Feature
Shore thing
by Matt Nippert
Musicians mark the anniversary of the 1985 sinking of Greenpeace’s Rainbow Warrior in Auckland Harbour by re-recording a Kiwi classic.
In terms of gambles, this would have to rate up there with backing Wairarapa-Bush to beat the Lions. “Anchor Me”, the Mutton Birds classic, has been re-recorded by a bevy of local musos to mark the 20th anniversary of the Rainbow Warrior bombing.
But will this Kiwi classic be remembered as just another sorry celebrity singalong? Bob Geldof may be lauded by some for his work to focus world attention on African development, but “Feed the World” was hardly a musical masterpiece.
The dreaded “cheese factor” was something that everyone was acutely aware of, says Greenpeace’s Steve Abel, so the stakes were high.
Singer/songwriter Don McGlashan admits that the decision to gift Greenpeace the song, a personal ode to his wife – much like the Chris Knox wedding staple – was not given lightly. “I have so many people beating a path to my door over that song,” he says, including a milk-powder company. “I’d be living in a nicer house now if I’d said yes to one of them.”
As songs to commemorate political sabotage go, “Anchor Me” is a strange choice, despite winning a 1994 APRA Silver Scroll and being judged the 44th best New Zealand song (Nature’s Best). Abel admits that Herbs’ “Nuclear Waste” was their first choice of anthem. But with every rhyme (“Let the salt spray lash/Where the green waves crash”) there’s a reason. He draws a parallel with Anzac Day and believes the clash between France and Greenpeace has become part of our national identity.
McGlashan says, “Aspects of our character became more and more important after the bombing. We took on the world and we’re still a lighthouse for the anti-nuclear movement.” The bombing and PM David Lange’s participation in the Oxford debate helped forge modern New Zealand.
This evolution is illustrated by the musicians who freely contributed their vocals to the song, but were too young to remember the Warrior sinking. Nesian Mystik’s Donald McNulty was aged two at the time, and David Atai a year younger.
Pluto singer Milan Borich, who was eight in 1985, says, “I remember seeing it on telly after school. I couldn’t really comprehend it. I was quite perplexed that the French did it.” Although he says he now understands the geopolitics of the time, he can’t condone them. “Violence begets violence.”
Fortunately, this recording hasn’t inflicted violence on a Kiwi classic. At Auckland’s York Street Studios, where the recording takes place, rock cred seems to have won out over schmaltz. Every inch the wastrel rock star, Borich drags on a cigarette and notes that when the studio’s carpark gutters were cleaned, syringes were fished out by the fistful. Anika Moa is shuttled in and out of the studio. McNulty and Atai are late – having turned up on time in Ponsonby, not Parnell. Still, by the end of the day, Che Fu’s done his thing and recording is pretty much wrapped.
Despite being currently fashionable (arise Sir Bob), there is a long tradition of musicians contributing to socially progressive causes. In 1986, a fundraising concert was held in Auckland to help float a new Rainbow Warrior. Split Enz re-formed for one night and Neil Young flew in at 7.00am, played a set, and flitted out at 7.00pm.
In 1976, when Greenpeace was on its first anti-whaling voyage, salvation wore tie-dye. The James Bay, a converted minesweeper, had docked in San Francisco and needed refuelling, but no one had a spare $20,000. Rex Weyler, a foundation member of Greenpeace and crew member at the time, says sales of T-shirts and badges – their main fundraising method – weren’t getting them anywhere.
“A woman came up and said, ‘You guys will never raise this money selling T-shirts. You should have a concert,’” Weyler says. The environmentalists talked their way past an obligatory bouncer (a Hell’s Angel) and convinced the Grateful Dead’s Jerry Garcia to perform for a benefit gig.
Garcia’s producer said the timeframe was “impossible”. But three days later, 20,000 people packed Pier 31, the tanks were filled and the James Bay sailed into the Pacific. A long shot had paid off.
Anchor Me goes on sale at record stores from July 4, with all proceeds going to Greenpeace.
