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Whizz Kids

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.

Ripper Records

Legendary and short-lived indie punk label that debuted right on the cusp of the New Zealand underground explosion (i.e. they predate and are noted as a precursor to Flying Nun). Ripper was basically where New Zealand punk first surfaced with the likes of the Suburban Reptiles, the fleetingly popular Swingers, Scavengers etc – basically the cream of the early New Zealand punk scene.

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.”

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

Spelling Mistakes

[The Spelling Mistakes ‘Feel So Good/Hate Me Hate/I Hate’] tied for first single [with The Features recorded debut]…also sold around a thousand and briefly broke even until Phonogram heard it and asked for their compilation advance cheque back..oh well. –… Read More »Spelling Mistakes