material in 20 years is pulling our memories and ears back just as far. As frightening as ... -
REVIEW: Aotearoa Nobody Does It Better By Dam Native
It always seemed like it would be one of those mysterious, mythological ‘lost albums’ in hip hop history - but iconic Dam Native return with a sophomore album some 15 years after the classic KDRU (Kaupapa Driven Rhymes Uplifted). Aotearoa Nobody Does It Better plays like a gift - an offering bac... -
CHART: The Official NZ Music Chart - 11 October 2010
The official New Zealand music chart from 11 October 2010. -
REVIEW: {Bi-on-ic} By Christina Aguilera
Ah Christina. It must be hard to have the well-earned title of skankiest pop chick stolen from you while you were away busily making little Aguileras. All these young hussies like Gaga, Perry and Rihanna rocking in and stealing your STD-encrusted crown while you're waiting for your ladybits (or 'Woo... -
REVIEW: Coming Home By Boozoo Bajou
This, the most recent of the Coming Home series released by the German based Stereo Deluxe label, serves up a grooving four-on-the-floor mixed selection of favourite tunes from production duo Boozoo Bajou. In a style not dissimilar to that of Giles Peterson - not quite down tempo and not quite up te... -
REVIEW: Nightmare By Avenged Sevenfold
It’s hard not to feel for a band when a member dies. Their friend is dead and their circle is broken. When A7X lost their drummer Jimmy The Rev Sullivan just after Christmas last year, it was no secret how devastated the band were. Dream Theaters’ Mike Portnoy, Jimmy’s all time favourite drumm... -
NEWS: Th'Dudes Ian Morris Found Dead
Kiwi musician Ian Morris was found dead this morning in his Napier Home. Morris who was a founding member late 70's/early 80's pop rock band 'The'Dudes' alongside fellow Sacred Heart College schoolmates Dave Dobbyn and Peter Urlich. -
NEWS: VNZMA 2010 Competition Winners Round Up
The Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards (VNZMA) was at the Vector Arena last night with performances from Dane Rumble, J Williams, David Dallas, Anika Moa, Gin Wigmore, Shihad and Kids of 88. We gave away a couple of double passes to the event and we thought we would give you our winners perspective o... -
NEWS: Grinderman Accused Of Plagiarism
Nick Cave of Grinderman has been called out by a random 29-year-old who claims Cave ripped off his song to make "Palaces of Montezuma." -
NEWS: Kanye West Showcases New Music Video 'Runaway'
Kanye West showcased his new music video, ‘Runaway’, at BAFTA in London’s Piccadilly last night (Oct 6th). -
NEWS: Lily Allen Accepts 'So Foot' Damages
Lily Allen has accepted damages from French football magazine So Foot after the publication claimed she made remarks about David and Victoria Beckham and Ashley and Cheryl Cole. -
NEWS: Regina Spektor Reveals Live Album Tracklisting
The album, called 'Live In London', was recorded during her performance at the Hammersmith Apollo in December 2009. The CD features three songs which Spektor has only ever played live, called 'Silly Eye-Color Generalizations', 'Bobbing For Apples' and 'Love You're A Whore'. The DVD includes footage ... -
NEWS: !!! Announce Remix EP Details
Entitled 'Jamie, My Intentions Are Bass', the six-song EP includes mixes of songs from their recently released album 'Strange Weather, Isn't It?'. -
NEWS: Aftermath Of Weezer Hate Campaign
The aftermath of Weezer hater James Burns' campaign to raise $10 million to give to the band in hopes of them calling it a day. According to an interview with The New York Times, Burns is feeling the wrath of Weezer die hards. "I've actually received death threats over this, believe it or not," -
NEWS: Dido Sued By Astronaut For Album Artwork
Dido is being sued by Astronaut Bruce McCandless II over the cover art for her 2008 album 'Safe Trip Home'. -
NEWS: Kanye Collaborates With La Roux, Jay-Z & Alicia Keys
Kanye West has collaborated with La Roux's Elly Jackson, Jay-Z, MIA, Alicia Keys and Mos Def on his new album. John Legend, Kid Cudi, Bon Iver and No ID also contribute to the album, which has finally been named 'My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy' and will be released on November 22. -
NEWS: P-Diddy Nervous About Singing On New Album
P. Diddy has said he feels nervous about singing properly with his new band Diddy - Dirty Money. "There's definitely nerves. It's nerve-wracking because there's more singing for me. You have a new concept, and it took people a while to buy into it," he explained. -
NEWS: The Conservative Party Use The xx Without Permission
Young Turks record label and the Mercury Prize-winning band The XX have revealed via twitter, that the Conservative Party used the group's music without permission. -
CHART: The IMNZ Charts - 3 October 2010
The official IMNZ Independent Charts brought to you by Jagermeister. -
NEWS: VNZMA 2010 Full List Of Winners
The 45th Annual RIANZ Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards took over the town last night. Ben Hurley and Shannon Ryan presented the awards ceremony from the Vector Arena, Auckland. The night featured performances by Dane Rumble, J. Williams and Stan Walker and a special guest appearance by Ronan Keatin... -
NEWS: Mumford & Sons To Start Again For Second Album
British folk band Mumford & Sons are already talking about creating a follow up to the highly succesful debut album 'Sigh No More' which was nominated for the UK's Mercury Prize this year (best album). In an interview with NME the band has said they intend to "tear down" everything they've achieved ... -
NEWS: Glee Is Bigger Than The Beatles
According to Billboard the hit TV show 'Glee' are set to smash a billboard chart record previously held by the infamous Beatles. The cast of Fox's Glee will pass the Beatles for most appearances among non-solo acts in the chart's 52-year history, Glee has now 75 charted titles suprassing the Beatles... -
NEWS: Lil Wayne Moved To Solitary Confinement
Grammy Award winning rapper Lil Wayne has been punished for being found with contraband while serving his one year sentence in New York's Rikers Island jail complex. Officially called 'punitive segregation', Wayne will finish off his last month behind bars solo, Correction Department officials said ... -
CHART: The Official NZ Music Chart - 4 October 2010
The official New Zealand music chart from 04 October 2010. -
NEWS: Wilco Lets Slip New Album Details
One of the hardest working bands in rock, Wilco will look to record their eigth studio album hopefully for a 2011 release. While Wilco Guitarist/keyboardist Pat Sansone was plugging his side project to the LA Times, he let slip that they have started work on the album. -
NEWS: Glastonbury 2011 Sells Out & Headline Rumors
The largest music festival in Europe, Glastonbury 2011 has sold out within four hours of tickets going on sale. Glastonbury 2011 takes place at Worthy Farm, Pilton in the UK. Billed music takes place on June 24-26, with the site opening on June 22. Headline rumors have already been surfacing, with I... -
NEWS: Jay-Z & Nicki Minaj Dominate BET Hip-Hop Awards
Jay-Z and newcomers Nicki Minaj and Drake dominated the BET Hip-Hop Awards over the weekend. Veteran Jay-Z - who was absent from the event - took out Best Hip-Hop Video for "Empire State of Mind," CD of the Year for The Blueprint 3 and Best Live Performer. While Minaj who was dressed in a black lea... -
NEWS: Social Network Trailer Helps Scala & Kolacny Brothers
The two-minute trailer for David Fincher's 'The Social Network' tease's the famous story of facebook creator Mark Zuckerberg, while watching you may notice the haunting rendition of Radiohead's Creep as the drama seems to escalate. The creators of this somewhat spooky song are Scala & Kolancy Brothe... -
NEWS: Travie McCoy Bites Back At Katy Perry Diss Song
Travie McCoy has finally addressed his ex girlfriend Katy Perry's new song which speaks out about their past relationship and some of McCoy's old habits. The song is titled 'Circle the Drain' and was featured on Perry's third studio album 'Teenage Dream' which debuted at number one on the US billboa... -
GALLERY: The Backstage Launch Party
A photo gallery of The Jury & The Saints supported by Kingston and Ruby Frost. Photography by Jacinda Boyd. -
NEWS: John Lennon Doco To Feature Unheard Audio
A new John Lennon documentary features previously unheard audio of the former Beatle. LENNONYC documents Lennon's life in New York from 1971 to his death in 1980, reports Reuters. -
NEWS: Trent Renzor Is Working on TV Series Based On Nine Inch Nails
Trent Reznor is working on a TV mini-series named Year Zero for HBO, based on Nine Inch Nails' 2007 album of the same name. -
NEWS: Pet Shop Boys Release Greatest Hits Album
A deluxe version of 'Ultimate Pet Shop Boys' will come with a DVD featuring live footage of the band's Glastonbury 2010 performance plus BBC TV recordings from the past three decades. -
NEWS: Bloc Party Guitarist Bitten By Lion
