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Blam Blam Blam

Ivan Zagni

English-born composer who on settling in New Zealand in the early 1980’s started working with many of New Zealand’s best and most creative contemporary independent musicians and groups – Tall Dwarfs, Blam Blam Blam, Big Sideways, Avant Garage etc.

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Propeller Records

Simon Griggs’ mighty fine Propeller Records – was (along with Ripper Records) the label that kicked off New Zealand’s independent record scene with an absolute hoard of excellent singles through the first few years of the 1980s.

#nzmusic #propellerrecords #screamingmeemees #blamblamblam #newmatics

Blam Blam Blam

Blam Blam Blam was a politically-charged underground pop act with touches of post-punk guitar, intelligent lyrics and the melodic touch of Don McGlashan’s vocals and Euphonium playing on killer signature tunes like ‘There is no depression in New Zealand’ and ‘Don’t fight it Marsha (it’s bigger than the both of us)’.

Coconut Rough

Brilliant synth-pop group formed by former Whizz Kids / Pop Mechanix / The Swingers vocalist Andrew McLennan. Known solely for their one-hit wonder ‘Sierra Leonne’.

Pop Mechanix

Christchurch power-pop Pop Mechanix began their life as ‘Splash Alley’. They built up a strong reputation locally and around the country with Dick Driver (and later, Peter McLennan) as front-man; but never quite made it to the next level in Australia.

Avant Garage

Ira Robbins (Trouser Press): “A jazzy-cum-classical nine-person ensemble with clarinets, cello, tuba and bassoon (in addition to guitar, bass and drums), New Zealand’s determinedly oddball Avant Garage sounds like something Zappa might have done in his Dada orchestral phase.”

Screaming Meemees

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… Read More »Screaming Meemees

The Mutton Birds

Biography Probably Don McGlashan’s most famous song-writing vehicle, the Mutton Birds achieved considerable success in the 1990’s, with a number of successful singles, albums and even award recognition. Originally an Auckland-based trio comprised of McGlashan (pulling double-duty with the theatrical… Read More »The Mutton Birds

The Front Lawn

somewhere between a band and a performance troup..well closer to the later, really – they released their albums as ‘songs from the front lawn..’ to indicate they were more soundtracks than albums, though both featured the odd sparkling quirky pop… Read More »The Front Lawn

Whizz Kids

Westlake Boys High Boys Tim Mahon and Mark Bell were North-Shore punks back in 1978, initially as part of the ‘Avant-Punk-Theatre’ act the Plague. [The Plague’s] major claim to fame came with their naked live performance (albeit covered in paint)… Read More »Whizz Kids