Harry Lyon and Hello Sailor Day, on East FM, Saturday from 3pm

Phil from Farm Cove

Four and a half decades ago, Harry Lyon was leading the charge with Hello Sailor in creating an exciting scene – the pub and club rock scene in Auckland, establishing themselves as true pioneers in a quickly changing music industry in the City of Sails (or as it was known then, the Queen City), and it’s a real pleasure to be able to talk live with Harry at 4pm on today’s She’ll Be Right on Saturdays Show with PJ Taylor, 3-7pm (NZ time) on East FM.
It’s Harry Lyon and Hello Sailor Day, and we’ll play his most recent solo album, the excellent To The Sea, from 2019, in entirety at 5pm.
I always think of Hello Sailor as Auckland’s first, leading rock band. Ray Columbus and The Invaders had been pop kings, so too Larry’s Rebels (and very rock in attitude), and The La De Das masters of rhythm n’ blues (so, too, rock in attitude).
But the Sailor played rock-pop with reggae and country traces, drawing big crowds and keeping them.
When Hello Sailor play, the people turn out. They’re a big part of many lives of Aucklanders and Kiwis – players and fans. Their music has been the set-list of our lives. Songs about this place we call home. The foundation of the Auckland sound.
Looking forward to talking with Harry about Hello Sailor in 2023, the early years and his musical roots, and what you can expect at the band’s upcoming shows – at the Waiheke Jazz Festival next weekend at Easter www.waihekejazzfestival.co.nz... ; at Leigh Sawmill on May 27; and opening with an acoustic set for 10CC on June 3 www.plus1.co.nz...
We’ll also talk about MAINZ (Music and Audio Institute on NZ) and how you can make your voice heard about the surprising situation that emerged this week that funding issues could lead to its closing.
Harry was a leading light at MAINZ up until six years ago, and so many young people I’ve met on my travels in Auckland’s music community have spoken very highly of him and the people who taught there. The already smart young ones – because they chose to go to MAINZ – learned practical and people skills that made it possible to work in interesting creative fields.
East FM is East Auckland’s fair-dinkum community-powered public service radio station, on 88.1FM and 107.1FM on local frequencies, nationally and globally at www.eastfm.nz... and on app iHeart Radio.
She’ll Be Right - it’s all about the vibe; it’s all about the groove. And this Saturday, we’re celebrating Harry Lyon, Hello Sailor and the Auckland Sound! – PJ