Bloc Party guitarist Russell Lissack was taken to hospital after being bitten by a lion while on tour with Ash in South Africa recently. -
![NEWS: R.E.M's \](/uploads/contentitem/1068/avatar/small-20071231-rem-1.jpg "NEWS: R.E.M's \")
NEWS: R.E.M's "Everybody Hurts" Makes Men Cry The Most
According to a survey by PRS for Music, REM's 'Everybody Hurts' has topped a poll of songs that make men cry the most. The group's 1993 single came top of the list, followed by Eric Clapton's 'Tears in Heaven' and Leonard Cohen's 'Hallelujah'. -
NEWS: Paul Weller Releases Live Album and DVD
Named 'Find The Torch, Burn The Plans', the DVD includes footage from one of his five Royal Albert Hall shows in London in May, as well as a documentary film by Julien Temple. Stereophonics singer Kelly Jones appears on the live DVD as a guest singer. It's released on November 29. -
NEWS: Badly Drawn Boy Releases Free EP
'It's What They're All Thinking' is a selection of tracks from his upcoming new album, 'It's What I'm Thinking Pt.1 – Photographing Snowflakes', interpreted and reworked by a number of artists, plus a demo of the opening track. -
NEWS: Mark Ronson Performs With Duran Duran And Boy George
Mark Ronson and his band The Business Intl played an all-star show at London’s Hackney Empire on September 29. Performing tracks from his album, 'Record Collection' released just recently, along with older songs from previous record 'Version'. -
NEWS: Kanye West Cancels Free Music Giveaway
Kanye West has announced the cancellation of his weekly Friday music giveaway after tracks from his forthcoming album leaked online. -
NEWS: Simmons Never Dreamed Of Appearing In Guitar Hero
Kiss bassist Gene Simmons has admitted that he never "dreamed of appearing" in the Guitar Hero franchise before he was approached to voice their new video game Warriors Of Rock. -
NEWS: Courtney Love Gets Animated In New Short Film
The delightful Courtney Love has today released a short animated film starring herself as a cartoon! Titled 'The Dark Night of the Soul' which was directed by Michael Mouris, the clip was posted by love on Courtney Love's fashion blog. It features Love spinning down a shame spiral, getting trapped ... -
NEWS: The Phoenix Foundation Secure European Record Deal
New Zealand's very own indie rockers The Phoenix Foundation have signed a record deal with UK based record label Memphis Industries. The signing will mean that their latest and most successful studio album 'Buffalo' is now slated for a worldwide release in early 2011 and the band will embark on a Eu... -
NEWS: Libertines Pete Doherty Charged With Cocaine Possession
Libertines and Babyshambles front man Pete Doherty has been charged with possession of cocaine following a separate police investigation. The investigation was focused on the death of young, female filmmaker Robin Whitehead who was filming a documentary of the libertines. Reports suggest that the... -
NEWS: The xx's Jamie Smith Goes Solo
Jamie Smith of british indie group The xx has decided to branch out and release a solo project. The xx have recently become one of UK's top bands winning the coveted Barclaycard Mercury Prize for their debut studio album 'xx'. Smith, who is normally responsible for the bands atmospheric sounds and ... -
NEWS: President Barack Obama Reveals Whats On His iPod
You may be familiar with American President Barack Obama's political agenda and policy regimes, but what we all really want to know is what resides on his presidential iPod. Recently speaking with Rolling Stone, Obama sat down and discussed the state of his mp3 player, which contains some music you ... -
CHART: The Official NZ Music Chart - 27 September 2010
The official New Zealand music chart from 27 September 2010. -
FILM: Zach Galifianakis Praises The Hangover 2 Script
Actor Zach Galifianakis who starred in the 2009 hit comedy 'The Hangover' has praised the script of 'The Hangover 2' saying it is much better than the original. Zach had a standout performance in the movie playing the socially awkward, groom's brother-in-law Alan. -
NEWS: Kings Of Leon Reveal Album Lyrics Were Ad-libbed
Kings of Leon's Caleb Followill has admitted that the lyrics for their upcoming release 'Come Around Sundown' were ad-libbed or 'made-up' while recording. In an interview with Uncut Magazine Followill revealed "I didn't write lyrics." "I went in and ad-libbed, I free-floated everything. The closer i... -
NEWS: Radiohead Might Throw Out New Album
English rockers Radiohead have supposidly finished recording songs for their 8th studio release, although band members have expressed that they might not release it just yet. In an interview with the Candian Press, drummer Phil Selway said the band will return to the studio early next week to "take ... -
NEWS: Katy Perry Too Sexy For Sesame Street
To celebrate the start of Sesame Street's 41st season, Katy Perry filmed a segment for the show performing in a low cut dress and singing her hit song 'Hot N Cold' alongside Elmo. The song originally written about an elusive lover was partially rewritten to be about how Elmo is unsure about playing ... -
CHART: The IMNZ Charts - 19 September 2010
The official IMNZ Independent Music New Zealand Charts for the week to 19 September 2010. Opshop have the number one album. -
NEWS: The Flaming Lips Release Photo Book
The Flaming Lips have announced the release of a new photo book. It's the first in a series called 'All We Have Is Now' that will be released every six months. The books are full of photos of the band and fans, taken by lead singer Wayne Coyne's wife, J. Michelle Martin-Coyne. -
NEWS: J-Lo & Steven Tyler New American Idol Judges
After months of speculation Fox has finally announced that singer/actor Jennifer Lopez and Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler will be the new judges for American Idol season 10. American Idol has been the number one rating show in the U.S for six consecutive years now. -
REVIEW: Resident Evil 5 PlayStation Move Edition
Since Resident Evil 5 launched in March last year, it has sold over 5.5 million copies and received rave reviews around the globe (including our own one here). Now, in time with PlayStation Move arriving and a fourth Resident Evil movie in cinemas, Capcom have released the Gold Edition of Resident E... -
INTERVIEW: Facebook Campaigners Behind Chase & Status At R&V
A couple of students from Dunedin have swayed R&V organisers to book an international act. Harry Whyte from Havelock North and Nick Lyne from Auckland, currently studying at Otago University, started a Facebook campaign to get UK act, Chase & Status to come to New Zealand. -
INTERVIEW: Robert Scott
Tell us about your time playing bass in The Clean. Its always been a learning experience I must say. It has been a blast, and putting down Bass lines under David's guitaring and Hamish's hitting is a lot of fun. I am still learning to sing and play at the same time though. -
VIDEO: Katy Perry Singing Hot N Cold On Sesame Street
Katy Perry has appeared on Sesame Street singing her single Hot N Cold with Elmo. -
NEWS: Kings Of Leon Frontman Engaged
Caleb Followill, the lead singer of Kings of Leon, has announced his engagement to model Lily Aldridge. You may recognise Lily from the band's music video for 'Use Somebody'. The couple have been togehter for over two years. Caleb proposed to Lily over the weekend (18th and 19th September) making hi... -
CHART: The Official NZ Music Chart - 20 September 2010
The official New Zealand music chart from 20 September 2010. -
NEWS: Bruno Mars Arrested For Drug Possession
Singer Songwriter Bruno Mars was arrested early sunday morning on suspicion of narcotics possession. After performing at the Hard Rock Cafe in Las Vegas on Saturday night, Mars was discovered by hotel security with narcotics in the bathroom. -
CHART: The IMNZ Charts - 12 September 2010
The official IMNZ (Independent Music New Zealand) independent charts brought to you by Jagermeister. -
NEWS: Adam Lambert Accused Of Assault
Adam Lambert has reportedly lashed out at a paparazzi outside a South Beach hotel in Miami. According to TMZ, a Miami paparazzo filed a claim with police yesterday that accused the "American Idol" season 8 runner-up of assault or as whats described as 'misdemeanor battery' in the US. The police repo... -
NEWS: Kid Cudi Opens Up About Drug Use And Past Year
American rapper and actor Kid Cudi has had a huge past 12 months with the release of his debut album 'Man On The Moon: The End Of Day' and securing a role on HBO's 'How To Make It In America'. Although despite this huge success the rapper has opened up to Complex magazine about some of his actions w... -
REVIEW: Wonderfully Wooed By 2 a.m. Orchestra
The 18th September will definitely go down as one of the stormiest days in Hamilton, but I’ll always remember it as the day I finally got to see the lads of 2 a.m. Orchestra live. No matter how windy and freezing it was outside, this was one of the warmest, intimate performances I’ve experienced... -
