Saturday Morning With Jack Tame

Six60 have spent more than 15 years working on their craft.  With the heights they’ve reached you might forgive the band for taking some time to relax a little, but there is simply no stopping the boys Matiu, Marlon, Ji and Chris.  Six60 have released their 5th album, it's called Right Here Right Now. And what makes this album so special is that it’s all recorded live. Every track is a one-take wonder.  The boys joined Jack in the studio to discuss the process behind making their new album and give a special performance of one of their new tracks. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

My Husband’s Wife by Alice Feeney  Eden Fox, an artist on the brink of her big break, sets off for a run before her first exhibition. When she returns to the home she recently moved into, Spyglass, an enchanting old house in Hope Falls, nothing is as it should be. Her key doesn't fit.    Red Dawn Over China by Frank Dikotter  The history of modern China has long been portrayed as a tale of Communists fighting in the hills for freedom, gradually gaining popular support by taking land from the rich and giving it to the poor. Drawing on a wealth of archival evidence, Red Dawn Over China reveals how unlikely the Party's victory actually was, had it not been for financial and military support from the Soviet Union.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If I remember correctly, cicadas used to be quite a bit more common in the Auckland Summer Months. Yep they changed from year to year and occasionally almost completely quiet, but that was rare, to be frank.  In Christchurch they’ve been a lot less noisy – especially the past 4 years or so. But early 2026 it started with a few choruses and now the “clappers” are also occupying the sound-scape.    Male cicadas have so-called Timpany, which are little drum cavities on the underside of the bellies. They look a little bit like bent and shaped flaps.  The timpany are really good at amplifying the sounds they make to lure females closer and closer – Party time!  Females are known to aim for the noisiest male on the block. Egg-laying is happening from now on, at this time of the year.  When the female has a good number of fertilised eggs to get rid of, she climbs into a suitable host tree. Her Ovipositor is a pretty useful tool to lay eggs inside the wood of a branch; a dozen or two ar

The heart is a phenomenal muscle in the body that is often described as ‘natures quiet overachiever’. Small steady steps work to keep it healthy are important as heart disease is responsible for 33% of deaths in New Zealand. It’s our biggest killer.  Dr Bryan Betty joins Jack Tame to discuss what Kiwis can do to keep their heart healthy, and it doesn't take much.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A smarter Siri? You'll be waiting a little longer..  Apple initially launched - or should that be teased? - the launch of Apple Intelligence in June, 2024. It was thought that March might be the month, but there have been further delays. Bloomberg is reporting it could be May before the start of the launch that is now though to be spread over several releases. iOS27 might see the bulk when it comes out in September. The issue is apparently that Siri doesn’t always properly process queries or can take too long to handle requests. The ability for Siri to access personal data - like text messages or emails, the key selling point of Apple Intelligence - are the most likely to slip.    Anthropic has raised a fresh round of funding  The new round has more than DOUBLED its value from September. They've got an additional $30 billion in cash, which takes their post-money valuation to $380 billion. It's the second largest private tech funding round on record second only to OpenAI. Anthropic's Super

Small Town Scandal - (Neon) Tom Sainsbury brings his hit true-crime parody podcast to the screen. The beloved comedian plays a disgraced journalist-turned-true-crime podcast host investigating the death of his millionaire uncle in a town filled with eccentric suspects.    Queen of Chess - (Netflix) Hungarian chess prodigy Judit Polgár challenges champion Garry Kasparov and her controlling father over 15 years, breaking gender barriers to become the greatest female player ever.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After serving up this soup to a group of friends one of the diners wanted to marry me because it’s that good haha. The recipe mimics a bouillabaisse but I’ve pared it back to create an unfussy dish that’s quick and easy to prepare. Serves 2 as a main course Ingredients: 4 tbsp olive oil 2 cloves garlic, crushed 400g crushed tomatoes ½ cup white wine 300g white fish such as snapper, gurnard or hapuka, cut into large bite-sized pieces 6-8 mussels, scrubbed and de-bearded 6-8 cockles, scrubbed 2-4 large prawns, peeled and deveined ¼ cup mayonnaise ¼-1 tsp (depending how hot you like it) fresh minced chilli 1 T parsley, chopped fine Method: Heat oil in a heavy based pot. Add garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes until it softens but isn’t coloured. Add tomatoes and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Add the wine and cook for 1 minute. The sauce can be left at this stage until you are ready to serve. Just before serving, add the fish pieces, mussels and cockles, cover and cook on medium to high for about 2 minutes or until some

