Peter Grattan

Peter Grattan is on a mission - to honour the pioneers of new Zealand Music. He speakes to

Peter Grattan’s a pioneer in his own right with a CV that includes playing drums for Peter Posa, fronting his own band, Peter Grattan and The Hot Tips. He’s the man who put music videos on New Zealand TV with Radio With Pictures and later Shazam! He is also a former head of entertainment at TVNZ and as an entrepreneur worked on Live Aid. He is now based in Washington DC and involved in music and video production.

There is already a New Zealand Music Hall of Fame website, so why have you set up a public forum Facebook page of the same name and what do you hope to achieve?

I am a huge advocate for New Zealand Music. I proposed a NZMHOF in 1990 while head of entertainment for TVNZ. The idea was ahead of its time. New Zealand was in recession, the powers that be did not see NZ music as a priority. Little has changed. Again I tried to set it up in 2002 on my return to New Zealand. I’d been involved in the RNRHOF in London in 86, I saw the potential. I contacted many in the industry, wrote proposals, met with Te Papa who were going to help prior to the curator’s death. I wanted to set it up in Nelson. No interest from Nelson City Council. They said ‘‘we have WOW! Why would we want that?’’ Six years ago, I set up the unofficial NZMHOF Facebook page. RIANZ had my proposal in 2002, they set up the NZMHOF in 2006, only 18 are inducted; Jordan Luck is in twice. He is a talented man. I debuted him on TVNZ but, in my view, there are dozens who need to be inducted. There are 3000 on my Facebook page who seem to agree. My aim is to see the dozens awaiting recognition inducted, far too many like Peter Posa, Max Merritt and Dinah Lee, Dame Kiri, John Rowles and The Kiwi Concert Party are waiting. I believe our ‘‘agitating’’ ensured Bill Sevesi was inducted recently prior to his passing. We need our icons honoured in their lifetimes.

Has there been any official correspondence between the official and unofficial New Zealand music Halls of Fame?

I have written to them on occasion. To me, Peter Posa epitomises the injustice. Twenty albums in the 60s, tours internationally, White Rabbit a huge No 1 hit, a double CD at No 1 for seven weeks – he’s an icon, who has inspired musicians like Dave Dobbyn, Kevin Borich and Tommy Emmanuel.

Do we need to play catch-up and do a series of mass inductions into the New Zealand Music Hall of Fame? Why has this not happened already?

One word: money. TVNZ should get behind this. Sponsors would flock to it. Vodafone are wasting their sponsorship money annually in my view. There is so much negativity regarding that awards show. But at least the channel, producer and sponsor are trying. I know how hard it is to ensure music on TV is a success.

You live overseas, why do you care?

Aotearoa is home. Many of us left because there our ideas fell on deaf ears, or to further our careers. I have a home in Northland and return annually. But mainly because I love NZ music and want to give back for what I gained from producing music there.