He's hit a milestone not many music columnists in New Zealand will achieve.

Yes, 1000 Winston Watusi columns have been printed in The Weekend Sun during his 20-plus year commitment to providing our readers with music and entertainment news. And he's done it all anonymously!

This week, we talk to Winston, while keeping his cover, about his columns, experiences and love of local music and entertainment.

How did this all begin?

'I'd been writing for the Bay News when Brian and Claire Rogers set up The Weekend Sun, and approached me to write for their paper.

'They offered me more space! When I began, I used to write a movie review column, a music column and a few other things as well.”

How have his fingers kept so attentively on the pulse of Tauranga's music scene?

'I've been involved in the music world in lots of ways over the years, from writing music to producing music and playing music. I've moved in those circles and so I knew about what's going on.”

Music aside, films have also been one of Watusi's abiding obsessions.

'In those early years when video shops were at their peak, things like film reviews were very useful things!”

Shine a light

The aim in the beginning – when there was no Facebook, Twitter or Instragram – was to shine a light on as much local music as possible.

'This is because being in Tauranga, you're slightly out of the main spotlight, so local bands and music premieres didn't get a lot of illumination at all.

'Back then promotion was getting your name in the newspaper.”

Watusi believes the column still holds true to this aim today.

'There's a massive amount of music out there that's under-reported on. There's a really vibrant music scene in Tauranga but one of the problems with the social media scene is it's very split up.

'Still the most regular thing people say to me about the column is that they read it to find out things that are going on that they don't know about.”

The job has seen Watusi hobnob with the whole spectrum of NZ music – from best in the business to the unknowns – 'including some interesting characters”.

'There's been some fun along the way.

'One such time was getting kicked out of a hotel in town thanks to well-known Kiwi songwriter. He misbehaved in one of the rooms and it turned out a new policeman had been posted down to Tauranga and was boarded in the room next to his. We were all ejected from the hotel.”

Standout columns?

'What springs to mind is the few columns where I've had to write obituaries – on friends of mine in the music business.

"I used to work in the office a lot more – and I came in one morning and was told a musician had died and I had 20 minutes to form a brief obituary. That was hard. But there's been many happier things along the way too!”

Successes

The most fantastic is writing about the successes of local people doing well in the industry.

'Most recently it would be things like the success of L.A.B and Joel Shadbolt, or Grant Haua – the Tauranga bluesman who was signed last year by a French label. Or writing about Brilleaux going to tour the UK and Europe.”

Watusi says watching the jazz festival grow into an iconic Tauranga event is also a highlight.

'The jazz festival has been incredible. I remember when it started becoming the scale it is now and I read something from a guy who'd been downtown and was saying he'd been ‘struck by an outbreak of community'.

"I thought that was just the best expression – because that's what the festival has become. It's amazing how it's turned into an event that unites Tauranga and brings everyone together in a way you'd never have thought.”

Watusi admits to a few ‘oopsy' moments.

'I've had a few columns pulled. I got a little enthusiastic about the legalising marijuana referendum – that scared somebody editing and the column was pulled.”

The secret?

So what is Watusi's secret to writing a fresh, innovative, happening music and entertainment column every week for more than 20 years – and successfully keeping readers loyal?

'I think you have to keep interested – I know it sounds strange but I feel often what I write about is kind of like having a friend around for a drink and you're telling them about all the interesting you've come across recently... that's how I feel about the column.

'There's many interesting things out there – I'm just sharing what I find interesting and I'm actually relieved that other people might find that interesting too!”