NEWS: James Blunt's New Album and Tour
James Blunt’s brand new single, the insanely catchy “Stay The Night” is at New Zealand radio now. This is the first single to be taken from his third album, produced by Steve Robson “Some Kind Of Trouble”. The album sees the five times Grammy nominee start another chapter in his musical ca... -
NEWS: Stone Temple Pilots' Scott Weiland to Release Biography
Stone Temple Pilots and former Velvet Revolver frontman Scott Weiland has revealed details of the release of his memoirs. -
NEWS: Phoenix Documentary Confirmed As A Hoax
Director Casey Afleck has come clean over his new film 'I'm Still Here', a documentary detailing Joaquin Phoenix's retirement from acting to become a rapper. According to the New York Times, Aflect confirmed that almost every bit of the film was a performance and not at all real. “It’s a terrifi... -
GALLERY: Critics Choice Awards 2010
A photo gallery of Street Chant, Homebrew and The Naked And Famous performing at the Critics Choice Awards at the Kings Arms 2010. -
NEWS: MJ's Mum Sues Promoter Behind The O2 Gigs
Katherine Jackson has started legal proceedings against AEG, claiming the company did not provide adequate medical care for her son, contending that it did not provide a doctor and life-saving equipment for the singer, who was rehearsing for the shows at the time of his death. -
NEWS: The Charlatans' Drummer Collapses During Show
The Charlatans' drummer Jon Brookes collapsed onstage, midway through the band's gig at Philadelphia's Johnny Brenda's venue on September 15. -
NEWS: ZZ Top Recruits Producer Rick Rubin For New Album
ZZ Top have teamed up with producer Rick Rubin, (who has worked with Beastie Boys, Red hot Chili Peppers and Johnny Cash), for their first album in seven years. -
NEWS: Fleet Foxes Complete New Album
Fleet Foxes' Frontman Robin Pecknold has confirmed that the band have finished recording their new album. -
NEWS: Lady Gaga Beats Oasis' UK Chart Record
Lady GaGa has smashed the record for the 'most weeks in the UK chart' previously held by Oasis. The singer has recently claimed the Guinness World Record for notching up 154 consecutive weeks in the Top 75, pipping the Gallaghers' record. Meanwhile, Madonna has been named the UK's biggest-selling fe... -
NEWS: Duffy Reveals Second Album Details
Duffy has announced details of her new album 'Endlessly'. The Welsh singer has teamed up with the father of The Strokes' guitarist Albert Hammond Jr for the follow-up to her Grammy Award-winning debut 'Rockferry'. Duffy recorded 'Endlessley' in London and New York over the past year. -
NEWS: Paul McCartney Reissues 'Band On The Run'
Paul McCartney's is gearing up to reissue seminal Wings album 'Band On The Run'. The album that topped the UK and US album charts, won a Grammy and went on to sell more than seven million copies. -
NEWS: My Chemical Romance Reveal Album Details
Although the band is yet to officially confirm it, It looks likely that 'Danger Days: True Lives Of The Fabulous Killjoys' will be the name of the fourth studio album from My Chemical Romance. The record is potentially set to be released some time in November. -
NEWS: Kanye West Discusses New Film Runaway
It seems as though Kanye West is everywhere lately, taking to twitter to reach out to fans, promising new songs every friday, colloaborating with hip-hop superstars and most recently closing out the MTV VMA's with a performance of new track 'Runaway'. If all of that's not enough, to coincide with th... -
NEWS: 300 Metallica Tickets Donated To Christchurch Relief
The promoter for Metallica's New Zealand shows, Michael Coppel, has donated about 300 suite tickets for the student volunteers and emergency services to attend the two sold-out Christchurch concerts next week. 240 of the tickets will go to students who took to the Christchurch streets to help clean ... -
NEWS: Street Chant Win The Critics Choice Award
Auckland's most exciting punk three piece, Street Chant walked away with the first ever Critics Choice award last night at the Kings Arms Tavern. Street Chant, Homebrew and The Naked and Famous were shortlisted for the new award and each played a half an hour (or there abouts) set. After the perform... -
VIDEO: Jack White Invents Triple Decker Record
Jack White showcases his new invention, the triple decker record to release the next single from The Dead Weather 'Blue Blood Blues'. -
NEWS: Bob Marley's Family Loses Lawsuit Over Hit Records
The late Bob Marley's family has lost a lawsuit against Universal Music Group over the ownership of some of Marley's most well known recordings. The legend's wife and sons had accused UMG of intentionally withholding royalties from their Fifty-Six Hope Road Music company, and sought millions in dama... -
NEWS: George Michael Gets Eight Weeks In Jail
Singer George Michael has been sentenced to eight weeks in jail and fined £1250 ($2645) for crashing his car while under the influence of cannabis. July earlier this year the singer was driving home in the early hours of the morning when he mounted the pavement and crashed into a Snappy Snaps photo... -
NEWS: The Strokes Plus Others Perform At NY Fashion Week
New York's Fashion Week has brought out a wide range of high profile music stars who chose to support for their favourite designers. The Strokes played their first New York City concert in nearly five years at Tommy Hilfiger's Fashion Week party at the Met. The band played favorites like "Last Night... -
CHART: The Official NZ Music Chart - 13 September 2010
The official New Zealand music chart from 13 September 2010. -
NEWS: Lady Gaga Announces New Album Title At VMAs
Lady GaGa has announced the title of her new album to be 'Born This Way'. The singer revealed the title of the follow-up to massive-selling 2008 album 'The Fame' during her acceptance speech for the Video Of The Year category at the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards in Los Angeles last night (September 13... -
NEWS: John Mayer Has Deleted His Twitter Account
Seven time Grammy Award winning musician John Mayer has officially deleted his twitter account leaving 3.7 million followers behind. Mayer, one of the social network's main supporters in its early stages, is now said to be focusing on writing and recording his fith studio album now that his "Battle ... -
NEWS: Mani Apologises To Peter Hook For Outburst
Gary Mounfield AKA Mani (The bassist formerly of The Stone Roses and currently in Primal Scream) has apologised over his recent outburst on Twitter. He accused Peter Hook of living off Ian Curtis' blood money. The tweet has now been deleted. Mani and Peter Hook played together in Freebass although t... -
NEWS: The MTV VMA (Video Music Award) Winners Announced
Spolier Warning. This news item gives away the winners of the VMAs so please do not read on if you would rather find out who wins by watching the show. The MTV VMAs have just gone down in Los Angeles with hundreds of stars showing up for one of the most fun and more often than not, controversial awa... -
REVIEW: Halo Reach
Halo broke the mould when it was released on Xbox 360, convincing many for the first time that a first person shooter could be played effectively without a keyboard and mouse. Halo's controller-friendly interface took frustration out of the equation and let players get on with the fun of laying wast... -
NEWS: Sofia Coppola Wins At Venice Film Festival
Sofia Coppola's Somewhere, the tale of an actor who sees the emptiness of his existence through the eyes of his child, has won the top Golden Lion prize at the 67th Venice Film Festival. Coppola who is an academy award winning director for Lost In Translation became the first American women in the t... -
NEWS: The Good Fun Win The 2010 Smokefreerockquest Final
Waikato Band The Good Fun scooped the 2010 Smokefreerockquest National Final in Hamilton on Saturday. The night was MCed by Drew from C4, Sharyn from The Edge and included performances from J Williams, Kids of 88 and Die! Die! Die! The Good Fun managed to beat Custard Bear, DGR (Dinosaur Goes Rawr!)... -
REVIEW: Mafia II
Poor Vito Scarletta. He’s just got back to Little Italy, after a stint in World War II, where he fought Nazis in the motherland, took a bullet, and was awarded a Purple Heart. Vito thinks he can kick back and relax for a while, now he’s home, but instead he’s pushed and pulled in all direction... -
NEWS: Owl City Concert Postponed
It has been announced that Owl City's upcoming tour of Australia and New Zealand has been postponed until further notice. -
NEWS: Bryan Ferry Recruits Kate Moss For Album Cover
Bryan Ferry has recruited Kate Moss as the cover-girl of his forthcoming solo effort 'Olympia'. For the artwork, the supermodel is depicted in the same pose as the 19th century Édouard Manet painting of the same name. -
![NEWS: Muse Consider Playing 'Smaller Venues\](/uploads/contentitem/871/avatar/small-muse-1.jpg "NEWS: Muse Consider Playing 'Smaller Venues\")
NEWS: Muse Consider Playing 'Smaller Venues"
