Pop stars in Kiwi music race row
Veteran's call: Reward white artists who put bums on seats

Music veteran Gray Bartlett has launched an assault on a music establishment he says is rewarding "politi|cally correct"Maori and Pacific musicians and ignoring top-selling middle-of-the-road performers.
Bartlet handles the contracts of big-sales stars such as Hayley Westenra and believes they don't get the same proud support as those of Maori or Pacific Island origin.
 He urged government funders of music to "stop pushing all this BS cultural stuff". He also said more recognition was deserved at national music awards-last year he did not receive an invite and he believed Westenra should have won something for selling 100,OOO copies of her album.
 "They need to look at what gets  bums on seats. They have to be careful they don't get wrapped up and looking at a cultural opportunity."
 But top-selling singer Bic Runga and  industry icon Sir Howard Morrison say  Bartlett is wrong.
 "I'm always impressed by people who make comments like that because it's a very bold thing to say and gets people looking inside themselves," said Runga. "Good on him for speaking out but he needs to lie down.
 "I wouldn't say that the focus is on Polynesian or Maori music. It's flouring because that's who we are - we're a very multicultural society."
 Runga, of Maori and Chinese descent, said talent was behind the success of NewZealand's top artists rather than the colour of their skin.
 "Che [of Che Fu] is a musical genius. There's so much heart and feeling in his music. His music was just going to be successful in the same way Bob Marley's music was also going to be successful."
 Morrison said it was ludicrous to suggest Maori and Pacific Island musicians got promoted above other musicians because of cultural correctness.
 "What's now and what's hot is what they promote. It's what the kids want."
 He believed Bartlett, a friend of his, was speaking out because of disappointment over the music industry's failure to recognise Westenra at the music awards.
 Morrison and Runga doubted they got a hand up in the music industry because of their Maori backgrounds.
 Bartlett said the loss of the country music section from NZ music awards was "diabolical". The recent successful  tour of home-grown country star Patsy Riggir showed there was an audience for the music,he said.
 He was highly criticial of categories in the awards such as: Best mana reo  album; best Pacific Island album; and  best mana Maori album.
 The categories, which Bartlett called "laughable", were won by Ngahiwi Apanui, Pacific Soul and Upper Hutt Posse.
 "Why don't they have a best European album category? It's stupid. I think it's a shame to differentiate between races. I'd like to see a best New Zealand album that covers the whole range of music.
 "If something sells, you have to trumpet it. There are just as many  Europeans in this industry as anyone else. 
 "We don't need to have a coloured  eye to it all. Itis govermnent driven and it is driven by the left-wing media. We just need to find and use the best talent."
 He said that 72% of New Zealanders came from Celtic backgrounds and there was no music promotion to cater to that ethnic heritage.
 Bartlett's words prompted a counterattack from hip hop pioneer Dean Hapeta of Upper Hutt Posse.
 Hapeta confessed he had considered turning down the band's Tui because real musicians-unlike Bartlett- should not be focused on  awards-
 "I had some thoughts about whether I should even accept the award, but on behalf of all the people who love our music and have supported us, I felt it was worthwhile to acceptthe award.
 "If he's crying about some award, he's obviously not much of a musician, because all true musicians don't give a damn about awards." Hapeta, a New Zealand music institution since releasing the country's first hip hop single in 1988, said Maori and Pacific musicians were winning in their own right.
 "We are still on the scene because we are musicians, and we have a socio-political message to put out to the  people. Whether that salls or not, I don't give a damn. And whether that gets awards or not, I don't give a damn."
 He pointed to Hamilton reggae band Katchafire's award for the biggest-selling  single of the year, 'Giddy Up'. "I'm sure those fellows have got more than just good tans. Aren't they Maori?"
 At the suggestion his statements might attract cries of "racism", Bartlett said: "It doesn't worry me. That's rubbish."
 Prime Minister Helen Clark, who is reaponsib1e for art and culture, dismissed Bartlett's claims. "His allegations are without foundation." a spokesman said.
 Indusbry leaders also rejected Bartlett's criticism, saying artists producing "covers" of music written abroad were owed less than those who produced their music  here.
 Anthony Healey, general manager of the Australasian Performing Rights Association, defended decisions to focus on music written and  produced in New Zealand. "We rightly emphasise music that sets New Zealand apart from the world. Does Maori and Pacific Island music do that? I think it does."
 And Adam Holt, managing director of Universal Music New Zealand, a dismissed suggestions an "affirmative action" movement pushed Maori and Pacific Island music to the front.
 "Talent rises to the top. This business is about commercial reality. I am not an arbiter of taste. My job is to sell records- I really don't mind what's on them. It all comes down to what the public wants." He said a populist catergory, for the highest selling album and single of the year, was introduced at the most recent Tui Music Awards. It allowed popular artists not considered "cool" by judges to rise to the top.
 Terita Papesch, chairwoman for the music committee for Maori Arts NZ, said Bartlett was "fooling himself" if he did not believe star turns including Weatenra and Christchurch violin star Ben Morrison had their share of the limelight.
 "He's got to get it clear- are they New Zealand musicians or are they playing New Zgaland music? Ben and Hayley are playing other people's stuff."
 Papesch cited the Datsuns(世界デビューしたロックバンド) and Che Fu(一番人気のヒップホップアーティスト) as the "pure essense" of New Zealand music. They draw from roots they could only find in this country- and turned it into music.