The Bay now has greater opportunity for self-examination, with the launch last week of a new online magazine show, People of Paradise.

This is the brainchild of local musician Shirley Ryder and Wellingtonian Lynda Ford who, amongst other things, is in charge of administration for NZ Music Hall of Fame on Facebook. They've been interviewing all sorts of other people, and last week launched the first series of their show.

The idea really sprang from Shirley getting a new camera. She says: 'Having purchased it, I wanted to have a bit of fun learning how to use it and how to edit.

'I just thought it would be a fun idea to film conversations with Tauranga musicians, since I knew a lot of them, and the idea really grew from there.”

Each show is around 25 minutes long and highlights a different guest - usually a musician - as well as location stuff from various local hangouts. There will also be food/wine reviews and more.

New episodes hit YouTube every Tuesday (posted at 7pm for those waiting with baited breath), and last week's premiere featured Chris Gunn, one of the town's more storied musicians having made it through the 60s, the glam rock days and several years of playing with Ritchie Pickett.

So I settled in, ready for a serious hit of local content. Here's whatever the print equivalent is of a live blog...

Live blogging

Okay, opening credits. They go on a little but include a bunch of well-known musical faces looking cheerful. There's Liam Ryan, Brendan Dugan, Grant Bullot, Tim Armstrong, Trevor Braunias, Dave Porter and more, and a few recognisable locations.

All good.

Things start with Shirley and Lynda, who ramble on amiably about whatever strikes them, whether it's getting their hair done or something locally-connected from the internet.

That leads to the first musician interview and it is indeed Chris Gunn, looking very 'distinguished pillar of the community” with neat hair and a tidy white beard.

As well as hoeing many a musical row, Chris was the man who many years ago started Drivers Bar.

His long-standing love affair with cars is obvious as Shirley chats with him, and they examine his latest rebuilding work-in-progress. Being the car expert I am, I can report that it's a lovely shade of blue.

Then there's wine tasting with Lynda. It's less successful.

The 'review” contains very little useful information - even the price - aside from the fact that it's a Chardonnay and she likes it. She also incorrectly describes the (New Zealand) wine as Australian.

Next we're off to Drivers Bar for the final Blues Jam there, which happened a couple of months back. Shirley chats with current bar owner Pete and others while the Sid Atwell Band play. It's a good segment and ties in nicely with the main interview.

Thunderbirds

And back to Chris Gunn, who's still talking about race cars and restoring Thunderbird convertibles. Which is what you'd expect if you ask questions such as:

'Have you restored any other classic cars?” Anyone who has spent much time with Chris will recognise this conversation; car enthusiast will be duly enthused.

Then they get onto music, which is a good thing for us non-car types, before neatly uniting the fields with Chris admitting that he never has music playing in his cars as he prefers to listen to the motor.

Cars and music. It actually works quite well and, in a nice touch, Shirley presents Chris with a set of fluffy dice.

So, one down and there'll be another one (interviewing Nicole Saunders, president of the Entertainers Club) up before you read this.

What can I say? It's cheap and cheerful and will no doubt get tighter as it goes on but, for the moment, the general looseness is still somewhat charming.

You can access this via the People of Paradise with Shirley and Lynda Facebook page or go straight to the YouTube channel (The.Shirley.and.Lynda.Show).

‘Who knows? You might spot someone you know.