Herbs' album 'What's Be Happen' has been recognised as a New Zealand classic and will receive a Taite Music Award next week in Auckland.
The ‘Independent Music NZ Classic Record’ aims to acknowledge "New Zealand’s rich history of making fine albums that continue to inspire us and define who we are".
Peter McLennan, author, musician and judging panelist said: “Herbs’ recording debut ‘What's Be Happen?’ holds up as a vital slice of our cultural history and a landmark for Pacific reggae. Dropping in the dark days of the 1981 Springbok Tour, the mini album showed the band pulling together a strong set of six originals – they knew they were doing something right when people started asking them about a song off the EP, ‘Dragons And Demons’, wanting to know which Bob Marley album it was from. It's still a crucial recording, to this day.”
Previous winners of the award are Gordons for their self-titled debut, and the compilation Ak79, a collection of tracks from the punk era.
The prize will be awarded at the Taite Music Prize ceremony next week. This year's 10 nominated albums are:
@peace - '@peace and the Plutonian Noise Symphony'
Aldous Harding - 'Aldous Harding'
Tiny Ruins - 'Brightly Painted One'
Jakob - 'Sines'
Electric Wire Hustle - 'Love Can Prevail'
Mulholland - 'Stop & Start Again'
Kimbra - 'The Golden Echo'
Tami Neilson - 'Dynamite'
Delaney Davidson - 'Swim Down Low'
Grayson Gilmour - 'Infinite Life!'
Herbs have a run of dates lined up this month:
Herbs Acoustic
Lower Hutt - Saturday 11th April, Fitzroy Tavern
Dargaville - Friday 24th April, The Northern Wairoa Hotel
Maungatapere - Saturday 25th April, Poroti Tavern
