Soundtrack to your studies - 2000
Campus sounds from the 2000s.
The summer prior to the start of the university year was a crazy one, with fears that Y2K might disrupt computer systems across the planet. Instead the biggest threat on New Year’s Eve was the weather, with heavy rain in many places - making things particularly sketchy for those party-goers at The Gathering on Takaka Hill. The drinking age went down to 18 at the end of 1999, so there were a younger crop of drinkers out in the pubs.
The organisers of Orientation had to be more flexible this year since the funding of the student association was unclear due to the move to voluntary membership. The solution was to have a run of semi-acoustic gigs at Shadows. There were some well-known names from the past like Jordan Luck (Exponents), Chris Knox, and two members of Hello Sailor (Graham Brazier and Dave McArtney). Then there were newer acts like Steve Simpson (Pash) and Karen Hunter, who often organised the musical line-ups at the Temple Cafe.
The most promising band of the moment to appear was Eye TV, who morphed from being grunge act The Nixons into a Top 20 indie-pop act with their single ‘One Day Ahead.’
The New Zealand music scene was going through a watershed moment. After decades of pressure, commercial radio was beginning to open up to local music. Fur Patrol were one act that took advantage, reaching No.1 with their timeless hit ‘Lydia’.
The biggest international single of the year was ‘Never Be The Same Again (feat Lisa Left Eye Lopes)’ by Melanie C - the most successful solo single by any of the ex-Spice Girls.
Yet Mel couldn’t compete with Red Hot Chilli Peppers who also headlined that year’s Big Day Out Festival (along with Nine Inch Nails, The Chemical Brothers, Foo Fighters, and Blink 182). Their album Californication blew away all competition … that is, of course, unless you include the weird bottom-of-the-barrel scraping project that was One by The Beatles, which outsold it at the time, though was quickly forgotten.
Add to the playlist
What was on your turntable while you were on campus? Suggest songs to add to our 2000s playlist, and you could win $100 Flying Out voucher.