Muse's Matt Bellamy has said that he is thinking about writing a "more personal" music project following the band's recent epic albums and shows. -
NEWS: Massive Attack Release EP
Massive Attack are set to put out a four-track War Child benefit EP dubbed Atlas Air via Virgin, in November. -
NEWS: Broken Social Scene K.C. Accidental EPs To Be Reissued
In the late 90s, before Broken Social scene officially got together, mainstays Kevin Drew and Charles Spearin made two lo-fi post-rock EPs as K.C. Accidental. -
NEWS: John Lennon's Killer Denied Parole Again
It has been confirmed that Mark Chapman, John Lennon's killer has been denied parole. Again. It was the sixth time that the 55-year-old, who shot Lennon in New York in December 1980, had applied and was denied following a video interview with a parole panel, reports BBC News. -
NEWS: Jack White Produces Wanda Jackson's Album
Jack White was reported to be producing a new album for Wanda Jackson. Finally, details about the album, The Party Ain't Over have been released. Third Man/Nonesuch will release The Party Ain't Over on January 25. -
NEWS: Brandon Flowers' 'Flamingo' Tops UK Charts
'Flamingo', the solo effort from The Killers' frontman Brandon Flowers looks set to top the UK albums chart this Sunday (Sept 12), according to midweek figures. -
NEWS: Marilyn Manson Removes Make-Up
Marilyn Manson has paid tribute to the lead character Kenny Powers, from his favorite TV show; Eastbound & Down by removing his heavy make-up. A photograph of the singer, which has been published in Interview magazine, depicts the goth rocker as the HBO comedy series' washed-up baseball star. -
NEWS: Willow Smith Signs To Roc Nation
Emerging nine year old star Willow Smith has officialy been picked up by Jay-Z's record label Roc-Nation. Willow is the daughter of Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith, and already with comparisons to Rihanna, is launching her singing career with first single titled "Whip My Hair," produced by newcome... -
NEWS: The Killers To Return In 2011 Says Brandon Flowers
Brandon Flowers has said that he wants the Killers to get back together next year, and revealed he is 'missing' the band while he is on hiatus and exploring a solo career. Speaking to the Metro, Flowers said of his band reconvening, "We don't have a date set but it will be next year. I miss them som... -
INTERVIEW: Manchester Orchestra
We recently caught up with Jonathan Corley, bassist in Atlanta based alternative rock band Manchester Orchestra to talk about the history of the band, coming to New Zealand when he was younger, new side project Bad Books and the long awaited 3rd Manchester Orchestra album due out next year. -
NEWS: The Naked And Famous Win The APRA Silver Scrolls 2010
The Naked And Famous have won New Zealand's most prestigious songwriting award - the APRA Silver Scroll - for their number one single Young Blood. The presentation was made at an awards ceremony tonight at Auckland's Town Hall, with hundreds of stars and music industry leaders present. -
NEWS: The xx Win The Barclaycard Mercury Prize 2010
The xx have won the coveted Barclaycard Mercury Prize for 2010. The Mercury Prize is an annual award for the best British album, decided exclusively and in secret by a panel of industry judges. It's considered the most credible of the UK's music awards, similar to New Zealand's APRA Silver Scroll (f... -
NEWS: Charlie Watts Talks Rolling Stones Farewell Tour
In a recent interview with Le Parisien, Rolling Stones’ drummer Charlie Watts revealed a possible timeline for the band’s rumored farewell tour. “We’re discussing it at the moment,” Watts told the French paper. “We said that if we do something, it will be next year or the year after.” -
NEWS: Wyclef Jean Accuses Sean Penn Of Cocaine Use
Former Haitian Presidential hopeful Wyclef Jean has lashed out at Sean Penn at a New York concert last Friday. During a performance at Hot 97's On Da Reggae Tip concert at Hammerstein Ballroom, Jean sang, "I got a message for Sean Penn: Maybe he ain't see me in Haiti because he was too busy sniffing... -
CHART: The Official NZ Music Chart - 6 September 2010
The official New Zealand Music Chart from 6th September 2010. -
NEWS: Bang Bang Eche On The Christchurch Earthquake
Bang Bang Eche have spoken out after getting caught up in the the New Zealand earthquake at the weekend. Over 100,000 homes were damaged in the 7.0-magnitude quake that hit south island city Christchurch on Saturday (September 4). Nobody was killed, and surprisingly only two people suffered serious ... -
FILM: James Cameron Names Next Project
Avatar director James Cameron has suggested his next film will be a non-fiction project concerning the indigenous people of the Amazon, after he spent time visiting the Xikrin-Kayapo tribe recently in Brazil. Speaking to the Folha de Sao Paulo newspaper, Cameron has been invited to meet the tribal e... -
GALLERY: Scary Kids Scaring Kids At Zeal, Auckland
A photo gallery of Scary Kids Scaring Kids at Zeal, Auckland New Zealand on September 4th 2010. Photography by Venus Tong. -
NEWS: Neil Young Announces Album Tracklisting
Neil Young has announced that his new album 'Le Noise', is set for release on Septermber 27. -
DOWNLOAD: Radiohead DVD Compiled By Fans
Radiohead have compiled a DVD of their performance in Prague during last year's tour to promote their self released album In Rainbows. The DVD is compiled entirely of fan footage and the here's the best bit, it's available for free! You can download the entire DVD from this website and burn it to a ... -
CHART: The IMNZ Charts - 29 August 2010
The official IMNZ Independent Charts from 29 August 2010 brought to you by Jagermeister. -
NEWS: Josh Homme Talks Queens Of The Stone Age
After firing bandmate Nick Oliveri, Josh Homme has admitted he considered breaking up Queens Of The Stone Age. -
NEWS: Ezra Koenig Covers Paul Simon For Soundtrack
Vampire Weekend leader Ezra Koenig has weathered through his fair share of Paul Simon comparisons. -
NEWS: The Ting Tings Reveal All About Their Second Album
The Ting Tings have revealed why they decided to shun their native Manchester for Berlin to record their new album -
NEWS: The Big Pink's Milo Cordell To Release 'Tapes' Compilation
The Big Pink's Milo Cordell has created a mixtape for the latest of !K7's 'Tapes' releases. His mixtape, released on October 18, features songs by The XX, Balam Acab and oOoOO, Salem, as well as remixes by These New Puritans. Gang Gang Dance also remix The Big Pink's 'Velvet' for the compilation. -
NEWS: 50 Cent Suggests T.I's Wife Should Own Up To Drug Charges
Rapper TI and his wife Tameka 'Tiny' Cottle have been arrested on drug charges in Hollywood – and 50 Cent has given his legal advice on the situation. -
NEWS: T.I. Arrested On Drug Charges
Grammy award winning rapper T.I. was arrested along with his wife on suspicion of possessing methamphetamines, five months after the hip-hop star finished a prison stint on weapons charges. The 29-year-old rapper and his wife, Tameka Cottle, were arrested Wednesday night in West Hollywood after depu... -
NEWS: U2 360 Auckland Show Sold Out
Tickets for U2’s 360 Auckland concert at Mt Smart stadium on November 25 went on general sale this morning. The incredible ticket demand for tickets has resulted in a sell-out show, selling in excess of 50,000 tickets in under one hour. There is no confirmation of a second show. -
GALLERY: VNZMAs Finalist Announcement 2010
The Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards Finalist Announcement at the Langham Hotel, Auckland on Wednesday 1st September. Photography by David Apple. -
NEWS: TrinityRoots Returns With New Album
Wellington three-piece TrinityRoots are set to release a new CD/DVD September 6th titled 'Music Is Choice'. It is to be released as a CD and DVD package that captures the essence of TrinityRoots through live recordings, interviews and an in-depth behind the scenes look at one of this country’s fi... -
CHART: The Official NZ Music Chart - 30 August 2010
The Official New Zealand Music Chart from 30 August 2010. -
NEWS: Guns N' Roses Declares War On Festival Promoters
Guns N' Roses have been at the centre of controversy recently with front man Axl Rose declaring war on the Reading and Leeds Festivals organisers. This follows the band's performance at the Reading Festival on Friday, when they came on an hour late and organisers pulled the plug on their set as they... -
FILM: Oscar Nominated Writers Hired For Tupac Biopic
Oscar-nominated screenwriters Stephen J. Rivele and Chris Wilkinson (Ali, Nixon) have just been hired to write the biopic of Tupac Shakur, which means director Antoine Fuqua (Training Day) could start shooting by mid-November. The script centers around Pac’s last day of life at age 25 in 1996 and ... -
VIDEO: The Making Of Teenage Dream By Katy Perry
A video of the making of the new Katy Perry album Teenage Dream. -
NEWS: Are Drake And Nicki Minaj Married?
