NZ’s Headless Chickens sprinkle ashes of ex-member on stage at awards, cause outrage

Legendary New Zealand industrial rock band Headless Chickens have caused an outcry and a boisterous debate on etiquette after a symbolic gesture when they won a award in Auckland.

The occasion was the announcement of the Taite Music Awards, organised by Independent Music  to recognise the most creative NZ record in the past 12 months.

It is named after the late music journalist Dylan Taite.

The Flying Nun-signed multi-award winning Headless Chickens, who toured Australia many times, were given the NZ Classic Record gong for their 1988 album Stunt Clown.

As the band gathered onstage, frontman Chris Matthews took some ashes of member Grant Fell out of a vial in his pocket, and sprinkled them on the stage.

Also onstage was Fell’s widow Rachael Churchward.

The band then performed a song.

Fell, who lived in Sydney for a time, died in New Zealand in January after a two year battle with cancer.

The gesture certainly seems to have stunned the gathered audience of music industry executives.

The event’s co-host, radio presenter Alex Behan told the crowd “I am not quite sure what the etiquette is here, I don’t really know what to do.”

He later admitted, “It was a very, very strange moment.”

The band said it was a loving gesture, done with the best intentions.

Former band member Rupert E Taylor told one media outlet that it was a “magic” moment to have Fell with them to accept the award.

“I felt like he was there with us and it was a total magic moment for me.

“I waved his ashes into my face and all over my workshop suit. It was a surprise and it should have happened, he should have been there with us.

“We all lived together, breathed together, Headless Chickened together, we did everything together, so to have him on the stage tonight was really, really important.”

But other musicians as Moana Maniapoto and Teeks were uncomfortable. Others called it “disrespectful” and “culturally insensitive” to Fell who was Maori.

The “horrified” Maniapoto, who presented the 2015 NZ Classic Record Award to Herbs told Radio New Zealand said they would never have done that.

“They (the dead members) are there in spirit, they are there in the words, they are there in the music.

“Much like Dylan Taite is and that’s what the award is named after.

“Human remains are tapu.”

Teeks, who was nominated, was glad he didn’t win anything on the night: “Wouldn’t have gotten on stage with those ashes under my feet,” he wrote.

He added, “I was raised in a culture where that shit isn’t ok.”

The main $10,000 Taite Prize was won by Christchurch singer-songwriter Aldous Harding for her second album Party.

Accepting the tribute from London, she said the prize money would be spent on their next album.

“We start recording in the next couple of days, the new album, so I’ll put the money towards making the same mistakes,” she quipped.