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Substandard

Luge

Manic Christchurch outfit based around the extreme bass guitar talents of (apprentice Wizard) Ari Freeman, with drumming by Andrew Robins, piccolo bass by Andrew Moore and the junk percussion of Mike Fordham (original member Adrian Currie moved to Wellington in 2002). Released an EP before moving on to other groups.

#nzmusic #luge #arifreeman

A Flight To Blackout

Excellent instrumentalist trio from the garden city formed by Matt Craw (guitar), James Musgrave (bass), and Jared Kelly (drums) in early 2005. Taking cues from a variety of informed directions, the group were prolific features of the local live scene, and attached themselves to both R18 and all-age crowds with varying success. Playing an involved instrumental sound heavy on dynamics.

Michael J. Brassell: A Memorial [Mar 2004]

A memorial I wrote for Michael J. Brassell after he sadly passed away from pneumonia in 2004. I helped organize a music tribute wake here in Christchurch to celebrate his life, whilst a similar event was also help in his then-current home of Dunedin.

Mike Hex [January 2004]

An interview I conducted with Michael Brassell, aka Mike Hex – at the time the creative force behind Hiss Explosion and a musical co-ordinator for Arc Life Cafe / records down in Dunedin. Sadly Mike passed away just a few months later.

Silo

Two-piece Christchurch instrumental outfit based around Danny Bare (Ex-Substandard / Shocking Pinks – Guitar) and Rustle Covini (Ex-Aesthetics – Drums), who originally formed as Electric Slipper in March 2004. Bare’s an enthusiastic Post-Rock and Krautrock fan, and Silo display a… Read More »Silo

Substandard

Biography Excellent instrumental 3-piece out of Christchurch in the Post-Rock vein. Comprised of Danny Bare (also of The Shocking Pinks) on guitar, Andrew Robins (also of Luge) on drums, and Gareth Heta on bass, they formed in 2002 and quickly… Read More »Substandard

Shocking Pinks

Formed by Nick ‘Harte’ Hodgson in mid-2003, The Shocking Pinks are one of the most exciting and memorable bands to spring out of Christchurch in the last 5 years. New Zealand’s exponent of the dance-punk revitalisation – The Shocking Pinks… Read More »Shocking Pinks

Lome

Biography 3-piece Christchurch rock outfit in a fairly Unwound-style vein with dramatic guitar tension and vocals that veer between hushed and dramatic. Lome is a three-piece comprised of the ex-Substandard duo of Danny Bare and Gareth Heta along with Bare’s… Read More »Lome

Failsafe Records

Biography Rob Mayes’ mighty Failsafe Records, a committed independent label that is as part of Christchurch as a warm Nor-Wester. The original home of many Christchurch bands who went on to big things, as well as a great many undiscovered… Read More »Failsafe Records