Alastair Riddell - Give It A Whirl Interview
2023
In 1974 singer/songwriter Alastair Riddell's breathy vocals and androgynous allure beamed into staid Kiwi lounges, scandalising older New Zealanders and thrilling a younger generation. Off the back of that talent show appearance Space Waltz's stomping, glam single 'Out On The Street' stormed to number one.
In this extended interview recorded for 2003 TV series Give It A Whirl, Riddell covered many topics, including:
- Being the youngest punter at Auckland nightclub The Galaxie (3 minutes in)
- His first band and first paid gig, at Titirangi Tennis Club (almost 6 minutes in)
- The influence of David Bowie, as well as prog rock bands Yes and Roxy Music (12 minutes)
- Playing in covers band Stewart And the Belmonts with Split Enz keyboardist Eddie Rayner (22 minutes)
- Getting a call from future manager Lew Pryme after Space Waltz's trailblazing TV debut (27 minutes)
- His disappointment with EMI and the demise of Space Waltz in Australia (48 minutes)
- The "buzz" he got from collaborating with Dalvanius on 1983 hit 'Poi E' (56 minutes)
Read more about Alastair Riddell, on AudioCulture (NZ On Screen's sister website)
“People say I copy David Bowie but I have a Bowie style voice, and it's actually hard to get away from that, you know.”
Alastair Riddell on comparisons between him and the Thin White Duke, near the close of this interview
“...I think that in a way what Space Waltz did in New Zealand was ... relatively revolutionary.”
Alastair Riddell's view on the cultural impact of his old band Space Waltz, 32 minutes into this interview
“I don't think that the record companies in New Zealand had any idea really about artist development, particularly not for a band that wrote its own material, that was coming from where we were coming from, and I think it was easier not to do it than to fail with it.”
Alistair Riddell on the lack of time and money EMI provided to record Space Waltz's debut album, in the mid 1970s
“I was on another planet really, in terms of what I was listening to and what I wanted to do so I had no idea what was going on much, in New Zealand then.”
Alistair Riddell recalls being absorbed in his prog rock band Orb, in the early 1970s
“I got labelled as being this kind of overbearing, arrogant...I used to say to people "come and talk to me, you know! Meet me." It was reflected out of the television image, I think: I came on as being very strong, very powerful, very confident ... it drove against the egalitarian, the Kiwi thing. I would argue that our music has always been very kind of guitar strum orientated; don't rock the boat too much in terms of strong statements about who you are as an individual...sort of dance around and be part of it, but don't come out and poke the borax or get into the thing too much...”
Alistair Riddell on how Kiwi music reflects characteristics of the New Zealand character, 35 minutes into this interview
Copyright
This interview was recorded for the 2003 season of TV series Give it a Whirl. All audiovisual content is copyright to Visionary Film & TV, and may not be reproduced.
