Music 101 for Saturday 22 November 2008

November 22

The Robots are coming! We speak to Ralf Hütter of influential German electro band Kraftwerk, ahead of their show in Auckland this week.

We also find out about a new limited edition vinyl album of 80s electro by local act The Car Crash Set, just released by a German fan of the band.

The Guns n Roses album 'Chinese Democracy' has been in production for seventeen years, and may well be the most expensive album ever recorded. It is (finally, officially) released today. Trevor Reekie charts its checkered progress for Access All Areas.

Nick Bollinger speaks to a local author whose book is based on his musical travels around the Balkans, and comes with a compilation of Gypsy music.

The Eastern (pictured below, with Kirsten Johnstone)- a duo making mountain music down South are strapping banjos and guitars to their backs and heading North - they stop by to play us some songs.

Rat-bag rapper Tommy Ill and his side-kick Buck Beachamp talk about their new EP 'Matchsticks' and why they prefer indie kids to the hip-hop scene.

Bowie's Waiata
In 1983 David Bowie was enjoying the biggest success of his career… The album 'Let's Dance' had gone to number one around the world and the subsequent 'Serious Moonlight' tour was playing to huge, record breaking audiences. The show finally reached New Zealand - and on Nov. 23rd, shortly before his first concert in Wellington, Bowie was invited to visit Takapuwahia Marae in Porirua. He was the first bonafide rock star to be officially welcomed onto a Maori Marae.

Bonus audio: A tour of Takapuwahia Marae with guide Nelson here and a history of the Marae with Matiu Rei here