It seemed like two members of the Young Money family just got a lot closer on Friday when Nicki Minaj and Drake announced on their Twitter pages that they are married. "U scurred? @drakkardnoir u ready to make the announcement or wha?" Minaj tweeted Friday afternoon. Drizzy responded about an hour l... -
GALLERY: Ajax At Cassette Nine
Modular in association with Epaulette presents… Ajax. Supported by Cam Roberston, Cyril Orson, Meltron, Lost Boys. Ajax (Modular/Bang Gang) has been voted Australia’s #1 DJ pretty much every year. He’s won all the major Australian DJ awards and has been ordained by the likes of Justice, Digita... -
NEWS: Iron Maiden's Final Frontier Debuts At #1
Iron Maiden have more than earned their status as one of the foremost contemporary and influential Rock bands in the World as they debut at #1 in New Zealand and TWENTY other countries to date with The Final Frontier. Having recorded the new album at Compass Point Studios in the Bahamas earlier this... -
CHART: The Official NZ Music Chart - 23 August 2010
The official New Zealand Music Chart from 23 August 2010. -
NEWS: LCD Soundsystem Consider Making Another Album
Despite previously announcing that 'This Is Happening' would be their last studio effort, LCD Soundsystem have revealed that they could make another album. -
NEWS: Ronnie Wood Works With Slash, Flea and Eddie Vedder on Solo Album
The Rolling Stones' guitarist Ronnie Wood has revealed details of his upcoming solo album. -
NEWS: Ringo Starr Fans Team Up To Save His House
A group of avid Beatles fans have united in an attempt to stop the demolition of the house that Ringo Starr was born in. -
GALLERY: Dinner For Schmucks Premiere
A photo gallery of the red carpet premiere of the hit movie Dinner For Schmucks. -
NEWS: The Libertines' First Show Since Reuniting
August 25 marks the date that The Libertines played their first official show since reuniting in March. Pete Doherty, Carl Barat, John Hassall and Gary Powell took to the stage at the HMV Forum to the sound of Vera Lynn's 'We'll Meet Again'. -
NEWS: Jimmy Page's First Book £445
Guitar legend Jimmy Page is set to release his first book on September 27. The Led Zeppelin guitarist has each copy retailing for £445. The photo-autobiography, titled 'Jimmy Page' is limited to 2500 copies, and will document the guitarist's career over 500 pages and 650 images. -
NEWS: Hollie Smith Wellington Show Cancelled
The Wellington show of Hollie Smith and The Last S.O.S Tour has been cancelled today citing unforeseen circumstances. Hollie Smith and the S.O.S send their apologies to everyone that has purchased tickets or planned on attending the show but has guaranteed full refunds for all ticket purchasers. -
NEWS: Chris Brown Talks About MJ Tribute & Tour With Usher
Shortly after tweeting, "Check 106 and park today. I'mmmm baaacckkk," Chris Brown hit BET's "106 & Park" stage to discuss his BET Awards Michael Jackson tribute and the rumored tour with Usher. "A lot of people don't know, I was going to see Michael Jackson the day he died. I was on my way to the St... -
NEWS: Lady Gaga Overtakes Britney Spears On Twitter
Lady GaGa has officially overtaken Britney Spears as the most followed person on Twitter. As TechCrunch.com reports Lady GaGa currently has 5,781,176 followers on Twitter.com/LadyGaga, while Britney Spears has 5,717,790 on Twitter.com/BritneySpears. To celebrate Lady GaGa thanked her followers in a ... -
BLOG: Splendour In The Grass
Hi! This is the first entry into the rad Rip It Up online blog! Better give you a quick back ground on the stuff I do. I Co-host the 95bFM Breakfast show, I'm a Member of Architect DJs and a Clubnight promoter. I generally just get involved with any new things that are rad. So to kick this bad boy o... -
BLOG: Jay-Z & U2 - Possible Set List & Hyperventilation
Last night was a normal night, doing the Top 20 on The Edge, random callers, banter then Twitter STOPPED MY HEART. A tweet from our web guy Kooge saying "Confirmed Jay-Z opening for U2" Stopped. Hang on. Wait. What. Can't be true. What. Ring Kooge demand to know the story. It's true. Jay-Z was openi... -
NEWS: Kings Of Leon Talk About Record Sales
Kings Of Leon frontman Caleb Followill refuses to obsess over sales of the band's next album because the rockers are so "rich", they don't need the money. The singer admits the band has taken a few creative risks with their upcoming fifth release, Come Around Sundown, following the global success of... -
CHART: The IMNZ Charts - 15 August 2010
The official IMNZ Independent Charts from 15 August 2010. -
NEWS: Ou Est Le Swimming Pool Singer Commits Suicide
Charles Haddon of UK Electric Pop band Ou Est Le Swimming Pool killed himself on Friday right after performing at the Pukkelpop festival in Belgium. Ou Est Le Swimming Pool had recently been riding off their hit single Dance The Way I Feel which has recieved a popular response in New Zealand and Aus... -
NEWS: Eminem Talks Retirement
After releasing 6 studio albums, rapper Eminem is still going strong with sales of his latest album Recovery reaching the 2 million mark last week. In an interview with Vibe magazine for its 15th-anniversary issue, Em discusess his uncertainty about when he may hang up the mic. Em, aka, Slim Shady, ... -
NEWS: Erykah Badu Fined For Public Nudity
R&B singer Erykah Badu has been fined $500 (US) and placed on 6 months of probation for disorderly conduct after stripping in a March music video shoot. The video for Badu's single 'Window Seat', shows Badu walking naked through the Dallas, Texas street where US President John F. Kennedy was assassi... -
GALLERY: Wordsby Launch Event
Wordsby is a new t-shirt range published by Closet and features designs from some of New Zealand’s most talented designers, artists and illustrators. Curated by Kelvin Soh, Wordsby twists the classic band tee by shifting emphasis from the band to the song, and invites interesting mash ups, persona... -
GALLERY: Luger Boa And I Am Giant At Kings Arms
A photo gallery of Luger Boa and I Am Giant live at The Kings Arms from 15 July 2010. Photography by Jacinda Boyd © Website http://www.aipa.org.nz/Portfolios/Jacinda+Boyd/ Blog http://www.jacindaboyd.blogspot.com/ -
REVIEW: Bang Bang Eche At Koko In Camden London
“I’ve had that BBE song stuck in my head all day” says Dan on our way through the grimy florescent corridors of London’s Islington tube station. He’s referring to the opening qwerty in key bass line of Bang Bang Eche’s ‘Time Mismangement’. A catchy tune indeedy. Though only here a we... -
NEWS: Justin Bieber Tweets Hacker's Phone Number
Justin Bieber has reportedly tweeted the phone number of a US teenager after the boy hacked into the account of a friend of the singer. Bieber is alleged to have published Kevin Kristopik's mobile phone number on Twitter, encouraging his followers to call up the phone. He is alleged to have written:... -
GALLERY: Auckland Zinefest 2010
Auckland Zinefest is the first dedicated zine event in the city of Auckland, New Zealand in 4 years. It will be held on the 15th of August 2009 at Cross Street Studios in Newton, Auckland. Both Auckland Zinefest and Cross Street Studios are non for profit, and aim to incubate and promote local aware... -
NEWS: Kasabian's Tom Meighan Sings Lead Vocals For Another Bands Single
Kasabian's Tom Meighan sings lead vocals on a new single from Leicester band The Lysergic Suite. -
NEWS: Arcade Fire's 'The Suburbs' Tops Charts
Arcade Fire's latest album 'The Suburbs' has entered the US album charts at Number One. Win Butler's band went straight in at the top spot on August 11 with the album selling around 156,000 copies in its first week. -
NEWS: MGMT and Paul McCartney Colaboration a no-go?
MGMT have revealed that Paul McCartney admitted he wanted to work with the band however hasn't been in touch about the collaboration since. "We did play a show with him [McCartney] last summer at New York park, which was really cool," he said. "But nothing has really come of the collaboration part o... -
CHART: The IMNZ Charts - 8 August 2010
The official IMNZ Independent Charts from 8 August 2010. -
NEWS: Jay-Z Spoof Video Removed From Youtube
The hit internet spoof video Newport State Of Mind which parodies Jay-Z has been removed from YouTube due to a "copyright claim" by EMI Publishing. The clip had been viewed hundreds of thousands of times since last month. A statement from EMI said: "When a song is created based wholly on any of our ... -
NEWS: La De Da Festival Has Sold Out Of All GA Tickets
Organisers of the new La De Da New Years Eve Festival are very happy to announce that ALL releases of GA tickets have now completely sold out in just over three weeks of going on sale; a stellar achievement for an event in its first year of inception. The additional and final release of an extra 200... -
GALLERY: Tiki Taane And Optimus Gryme
A photo gallery of Tiki Taane and Optimus Gryme taken at the Blacksmith Bar, Whitianga on Friday 6th August. Photography by Vaughan Grigsby www.vaughangrigsby.com -
FILM: Despicable Me
This is a 3D animated family film done really well. There’s loads of laughs to be had, it’s cute as can be in places, and the story is great. It’s about a supervillain named Gru who wants to steal the moon. He has to compete with a smarmy young upstart named Vector - the new baddie on the bloc... -
CHART: The Official NZ Music Chart - 09 August 2010
The official New Zealand music chat for 09 August 2010. -
NEWS: Autozamm Sign To Warner Music NZ
Warner Music New Zealand are thrilled to announce a partnership with Autozamm through their label Let The People Speak. The partnership reflects the strength of their new album and their pedigree as one of New Zealand’s finest live acts. Their third album 5th Degree will be released through Warner... -
