About Yellow Eye Ltd

Dunedin based, in New Zealand's South Island (Te Waipounamu), Yellow Eye Ltd is a multifaceted music company, kicking around since 1991, covering everything from booking of shows and tours to artist management, advice and promotion as well as music distribution.

Yellow Eye Started at Otago University with fellow musicians Steve Cournane and Simon Vare as a fledging record label. January 1992 saw the release of a compilation CD that is believed to be the first independently produced CD in the South Island. In those days pre computer, it was created mostly by hand. We received a Business Development Grant from the Ministry of Commerce to help with promotion and distribution. From that grant, Yellow Eye has been a music distributor ever since. We were well known for having access to great music imported from the UK and Germany. The Yellow Eye label continued to produce music, with a wide and varied discography up until 2005.

Over the years, Yellow Eye has worked with a wide range of overseas touring musicians (The Shins, Big Daddy Wilson, Watermelon Slim, Oli Brown, Shooglenifty and CW Stoneking. In recent times, more frequently with New Zealand artists including; Craig ‘Wonky Donkey’ Smith, Taonga Puoro practitioner Rob Thorne, Davey’s Backyard Skiffle Band, Jan Preston, Grant Haua, The Nukes Ukulele Trio and Mr Yipadee. Simon helps these folk with tours, events, educational classes and festival appearances.

Music Classes & Performances for Children with New Zealand Musicians make a difference.

Simon is passionate about coordinating and managing participatory programmes for quality touring artists with schools alongside events and festivals. This allows the next generation of kiwis to get a real taste of what it’s like to make music and perform in front of an audience on stage. 

This can be a life-changing experience for kids, setting them on the path of creativity and performance. This helps our young people to be actively involved in their wider community, builds pride and confidence through performance and contributes to their communication and coordination skills as they learn, explore and contribute to the process of creating music as a group. Yellow Eye is supported through Te Urungi (the Cultural Sector Innovation Fund) to help promote artist educational participatory workshops alongside music events throughout New Zealand.

By allowing young people to be performing artists themselves, Simon hopes that it creates the next generation of artists, creators and audiences, building a better brighter future for New Zealand. If you’re interested in finding out more about our upcoming school programmes, the artists we work with, or upcoming tours and events, explore more of our website and get in touch.