Sensitive to a Smile

Herbs , Music Video – 1987

from the album Sensitive to a Smile (1987)

Herbs visited the troubled East Coast town of Ruatoria in 1987, bringing music and aroha. They left with a documentary and this music video, which shows the band meeting and performing for the locals. Both The Power of Music and the music video were co-directed by Lee Tamahori (Once Were Warriors ) — in one of his earliest turns as director —and cinematographer John Day (Room that Echoes). The ode to love and harmony was judged Best Music Video at the 1987 New Zealand Music Awards.

[What] I saw there was an opportunity, troubled times. Why not take music in there, to see whether Herbs could bring the two groups of people together. I think we did that for a small time. I think the music did that. We a created a space for two or three days where people could talk.
– Herbs manager Hugh Lynn