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3 Voices

3 Voices is an extraordinary release in the history of New Zealand underground pop. The group was formed by the core song-writing duo of Rob Sinclair and David Bowater, with brilliant slick drummer Steve Garden, and an assortment of talented musicians contributing to the sole album. Sinclair and Bowater had both been in Schtung, then briefly formed the group Ray A – which is where most of this material originates from.

#nzmusic #3voices

Tim Teen and the Teen Tones

Auckland underground group, not to be confused with 1960’s rock’n’roll outfit Tommy Dee and the Teen Tones and featuring original first gen Auckland punk drummer Juian Hanson. Released a lathe-cut split 7″ with Pillar of State.

Keyboardist Dene Barnes would go on to have a productive experimental solo project as L$D fundraiser in the 2010s.

Julian Hanson passed away in February 2021.

#nzmusic #timteenandtheteentones

This Boy Rob

Auckland-based pop duo featuring a barely out of High School Greg Johnson (plus guest vocals from Fiona Macdonald) – a studio production project from the likes of Mark Tierney, Paul Casserly and Joost Langveldt – essentially making it a pre-cursor to The Greg Johnson Set and Strawpeople.

#nzmusic #thisboyrob

The 3Ds

One of the greatest New Zealand groups of all-time – The 3Ds were one of the key groups in my own personal history as a fan of New Zealand Music. Led by 2 contrasting guitar playing front-men ably backed by a terrific, explosive rhythm section – their songs were full of hooks and exciting noise and distortion.

#nzmusic #the3ds

Tex Pistol

80’s synth-pop from Ian Morris (Th’ Dudes, DD Smash), and sometimes his brother Rikki. Tex Pistol had 2 huge hit singles in 1987/1988 then promptly disappeared, with Morris concentrating on production until his death in 2010.

#nzmusic #texpistol #rikkimorris

Trillionaires

Trillionaires were a Christchurch institution through the late 1990s and 2000s. A covers band formed as a super-group of local musicians with the twin vocals of Ross Humphries and Nicole Moffat.

The group were known for their eclectic covers, with each song reinterpreted in their own unique style, usually as a rollicking garage rock’n’roll number, driven by the killer guitar of Mick Elborado and the rhythm section of John Christoffels (bass) and Malcolm Grant (drums).

#nzmusic #trillionaires

Tanaka-Nixon Meeting

Mid 1990’s free-noise duo made up of Danny Butt (Flies Inside The Sun) and Michael Morley (The Dead C etc). Released three ultra-rare Peter King 8″ lathes on Morley’s Precious Metal imprint, along with 2 albums and a single. Went from noise, scrapes and drones to releasing their own take on electronic dance music with 1998’s ‘Twelve Inches Heaven’.

#nzmusic #undergroundmusic #freenoise #tanakanixonmeeting

Trash

Noisy Dunedin rock group formed by Ex-Alpaca Brothers Bruce Blucher and Paul Cahill. Robbie Yeats was their primary drummer, but their recordings feature contributions from a number of well-known underground performers. Released 3 albums and a couple 7″ singles.

25 Cents

25 Cents were known as being an impressive, ass-kicking party band in Christchurch in the early 1980’s, flush with a range of 1960’s garage numbers, Velvet Underground and Pere Ubu covers.

Sisters Mary and Susan Heney would go on to influential groups like Victor Dimisich Band, Scorched Earth Policy and The Terminals.

Toy Love

Though lasting just 18 months, Toy Love were one of New Zealand’s most influential groups. Chris Knox, Alec Bathgate and Mike Dooley had come from The Enemy were joined by the Christchurch duo of Paul Kean and Kate Walker to form the most brilliantly dynamic new wave group.

Two Lane Blacktop

Raucous Wellington rock’n’roll in the retro-revival vein formed by Matt Harrop, Phil Smiley, Pip Brown (aka Ladyhawke), and Ben Fraser in 2001.

The group had a few self-released EPs and a 7″ single which saw some radio play in the UK, but the group broke up on the eve of what would have been their first US tour.

Tokyo

Wellington 1980’s Hair Metal group, played alongside the likes of Strikemaster and Knightshade (on the 3 band metal compilation ‘3 points of Metal’. Formed after the dissolution of popular group Rose Bayonet.

Tinnitus

Production group that merged modern technology with visual elements and audience interactions. Key members Angus McNaughten would go on to form Unitone HiFi and Michael Hodgson is one half of Pitch Black.

Toerag

An early to mid 1980’s alias for Onset/Offset records Campbell McLay. A strictly DIY affair, engineered like a million other Christchurch records at the time by Arnie van Bussell at Nightshift Studios.

Techtones

4-piece early 80’s group from Auckland. Key single ‘That Girl’ is a slice of British-style power-pop:

Put out some sought after releases on the iconic Ripper and Propeller labels in the early 1980’s and were included in Propeller’s terrific ‘Doobie Do Disc’ and ‘It’s bigger than the both of us (NZ Singles 1979-82)’ compilations.

Juricevich and Roach came from 2nd gen punk outfit Sheerlux (previously the Stimulators), Chris Burt would go on to join the Stridulators and work with the Headless Chickens, and Solomon would go on to form The Rapture.