Excellent, and highly popular post-punk / new-wave pop act out of auckland in the early 80s. Achieved unprecedented success with the release of ‘See Me Go’, a lovely poppy early single in the distinct Mee Mees style that managed to top the New Zealand charts without any radio play, purely on the popularity of their live shows and word of mouth.
How many times was this [‘See Me Go’ 7″ on Propeller] recorded and mixed. We finished the mix and went on tour, only to receive a “remix” that the marketing guy at Festival had done. It was unlistenable, although we were told that he’d substituted it for our mix on the release. A quick call to the pressing plant meant ours was substituted, the other one was quietly dumped, so the official release was ours. The funny thing was the marketing guy never noticed…..4000 copies in a week and number one…in fact the first NZ single to enter at 1.
– Simon Grigg: taken from Griggs’ Propeller archive website.
The Mee Mees were soon to be touted as New Zealand’s most popular band with their rollicking debut If This Is Paradise, I’ll Take The Bag, and toured as part of the Screaming Blamatic roadshow in 1982 to huge crowds, a defining moment for New Zealand post-punk (championed by start-up label Propeller Recordings) – but their success was short lived with members Tony Drumm, Michael O’Niell, Peter Van Ver Fluit and Jon ‘Yoh’ Landwer going their seperate ways after the ‘Stars In My Eyes’ single in 1983.
Discography
- ‘Can’t Take It’ Split 7″ Single [1981 W/ Newmatics Ripper Rip013]
- ‘See Me Go’/’Till I Die’ 7″ Single [1981 Propeller Rev8]
- See Me Go Ep [1981 Propeller Rev8x]
- ‘Sunday Boys’/’At At’ 7″ Single [Propeller Rev15]
- ‘”F” Is For Fear’/’Orson Welles’ 7″ Single [1982 Propeller Rev18]
- If This Is Paradise, I’ll Take The Bag [1982 Propeller Rev203]
- ‘Stars In My Eyes’/’Days Go By’ 7″ Single [1983 Propeller Rev22]
- Stars In My Eyes 12″ Ep [1983 Propeller Rev22x]
- Stars In My Eyes [Compilation 1992 Propeller Rev501]
Awards Etc
RIANZ Awards 1981
- Most Promising Group Of The Year: Screeming Meemees