So it seems that two prominent New Zealand music icons are beefing. Neil Finn and Sir Howard Morrison have been trading insults since the publication of Finn’s comments about Prime Minister Helen Clark in May’s Real Groove magazine. Finn is quoted as saying, “It sort of sickens me to see Helen Clark getting up at the music awards and taking the bows… Being lauded by the music industry because everyone’s getting a handout. It’s like New Zealand music is taking over the world and it’s all because of Helen.”

Angered by Finn’s comments Morrison contacted NZ Herald to express his distaste, “I’m so bloody mad!”

Finn in a phone call repeatedly called Morrison by his first name “Howard!” and responded to Morrison’s jibe, “your outrage at my comments resembles your recent opinions about “fat idols”, that is, ignorant!” Referring to uncomfortable memories of Morrison’s criticism of NZ Idol Rosita Vai’s weight.

Morrison has announced that he has changed the title of his forthcoming album to “Howard”. Finn countered by announcing that the follow-up to his “Killa Season” album and straight-to-DVD movie will be titled “Courtesy Howard”. Lyrically Finn has got this shit in the bag, but if this shit goes to the street Morrison has this no doubt. His hands are as big as my Koro’s and you don’t wanna fuck with them!

Meanwhile the breakdancer from the “Poi E” music video has been campaigning to have offensive lyrics removed from mainstream music. He feels that the lyrical content of many of New Zealand’s top recording artists promote violence, misogyny, racial tension and glorify gangsters and pimps. Parents of teens in the US are concerned that their children idolise NZ musicians and are emulating their violent, misogynistic and materialistic lifestyles. One of the offending words being considered for censorship, “Hangi-pants”, a term often used to refer to women in NZ music lyrics, is believed to be a sexist insult that actually describes a woman of low morals. “Cheeky darky” and “hori”, both derrogatory terms that promote hatred of people of colour, are also in the firing line.

More on this situation as it develops…shot then

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This entry was posted on Thursday, May 10th, 2007 at 8:09 pm and is filed under ...shizzle thizzle, Te News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.