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* Formats 12" vinyl Compact Disc [http://music.darrenwatson.com/ Bandcamp digital]
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Revision as of 06:18, 6 May 2018

Darren Watson
Background information
Birth nameDarren Watson
OriginWanganui, North Island, New Zealand.
GenresBlues, Soul, Pop
Occupation(s)Musician
Years active1985–present
LabelsPagan Records NZ (1988-1998)
Red Rocks Records (2005-2011)
Unsigned (2012-present)
Websitewww.darrenwatson.com

Darren Watson is a New Zealand singer, songwriter and guitarist in a wide range of blues styles.

History

Darren Watson was born in Wanganui. His first musical experience was playing drums and trumpet but he soon moved on to guitar and was playing in bars and clubs throughout his years at Hutt Valley High School (1980–83).

In 1985, he formed Chicago Smoke Shop with harmonica player Terry Casey and, although Casey left the band in 1987, the band went on to record two charting LPs and several radio hits. The group was also in big demand as a support act by international touring bands. Between 1987 and 1990, Smoke Shop (the 'Chicago' tag was eventually dropped) opened for NZ tours by Robert Cray (twice), Koko Taylor, George Thorogood, and The Fabulous Thunderbirds.

Since leaving Smoke Shop Watson has recorded four successful albums: King Size (2002), which was nominated for Best Roots Album at the 2003 New Zealand Music Awards,[1] South Pacific Soul (2005) which received favourable reviews from both local and international media, Saint Hilda's Faithless Boy (2010), and Introducing Darren Watson (2014).

In late April 2009 Darren won 1st place in the blues section of the prestigious International Songwriting Competition in Nashville, USA, with his song "All Going Wrong", a cut from South Pacific Soul. Judges for the competition included Tom Waits, James Cotton, John Mayall, and Alligator Records president Bruce Iglauer.[2] Watson has gone on to finish on the 'podium' in 2010, judged in 3rd in the blues category of the International Songwriting Competition for 'Can't Get Enough of You'.[3]

Watson' released Saint Hilda's Faithless Boy in November 2010 on Red Rocks Records. The album was widely praised both in local and overseas media. [4]

In July 2011 Darren was selected to compete at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, Tennessee. Previous winners include Sean Costello and Suzan Tedeschi. The event takes place in February 2012.[5]

In Feb. 2012 Darren performed at The Australian Blues Music Festival in Goulburn, New South Wales, and in May of the same year he headlined the Blues on Broadbeach Festival in Queensland.

Watson's fifth solo album Introducing Darren Watson was released on November 7, 2014. [6] The album peaked at #26 on the Official NZ Top 40 Album Chart [7] and #6 on the NZ Artists Chart.[8]

In November 2017 Darren recorded several tracks for a new album with award-winning engineer Lee Prebble at Surgery Studios. The band for the recording included original Chicago Smoke Shop harmonica player Terry Casey, Steve Moodie on double bass, Dayle Jellyman on piano, and Delia Shanly on percussion. The resulting all-acoustic album Too Many Millionaires will be released on LP, compact disc, and as a hi-res download on Bandcamp on May 1, 2018. [9]

On March 10, 2018 Darren released music video for National Guy, a song from Too Many Millionaires. [10]

Watson is touring New Zealand in support of the new album from May 3-26, 2018. [11]

Planet Key

In August 2014, Watson released the single "Planet Key", which satirised the New Zealand prime minister John Key. As the song had been released in the run-up to the 2014 general election, the Electoral Commission advised that the song would be viewed as an electoral programme and therefore could not be played on New Zealand television or radio, nor could it be sold unless it was labelled as an election advertisement.[12]

Watson chose to remove the song from the iTunes store, claiming the commission's advice was censorship.[13] John Key commented that the song and its music video was, "quite professionally done. It was anti-us but as a parody it was okay."[14]

In September, before the general election, Watson took the Electoral Commission to the New Zealand High Court to challenge their advice. Justice Denis Clifford reserved his decision, saying the issues were complex.[15]

On April 2, in a landmark 76 page judgment, Justice Denis Clifford ruled comprehensively in favour of Watson and Jones. [16]Significantly, he held that the Electoral Commission’s interpretation of the legislation: “would impose limits on the right of freedom of expression of the plaintiffs and New Zealand citizens more generally in a manner which… cannot be demonstrably justified in a free and democratic society.” [17]

The Electoral Commission immediately appealed Justice Clifford's ruling [18] and on 20 October 2016 The Court Of Appeal ruled for Watson saying Watson and animator Jeremy Jones were " . . . not representing any political party or vested interest when they made the video, the court said, and were "simply expressing their own political views".[19]

Discography

Albums

Year Title Details Peak chart
positions
NZ
2018

Too Many Millionaires
  • Released: 1 May 2018*
  • Label: Beluga Records
  • Catalogue: BELNZ004
  • Formats 12" vinyl Compact Disc Bandcamp digital
 20
Too Many Millionaires LP Cover
2014

Introducing Darren Watson
  • Released: 7 November 2014
  • Label: Beluga Records
  • Catalogue: BELNZ002
  • Formats Compact Disc Bandcamp digital
 26
Introducing Darren Watson CD Cover
2010

