Something occasionally said even by staunch admirers of the Bee Gees is that they were melodically and vocally superior than they were lyrically. What this overlooks is a point made in a recent The Paris Review article about the Gibbs: the appeal, even if it was subconscious, of the “melancholic emotion, even paranoia,” of the brothers’…
Did Elton John Really Stay At A 2-Star Guesthouse In Cambodia?
The signed photo that hangs proudly at the Fancy Guesthouse. With news Elton John is about to release his 33rd studio album (entitled Wonderful Crazy Night*), there’s one lingering question that remains tantalizingly unanswered for fans: Did he or did he not stay at a 2-star guesthouse while in Cambodia a few years ago? According…
Waiheke Island Lonely Planet’s 5th Best Destination In The World – My Top 20 Waiheke Photos
Waiheke Island. Lonely Planet has followed Conde Naste Traveler’s lead in gushing over Auckland’s Waiheke Island. With only last week Conde Naste rating Waiheke the fourth best island in the world to visit, Lonely Planet has just listed the island as the fifth best destination – island or otherwise – in the world. Describing Waiheke…
Fleetwood Mac Return To New Zealand – Their Most Overlooked, Mega-selling Album
Fleetwood Mac during the Mirage era. A couple of years ago I had a short Twitter conversation with Ken Caillat, most famously the producer of the biggest Fleetwood Mac albums and also the father of singer Colbie Caillat. And then coincidentally the news came out a day or two later saying Fleetwood Mac would be returning to…
Let’s Travel Magazine Akaroa Article – Top 30 Photos + Where To Stay
The cover of the latest Let’s Travel mag. The latest issue of New Zealand’s premier travel magazine Let’s Travel is out and it features two of my articles. One is about my return to Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia where I lived as a child and the other is about the incredibly photogenic and historic town…
John Lennon’s 75th Birthday – ‘Imagine’ & The Devastating Final Scene In ‘The Killing Fields’
John Lennon. For what would’ve been John Lennon’s 75th birthday yesterday, we asked listeners to The Two (Newstalk ZB, Fridays 8pm-midnight, Sundays 8pm-11pm) to talk about how Lennon inspired them and what memories he triggers. Like millions of fans there are probably countless things that enter the mind when you hear the name “John Lennon,”…
Huge Ratings Increase For Newstalk ZB’s The Two – Almost 50% Audience Growth
Tim Wilson & Tim Roxborogh. A quick note to say thanks if you ever listen to the Newstalk ZB radio show The Two (Friday and Sunday evenings, co-hosted by Tim Wilson and I). Radio ratings come out twice a year in New Zealand* and Tim and I are thrilled to announce a massive increase in…
The Opulence Of Lake Karapiro Lodge – Why Waikato Can Be A Destination And Not Just A Gateway (incl. 40 photos)
Lake Karapiro Lodge Provincial Waikato is unfairly unfashionable when it comes to New Zealanders’ own appraisals of their beautiful country. Probably because when we drive through Waikato it’s at 100ks and we’re always on the way somewhere. Somewhere more heralded as a tourist destination like Rotorua, Tauranga or the mountains and forests of Tongariro National…
Barbra Streisand’s Biggest Selling LP Turns 35 – Episode 3 Of ‘Sunglasses Inside’
A few days ago was the 35th anniversary of what is still the biggest selling album in Barbra Streisand’s entire career, 1980’s Guilty. Written by the Bee Gees and produced by Barry Gibb with Albhy Galuten and Karl Richardson, the album would ultimately sell close to 20 million copies around the world. In this episode…
Jimi Hendrix’s ‘All Along The Watchtower’ + 5 More Of The Greatest Cover Versions Ever
Jimi Hendrix. This weekend marked 45 years since the death of Jimi Hendrix so with him and his colossal take on Bob Dylan’s All Along The Watchtower in mind, here’s a list of five of my all-time favourite cover songs. I played All Along The Watchtower (featured at the bottom of this article) on my radio show…
New Zealand’s First Great Luxury Hotel: Why Staying At The Chateau Is Still So Worth It
The Chateau in Tongariro National Park, central North Island. I’d always wanted to stay at The Chateau. As far as historic hotels go in New Zealand there are few so iconic. So with it being my birthday last week I decided to see what the 86-year old dame is like. And given the lakeside town…
India: Temple Temptations – Adventures In Hampi – My 2nd Herald Article About South India + 30 Photos
From the top of Anjaneya Hill, Hampi. *UPDATED SEPTEMBER 19: Scroll to the bottom of this article to watch a one-minute video blog I filmed for Flight Centre and Intrepid in Hampi last year. Hopefully it gives you a taste of why this part of India is so beguiling. This place could seriously be the…
