Pete on Music
Kia ora Unitec!
How many musicians does it take to screw in a light-bulb? Just one, he lies face-up on his bed holding the bulb and the room spins in a scenic haze of bright colours around him “whoooooahh”.
Yep, it’s that time of year again, and every year NZ music month seems further entrenched as a cultural landmark of sorts. Since its conception 10 years ago it has grown from a gentle nudge at radio stations to play more home-grown tunes to a full-on 31-day celebration of Kiwi musical endowment. And might I say, New Zealand, you are very well endowed indeed.
Music has always been a passion of mine; guitar, bass, drums …the triangle – oh how I can make that bent metal rod sing with a majestic exuberance… and on top of that I’ve been getting opera lessons for the past three years. So, if anyone is ever interested in starting up a neo-classical-dub-funk band, let me know. You bring the tie-dyed shirts; I’ll bring the dark wigs and tea.
Neil Young, before finding his musical fame, recorded television laugh tracks. Most of the laughter heard on the third season of The Dick Van Dyke Show is his. He would overdub his laughter as many as two hundred times to simulate an audience getting their collective chuckle on. I’ve never been paid to laugh at something in my life, so I have to say upon finding this out, Young went up a couple of pegs in my book.
From 1973 to 1978, Marvin Gaye the Iconic soul artist also held the role of Grimace. I’m sure we all remember that somewhat phallic purple creature in the McDonalds commercials? His “lusty swagger” was a real draw in for advertising executives. Unfortunately he was dismissed due to complaints highlighting the creature’s unusual sexual menace. I guess when he started singing “sexual healing” into a small punnet of Chicken-Mc-Nuggets, they decided things had gone too far, fair enough really.
I can only hope that one day when I’m old and gre… hmm… well, still bald anyway… you can laugh at elements of my strange past as I moved in and out of music, but until then, I’ll just keep “president-ing” it out for the USU and hey, maybe I’ll get some funny stories to tell with all of you along the way.
New Zealand is alive with the sound of music folks, so enjoy the rest of the month and keep smiling. Winter’s not so bad after-all.
Peace,
Pete.
Get to know your exec:
Togia Lanefale (44) is in his last year of study towards a Bachelor of Social Practice.
Q: What is your role on the USU exec and what does the job entail?
I am the Maori rep for the USU, I attend runanga, marae committee and academic faculty committee for health sciences. My job, as member of the exec, is discussing any issues brought to the exec to do with students and the USU.
Q: What have you done for students so far this year?
This year I started a petition at the Waitakere campus regarding ongoing issues with room bookings and common space. Study space has been a problem at Waitakere since before Unitec took nine classrooms and changed them into offices. They have started to address our issues here and set up the Waitakere committee as part of the process to deal with students concerns.
I attend the class rep meetings in Waitakere to get a better sense of other programmes and what issues students have within their course and the Waitakere campus.
On Wednesday I study at Maia to be available for Maori students and go to Takapuna once a month to do the same.
Q: If you were a fruit, what fruit would you be and why?
I would be a slice of lemon in a bottle of Carona, soaking up all the goodness.