Blue Smoke

How did Elvis Presley influence New Zealand music? In this Kings Birthday special Blue Smoke pays tribute to the King of Rock & Roll. Chris Bourke introduces interpretations of songs recorded by… Read more Audio

In this special Anzac Day episode of Blue Smoke, Chris Bourke explores New Zealand music during wartime, from the First World War to the Korean War, uncovering overlooked gems and forgotten songs… Read more Video, Audio

Popular music is not pure; it respects no borders. The only truly indigeneous music from Aotearoa is likely to be bird song. But many birds migrate and bring back jazz, country, rhythm and blues… Read more Audio

Predictions that robots would be creating hit pops songs are a virtual reality: artificial intelligence is on a playlist near you. This episode of Blue Smoke looks back to the 70s and 80s and the… Read more Audio

For years, the idea of a thriving New Zealand film industry was a dream that seemed against the odds: financial, and the cultural cringe. But eventually regular film production began. This episode of… Read more Audio

All New Zealand musicians found it hard to get heard with original material in the late 1970s. It was especially tough for female musicians outside the mainstream. The women’s music movement realised… Read more Audio

Since the Rolling Stones first toured here in 1965, New Zealand musicians have always shown the band respect. With the release of the Stones’ new album Hackney Diamonds, this episode of Blue Smoke… Read more Audio

Has it ever snowed in New Zealand on Christmas Day? Over the years our musicians have rearranged Christmas to suit, and our songwriters have added some sunshine to the playlist. This episode of Blue… Read more Audio

This episode of Blue Smoke goes beyond the reef, to explore music of the Pacific. Besides featuring Auckland-based expatriates such as Bill Sevesi and Bill Wolfgramm, Chris Bourke venture back to the… Read more Audio

In 1980 a compilation of New Zealand bands from the 60s was released. It inspired post-punk bands to keep it short and snappy, and created an interest in our pop history. This episode of Blue Smoke… Read more Audio

In 2017 a ground-breaking compilation of New Zealand funk was released - Heed the Call. It inspired others to dig deep and see what funk they could find. This episode of Blue Smoke gets on the good… Read more Audio

For nearly 100 years the Main Trunk line was the superhighway of Aoteoroa, taking passengers, livestock, and cargo from Johnsonville to Geraldine and beyond. Countless musicians have heard the… Read more Audio