Biography
Former Alpaca Brothers front-man and legendary guitar-wielder Bruce Blucher formed Dunedin group Cyclops as a four piece rock group whilst still performing in his more well-known trio; Trash. However Cyclops are notable in their own right; with the incredible line-up of Andre Richardson, Kathy Bull (aka Francisca Griffin) and Peter Jefferies.
Cyclops produced this one fine album mostly taken from a series of sessions in 1991 and 1992. Unsurprisingly each performer brings something from their own particular backgrounds in New Zealand underground rock, together resulting in a casual but not lazy series of songs that sounds like it was good fun to perform.
This said, much of the dank, crumbling sound of Kiwi experimentalism runs unsurprisingly rampant. Recording, often overseen by noted producer/engineer Steven Kilroy on four or eight track machines, is lo-fi well before that became a hip phrase, thick and rough, but with a passion that comes through on every note.
‘decrepit tapes’ blog description of Cyclops – Goat Volume
Walls of guitar battling against each other and Jefferies brilliant galloping drumming; ‘Eh Simpleton’ could’ve been a huge hit for a higher profile group:
Our music is a mode of expression. If you were to call it anything it would be heavy and serious. What I mean is, we write from personal experience, as well as wider human rights issues.
Kathy Bull – from AudioCulture’s profile of Bruce Blucher
Members
- Bruce Blucher (Brown Velvet Couch, Pink Plastic Gods, Pointy Little Stick, The Alpaca Brothers, Trash, guitar/ vocals / bass)
- Andre Richardson (Doramaar, Trash, vocals / keyboards)
- Kathy Bull (nee Kathy Griffin, later Francisca Griffin, Look Blue Go Purple, Bel-Curves, Permanent Tourists, The Cartilage Family, bass / guitar / vocals)
- Peter Jefferies (2 Foot Flame, Anita Anker Trio, Cyclops, Dimmer, Mecca Normal, Nocturnal Projections, Plagal Grind, This Kind Of Punishment, drums / vocals)
- Alan Armstrong (drums)
Discography
- ‘Eh Simpleton’ / ‘Lunar Fall’ 7″ Single (1991, Feel Good All Over, FGAO #10)
- ‘Light’/’Splocyc’ 7″ (1993, New World of Sound)
- Goat Volume (1994, IMD, IMDCD10010)