Pine were a Christchurch-based trio consisting of Aaron Beehre (guitar, vocals), Hannah Beehre (organ, melodica), and Stephen McCarthy (vocals, snare). Operating without a traditional drummer, the band built their sound from a minimal palette of electric guitar, organ, and snare drum — a lean combination that NZ music magazine Rip It Up compared to “The Charlatans (on a good day) and Straitjacket Fits on an even better one.”
Formed around 2001, Pine became the first act to sign with Auckland’s Arch Hill Recordings from outside the label’s founding circle of friends. Label head Ben Howe first noticed the band through a demo tape, immediately struck by the quality of the packaging — McCarthy and Aaron Beehre were both graphic designers and artists. McCarthy, along with Ed Case, later became a co-owner of Arch Hill Recordings.
The debut six-track EP Speeding (2001) earned steady radio play for the title track and “Make Way for the King,” leading to a national tour supporting Neil Finn and appearances on music television programme Space. TVNZ also profiled the band in a mini-documentary titled The Great Art Trip. The debut full-length Long Player followed in 2002, distributed locally by FMR and internationally through Hot Records (UK) and Didgeridoo Records (Australia). A second album, Akira Sunrise, arrived in 2004. After a hiatus, Pine returned with the EP 12 Hour Collision (2007) before completing their discography with Books & Magazines (2010), released as a free download through Arch Hill Recordings.
Pine sent me through a demo and actually the first thing I thought was the artwork was really great, because they were all graphic designers and artists.
Ben Howe, Under the Radar
Members
- Aaron Beehre (guitar/vocals, Grand Saloon, Pine)
- Hannah Beehre (organ/melodica)
- Stephen McCarthy (vocals/snare)
Discography
- Inhaling / Arnold Single (2002, self-released)
- Mystery / Speeding Single (2002, self-released)
- Long Player LP (2002, Arch Hill Recordings, AHR 007)
- Akira Sunrise LP (2004, Arch Hill Recordings, AHR 014)
- Twelve Hour Collision LP (2007, Arch Hill Recordings, AHR 026)
- Books & Magazines LP (2010, Arch Hill Recordings, AHRLP003)