Wuthering Heights:  Much anticipated adaptation of the 1847 Emily Bronte novel. Directed by Emerald Fennell with ‘artistic license’. Starring Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi. Tragedy strikes when Heathcliff falls in love with Catherine Earnshaw, a woman from a wealthy family in 18th-century England.  Crime 101: Chris Hemsworth leads a big-name cast. A Los Angeles detective pursues an elusive thief who teams up with an insurance broker for one last heist.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kevin's been to see author Bill Bryson talk this week, and he has some astonishing facts to share with Jack.  He's also coming to Auckland this weekend to see the NZ Polo Open in Clevedon, and his wife Linda is particularly excited to see the horses in action.  Listen to Kevin and Jack catch up on the week's antics, and hear some potentially eye-opening facts.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Yumi Zouma is the gold standard for ethereal dream-pop.  But after a decade together, the Kiwi quartet has decided to push the envelope, taking strides into a heavier rock sound.   Their fifth studio album, ‘No Love Lost To Kindness’, is a turning point, filled with themes of confrontation, disillusionment, risk, and honesty.  The band’s guitarists, Josh Burgess and Charlie Ryder, joined Jack Tame to discuss the album, its creation, and the decade they’ve been creating together.   Ryder told Tame that while there’s a big juxtaposition between this album and their previous body of work, it was a natural progression.  “We listen to a lot of music of all genres, that includes like, rock music, heavy stuff, and at the time, I think, yeah, it made sense for us to go in more of a grungier, harder direction.”  “After releasing five albums, and I guess like, 100 songs, you can’t just keep doing the same thing over and over again.”  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for p

Kevin Milne’s dreams to buy a gorgeous house has been stymied by something unexpected: age.   Photos of what quickly became his dream home popped up this week, but it became a disagreement between him and his wife Linda, with her banning him from even thinking about buying it.  But why? Kevin joined Jack Tame to explain what’s made the house so unobtainable.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand was host to two contrasting acts this week, playing out at the opposite ends of the North Island.  On Thursday, Auckland’s Laneway Festival was held at Western Springs, whilst in Wellington, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds played two shows – one Thursday and one Friday.   Chris Schulz was at both events, and joined Jack Tame to share his thoughts.    LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Such a Perfect Family by Nalini Singh   A woman buried. A woman broken. A woman crashed. A woman burned. And the man who knew them all.  Love at first sight, a whirlwind Vegas wedding, a fairy-tale romance. For seventy-nine days, Tavish Advani has been the happiest man in the world—until his new life turns to ash, his wealthy in-laws’ house going up in a fiery explosion. His badly injured wife lies in a coma, her family all but annihilated.  Tavish thought he left the sins of his Los Angeles life behind, but it’s not so easy to leave behind an investigation into the deaths of several high-profile women—all of whom he professed to love. Tragedy and death follow him no matter where he goes . . . but this time, he knows he’s innocent.  Desperately trying to clear his name as the authorities zero in, he begins his own investigation into the fire—and learns that his wife’s picture-perfect family may have been nothing but a meticulously constructed mirage. The truth is much darker

