NZ Herald Legacy Award - Shona Laing: My Love Be Still

Laing, right, performs with Mahinarangi Tocker at the 2004 NZ International Arts Festival, Wellington. Photo / Robert Catto

2007: My Love Be Still written by Mahinarangi Tocker, from the album Pass the Whisper

Laing didn't mean to stop recording for such a long time, but that's what happened when she moved to Waihi.

"I've been trying to figure it all out lately. I think I went to sleep for a while. I went away for a wee rest and sort of nodded off for 10 or 15 years. And I think it was post-traumatic stress in some ways, from the whole Atlantic experience. So once that was done, I went and lived the quiet life for a while."

In a way, it was playing songs for someone else that encouraged Laing to consider recording again. The late Mahinarangi Tocker was putting a band together for a show called The Mongrel in Me in 2005, which she invited Laing to join.

"It was about all her different bits, so she picked all these people who were part of her life and put this band together. That was probably the first time I ever sat down and learned someone else's catalogue, so from that perspective it was amazing."

For the show, Tocker wrote a ballad for Laing to sing called My Love Be Still.

"Half of it's in Maori, and she was a hell of a taskmaster in terms of Maori pronunciation - it was fantastic for my education, though, and to be included in a band like that as well and become part of her family."

Laing had such a wonderful time performing and recording with Tocker's band she thought she'd like to do the song for herself, too. My Love Be Still is included on the resulting album, Pass The Whisper, which has a slightly Celtic flavour she picked up from Tocker's show and fellow musicians.

She hasn't released anything since but has performed live plenty, and continues to write songs - she's got 24 or so built up that could be her next album.

"Some of them are probably a bit grumpy, maybe a bit too radical. The world hasn't gotten to be a better place. It's still the same shithole," she says with a sigh.

But even though injustices continue to make her mad, she's not as angry as she once was.

"I've probably calmed down a bit now. I have mellowed. The last couple of songs I have written have been very reflective, though I'm not quite sure about them."

One thing is sure - she's extremely happy to be receiving the Legacy Award. "I'm absolutely rapt. Someone told me they thought I might not say yes, that I'd tell them to stick it. But I've never hated the industry per se, it's been wonderful but it's just been difficult at times. I guess I've got this reputation of being fractious, but only when I'm driven to it," she laughs. "I'm certainly going to have a good night, that's for sure."

- TimeOut