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The Axemen

Biography

A well-known, yet thoroughly underground troop that often swelled in numbers (sometimes up to as many as 10 members in the mid 1980’s). The group have been known for their artistic endeavours as well as their music – with drummer Stuart Page (aka Stu Kawowski) a renowned film-maker and photographer.

Barely out of Cashmere High School, Steve McCabe played alongside Bob Cardy (aka Bob Brannigan – later to form the legendary Shaft up in Auckland) in a variety of pre-cursor bands, before Page jumped on stage at one of their shows. This was the birth of The Axemen, and the core line-up of all the groups earliest recordings.

The group released three albums on Flying Nun Records in the mid to late 1980’s – with guitarist Dragan Stojanovic joining the line-up in 1986 to solidify the core group. Several releases on their own Sleek Bott imprint followed – following a very make-shift, punk approach to recording, their albums were often of-the-moment pieces…

The story of [Big Cheap Motel] is: Bob and myself went down to check out the Christchurch botanic gardens, the scene of the local council/”Big M” milk drink-sponsored “Summertime” concert-in-the-park series of free outdoor events, only to find the park plastered with billboard-sized posters of skimpily-clad young ladies advertising the sponsors wares.

We immediately proceeded home and wrote the enclosed set of ‘protest’ songs about the travesty, which were performed at the event, to the mild annoyance of the council & the sponsors.

Mayday: The Little Stevie McCabe / Axemen / Sleek Bott webpage

Little Stevie McCabe (aka Stephen Carr) passed away in Mid-September 2023; he was 57.

Members

Discography

  • Big Cheap Motel (1983, Sleek Bott)
  • Three Virgins Three Versions Three Visions (1986, Flying Nun Records Records, FN049)
  • Derry Legends (1987, Flying Nun Records Records, FN120)
  • Ak87 (W/ The Shit Pop Boyz 1987, Sleek Bott)
  • Scary! (W/ The Sleek Bott Gang 1989, Sleek Bott)
  • Peter Wang Pud (1991, Flying Nun Records Fn204)
  • Dirty Den Sessions (1991, Sleek Bott)
  • Recliner Rocker (1992, Sleek Bott #921)
  • Three Rooms (An Elton John Tribute Album) (1992, Sleek Bott)
  • Across The Universe In 27879 Days Ep (1992, Sleek Bott)
  • The Axemen Singles Collection (Compilation 1998, Sleek Bott)
  • Nutsack 7″ Single (2011, Sleek Bott)
  • Sac Tap Nut Jam (2013, Spacecase Records, SCR006)

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