Archives & Links

Latest News

Finalists Announced for the 2012 Music Managers Awards - 30 April 2012

Finalists Announced for the 2012 Music Managers Awards

MMF and PPNZ are proud to announce the finalists for the 2012 Music Managers Awards.

This years finalists show a variety of both accomplished and fresh new managers with Teresa Patterson of CRS Management (Six60, I Am Giant and Iva Lamkum) sharing the top nominations alongside management newbie Tim Bern (The Checks) with 3 nominations each.

Awards spokesperson Wairere Iti says he’s excited to see a mix of established and new managers in the finalists’ line up.

"The list of inspiring managers making up the finalists shows the broad range of qualities managers require in todays market. Experience sitting nicely alongside enthusiasm, ably assisted by exceptional musical talent, demonstrating that now is a particularly exciting time to be in the music management business"

A manager today has to have the knowledge & can-do attitude to work tirelessly for the love of their band. The MMF offers professional development and networking opportunities around the country for people to share and learn from the experiences of others. The MMF ultimately seeks to improve the managers' capacity to support the careers of the artists they represent.

Ingrid Bennie has been nominated for her work around the David Dallas release "The Rose Tint" in two of the new categories which were introduced to recognise "Online Achievement" and thinking "Outside the Box" when trying to get music into the hands and ears of the listener. Both categories have been introduced for the first time this year to acknowledge the way music lovers now discover & absorb music.

For the first time, this year MMF members voted for their favorite venue to play at. The Bedford in Christchurch showed true resolve in becoming a finalist this year and despite being inside the red zone and scheduled for demolition, owner Wendy Newland installed marquees in safe locations to act as pop up venues so that live music still had a home in the beautiful garden city.

Also awarded on the night will be a special award for which no finalists are announced. The "Industry Champion" award is voted for by the MMF members and recognises an organisation that is dedicated to being an advocate and champion for the New Zealand Music Industry.

Iti concludes "We are really excited about the awards night where we can kick-back and enjoy the opportunity to share our members successes with the industry and garner them the acknowledgement they deserve."

The winners of 2012 Music Managers Awards will be acknowledged and presented with their awards on Wednesday 16th May at an invite only event at Auckland’s Backbeat Bar.

Finalists for the 2012 Music Managers Awards are...

Manager of the Year

Matt McLeod & Craig Pearce - The Black Seeds, The Phoenix Foundation, Lawrence Arabia
Ninakaye Taane-Tinorau - Tiki Taane
Paul McKessar - The Naked and Famous, Lydia Cole, Brooke Fraser, Collapsing Cities, Opossom
Rebecca Caughey - Shapeshifter, Ladi6
Teresa Patterson - Six60, Iva Lamkum, I Am Giant
International Achievement

Janette Searle - Sola Rosa
Matt & Kimi Coleman - Avalanche City
Matt McLeod & Craig Pearce - The Black Seeds, The Phoenix Foundation, Lawrence Arabia
Paul McKessar - The Naked and Famous, Brooke Fraser
Rebecca Caughey - Shapeshifter, Ladi6
Upcoming Manager

Bossy Hill - Maisey Rika
Cushla Aston - The Nudge, The Thomas Oliver Band, Kora
Glen Davison - Homebrew, Team Dynamite, DJ Substance
Haddon Smith - Annah Mac
Tim Bern - The Checks
Best Independent Tour

Mikee Tucker - Fly My Pretties
Scott Grafton - Batucada Sound Machine 2011 Euopean Tour
Teresa Patterson - Six60 2011 Mini Tours
Tim Bern - The Checks
Tory Staples - Decortica
Best Venue

Leigh Sawmill
Sanfrancisco Bath House
The Bedford/The Colombo
The Yot Club
Zeal - West Auckland
Breakthrough Manager

Cushla Aston - The Thomas Oliver Band, The Nudge
Glen Davison - Homebrew
Haddon Smith - Annah Mac
Tim Bern - The Checks
Tim Youngson - Mt Eden
Self Managed Artist of the Year

Craig Smith
Flip Grater
Patu Colbert - 1814
Reuben Bonner - An Emerald City
Tama Waipara
Online Achievement

