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People in your neighbourhood

By H Sthompson, hensonmistypooh@gmail.com

Dave, Karangahape Security, granted this interview on the condition we keep his surname and Iwi private.

However, very few people would not know his face if they have spent any significant time on Karangahape Road.

Dave grew up in Ponsonby and Penrose.

He is the father of three daughters, 82 years old and still working his own security business.

Dave has been securing Karangahape gates and doors for more than 18 years.

“K Road is a place where every one wants to come. But lately things have changed. More people are trouble makers. Shops can’t keep up with shoplifting and are closing down,” says Dave.

“In the last few months lot of people are losing their jobs. There are more and more people on the street. They want to live so they have to take,” says Dave.

Dave starts his day out on the streets from 05:30hrs and patrols until around 15:00hrs. He starts a second shift from 17:00hrs and patrols until early morn’.

“Crime is getting worse, says Dave. One particular building has had three break ins during the last month, yet other than that they haven’t had a burglary in years.”

“I work seven days a week, continues Dave. Due to the recession I lost one company who was 80 percent of my business. For the last ten months I haven’t had much business at all.”

Dave says when he started he was looking for a job and the Building Depot was looking for a security guard. My job was to walk around the warehouse checking people weren’t stealing. He got a job with Chubb Security who was based on K’ Road. Dave wound up working for the American Consulate and has maintained a relationship with K’ Road ever since.

Dave suffered a heart attack a couple of years ago but says he is determined to keep walking.

He lost 22kgs.

“The Doctor told me my legs are the main objective for survival, says Dave. “Legs will keep you alive. Movement, interventions and people. If you sit and don’t move you will die. As long as I can walk I will keep working.”

Listen to the full interview on the K’ Road Chronicle Podcast

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Emerging musician and producer Lotes talks to Six about his passions and love for life.

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dick move

in British English

noun

US vulgar, slang

a contemptible course of action

Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers

Dick Move

Band

Whoever said Punk Rock is dead hasn’t heard of Dick Move, a distinctly Karangahape Road band.

Band members include Lucy Suttor, Lulu Macrae, Luke Boyes, Justin Rendall and Harriet Ellis.

The self described Socialist Punk legends started life as an after-hours 4am music club and now regularly share stages, and arenas, with the biggest names in rock including The Foo Fighters and Kiwi rock royalty Shihad.

They have recently recorded their third studio album, a follow up to the successful releases of
Wet and Chop published by Flying Nun and are currently preparing for another European tour.

However, Dick Move ain’t no second fiddle back up act.

Dick Move have been filling pubs, clubs and venues across Tamaki Makaoura and the nation since soon after forming.

“In our first couple of years we performed at every opportunity. There are no bad gigs. Just opportunities to learn,” says Lucy.

Lucy believes the band’s name may have prevented them from getting radio airplay but that hasn’t stopped the minstrels from developing a cult following.

Lucy wasn’t originally very keen to be in the band.

“We all live and work at Whammy Bar, says Lucy. Apart from Luke, our drummer. Lou, Harriet and Justin wanted to form a band. I was not a singer. Have never been a singer but I did Punk Rock karaoke. I sang Too Drunk to Fuck by the Dead Kennedy’s. After that Justin asked me to join the band. I said no because I didn’t think I could do it. Its scary. Then we did some jams together. I sang some covers and I was hooked. It was awesome. We’re onto our third album now. Our albums are selling and that’s awesome. Its really fun. That’s the main thing.”

The name was not intentional or chosen to be provocative.

“I can’t remember why we chose the name, says Lucy. It just came up in conversation. I guess when it comes to our band and what a dick move is… in this case are dick moves that are done by people in power. It is the decisions that they make that oppress and hurt and that piss us all of.”

Opening for the Foo Fighters may be a career highlight to date, however touring with Shihad might’ve been a unique and unforgettable Kiwi experience.

“We did the whole tour with Shihad, says Lucy. I had a great time with those guys. They party hard. They play for like three hours and its crazy. We were so lucky to sign onto those bills. They are super cool guys. The best thing about those shows is the opportunity to play to their audience which isn’t necessarily a Dick Move audience. To jump in with a big act is great because first you get paid, and then you get to play for their audience. I think a lot of the old fellas were tapping their toes.”

However transitioning from intimate club gigs to entertaining stadiums is a challenge for any artist.

“Those big shows can feel cold and soulless, explains Lucy. The biggest challenge for a warm up band is to get the audience onside. You have to acknowledge that you’re not the band they paid to see. This is an opportunit

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Caution: This podcast includes sex, drug and rock n roll references.

Seth Gerard, Ngati Parou, Ngati Oz, talks explicitly about returning to Aotearoa after being deported from Australia.

As a young teenager Seth was sent to Australia to live, only to endure unstable housing and dubious care.

Seth became an outlaw motorcycle gang member, heroin addict and thug.

Since serving six years in jail for aggravated assault he has returned to our shaky isles with renewed enthusiasm for his home nation and is actively engaging in trade trading.

The day we spoke he had completed a fork lift licence course and is eager to secure employment.

Seth says he has a special connection with Karangahape Road.

“I’m just trying to make it happen here, says Seth. I grew up out here. My dad was bad,” says Seth

“I wanna share my story. I’m out here to tautoko (support) our street whanau. This place can be quite evil.”

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Sinbad has started an open mike poetry night every second Sunday of the month at Verona Cafe.

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Calling all bookworms! This week I sat down with Kim & Rachel, former and current managers of the Open Book in Ponsonby, to discuss their day-to-day as store managers, the importance of books, and ways you can help support your local!

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This week's episode, host Sara is joined by Alex to talk about music, student life and whatever the fuck's going on in politics (spoiler alert: it's brutal out here)

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Sara hosts this week's interview with Jenny Rockwell talking about her debut poetry anthology Vultures. Support her on social media @dawnpoems and support us by listening, sharing and donating (if you have the capacity)

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