From the New Zealand Music Commission...

With a staggering number of events and activities having taken place so far this May, it's hard to believe that they've all taken place inside two weeks, bringing us to halfway in NZ Music Month 2005. This seems like a good point to take a quick breather, recap on the last couple of crazy weeks, and look ahead to Music Month's home straight.

Also read on to do the Judith Tizard NZ Music Month Quiz ...and find out who are the most music literate of our MPs.

Image: Steriogram rocked the grounds at Parliament this month playing to lots of men and women in suits, wagging schoolchildren, construction workers and others.
From the New Zealand Music Commission...

With a staggering number of events and activities having taken place so far this May, it's hard to believe that they've all taken place inside two weeks, bringing us to halfway in NZ Music Month 2005. This seems like a good point to take a quick breather, recap on the last couple of crazy weeks, and look ahead to Music Month's home straight.

Also read on to do the Judith Tizard NZ Music Month Quiz ...and find out who are the most music literate of our MPs.

Image: Steriogram rocked the grounds at Parliament this month playing to lots of men and women in suits, wagging schoolchildren, construction workers and others.
So far this May...
With the support of Vodafone, Shihad opened NZ Music Month 2005 with a free show in front of over seven thousand wet fans in Auckland's Aotea Square. C4's broadcast of the concert came within a hair's whisker of being as exciting as the show itself.

Steriogram rocked the House (of Parliament), with an energetic performance on and off the stairs, and an audience including appreciative MPs, wagging schoolkids, construction workers across the road, and a majority that fell into none of the above descriptions.

The annual challenge that is Hon. Judith Tizard's Music Month Parliamentary Quiz was issued to MPs, with the result being a three way tie - congratulations to Hon Steve Maharey (Labour), Murray Smith (United Future) and Pete Hodgson (Labour).

NZ Music Month T-shirts were made available to the public for the first time throughHallenstein's stores nationwide, and look great on those of you we've spotted wearing them so far.

Still to come in NZ Music Month 2005:

Voting has closed, and the counting begun for the 2005 b.net NZ Music Awards, to be held Friday May 27th. Results will be available online at www.bnet.co.nz shortly after the awards wrap up.

Speaking of awards, the Vodafone NZ Music Awards take place in October but nominations need to be made online in less than a month's time. More info can be found at www.nzmusicawards.co.nz.

The Checks play their first UK show on the NME New Music tour tomorrow, with more to come over the next weeks. Exclusive photos from the tour will be turning up on www.nzmusicmonth.co.nz very shortly. Keep checkin' back.

Two more weeks of NZ charts remain for the month. Will Fat Freddy's Drop claim the number one album spot for the third week running? And will Savage's 'Moonshine' stay at the top of the singles charts?

As May comes to an end we'll look back and see just how much of our homegrown music was on the radio during the month. Will we top last year's 25% local content?

Make sure you get out of the house to catch some of the very fine live music around the country. Nationwide tours underway include The D4 with The Fanatics; Steriogram with48 May and Goodnight Nurse; Subtract and WW4; Katchafire; Emu and Emerald Green. The gig guide at www.nzmusicmonth.co.nz has information about these tours, as well as other shows happening around the country.

For more information contact Steve Newall at the NZ Music Industry Commission

Phone (09)376 0115 or email steve@nzmusic.org.nz

The results are in, and for the first time ever in the quiz's five year history, three MPs have scored 100 per cent in Judith Tizard's New Zealand Music Month quiz ? Steve Maharey, Murray Smith and Pete Hodgson.

"I am absolutely delighted with the results of the quiz this year," Judith Tizard said.

"Most of the MPs sought help from staff or family members, but whether they already knew the answers, asked around or did their research, I'm pleased that my colleagues took such an interest in wanting to get the answers right.

"The point of the exercise was to get MPs thinking about the fantastic range of music on offer in this country during New Zealand Music Month.

"I congratulate all who entered and I hope they enjoyed finding out more about the wonderful New Zealand music that surrounds us," Judith Tizard said.

The results:
1st Equal - Pete Hodgson; Steve Maharey, Murray Smith - (27/27)
2nd Equal - Jim Anderton; Mark Burton; Pita Paraone; Mita Ririnui;
(26/27)
3rd Equal - Peter Dunne; Ruth Dyson; Marian Hobbs, Trevor Mallard, Jim Peters; Judy Turner (25/27)

Fo' shizzle ma nizzle award: To Peter Dunne and Judy Turner for knowing that Jonah Lomu featured in Dei Hamo's other well-known music video 'To Tha Floor'.