Dylan Elise - Busking Youtube
Ingrid Bennie - David Dallas, The Rose Tint Digital Release
Teresa Patterson - Six60 Facebook
Tim Youngson - Mt Eden Facebook and Youtube
Outside the Box Award

Craig Smith – Wonky Donkey iPad App
Flip Grater - Cook Book Tour
Ingrid Bennie - David Dallas Pop Up Store
Some of this year's amazing prizes include:

Advertising campaigns with Groove Guide, New Zealand Musician, 95bFM, Eventfinder and Phantom Billstickers
Production hire from The Production Company
HTC Smartphones from Vodafone
Shoes from Converse
1 Years subscription to RIP IT UP magazine for all winners
Free registration to the Big Sound Music Conference in Brisbane with return flights provided by Grabaseat
Free Registrations to Sounds Aotearoa
CD Manufacturing run from Stebbing Recording Centre
One Day Recording at The Lab Recording Studios

For all media enquiries and awards accreditation, please contact:

Lauren Clough @ Maiden New Zealand

Ph: 021 223 6788
Email:

The APRA Best Country Music Song - 30 April 2012

The APRA Best Country Music Song finalists have been announced! And they are:

South Otago singer Aaron Jury with his song “29”, 2011 APRA Silver Scroll finalist Delaney Davidson with “You’re A Loser”, and “Ghost of This Town” by Marlon Williams - who also doubles as member of Country Album finalist band The Unfaithful Ways.
The finalists for the RIANZ Best Country Music Album 2012 have also been announced today.

Two of the finalists - The Harbour Union and The Unfaithful Ways - are from Christchurch and both of their albums have emotional connections with the city’s devastating earthquakes.
The third finalist is no stranger to the awards – Tami Neilson’s “The Kitchen Table Sessions Vol II” is her third finals berth.

Both awards are to be presented on Thursday 31 May at the New Zealand Country Music Awards in Gore.

No stranger to the country music industry, song finalist Aaron Jury has performed with Adam Harvey and has twice been a Toyota Star Maker Finalist Australia. Aaron has also been a NZ Overall Gold Guitar Winner and has won the prestigious N.Z - M.L.T Song Writing Award. He is a CMAA College Graduate.

Song finalists Delaney Davidson and Marlon Williams, along with their solo work, are both part of The Harbour Union. Delaney’s country ballad is from his 2011 album Bad Luck Man which also features "Little Heart", the song which threw him into the spotlight as a finalist in the 2011 APRA Silver Scroll Awards.

Marlon is part of Christchurch four-piece The Unfaithful Ways, whose debut album “Free Rein” was retrieved from the studio which had been tagged for demolition. The Unfaithful Ways was a finalist in the 2011 Vodafone NZ Music Awards Critics’ Choice Award and performed at the Big Day Out that same year.

Ant Healey, Director of New Zealand Operations for APRA says: "The quality of songs entered this year was unsurpassed. Our three finalists represent a new found popularity of country music in New Zealand. These are great songs and great songwriters."

Auckland-based Tami Neilson is a two-time winner of a RIANZ Country Music Awards Tui – in 2009 (“Red Dirt Angel”) and 2010 (“The Kitchen Table Sessions”). She was also a co-finalist last year.

“The Kitchen Table Sessions Vol II” builds on Tami’s successful previous Sessions album with her trademark raw energy and music that is a hybrid of acoustic torch and stripped-bare country blues.

RIANZ managing director, Chris Caddick, says: “What an absolutely brilliant year for Country Music. Congratulations to the three finalists all of whom have recorded outstanding albums. We wish them all well for the big night in May.”

The New Zealand Country Music Awards are presented by The New Zealand Songwriters Trust. Held through-out a weeklong celebration in Gore, the Southland town attracts more than 5,000 country music fans. For more information visit: http://www.goldguitars.co.nz

For more information on the APRA Best Country Music Song read here.

April MakingTracks funding decisions announced - 26 April 2012

The latest grants under the MakingTracks funding scheme have been announced for April 2012.

See the list of funded applicants