Keeping it Real
I interviewed Ed Real [label manager of Nukleuz Records] this week for UpFM. He came into the studios for Jarra's drivetime show and then we caught up with him later at new club Cube. Ed says he gets sent around 50 demos a week from hopeful bedroom producers and advises you to be original. There's no point in sending him something that sounds like Nick Sentience or BK,as he's already got them on his label. He also recommends you get a release on an indie first before approaching Nukleuz with a track.

It's a chicken and egg situation for New Zealand producers. You can press your own vinyl, but to make any money you have to sell it overseas. To do that takes distributers. The big labels want to see indie sales, and the scene is too small to support dance indies. It seems the only way may be to do it digitally.

New Xenaland

It was Chelfyn's birthday today. As we're Westies now we went to watch the sunset at Piha. It's a dramatic place with black sand, and wild crashing surf. They filmed a lot of Xena out in West Auckland so we're going to watch the first series and then go location hunting. Xena used to be a weekly ritual as I'd meet up with the girls every Friday night for Xena and G&Ts. I went to First Scene in Auckland last year to hire a backdrop for First Contact. It's one of the big props houses and I saw loads of stuff from Xena and Hercules which I'd love to hire for a night.

I had a good hunt for Xena's leather bra and skirt combo in the costume department but maybe Lucy Lawless kept it for the odd bit of role play.

Lunchouts and 3Somes
TMet are taking over the airwaves. Jarra the station manager and drivetime host on UpFM has given us the Monday lunchtime slot as well as our Saturday night show. We're going to call it The Muntday Lunchout where we "cushion you from the comedown with laid back repetitive beats". No more Monday morning lie ins, but a fun way to start the week.

We're dipping out toes back in the promotions pool with an event on the 20th June. This time TMet are collaborating with N20 Events & Potato Rave so we're calling it 3Some (what happens when three promoters get into bed with one another). It's the weekend before we fly off for a month in the UK.

Hello Auckland
The move was a breeze - completely stress free, even though it rained all day and the agents lost the keys. Chelfyn is revelling in the fact that we can get pizzas delivered.