By Mike and Barney Chunn

The philanthropic funding support by individuals for young emerging artists in the world of contemporary popular music (the music of the people) is a rare spontaneous event if it comes to fruition. But it’s starting to emerge in a fledgling fashion.

Who knows: one day there might be an entity like the First Foundation where a solid support infrastructure exists for young NZers of academic and leadership excellence. The First Foundation is the based on the simple yet elegant concept of connecting those who deserve with those who can provide.

Some forty years ago, as Split Ends turned into Enz, the idea that a well-off New Zealander would walk up to a pop/rock act and, in sympathy and enthusiasm for their talent offer financial support in the pursuit of a musical career, was a fantasy.

Today?

A young group of lads from Lynfield College grew into a formidable musical entity and called themselves Humble Souls. In the Play It Strange songwriting and Band of Strangers programmes they blossomed in their imagination and growled with stage confidence. In their last year at school they were performing at a fundraising event and they put on a hell of show. As they finished a chap in a penguin suit and bow tie walked up to them and enquired: “Hey. You guys are great. Can I help you in anyway?”.

“We need equipment,” they said.

A short while later they had $9,500 worth of sound system and drums and off they went seeking stage stages right left and centre.

It seemed a simple, honourable thing to do. What did it take? It took someone who recognised what lay behind their on-stage performance and music. It took recognition of ambition and an understanding of music and performance as forward drivers to an exciting life.

Forty years ago those people didn’t exist. Well, they did but they were under thirty years old and had no spare revenue to pass on.

Perhaps the best example of serendipitous support for an emerging artist is what happened to Annah Mac. Annah blossomed in the Play It Strange programmes winning the secondary schools Lion Foundation songwriting compeititon at 15 years old with her beautifully sophisticated song Blue Butterfly. And she capped of her school years by taking the smokefreerockquest Top Female Musician Award in 2008.

During that year Play It Strange put together some musicians to “sing for their supper” at the Auckland restaurant Monson Poon. It was the annual Chandon Supper Club fundraising night for cancer research. Usually corporates or upper-echelon earners booked a table in a restaurant in Auckland (thirty five of them donated their food and drink), came along and savoured the fare: twelve per table. Except Monsoon Poon, where only eight seats were available. The other four featured Play It Strange songwriters and guests such as Dave McArtney from Hello Sailor.

To cut to the chase – there we were; a group of eight corporate citizens invited by one Andy Morris from Westpac Institutional and included in the Play It Strange ensemble was young Annah Mac aged 17. At various stages during the night these musicians played their own songs to the table. And Annah Mac sang Home and everyone was very quiet. And they clapped very loudly.

One of the invited party was Andrew Clements of Zeus Capital.

“What happens to someone like that? What happens after she leaves school?” he asked.

“She comes to Auckland from her Southland sheep farm home, sleeps on couches, grabs every stage she can and makes sure that every person that can assist her path to greatness gets to hear her. That’s the ideal. Usually people like that lose their momentum working in cafes.”

Andrew Clements and his wife Jo, Andy Morris and his wife Tracey Giek and Simon Downey and his wife Rachel all formed a partnership on the spot - The Big Blue Butterfly Trust (BBBT) - and established a fund so Annah Mac could travel to and settle in Auckland and pursue a career in popular music. Once established in the big smoke, Annah was also supported by The Adastra Foundation in Hamilton who, while providing support in the main for young sportspeople, has an arm that supports emerging young musicians. Their crucial contribution provided the time and place so Annah could concentrate on recording demo tracks and perform live and ensure that record companies were plugged with her pursuit of a recording contract. That contract came to be and, as virtually everyone in NZ is aware, Annah Mac has reached number 2 in the national Top 40 singles chart with her hit Girl In Stilettos.

The idea of benefactors supporting those with talent and ambition in their quest for success is hardly a novel or untested idea. Patrons of the arts have existed and been an integral part of the history of music for hundreds of years. Yet in the world of pop/rock ‘n’ roll, there is little precedent for connecting emerging talent with the financial support to aid them in their pursuit of the rock n roll dream.