Dylan Taite

John William Dylan Taite (2 November 1937 22 January 2003) was a New Zealand rock music journalist. Born in Liverpool, he began working as a television journalist in New Zealand in the early 1970s. A passionate music fan, Taite established his reputation with eccentric interviews of famous musicians such as Bob Marley and Lou Reed.

Taite has been acclaimed at having a passion for highlighting up-and-coming musicians and presenting his material in a way that could engage general audiences. After the breakup of the Merseymen in 1965, Taite moved to Christchurch later in the decade.

After arriving in New Zealand, Taite took a job with the New Zealand Broadcasting Corporation (NZBC)'s television division. In this position, he initially rose to prominence after securing an exclusive interview with the Rolling Stones. Taite continued to work at NZBC, and its successor TVNZ, for three decades.

Interview style Taite was renowned for his ability to secure interviews, even with subjects who were otherwise resistant to interviewing. In one such example, Bob Marley came to Western Springs for a 1979 concert and was refusing all interviews. Taite waited at Marley's hotel and joined a pickup soccer game with the touring musicians, using the opportunity to build rapport and convince them to allow the interview. Taite was also known for being able to outmaneuver rival publicists by pulling musicians into surprise interviews at airports or hotels.

Taite's interviews were also known for their unorthodox composition. The footage was characteristically shot shakily, at extreme angles, and would be edited together to create a rapidly-shifting pace and framing. Former colleagues recall that Taite would wait to submit his interviews until the last moment before their deadlines, so as to prevent studio executives from re-editing his material.

Legacy Upon Taite's death, Judith Tizard – then the Associate Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister – remarked:

The Taite Music Prize, named in honor of Taite, is an annual award honoring the best New Zealand album of the year.