From 1989 til 2005 Radio New Zealand’s Helen Young Studio was the home of many beautiful and iconic audio recordings including local albums, movie soundtracks, live radio shows, and National Radio’s well loved music sessions: Live at Helen’s.
But now it’s time to say goodbye.
The studio was decommissioned as Radio New Zealand’s Auckland office shifts to new accommodation.
Anna-Louise Taylor invites some of the people who worked in the room to reminisce and pay tribute as the studio is decommissioned in 2005. We begin with John Campbell’s final Saturday Morning show for National Radio, which was broadcast live from The Helen Young Studio in March 2002.
People interviewed:
Andre Upston (HYS Recording Engineer); Jon Toogood - Shihad; Anika Moa; Fiona MacDonald; Victoria Kelly; Peter Cavanagh (Radio new Zealand C.E.O.); Don McGlashan; Dave Dobbyn; Charlotte Yates.
Music featured in Goodbye Helen Young Studio
Che and the Krates (Tigilau Ness, Che Fu) live in the Helen Young studio, 2001 Photo: RNZ / Jeremy Ansell / screen grab
- 'Run' (Toogood) Shihad Live at Helen’s – National Radio Recording
- 'Coming Down' (Toogood) Shihad Live at Helen’s’ – National Radio Recording
- 'Good In My Head' (Moa) Anika Moa Live at Helen’s – National Radio recording
- 'Picture me in the 70’s' (Moa) Anika Moa, from forthcoming album – no details.
- 'Fade Away' (Che Fu) Che and the Krates Live at Rippon, National Radio recording.
- 'Maybe Tomorrow' (Maddock) Goldenhorse Live at Helen’s, National Radio recording
- 'Posh Tiger' (Buda) Phoenix Foundation Live at Helen’s’ National Radio recording
- 'Music' (Fisher) Goodshirt Live at Helen’s, National Radio recording.
- 'Porcelain' (Casserly, Kelly, Mcdonald, Tierney) Strawpeople Live at Helen’s. National Radio recording
- 'Song of the Years' (Dobbyn) Dave Dobbyn ‘Baxter’ UNIVERSAL 98422 National Radio recording
- 'Bursting Through' (Runga)’ Bic Runga with the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra – Live in Concert’ COLUMBIA 5148132000
- 'Aiming For Your Head' (L Finn) Betchadupa Live at Helen’s. National Radio recording
- 'Last years’ Shoes' (McGlashan) The Muttonbirds Live at Helen’s. National Radio recording
- 'Drive/Old MacDonald’s' (Kelly) Victoria Kelly - film score for ‘The Locals’.
- 'Background Love' (Dobbyn) Dave Dobbyn Live at Helen’s. National Radio recording
Goodbye Helen Young Studio was produced and presented by Anna-Louise Taylor and engineered by Jeremy Ansell for National Radio. First broadcast Saturday 12 March 2005.
The acts that performed 'Live at Helen's' between 1998 and 2005:
Dave Dobbyn, The Feelers, Head Like A Hole, Bic Runga, The Dead Flowers, Greg Johnson, David Kilgour, Strawpeople, The Muttonbirds, EyeTV, Garageland, Charlotte Yates, Ardijah, Jordan Reyne, The Exponents, Tim Finn, Christine White, Breathe, Dave Dobbyn, Neil Finn, Relaxomatic, Che Fu and the Krates, Tadpole, Fur Patrol, Pluto, Anika Moa, Pacifier, Goldenhorse, Barry Saunders, Goodshirt, Bic Runga, Lucid 3, The SJD Band, The Brunettes, Rick Bryant and the Jive Bombers. Damien Binder, Dave McArtney, Shapeshifter, Betchadupa, Moana and the Tribe, Dimmer, Trinity Roots, Jakob, Tall Dwarfs, Verse Two, Phoenix Foundation.