Kudos award: To Judy Turner ? her son Josh was part of the answer to question number three: 'Name five students who had their singles recorded for the 'Play It Strange Top 20 Volume I' CD.

Dub award 'down with the reggae beats': To Jim Anderton and Lesley Soper for writing that Tiki Taane is also known as 'MC Rizzla'.

Most improved participant: Georgina Te Heuheu

Quiz answers are attached below and available on www.beehive.govt.nz

For regular updates on NZ Music Month activities, visit
www.nzmusicmonth.co.nz. Also visit the websites of NZ On Air
www.nzonair.govt.nz and the NZ Music Industry Commission
www.nzmusic.org.nz

NZ MUSIC MONTH QUIZ ANSWERS:

1.They collected 'Best Group' and 'Best Rock Album' for 'You've Got to
Hear the Music' at the 2004 Vodafone NZ Music Awards. Name the band?
Dimmer

2.Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Dame Malvina Major and Jonathon Lemalu have all
been previous winners of the Song Quest competition. Name the singer
who won the 2005 Lexus Song Quest?
Madeleine Pierard

3.The 2004 Play It Strange Secondary School's Songwriting Competition produced some stunning results. Name five students who had their singles recorded for the 'Play It Strange Top 20 Volume I' CD.
Josh Turner
Justin Pitt and Ben Shuker
Sam George-Ellen
Jeff Parsons
Yhana Rewiti
Kimbra Johnson
Dena Valente
Rose Young and Graci Mills
Emma Amiri-Ghaemmaghamy
Daniel Pohiwi
Georgie Olsen
Rangi Phillips and Robert Werahiko
Lydia Gammie
Charles Wilkie
Jeremy Hay and Stephen Hay
Anthonie Tonnon and Dylan Conley
Rachel Helms and Steven Gibbs
Lucy G
Teresa Bergman
Kristy Hanna

4.Auckland-based globetrotting band The D4 have just released their second album 'Out of My Head'. The first single was released in both English and Japanese ? Can you name the song?
Sake Bomb

5.Name the well-known musician who received the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM) for her services to both Maori and Music and was the first non-American to win a major USA based songwriting contest with her song Moko, in 2004.
Moana Maniapoto

6.The title of Pluto's recently released second album is an acronym ? What is the record called?
Pipeline Under the Ocean

7.Name the New Zealand composer who wrote 'View from Olympus'? John Psathas

8.Steriogram's woolly video was nominated for 4 MTV awards and a Grammy.
What is the name of the single?
Walkie Talkie Man

9. Evermore's debut album 'Dreams' has just recently achieved Gold Sales
status in Australia, with over 35,000 copies sold. Where does the band
come from?
Feilding

10.The nominees for Best Male Pacific Artist at the inaugural Pacific
Music Awards this year had sold a combined 135,000 records between them.
Name the nominees.
Dei Hamo, Scribe and Kas Futialo aka 'Tha Feelstyle'

11.The percentage of New Zealand music played on the radio hit an all
time high last NZ Music Month - can you name the percentage?
25.47%

12.Name the singer who is a member of Salmonella Dub, but who has also
performed with Concord Dawn and Rhombus?
Tiki Taane

13.Chris Knox is a well-known artist in his own right, but he is also
known for his work with bands The Enemy, Toy Love and Tall Dwarfs.
Which one of these bands has recently re-issued its one-and-only album
25 years after it was first released?
Toy Love

14.What Wellington based band contains the son of legendary political
satirist Tom Scott?
Phoenix Foundation (Sam Scott)

15.Can you name the New Zealand band that, after playing at the Resonate
showcase in Auckland in March, has been invited to perform on the NME
New Music Tour in May this year?
The Checks

16.In August this year, the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra is going to
travel to Europe and Japan, which will be the largest international tour
it has ever undertaken. During its tour to Europe, the NZSO will perform
in a venue that celebrated its centenary in 1988 and is home to one of
the world's greatest orchestras. Name the venue.
Het Concertgebouw

17.Name works by two NZ composers that the NZSO will be playing on its
tour to Europe and Japan later this year.
Music for Jonny by Ross Harris
Symphony No. 3 by Douglas Lilburn
Naga Baba by Gareth Farr

18.'Positively George Street' is the title of a compilation CD by which
former band from Dunedin?
Sneaky Feelings

19.Name the New Zealand sporting celebrity who features in Dei Hamo's
music video "We Gon Ride"?
Matthew Ridge

Minister for Auckland Issues question:

20.Hip Hop artist Savage is signed with the Auckland record label Dawn
Raid Entertainment and he has just released his first debut album
'Moonshine'. What are the words tattooed on his right forearm?
"South Auckland''