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Satina Saturnina - 'Annabelle' 7" single

Satina Saturnina

Cabaret-punk from Palmerston North’s Victoria Singh with (former Builders drummer) Derek Champion. The duo released a CD and 7″ on Andrew Tolley’s Kato Records label in the late 1990s. In a live context Singh was backed by The Santina Droids – Champion and Chris Swain.

#nzmusic #satinasaturnina

Spacious

In 1995 The 3Ds guitarist and vocalist Dave Saunders got together with well-known drummer Alan Haig to record a 3-song single for Flying Nun Records under the name Spacious – all 3 songs were eventually re-recorded by The 3Ds for their final album ‘Strange News from the Angels’.

#nzmusic #spacious #the3ds

Satellite Spies

Mainstream kiwi pop-rock group out of Auckland with a very disputed history thanks to a split between the two key members – frontman and original song-writer Mark Loveys and guitarist / vocalist Deane Sutherland (aka Tommy Joy).

Best known for their 1985 hit ‘Destiny in Motion’ and the 1994 single ‘It must be love’ – released by Sutherland’s later edition of the group.

#nzmusic #satelliteSpies

Anji Sami

Auckland-born singer songwriter who made an impact in 2006 while studying a Bachelor of Music at the University of Otago in Dunedin, with several choice support slots and a mega-talented backing band. Self-released an EP produced by Arc Life Records Thomas Bell, utilising the Universities Albany Street Studio.

Moved to Auckland and formed The Sami Sisters, along with Priya and (comedic actress) Madeline Sami, then the 2012 Taite Music Prize nominated shoe-gaze group She’s So Rad.

#nzmusic #anjisami #shessorad #thesamisisters

Say Yes To Apes

Say Yes To Apes were a loose, noisy, often sloppy and usually creative Dunedin-then-Christchurch-based underground rock outfit formed by frontman Kevin Smith (several years before his acting career took off), drummer Pat Faigan (aka Duane Zarakov of Space Dust, King Loserand multi-instrumentalist Steve Watson, born out of the earlier Picnic Boys.

Straitjacket Fits

Straitjacket Fits were a corner stone in New Zealand independent rock from their formation in 1986 till their inevitable break-up in February 1994. Though predominantly a kiwi indie-rock group, they were at times dissonant (and incredibly loud), hiding their delicate… Read More »Straitjacket Fits

The Snares

Dunedin based avant-indie trio featuring Mike Dooley (Toy Love and Snapper – Drums) his step-daughter Maxine Funke (Guitar) and Brett Moodie (Guitar), that formed out of the Dooley / Funke duo The Beaters.

Their debut EP was a meditative production guided by Arc Life engineer (and member of David Kilgour’s Heavy Eights) Tom Bell, whilst their follow-up Dance The Dervish is closer to a live recording, though still capturing their eclectic strengths – both released on the bands own Horrible Records (the name, not the quality) label.

#nzmusic #thesnares

'Hey Creep' 7" single cover by Rob Haakman

Snort

Hugely popular Christchurch hard-rock all-girl group with a very 90’s riotgrrrl sound and a line-up that changed quite a bit over time. Members have included: Reta Le Quesne, twins Joanne and Sharon Billesdon, Lisa Preston, Fleur Walden Ninakaye Taane-Tinorau and Carla Rotta .

They recorded 2 singles, then had an album and a music video held back by Festival Records in nefarious circumstances.

#nzmusic #snort

The Steffan Van Soest Hit Machine

Excellent quirky Christchurch rock group who formed in the late 1990’s, had an incredibly prolific few years with 4 albums, an album and a single released in quick succession. The group then transitioned into an occasional reunion outfit, with several of the key members now living out of town or overseas. Led by their namesake (and only consistent member) the band have had many offshoot groups.

#nzmusic #steffanvansoesthitmachine

Satan’s Pitbull

An experimental lo-fi/noise release from Lynton Denovan, recorded on a simple 4-track setup (with ‘Thanx tay Don Kebab fer ze teknickel assistance’ – presumably Donald Campbell of Thee Strapons) and released in a Peter King lathe cut 7″ format through Denovan’s one-off THE HITLIST label.

#nzmusic #experimentalmusic #satanspitbull #lyntondenovan

Anastasia Strapon

Anastasia Strapon was the vocalist and guitarist for Thee Strapons, alongside her partner (and keyboardist) Don Gone. In 1998 she released her own solo recording ‘For what it’s worth’ as a lathe-cut 7″ single on the groups own Solarphonic imprint.

#nzmusic #rocknroll #theestrapons #anastasiastrapon

Thee Strapons

Long-running stylistically variant group based around the duo of Don Campbell (aka Don Gone) and Bev Greene (aka Anastasia Strapon / Nova Technova). Prolific during 2 distinct phases – based in Dunedin in the late 1980’s – early 1990s then in the mid 1990s to early 2000’s in Christchurch.

#nzmusic #undergroundmusic #theestrapons

Solatudes

New-wave pop / post-punk group from early 1980’s Christchurch, featuring future Wastrels front-man Anton Jenner. Recently got their sole 7″ single reissued on Leather Jacket Records.

#nzmusic #solatudes #thewastrels

The Strange Girls

Fantastic folky lo-fi group from Dunedin from the super-prolific Clayton Noone and ex-Ho’ Dogs guitarist Kaaterama Morehu – who sadly passed away in 2020.

“At their best, The Strange Girls made ruminative, repetitive and atmospheric bummer folk”

#nzmusic #thestrangegirls #undergorundmusic