Music 101 for Saturday 1 March 2025

1.20  'He was always aware of his mortality' The story behind the final Chills album

The final album by Dunedin band The Chills Spring Board: The Early Unrecorded Songs was released yesterday, a passion project led by the band's late frontman, Martin Phillipps, to re-record early, unreleased tracks from his youth. 

Before his passing in July 2024 at age 61, Phillipps collaborated with his bandmates Oli Wilson, Erica Scally, Callum Hampton, and Todd Knudson to bring these early compositions to life. The album also features contributions from notable New Zealand artists, including Neil Finn of Crowded House, Julia Deans of Fur Patrol, Hollie Fullbrook of Tiny Ruins, and others.

This album stands as a poignant conclusion to The Chills legacy, offering fans a final glimpse into Phillipps's creative world and the band's enduring impact on the music scene.

Longtime band manager Scott Muir talks to Music 101.

2.15  DJ Groove Terminator on making house music with Soweto Gospel Choir

For fans of house music, gospel music, and dancing, the Auckland Arts Festival is bringing a powerful show to Tamaki. 

Groove Terminator — real name Simon Lewicki — was a major force in the Australian dance music scene of the late ’90s and early 2000s as one of Ministry of Sound’s biggest DJs.

He joins us on Music 101 ahead of the Auckland show on Wed 12th March at the Town Hall.

3.15   The Necks: the trio that don’t rehearse, make eye contact, or have a setlist 

Australia’s most renowned free-improvisation group The Necks are returning to Aotearoa for the Auckland Arts Festival.

They have been described as one of the cult bands, the New York Times refers to them as the ‘Greatest Trio on Earth’, and they are revered by groups like Dirty Three - that other mind-bending Australian trio. 

The Necks are Chris Abrahams on piano, Tony Buck on drums and Lloyd Swanton on bass and they have been performing together for more than 35 years. 

Touring to promote their latest album Bleed, The Necks will be playing in the Great Hall, in the Town Hall on March 7th. 

Pianist Chris Abrahams joins Music 101 ahead of the show.

3.40 Review: EP2 by Half Hexagon 

The local indie supergroup continue to hone a very specific vision on their second EP of sparse, krautrock-infused jams.

4pm Mixtape: RNZ audio old hand Jeremy Ansell 

This week’s guest on the Mixtape is long-time RNZ studio engineer Jeremy Ansell.

Not only an audio operator and team leader at RNZ, but equally a much-respected music researcher.

Over the years Jeremy has quietly and methodically researched Crowded House, courtesy of Neil Finn. 

He is blessed with music knowledge that he shares on his Mixtape with Trevor Reekie.

Music played on the show:

1-2pm:

The Hongi Slicker & Kenny Sterling - Do It Better (For Us)
Femi Kuti - After 24 Years
Netherworld Dancing Toys - For Today
The Chills - Steel Skies
The Chills - Watching Old Home Movies
Vashti Bunyan - Train Song
Marlon Williams -  Kāhore He Manu E (feat. Lorde)
Muireann Bradley - Police Dog Blues
Fadoul - Sid Redad
Arjuna Oakes - No Joke
Groove Armada - At the River

2-3pm

Cymande – Coltrane
Chaos In The CBD & Josh Milan - I Wanna Tell Somebody
Frankie Knuckles - Your Love
Soweto Gospel Choir, Groove Terminator & Latroit - Good Life
Love Party – Moonbaby
Mild Orange - Theres No Rush
Greta O'Leary - Baptised at the Desktop Computer
Patea Maori Club - Ngoi Ngoi
Everything Is Recorded - Never Felt Better feat Sampha & Florence Welch

 

3-4pm

Pale Jay  - The Simple Days – Instrumental
Darkside – Hell Suite (Part II)
Paul McCartney & Wings - Band On the Run
WOMB - Only You
Ebo Taylor, Adrian Younge & Ali Shaheed Muhammad - Kusi Na Sibo
The Mutton Birds - The Heater
Reb Fountain - Nothing Like

Jeremy's Mixtape songs:

The Beatles - Helter Skelter (Second version - Take 17)
Agnes Obel - Camera's Rolling
Crowded House - Kare Kare
Lips - Your Deodorant Doesn't Work
Radiohead - Paranoid Android
Talk Talk - New Grass