Graeme Downes Photo: Supplied
Head of the Music Department at University of Otago and member of New Zealand group, The Verlaines, Dr Graeme Downes MusB (Hons), PhD takes to the podium for a public talk on the occupation of songwriting in New Zealand.
The Verlaines recently celebrated the 30th anniversary of Flying Nun Records and Dr Downes has been there from the start.
"I've lived in New Zealand all of my life and have written words and music about that for over 30 years on about a dozen Verlaines albums and a solo album,"
As a senior lecturer at Otago University, Dr Downes has also taught songwriting for over a decade.
Dr Downes talks about James K. Baxter, Friedrich Nietzsche, MTV, Fox News, national identity, sovereignty and much, much more in this talk recorded by Radio New Zealand National in Wellington on Wednesday 22nd February 2012.