FILM: Will Farrell Knocks Inception From Top Spot
Will Ferrell movie The Other Guys has knocked Inception off the top of the US box office. The police parody, which also stars Mark Wahlberg, made $35.6m (£22.3m) in its opening weekend, according to early estimates. Christopher Nolan thriller Inception, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, had been at numbe... -
NEWS: Jack White Insults New York Celebrities
Jack White laid into the celebrity-filled audience at The Dead Weather's gig at Don Hill's in New York on Wednesday (August 4), labelling them "hip motherfuckers". The band were playing a secret show at the relaunch party of Don Hill's to an audience who included the likes of Sean Lennon, Liv Tyler,... -
NEWS: Bono Returns To The Stage
Bono and Larry Mullen on stage in Turin Bono had suffered "severe pain with partial paralysis of the lower leg". U2 frontman Bono has taken to the stage for the first time since sustaining a spinal injury in May. The band resumed their world tour in Turin, Italy, where the singer thanked fans for "a... -
GALLERY: Kidz In Space & Ruby Frost At The Winter Shuffle
A photo gallery of Kidz In Space and Ruby Frost at The Winter Shuffle 2010. Photography by Aura Suren Unka. -
REVIEW: Shihad Play The General Electric At The Powerstation
Last night Shihad played their 1995 album Killjoy live at The Powerstation (so read this review first) and tonight they played their 1999 album The General Electric. This was the last date of the tour of Australia and New Zealand and it seemed quite fitting as the band have a lot of history with The... -
REVIEW: Shihad Play Killjoy At The Powerstation
Shihad are a bit of an institution in New Zealand. They formed back in 1988, and evolved from their industrial thrash metal roots to become our very own heroes of rock music as god intended it. Even though they've now relocated to Melbourne (a popular choice for many Kiwi ex-pats) they'll always be ... -
FESTIVAL: Coromandel Gold Has Sold Out
Coromandel Gold sells out in less than 36 hours. Last year’s sold out in less than three weeks, this year Coromandel Gold sold out on pre-sale in less than a day and a half and never made it to public release. Coromandel Gold is proud to announce the latest addition to the line-up - the phenomen... -
FILM: Anchorman Stars Too Costly For Sequel
Anchorman's lead actor, Will Ferrell has said that Anchorman 2 was shelved because of the potential actors' high salary expectations. Ferrell starred as Ron Burgundy in the film, and has only recently spoken publicly for the first time of his frustration at the shelving of a sequel for the 2004 come... -
![NEWS: R.E.M Work on \](/uploads/contentitem/554/avatar/small-20071231-rem.jpg "NEWS: R.E.M Work on \")
NEWS: R.E.M Work on "Old School" Album
The Posies' frontman Ken Stringfellow has revealed that REM are in the process of recording an "old school"-style album. Stringfellow - who has toured and worked with the Georgia band - recently met up with bassist Mike Mills in his current home city of Paris, where he heard the rough recordings of ... -
NEWS: Restraining Order For Leonardo DiCaprio Attacker
A Canadian woman accused of attacking Inception star Leonardo DiCaprio with a broken beer bottle in 2005 has been given a restraining order. Aretha Wilson, 40, attacked the star at a private party in Hollywood, resulting in him needing about a dozen stitches to his face and neck. After fleeing to Ca... -
CHART: The IMNZ Charts - 1 August 2010
The official IMNZ Independent Music Charts week to 1 August 2010. -
NEWS: Weezer: New Record Label
Since recently finishing up their contract with major label Geffen, the power-pop band have collaborated with eclectic punk-minded label Epitaph -
CHART: The Official NZ Music Chart - 02 August 2010
The official New Zealand Music Chart for 2nd August 2010. -
NEWS: Beach Boys Challenge Katy Perry's California Gurls
Legal Reps of 'The Beach Boys' have reportedly asked Katy Perry's record label to give Brian Wilson and Mike Love songwriting credits and royalties from her song 'California Gurls'. Perry's number one hit, featuring Snoop Dogg, contains elements of The Beach Boys' 1965 hit 'California Girls'. -
GIG: The Temper Trap Play Powerstation
Sweeter than the sweet disposition itself is Temper Trap. Another of the most electrifying concerts this year, The Temper Trap have announced support from local band on the rise, The Naked And Famous. What a way to spend a Sunday, lubricated with a fine beverage, having The Naked and Famous as a ent... -
NEWS: Sweet & Irie and Sons of Zion Tour
Two of New Zealand’s favourite roots reggae acts Sweet & Irie and Sons Of Zion are proud to announce they will be joining forces throughout July and August in the aptly named Joint Forces Tour. -
NEWS: Klaxons New Album Details
It's been long-awaited but Nu-Rave prodigies Klaxons have confirmed the name of their second record. It's called Surfing The Void. On the posting of a certain TwitPic we speculated on what some of the songs would be called. A large percentage of them were nowt short of utterly ridiculous. It appears... -
NEWS: 30 Seconds To Mars Press Conference Aftermath
On Tuesday 3rd of August 2010 30 Seconds To Mars streamed their secret press conference from Epsom Girls Grammar in Auckland, New Zealand. If you missed it then don't worry you didn't miss much. It doesn't take very much to impress a bunch of school girls. It's quite amusing listening to the redicul... -
FASHION: New Zealand Music Inspired T-Shirts
Wordsby is a new t-shirt range published by Closet and features designs from some of New Zealand’s most talented designers, artists and illustrators. Curated by Kelvin Soh, Wordsby twists the classic band tee by shifting emphasis from the band to the song, and invites interesting mash ups, persona... -
NEWS: Lindsay Lohan Released From Jail
US actress Lindsay Lohan has been released from jail after serving less than two weeks of a 90-day sentence. Lohan, 24, had entered an all-female jail in Los Angeles on 20 July after violating her probation on a 2007 drunk-driving charge. Entertainment website E! Online reported that Lohan was relea... -
CHART: The Official NZ Music Chart - 26 July 2010
The official New Zealand music chart from 26 July 2010. -
GALLERY: CASH (Formerly Charlie Ash)
A photo gallery of CASH (Formerly Charlie Ash). -
FEATURE: Tom Jones Interview
He’s just turned 70, but Tom Jones isn’t about to call time on his career just yet. Instead, judging by his latest album, Praise & Blame - a spirited collection of gospel, rock, blues and soul - he could be with us a lot longer. How would you feel if you caught your grandad in the act, shameless... -
CHART: The IMNZ Charts - 25 July 2010
The Independent Music New Zealand Charts for the week to 25 July 2010. -
NEWS: Rip It Up Announce Trip To LA Winner
Rip It Up have announced the winner to the trip for two to LA courtesy of Get Him to The Greek (Paramount Pictures). -
NEWS: Silver Scroll Awards 2010 Finalists
APRA (the Australasian Performing Right Association) are proud to announce the top five songs (from a list of 20 songs released earlier this month) up for New Zealand's premier songwriting award - and two newcomers join past finalists on the list. -
NEWS: Hercules and Love Affair cover the xx's 'Shelter'
The next Hercules and Love Affair album 'Blue Songs' is to be released sometime in January, according to an interview with band mastermind Andy Butler on omg blog. -
NEWS: Michael Jackson's Doctors Escape Criminal Charges
Since the King of pop's death, California state investigators have been looking into how the doctors prescribed the singer drugs. Now, just over a year later it has been revealed that seven doctors who treated Michael Jackson will not face criminal charges relating to his death. -
GAMING: StarCraft II Wings of Liberty
Blizzard knows games. They've been making them forever; much longer than their trio of epic licenses (StarCraft, WarCraft and Diablo) have been around. It seems that they haven't just evolved with videogames, but that they themselves have somehow been involved in steering the course of that evolutio... -
CHART: The IMNZ Charts - 18 July 2010
The IMNZ Independent Charts brought to you by Jagermeister. Julia Deans has the number 1 album and Young Sid featuring Stan Walker has the number one single. -
NEWS: Damon Albarn Defends Gorillaz Glastonbury Set
Damon Albarn has taken responsibility for the poor reviews his band Gorillaz received following their Glastonbury headline slot. The cartoon hip-hop band stepped in at the last minute to replace U2, whose singer, Bono, had injured his back. Reviews of the show were mixed, with the crowd noticeably t... -
NEWS: MIA
MIA has blasted organisers of the Hard NYC Party festival in New York after her set there was cut short amid fears the rapper would be electrocuted during a thunder storm. The singer's headline slot at the event on Governors Island saw organisers pull the sound, forcing her to rap without any backin... -
NEWS: La De Da Festival Has Sold Out
La De Da (the New Year’s Eve music festival) has sold out of their 10,000 general release tickets in less than three weeks. However due to pleas from punters, La De Da festival organizers have agreed with the venue to make a final 2,000 tickets available for purchase on Monday 2 August at 9am. "Th... -
NEWS: Bobby Gillespie's New Supergroup
Bobby Gillespie unveiled his garage rock supergroup The Silver Machine for a one-off show at London's 1234 Festival tonight (July 24). As promised, the Primal Scream frontman teamed up with Sex Pistols founder Glen Matlock, sometime Oasis drummer Zak Starkey along with regular bandmates Andrew Innes... -
NEWS: Good Charlotte Sign To Capitol Records
