AGAINST THE WIND

Rip It Up, Issue 70, 1 May 1983, Page 8

AGAINST THE WIND

Wellington's music scene has long seemed the poor relation to those from other cities and indeed, to Wellingtonians themselves. The Capital never seemed to be able to hold onto a decent venue, nobody else liked its bands. Every gig seemed to end up in a confrontation with the police. It didn't even have a presentable venue for international bands. The old Wellington cliches, of course, but there's still some truth in them. But good things have happened, and are continuing. to happen, in the Capital. The city seems to be entering a period of strength and the development of that strength rests on two men: lim Moss of Jayrem Records and Graham Josephs of Cosmic Rock sG onsultants*^|mHpßl^B*^M Moss's record label has.been available to virtually anyone who wants to use it thus far. It has yet to produce a record of real class, but it can only be a matter of time. The development of. the music scene will depend on who. he chooses to encourage. Josephs has brought some semblance of order to the city’s venue situation. He has tied together several pubs, in both the city and suburbs, and the new Sheaf nightclub. The first benefit will be that Josephs has made it possible, and, indeed, profitable, for outside bands to play in the city. Local bands will benefit, but exactly how. much remains to be seen. And the city’s faithful zine In Touch, has split, into two apparently healthy parts - The

Other Magazine, a thin fortnightly freebie and IT Magazine, a more substantial quarterly. But the city hasn't been a complete musical void (no pun intended) up until now. anyway. Some of the best records of. the past year by the Spines, : Naked Spots Dance the Hulamen, the Mockers have come out of it. Maybe we'll see even more in', the next 12 months. Russell Brown . '