Camp Mother and Camp Leader were inducted into the New Zealand Music Hall of Fame at last night's APRA Silver Scroll Awards in Auckland. Hall of Fame honour: The Topp Twins Jools and Lynda Topp are just the third act to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, following Jordan Luck and Johnny Devlin last year. APRA director Ant Healey introduced the award for the twins, outlining their busking, comedic and protesting history, saying New Zealanders, whatever their politics, fell in love with them. He described the twins as perhaps the most unlikely stars in New Zealand music history - "two yodelling lesbians from Huntly." Prime Minister Helen Clark described the twins as "truly authentic Kiwi girls". Clark also paid tribute to the late Maori lesbian singer/songwriter Mahinarangi Tocker, who was honoured at the opening of the show, saying "Mahinarangi Tocker, so tragically taken from us - and so talented. I acknowledge and esteem her." The emotional tribute to Tocker included a performance of her song Forever, featuring a string quartet, a school choir and the singers Shona Laing and Hinewehi Mohi. Two screens depicting Tocker with her fist raised in the air as she was performing at WOMAD guarded the stage. The crowd stood and clapped as the piece ended, with some audience members wiping tears from their eyes. Out lesbian musician Anika Moa was a finalist in the Silver Scroll Awards for her lovestruck tune Dreams in My Head, but the prize was won by Opshop for One Day.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News Staff
First published: Thursday, 11th September 2008 - 12:51pm