Biography
Guitar pop from Palmerston North, though not quite in the same league of shimmering textural guitar as Chris Heaphy’s later band Dissolve their 1985 EP ‘Waiting for a Wave’ has the odd hook and shows promise. Named after the Central Otago mountain range.
They placed second in the Massey University 1985 Orientation Battle of the Bands and used winner The Mannequins’ (who’d split up) studio time to record the Waiting For A Wave EP for new indie Meltdown Records, set up by Peter Shepherd in 1985.
Andrew Schmidt (AudioCulture profile of The Remarkables)
The group recorded the EP at Crescendo Studio in Wellington, using keyboards to supplement and differentiate their sound from other guitar-based indie bands:
Their distinctive guitar sound is further enhanced by the subtle use of bass synthesiser and the guitarists playing different guitar parts. Their Transonic organ adds depth, and flourish when necessary while the drums at times seem independent from the rest of their music.
Press Release for The Remarkables
Members
- Chris Heaphy (Dissolve, guitar / vocals)
- Paul Westbury (guitar / vocals)
- Alan Gregg (Dribbling Darts, The Mutton Birds, Three Leaning Men, keyboards)
- Brendan Conlon (drums)
- Zane Greig (Polly, drums)
Discography
- Waiting for a Wave EP (1985, Meltdown Records, MELT002)
- ‘Vegetarian’ / ‘Skin Condition’ 7″ (1986, Meltdown Records, MELT005)