Gary Steel

5 days ago | witchdoctor.co.nz | Gary Steel

One month ago, I wrote about moving my stereo system into a new, dedicated listening environment and my big boo-boo, which resulted in possibly the worst sound I’ve ever heard emitting from high-end speakers. (Check that piece out here.) As it turned out, the solution was simple, and when I chanced upon it, the sound transformed into something I would describe as listenable. But niggles persisted.

6 days ago | witchdoctor.co.nz | Gary Steel

Abigail (Netflix) 7/10If you loved M3gan but now find yourself at a loose end, hoping that something similarly cool and different might come along, Abigail (2024) might just do. Like that film, Abigail features an adorable young girl who has something surprising and horrific up her sleeve, metaphorically speaking. (And yes, I realise M3gan is/was a doll, but you get my point).

1 week ago | witchdoctor.co.nz | Gary Steel

Marlon Williams – Hi Gary? Gary Steel – Hello Marlon, how ya doin’? Marlon – I’m well, how are you? Gary – Good, good. So, what time of the day is it there? Marlon – [silence] Ah… 2.30? What… where are you? Gary – I’m in Auckland. Marlon – So am I!Gary – I thought you were in the States at the moment. Marlon – No, I go tomorrow. I was initially going to be there today, but I had to change flights. Gary – Well I’m in Helensville, it could be a couple of seconds different.

3 weeks ago | witchdoctor.co.nz | Gary Steel

Abbey Road: If These Walls Could Sing (Disney+) 5/10Having thoroughly enjoyed the McCartney 3.2.1 documentary series I figured this feature – directed by Paul McCartney’s daughter Mary – on the iconic recording studio where The Beatles made their music, might make for a fascinating companion piece. Instead, it’s a bit dull, really. Released in 2022, the film takes a piecemeal approach to the studio and its story and, disappointingly, highlights several bloody awful artists (Oasis, Kanye West).

1 month ago | witchdoctor.co.nz | Gary Steel

We’d planned the move for months. When a former tenant had trashed the flat on the ground floor of our house the wife had discovered her DIY talents and set to, feverishly cleaning and painting. A decision had been made. For the past five years, the master bedroom had been my hi-fi room-cum-office while we subsisted in a small bedroom.