Songs from the Shaky Isles

Gareth Shute’s 'Songs from the Shaky Isles' is an invigorating and comprehensive history of Aotearoa New Zealand’s popular music, charting its evolution from pre-radio performances to the global streaming era. Richly detailed yet fast-paced, it reads like a greatest hits collection, blending insight, anecdote and enthusiasm in equal measure.

Across fourteen lively chapters, Shute explores how cultural and technological shifts have shaped the nation’s soundscape—from early settler songs and waiata Māori to punk, indie, hip hop and beyond. Each section deftly connects musical trends with their social and political contexts, offering readers both breadth and intimacy.

What distinguishes Shute’s work is his eye for the constant links back and forth between music and identity. The 1980s and 1990s, for instance, are framed not only by the rise of Flying Nun Records or Upper Hutt Posse, but also by questions of resistance, belonging and artistic independence. Through these links, Shute reminds us that music is far more than entertainment; it is a form of commentary, protest and communal expression.

As a musician and co-founder of Lil’ Chief Records, Shute writes with authority and affection, but maintains journalistic clarity. Photographs, posters and snapshots of defining gigs enliven the text, grounding it in real moments and places.

'Songs from the Shaky Isles' ultimately celebrates New Zealand’s creative spirit and the ever-evolving rhythms of its people. Both nostalgic and illuminating, it is essential reading for anyone curious about how a nation finds its voice through song.