Rock sensations Good Charlotte are proud to announce that they have signed to Capitol Records/EMI and will be releasing their highly anticipated fifth full-length album Cardiology on October 25, 2010, almost exactly 10 years after their self-titled debut put them on the map as one of the most exciti... -
NEWS: Bobby Ray Joins The Edge Winter Jam
One of pop and R&B’s most inventive and exciting young artists of the moment, B.O.B aka Bobby Ray, will join the stage with the crème of New Zealand’s musical talent Dane Rumble, J. Williams, Ivy Lies, Kidz In Space plus guest DJs at The Edge Winter Jam this July! -
GIG: Autozamm at John Andrew Ford Showroom
Juice TV Presents, Electric Mistress, The Interconnector single release featuring Autozamm & DJ Tina Turntables. -
NEWS: Sola Rosa Tour New Zealand
Sola Rosa are gearing up for their NZ tour, delivering their renowned diverse elements of funk, soul, reggae, latin, lounge and jazz to the masses. -
NEWS: Arcade Fire Release Third Studio Album
Arcade fire is gearing up for the highly anticipated release their third studio album The Suburbs on August 2nd on Spunk in Australia/NZ. The Suburbs was written, arranged and recorded in both Montreal and New York and was produced by the band themselves with Markus Dravs on board as a co-producer. -
GIG: Shapeshifter Winter Tour
Shapeshifter bring the fire once again this July and August, making their first long awaited solo performances in Wellington and Dunedin in over three years, as well as two exclusive dates in Wanaka. As well as performing to over 26,000 during their sold-out provincial summer tour, the band h... -
VIDEO: Heartskin by Blood Red Shoes
The brand new official music video for Heartskin by Blood Red Shoes. -
INTERVIEW: DJ Sir-Vere Editor Of Rip It Up
Matt Hicks of Sounzgood popped into Auckland's Satellite Media to have a chat with former C4 host, nz hip-hop pioneer, Mai FM radio announcer and current editor of Rip It Up Magazine Phil Bell a.k.a DJ Sir-Vere. We talk about his long and distinguished career in TV, radio, print and of course music ... -
NEWS: Surf City Sign To Fire Records
Fire Records is proud to announce the signing of a band that has been thrilling our ears all year. New Zealand’s Surf City will be releasing the jaw-dropping kiwi guitar buzz masterpiece “Kudos” on the iconic label this November. We might be biased but this is clearly the finest six string pop... -
CHART: The Official NZ Music Chart - 19 July 2010
The official New Zealand music chart from 19 July 2010. Love The Way You Lie by Eminem Featuring Rihanna is the number 1 single. -
GALLERY: Die! Die! Die! And Rackets At Galatos
A photo gallery of Die! Die! Die! supported by Rackets at Galatos on Friday 16 July 2010. Photography by Suren Unka. -
NEWS: Daniel Radcliffe Lands Lead Role
Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe has landed himself the lead role in something other than Harry Potter! Can he play any other charaters? We will find out pretty soon as he takes the job in Hammer movie The Woman In Black. Based on an adaptation of Susan Hill's best-selling novel, Radcliffe will pl... -
REVIEW: Die! Die! Die! At Galatos, Auckland
Die! Die! Die! are back on tour, and hell yeah it's good to see them again, it feels like it's been ages. Nothing to blast away the misery of the cold and the rain like a bit of visceral, bracing punk noise. They kick off their NZ tour with a double whammy at Galatos to celebrate the release of thei... -
NEWS: MIA New Album Details
After two hugely acclaimed albums (2005’s ‘Arular’ and 2007’s ‘Kala’), the global success of ‘Paper Planes’ , not to mention Oscar nominations, and that Grammys performance, M.I.A is set to release new album ‘/\/\ /\ Y /\’ which sees her as incendiary and forward thinking as ever... -
NEWS: Artisan Guns Stream Auckland Gig
This Saturday, Artisan Guns are playing 420 Bar, Auckland. If you can't make the gig don't worry, the band are going to stream it from their site! My advice is to bookmark artisanguns.com right now, so you don't forget. Oh yeah, and while you're in bookmarking mode, why not bookmark ripitup.co.nz to... -
NEWS: State of Rock Adds New Dates
Due to public demand, the State of Rock tour has added on two extra dates, Thursday July 22nd in Napier and Friday July 23rd in Tauranga. -
NEWS: Muse Claim They Sold Their Souls To Twilight
Muse bassist Chris Wolstenholme has described being on the Twilight Saga soundtrack felt like "selling their soul". The award winning band have contributed to all three films in the franchise: 'Supermassive Black Hole' for the first film, 'I Belong To You' for New Moon and 'Neutron Star Collision (L... -
NEWS: Lil Wayne To Be Released From Prison Early
Rapper Lil Wayne’s one-year sentence has been cut down by several months. The rapper is now expected to be released from Rikers Island in November, four months early. Lil Wayne has been serving time at Rikers Island since March 8, 2010 and an early release date for the rapper is heavily reliant up... -
NEWS: Vampire Weekend Cover Girl Sues Band
Recently, when asked about the woman on the cover of Vampire Weekend's latest album Contra, Ezra Koenig kept quiet saying "I don't want to give away all the details about the photo just yet, but I learned that she's now living in Malibu." -
CHART: The Official NZ Music Chart - 12 July 2010
The official New Zealand music chart number 1729 from 12 July 2010. California Girls by Katy Perry Featuring Snoop Dogg is the number 1 single. -
CHART: The IMNZ Charts - 4 July 2010
The IMNZ Independent Charts brought to you by Jagermeister. Week to 4 July 2010. Live At The Roundhouse, London by Fat Freddy's Drop is the number 1 album. -
NEWS: Franz Ferdinand's Alex Kapranos Gives Songwriting Lecture
Franz Ferdinand's Alex Kapranos gave schoolchildren a lecture on songwriting yesterday (July 8), giving them tips on how he dealt with his own songwriting including 'Take Me Out' and 'Walk Away'. He spoke at the British Music Experience at the London O2 Arena as part of the museum's new partnership ... -
NEWS: Coco Solid's Producer ALC5 Recently Passed Away
Coco Solid's long-time collaborator and producer ALC5 (Alan Cameron) recently passed away in Wanganui at his flat. The Coco Solid crew (Coco, Ben, Han) will sadly miss him. He was fiercely independent and instrumental in Coco Solid's (and many other independent musician's) recordings, tours and succ... -
NEWS: Korn Play Gig in Crop Circle
American Rock band Korn are set to stream a gig they recently played in a crop circle. The band hit up crop circle creators Circlemakers.org to create a crop circle near their hometown of Bakersfield in the US. They will stream the performance they recorded on their MySpace page, Myspace.com/korn, o... -
![NEWS: Phil Selway admits 'Its daunting being in a band with Thom Yorke\](/uploads/contentitem/338/avatar/small-large-radioheadsquare.jpg "NEWS: Phil Selway admits 'Its daunting being in a band with Thom Yorke\")
NEWS: Phil Selway admits 'Its daunting being in a band with Thom Yorke"
Radioheads's drummer Phil Selway talked about his song writing process and has jokingly admitted that he finds it almost daunting being bandmates with Thom Yorke now he's a solo musician too. -
NEWS: Daft Punk To Release New Album In November
According to Amazon.com's listings, come November Daft Punk could be releasing a new album. The album would be the first full length release since Human After All, released in 2005. Although, as there has been no announcement by the duo or their record label, nothing is official as of yet. It has be... -
NEWS: SNFU Cancel New Zealand And Oz Tour
SNFU are forced to cancel their New Zealand and Australian tour dates because of legal issues. "Unfortunately some legal issues have escalated in the last week with one of the SNFU members, which has resulted in his travel Visa being cancelled. As such SNFU are forced to cancel their NZ and Australi... -
CHART: The Official NZ Music Chart - 7 July 2010
The official New Zealand music chart number 1728 from 5 July 2010. California Girls by Katy Perry Featuring Snoop Dogg is the number 1 single. -
NEWS: Leo Back On The Big Screen
Leonardo is back on the big screen and talks about his new film Inception and working with the Dark Knight director Christopher Nolan. -
NEWS: Cheryl Cole Cancels All Commitments
Cheryl Cole has cancelled all work commitments this week on the advice of doctors, it has been confirmed. The X Factor star is currently judging auditions for the ITV1 show, and toured with the Black Eyed Peas recently. Her busy schedule is thought to have left her worn out, but her spokesman would ... -
NEWS: Justin Bieber Subject Of Internet Joke
Justin Bieber's Twitter page has become the target of an internet joke. A public vote on the singer's My World Tour page has asked users which country he should tour next, with no restrictions on the nations. -
NEWS: Foals Stage Dive At iTunes Festival
Foals frontman Yannis Philippakis ran and stage dived into the crowd at the iTunes Festival in London last night (July 4). The singer leapt into the moshpit at the Roundhouse in much the same vein as he did at Glastonbury just over a week ago when he dropped down from the stage rigging during 'Elect... -
NEWS: Lady Gaga Tops 10m Facebook Friends
Singer has more Facebook fans than Barack Obama but fewer than Michael Jackson. In March this year, she became the first music artist to top 1bn video views online. When her latest video, Alejandro, was released last month, it temporarily crashed her website before going on to clock up over 36m view... -
NEWS: Paris Hilton Drugs Charges Dropped
A South African court has dropped drugs charges against US socialite Paris Hilton after her arrest at a World Cup game. Ms Hilton was arrested in Port Elizabeth after the Netherlands' defeat of Brazil in the quarter-finals of the tournament. She appeared at a special court on Friday evening. -