Saint Hilda's Faithless Boy
  • Released: 27 October 2010
  • Label: RRR104
  • Catalogue: Red Rocks Records
  • Formats Compact Disc Bandcamp digital
 —
Saint Hilda's Faithless Boy CD cover
2005

South Pacific Soul
  • Released: 15 November 2005
  • Label: Red Rocks Records
  • Catalogue: RRR007
  • Formats Compact Disc Bandcamp digital
 —
South Pacific Soul CD cover
2002

King Size
  • Released: 10 October 2002
 —
King Size CD cover
1998

Overnight Sensations
  • Released: February 1998
  • Label: Pagan
  • Catalogue: PACD1138
  • Formats Compact Disc
 —
Overnight Sensations CD cover
1996

Smoke Shop - Fusion At Room Temperature
  • Released: May 1996
  • Label: Pagan
  • Catalogue: 4712112
  • Formats Compact Disc
 —
Fusion At Room Temperature CD cover
1990

Smoke Shop - So Glad
  • Released: July 1990
  • Label: Pagan
  • Catalogue: PAL1089
  • Formats 12" vinyl Compact Disc Cassette
 29
So Glad LP cover
1989

Chicago Smoke Shop - Chicago Smoke Shop
  • Released: May 1989
  • Label: Pagan
  • Catalogue: PAL1045
  • Formats 12" vinyl Cassette
 47
Chicago Smoke Shop LP cover
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Guest appearances

Singles

Year Single Peak chart
positions 		Album
NZ Artists Official NZ Singles Chart
2014 "Planet Key" 5[20] — Non-album single
1990 "So Glad" — — So Glad
1990 "I Can't Live (Without Your Love)" — — So Glad
1989 "(You Want) Another Man" — — Chicago Smoke Shop
1989 "Mind On My Sleeve" — 37[21] Chicago Smoke Shop
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that country.

References

  1. ^ "Vodafone NZ Music Awards 2003 Winners". 5 July 2009. Archived from the original on 10 November 2013. Retrieved 28 April 2011. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  2. ^ Burgess, Dave (5 July 2009). "It's all going right for songwriter". Fairfax New Zealand. Retrieved 7 June 2010.
  3. ^ "International Songwriting Competition Winners Page". International Songwriting Competition. Archived from the original on 19 September 2012. Retrieved 26 February 2011. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  4. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 28 November 2014. Retrieved 14 November 2014. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  5. ^ "Kiwi Bluesman Taking On The World". Scoop.co.nz. 11 July 2011. Archived from the original on 9 October 2012. Retrieved 11 June 2011. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  6. ^ "In his prime: Darren Watson". Stuff. Retrieved 14 March 2018.
  7. ^ "NZ Top 40 Albums Chart 17 November 2014". Archived from the original on 6 December 2017. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |dead-url= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  8. ^ "Top 20 New Zealand Artists Album Chart". Archived from the original on 6 December 2017. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |dead-url= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  9. ^ "Darren Watson - World Class Blues From New Zealand". Darren Watson - World Class Blues From New Zealand. Archived from the original on 12 March 2018. Retrieved 14 March 2018. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  10. ^ Darren Watson Official Channel (9 March 2018). "Darren Watson - National Guy". Archived from the original on 14 March 2018. Retrieved 14 March 2018 – via YouTube. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  11. ^ "Darren Watson - World Class Blues From New Zealand". Darren Watson - World Class Blues From New Zealand. Archived from the original on 12 March 2018. Retrieved 14 March 2018. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  12. ^ "'Planet Key' songwriter prepared to contest ban in court". One News. TVNZ. 16 August 2014. Archived from the original on 18 August 2014. Retrieved 19 August 2014. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  13. ^ Satherley, Dan (21 August 2014). "Last chance to hear 'Planet Key'". 3 News. MediaWorks. Archived from the original on 21 August 2014. Retrieved 20 August 2014. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  14. ^ Bennett, Adam (13 August 2014). "Electoral Commission orders musical dig at Key off the air". APN New Zealand Ltd. Retrieved 15 August 2014.
  15. ^ "No exceptions for Planet Key". NZ Herald. APN. 11 September 2014. Retrieved 26 September 2014.
  16. ^ "Judge rules Planet Key satire not an election broadcast". Stuff. Retrieved 14 March 2018.
  17. ^ "High Court Finds Electoral Commission Wrong On "Planet Key" - Scoop News". www.scoop.co.nz. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 14 March 2018. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  18. ^ @CTrevettNZH, Claire Trevett Deputy political editor, NZ Herald claire trevett@nzherald co nz (1 May 2015). "Electoral Commission lodge appeal over 'Planet Key' song ruling". NZ Herald. ISSN 1170-0777. Retrieved 16 March 2018. {{cite news}}: |first= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  19. ^ @isaac_davison, Isaac Davison Political reporter, NZ Herald isaac davison@nzherald co nz (20 October 2016). "Planet Key should not have been banned, Court of Appeal says". NZ Herald. ISSN 1170-0777. Retrieved 16 March 2018.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  20. ^ "Top 20 NZ Singles Chart". 17 March 2018. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  21. ^ "NZ Official Top 50 Singles". 17 March 2018. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)

External links

Darren Watson's official web-site

Darren Watson's Facebook page

Darren Watson's YouTube page

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