Blue Smoke
Blue Smoke: Bits & Bytes
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… Audio
Blue Smoke: Songs for New Zealand Films
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… Audio
Blue Smoke: Out of the Corners
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… Audio
Blue Smoke: Stones Goin’ Down Under
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… Audio
Blue Smoke: Christmas
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… Audio
Blue Smoke: The Pacific
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… Audio
Blue Smoke: Funk
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… Audio
Blue Smoke: The Main Trunk Line
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… Audio
Blue Smoke: Jim Carter
Jim Carter, the lap-steel guitarist on the original recording of 'Blue Smoke', and guitarist on several significant early New Zealand pop records, died in October 2022, aged 103. This episode of Blue… Audio
Blue Smoke: Rob Aickin
New Zealand's most successful record producer of the late 70s was only active for five years. He had hits with Hello Sailor, Th' Dudes, Golden Harvest, and Patsy Riggir. Then he left the industry he… Audio
Blue Smoke: Covers
Perhaps thinking of the cover bands of the 1970s, the human jukeboxes and the booze barns and musicians since the 80s have turned away from what they call cover versions. This episode of Blue Smoke… Audio
Blue Smoke: Piano Pop
Before the guitar bands came along, the piano was the songwriter's main tool in popular music. In this episode of Blue Smoke, Chris Bourke looks at a period in the 70s and 80s when - inspired by Elton… Audio
Blue Smoke: Aotearoa Blues
New Zealand musicians embraced the blues boom of the 1960s, inspired mostly by British R&B groups emulating their heroes from the Southern United States and Chicago. In this episode of Blue Smoke… Audio
Blue Smoke: Covers
Perhaps thinking of the cover bands of the 1970s, the human jukeboxes and the booze barns and musicians since the 80s have turned away from what they call cover versions. But when Billie Holiday and… Audio
Blue Smoke: Dylan Down Under
Nick Bollinger and Chris Bourke discuss and share New Zealand musicians responding to Bob Dylan. Audio
Blue Smoke: Walkin’ to New Orleans
New Zealand has been a fertile climate for rock'n'roll and R&B from New Orleans since the mid 50s with Johnny Cooper's 'See Ya Later Alligator', and Johnny Devlin's 'Lawdy Miss Clawdy'. This episode… Audio
Blue Smoke: Soul From the Deeper South
Soul music has always been popular in New Zealand, and comes and goes in fashion. In the 60s and early 70s, local bands knew how to fill dancefloors with rhythm and blues from Memphis or Detroit. This… Audio
Blue Smoke: Women Singers
When it comes to gender equity and the history of New Zealand popular music, without question women musicians have been poorly served. Singers such as Dinah Lee, Alison Durbin and the Chicks are… Audio
Blue Smoke: The Road to Dalvanius
Sitting on the bank at the Bowl of Brooklands in New Plymouth for each Showtime Spectacular tour in the early 1960s was a young Maori boy: Dalvanius Maui Prime. He was already a good singer and had… Audio
Blue Smoke: Wellington R&B in the 80s
If there was a Wellington sound in the 80s it was a local version of rhythm and blues that became unique to the capital. What was once borrowed and blue became sunny and joyous. It passed through the… Audio