NEWS: Drake Sued By Playboy
Drake has been sued by Playboy Enterprises for copyright infringement, claiming that the rapper sampled a song they own the rights to without asking their permission. The company, which publishes Playboy magazine, revealed that it owns the 1975 Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynold song 'Fallin' In Love'... -
CHART: The IMNZ Charts - 27 June 2010
The IMNZ Independent Charts brought to you by Jagermeister. Week to 27 June 2010. Live At The Roundhouse, London by Fat Freddy's Drop is the number 1 album. -
NEWS: Pete Wentz Forms New Band
Pete Wentz, Fall Out Boy bassist, has formed a new band called Black Cards. However, Wentz mentions that he can understand if Fall Out Boy fans do not gravitate towards the new sound according to a post on his personal blog Petewentz.com; "If it's not for you then we understand," wrote Wentz. "[But]... -
CHART: The Official NZ Music Chart - 28 June 2010
The official New Zealand music chart number 1727 from 28 June 2010. California Girls by Katy Perry Featuring Snoop Dogg is the number 1 single. -
REVIEW: Mondo Cane by Mike Patton
You can’t doubt Mike Patton’s tag of avant-garde composer. Aside from works with Fantomas and Tomahawk, he’s well known for his experimental works with Rahzel and lately for video games. Now, Mondo Cane is Patton’s celebration of the 60s and 70s Italian pop movement. -
REVIEW: Logic of Chance by Dan Le Sac vs Scroobius Pip
With a distinctly British urban temperament, Essex born electronica/rap musicians Dan Le Sac (Dan Stephens) and Scroobius Pip (Peter Meads) draw from a common heritage of grime and UK garage to release their second LP, Logic of Chance. There is a rather light-hearted and pop-like quality throughout ... -
REVIEW: Broken Bells by Broken Bells
When two genres cross over, you tend to expect something interesting to happen. So when you hear that Danger Mouse is working with The Shins' James Mercer, you think that the result is going to fit that overused indie-rock tag, but at least something eclectic may come out of it. -
CHART: The IMNZ Charts - 20 June 2010
The IMNZ Independent Charts brought to you by Jagermeister. Week to 20 June 2010. Live At The Roundhouse, London by Fat Freddy's Drop is the number 1 album. -
VIDEO: The Girl Is Gone by The Mystery Jets
Mystery Jets is an English five-piece indie band, formerly based on Eel Pie Island in Twickenham, London. -
REVIEW: This Is Happening by LCD Soundsystem
When the opening track ‘Dance Yrself Clean’ kicks in - and it takes its time getting there - the sheer energy of it has me torn between warning first-time listeners and not wanting to ruin the impact. -
REVIEW: Compass by Jamie Lidell
Lidell is one of those artists who doesn’t seem to sit still on one single style for long, but if you look closer at his track record (excuse the pun) his past five releases have ranged in style from electronica, to funk, to soul, to gospel. -
NEWS: Watch Twilight Eclipse Red Carpet Arrivals Live
Watch a live stream of The Twilight Saga: Eclipse red carpet arrivals at the premiere happening live. Experience the red carpet first-hand and in real-time. Take part by posting comments or questions to The Twilight Sage: Eclipse official MySpace page that may then be presented to the celebrities du... -
NEWS: Indie Band 'The Drums' Aren't Afraid of Success
The Drums have declared that the fact that they're "not scared of success" is what will mark them out from other indie bands. The New York-based band released their debut album this month. Despite taking their influences from the 1980s indie scene, many of who looked down on commercial success, t... -
CHART: The Official NZ Music Chart - 21 June 2010
The official New Zealand music chart number 1726 from 21 June 2010. Young Blood by The Naked And Famous is the number 1 single. -
NEWS: John Lennon's Lyrics Sell For $1.2m
John Lennon's handwritten lyrics to Beatles song A Day In The Life have sold for $1.2m at auction, well above the price expected. -
CHART: The IMNZ Charts - 13 June 2010
The IMNZ Independent Charts brought to you by Jagermeister. Week to 13 June 2010. What Doesn't Kill Me by Young Sid is the number 1 album. -
VIDEO: The A-Team Movie Trailer
The A-Team is an action film based on The A-Team television series, planned for release on June 11, 2010 by 20th Century Fox. It is directed by Joe Carnahan and produced by the brothers Ridley and Tony Scott. -
INTERVIEW: Ellie Goulding The Bright Lights
Nine months ago, Ellie Goulding was just another unknown British singer. But now, with critical acclaim, commercial success and a chart topping debut album, Lights, her future’s looking bright. Although she’s toyed with music since childhood, Ellie Goulding never took her singing or songwriting ... -
NEWS: Batucada Sound Machine Take On Europe
Batucada Sound Machine are gearing up for their return to Europe after the success of their UK tour in 2007. Their tour takes them through Portugal, Spain, Holland, Germany, Belgium and the UK. -
NEWS: Eminem, Rihanna & Nerd at the E3
Games publisher Activision surprise the E3 gaming exo crowed with an array of A-list celebrities and music performaces. -
CHART: The Official NZ Music Chart - 14 June 2010
The official New Zealand music chart number 1725 from 14 June 2010. Young Blood by The Naked And Famous is the number 1 single. -
GAMING: Skate 3
I must be the worlds biggest masochist. Playing Skate 3 brings out the worst in me, anyone passing by will hear minutes of continuous swearing punctuated by the odd victory fist pump. -
NEWS: MySpace Choice Awards Winners Announced
MySpace have announced the winners of the second annual MySpace Choice Awards. An opportunity for MySpace users around the nation to vote for their favorite NZ artists, the 2010 MySpace Choice Awards saw thousands of votes cast with experiential rock set Mint Chicks taking out the 2010 overall MySpa... -
GAMING: Blur
Shunting other cars out of the way in a desperate bid for the front of the pack in an all out 20 player online duel sounds like a blast. Chuck in some power-ups, arcade handling and even some social networking and you have yourself a solid evening's entertainment out of the rain. It all sounds nice ... -
GAMING: Red Dead Redemption
In Red Dead, gamers take the role of John Marston; a reformed(ish) outlaw who is trying to track down and capture or kill the members of his old gang. We open with Marston riding a train as he listens to the drab conversations of his fellow passengers, and he is met at his destination by a couple of... -
INTERVIEW: The Drab Doo-Riffs
Supergroove vocalist turned academic Karl Stevens won’t tell me the story behind his new band, the Drab Doo-Riffs’, name. However, he is willing to give me a hint, a hint I will now share with you. “What do Dune, Lord of the Rings II - whatever that's called - Star Trek: Voyager, Deadwood and ... -
VIDEO: Te Amo by Rihanna
Robyn Rihanna Fenty (born February 20, 1988), better known mononymously as Rihanna (pronounced /riˈænə/ Ree-YAH-nah), is a Barbadian R&B recording artist, songwriter and model. Born in Saint Michael, Barbados, Rihanna moved to the United States at the age of 16 to pursue a recording career under ... -
CHART: The IMNZ Charts - 6 June 2010
The IMNZ Independent Charts brought to you by Jagermeister. Week to 6 June 2010. What Doesn't Kill Me by Young Sid is the number 1 album. -
CHART: The Official NZ Music Chart - 7 June 2010
The official New Zealand music chart number 1724 from 7 June 2010. Airplanes by B.O.B. Featuring Hayley Williams is the number 1 single. -
NEWS: Tragedy Rocks Slipknot
The grammy award winning band know for creepy masks, and hardcore metal and mourning the death of bassist Paul Gray. the 38 year old, known as "The Pig" was found dead in an Urbandale hotel room in Iowa on Monday. A medical examiner has scheduled an autopsy for Tuesday, how ever it has already been ... -
NEWS: Ryan Adams Releases Metal Album
The long awaited metal album form Ryan Adams has finally been released. It was reported first in March that he had a metal album in the works and was trialling feelers to see if anyone would actually like it, let alone buy it. The album was in fact awesome and was described as his most legit metal r... -
NEWS: Solo Album For Brandon Flowers
The Killers' frontman Brandon Flowers has shed some light on the details of his first solo album. He first revealed his solo plans via The Killers' official website , strategically placing a countdown clock on their homepage. Flowers has been working with numerous producers including Stuart Price... -
INTERVIEW: Kate Nash
Like Lily Allen, Kate Nash became a symbol of noughties womanhood with her feisty debut album Made Of Bricks in 2007. Now she’s reconnecting with fans with My Best Friend Is You. After getting turned down for drama school, Kate Nash famously fell down the stairs, broke her foot and, while convales... -
NEWS: Lindsay Lohan Violates Alcohol Court Ban
US actress Lindsay Lohan has violated the terms of a court order after an alcohol-monitoring bracelet indicated she had been drinking. -
NEWS: Lauren Thomson Wins Prestigious Songwriting Award
Lauren Thomson took home $2500 last week as the winner of the New Zealand Trust Songwriting Awards in Gore, for her song "Where Would I Be". -
VIDEO: Your Love Is My Drug by Ke$ha
The official music video for Your Love Is My Drug by Ke$ha. -
NEWS: Tahuna Breaks Music Video on Porn Sites
Tahuna Breaks have been forced to find alternative sites to host their latest video 'Giddy Up' from the album 'Black Brown & White'. It's a cheeky song about a naughty topic. After quietly being released through YouTube received thousands of views before being forced to take it down a week later. Vi...
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