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The Sweethearts

Adam McGrath’s early 2000’s attempt at a vocally-driven song-writing group after years of playing in punk and hard core groups – featured a teenage William Daymond; essentially a pre-cursor to the Eastern. Put out an album that went unnoticed.

#nzmusic #thesweethearts #adammcgrath #theeastern

The Side Effects

Mysterious surf-guitar out of the Whanganui-Manawatu region on the famed Stink Magnetic label and featuring label regulars Dylan Herkes and Boss Christ.

#nzmusic #surfmusic #thesideeffects #thechandeliers

Sleepers Union

Blissful psychedelic pop from Simon McLaren, known for his high-energy, explosive songs in Loves Ugly Children and The Subliminals, partnered with The Onedin Line’s Mark Anderson. The group have released 2 albums 13 years apart, with a live band consisting of well-known Auckland-based musicians.

#nzmusic #sleepersunion #psychpop

The Superettes

Auckland punk group that marked the arrival of Jed Town. When The Superettes broke up Town formed famed post-punk group The Features; who would eventually morph into Fetus Productions.

#nzmusic #nzpunk #thesuperettes #ak79 #thefeatures #fetusproductions

Smart Russians

Pop-funky 3/4-piece Christchurch act from the mid 80s. Made an appearance on Radio with Pictures article on the current state of Christchurch live music (in 1984), released a cassette single recorded at Nighshift Studios and at one point had The Chills keyboardist Andrew Todd as a member.

Salad Boys

Indie pop-rock out of Christchurch based around Joe Sampson (guitar / vocals / keys / bass etc) with James Sullivan (drums) and Ben Ordering (bass) on most of their recordings.

Strong on melody with big chiming guitar and unfussy rhythmic backing, their songs have a timeless quality to them – sometimes jangling, sometimes driving, and with Sampson’s powerful guitar playing always ready to attack.

The Stoutfellows

Christchurch Celtic Rock who played all the local Irish pubs all across New Zealand (and occasionally Australia) from 1999 to 2002.

Made up of members of a number of local hard rock groups. Recorded an album at Blast Studios in 2000.

The Shallows

The Shallows were a short-lived Christchurch trio fronted by Roy Montgomery in 1985. Backed by Mick Elborado (bass) and Mary Heney (guitar / vocals) the trio recorded and self-released a sole 7″ single over a couple weeks in May, 1985.

The single was the result of a $750 government arts grant – the group laid out their exact expenses on the inside sleeve of the single.

Scorched Earth Policy

Excellent early Flying Nun band from Christchurch featuring 3 future Terminals (Stapleton, Elborado and Crook).
Some terrific songs that build suspense and tension with galloping drums, rumbling bass and a cacophony of guitar, organ and violin.

Snapper

The key group of New Zealand underground legend Peter Gutteridge (despite being a founding member of BOTH the Clean and the Chills). Snapper made driving, droning guitars-infused with synths post-punk throughout the 1980s and 1990s before Gutteridge disappeared from the public eye.

Paul Solly

Paul Solly is one of a handful of mysterious individuals (along with Matt Lee, Lissa Mitchell and Douglas Bagnall), possibly all part of Fever Hospital that released a handful of lathe-cut singles on their own 8 Dec Records imprint, to startlingly low-key but enthusiastic acclaim.

Nick Smith

One of the lesser-known Flying Nun Records releases, young singer-songwriter Nick Smith put out a largely unremembered EP on the label in 1987 after appearing on the ‘Outnumbered by Sheep’ compilation.

He also recorded a preceding EP (with the help of Chris Knox), released on record store Real Groovy Records own imprint back in 1986.
Smith would go on to have a successful career as a journalist.

Shaft

Shaft is the long-standing vehicle of prominent song-writer Bob Cardy (aka Bob Brannigan), guitarist for the Axemen and a stalwart of the New Zealand underground scene. With a rotating cast of musicians backing him, Shaft always sounds like Shaft; a terrific band brimming with brilliant, dynamic and catchy songs.

Surplus Sons of a Factory Nation

Short-lived Industrial Punk from notable Palmerston North musician, venue owner / manager / promoter Dave White, with Zane Hookham and Rob Groats.

White was the manager of The Stomach, which served as the focal-point of Palmerston North’s underground music scene in the 1990’s and he self-produced and released their extremely rare 7″ single and 10″ EP lathe’s individually (with handmade covers) on old EMI blank acetates.

So So Modern

Terrific Wellington-based synth and guitar troop – greatly exciting, fun and wacky group. Often costumed and running through sets at breakneck pace, the group had a give it a go and home-production bent, distributing their own self-produced recordings (with art-work from the very talented Neon Sleep), hand-crafted pins, stickers and posters.

The group evolved out of youthful stints in underground hardcore groups – and they took elements of that (breakneck pace, gang vocals, building a community) to the group, but expanded the sound to make it more palatable to a wider audience.