"If you’re planning a road-trip in the South Island in the coming months, tack on a scenic foray with the Mid-Canterbury heartland. Easily reached within an hour from Christchurch, it’s an understated, uncrowded region that handsomely rewards the eager explorer, headlined by its spectacular scenic high country and blissful sense of escapism. Fanning out from Ashburton and bounded by the silvery braids of the Rakaia and Rangitata rivers, Mid-Canterbury spans the extremes, from pancake-flat plains to serrated, sky-piercing peaks. The mountains rise up to meet you remarkably quickly, after driving west from Ashburton. Here’s a round-up of some sure-fire favourites to add to your leisurely road- trip." Read Mike's full article here. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What is the happiest job in New Zealand?  Research undertaken in 2025 looked at how people across different jobs and sectors rated their wellbeing. They targeted people who were “mid-career” – around 40 years old.  Dr Dougal Sutherland joined Jack Tame to delve into the findings and see what factors make for the happiest careers. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Saturday Morning with Jack Tame Full Show Podcast for Saturday 7 February 2026, Kiwi dream-pop quartet Yumi Zouma joined Jack to discuss a decade together and their creative shift for album No. 5, No Love Lost to Kindness.  Jack finds the Epstein files illuminating.  Two contrasting musical events took place at opposing ends of the North Island this week and music reviewer Chris Schulz went to both.  Clinical psychologist Dougal Sutherland reveals the happiest jobs in New Zealand.  Plus Nici Wickes is not letting us overlook the classics with a deliciously moist Blueberry Muffin recipe.  Get the Saturday Morning with Jack Tame Full Show Podcast every Saturday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

During a rather aggressive storm in springtime, our ancient tunnel house showed it was time to get a new one. That was our Christmas project.  Some of our tomatoes survived but there was still lots of space for other plants and ideas, and Kings Seeds sent a catalogue to my inbox just at the right moment!   February specials and Brassicas plus a great number of beautiful plants in many colours (and for a reasonable amount of money). Let's try something out!  Snail Vine  An exotic, heirloom vine grown for its highly perfumed, spiralled flowers resembling curled snail shells. Ideal for growing up fences, trellis, and pergola, or sow in containers with a grow cone or obelisk for support. Fabulous for providing fragrance to outdoor spaces. They germinate within 2 weeks in summer, love warm conditions and develop fast in full sun.  Great for our warmer areas in New Zealand, but even in the cooler regions they usually become an “Annual”. Try a few seeds as soon as you get them and keep

Hunter's Gewürztraminer 2025, Marlborough RRP from $25.99     The Wine:   A fragrant wine led by scents of ripe pomaceous fruits and white pepper, orange and mandarin peel, some yellow citrus then apple and spice. Delicious on the palate with flavours that keep repeating. The spice or herb layer increases carried by the alcohol and acid line. Vibrant and youthful, a wine that will find its happy place by late 2026/early 2027, then great drinking through 2029.      The vintage:    A very warm December followed by a cool, temperate summer (January-February) allowed for slow, even ripening.  Above-average, high-volume yields, a bumper crop or a return to "normal" after smaller harvests. Harvest was well-paced, smooth, and dry, allowing growers to pick at optimal maturity. This translates to very good vintage and excellent for some.      The Food match:   For cheese fans and what my wife and I call ‘French take-outs’:  Washed-Rind ("Stinky") C

New models this week from Anthropic and OpenAI   A new Opus and a new Codex – the Agentic Coding war is only continuing to heat up. Both are now incredibly capable and are giving technical users who can't write code superpowers.       Anthropic's new Legal plugin wiped $50 billion from the stock market   The Co-Work plugin for Claude can review legal documents, flag risks, and track compliance. Legal tech stocks took a hammering. Harvey, a legal focused startup, does exactly the same thing as this plugin, and is/was valued at $8 billion. There are a lot of AI startups that are "wrappers", basically adding some UI or workflow on top of these models. We're going to see a lot of startups die as the big AI platforms start to offer specialist tools.      The EU says TikTok is too addictive for kids   But how do you solve it? The Commission has some ideas, including adding screentime breaks (so the user's app disabled for a set number of minutes?), changing its algo

DMV   A comedy set in the place everyone dreads going most —the Department of Motor Vehicles— where employees are making minimum wage dealing with customers who are annoyed before they even walk in the door (TVNZ+).       Lord of the Flies   From Adolescence writer Jack Thorne comes this bold reimagining of the classic dystopian novel. Stranded on a tropical island after a deadly plane crash, a gang of schoolboys descend into anarchy (TVNZ+, from February 8th).    LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.