Episode 2 of 4 - Life After Death
Produced and directed by Adam Macaulay
Justin Gregory investigates the phenomenon that is country comedy band The Lonesome Buckwhips.
Until now, the weirdly sweet months between the sinking of the Interislander ferry and Gary Buckwhip's arrest as an accessory to poaching have been shrouded in mystery. Justin Gregory sheds some light on what really happened in the time that became known as the Buckwhips' 'dead period' - when fans of the band, and their creditors, were in deep shock or pissed off.
All music composed arranged and performed by The Lonesome Buckwhips (Arthur Meek, Miriama Ketu, Ben Hutchison and Gareth Williams) under special commission from RNZ. Originally broadcast in July 2009.
The Lonesome Buckwhips are what know-nothing city snobs think rural dwellers are all about, but amplified.
They live in a family caravan high on the hills of Corstorphine, Dunedin. They all suck at the government teat. They smoke, gamble, drink and drive. They root their relatives. They poach shellfish. They’re essential workers who do the bare essential, grudgingly, and get paid in cash so it doesn’t affect their welfare entitlements. They’re also a damned fine country band who express the joys and sufferings of their rich lives of poverty.
We wrote songs, staged shows and toured NZ for 5 years. Radio New Zealand put a lot of love and production into a 4-part series. It guest stars my country music hero, Barry Saunders of the Warratahs. It stands up well and gets replayed most years around Christmas/New Year when everyone at RNZ who should know better is on holiday.
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