Biography
Supergroove formed on New Year’s Eve 1989/90 in Auckland, New Zealand, when the members were still in high school. The band began as “The Lowdown Dirty Blues Band” before transitioning to their signature funk sound. The core lineup included Karl Steven (vocals, harmonica), Joe Lonie (bass), Nick Atkinson (saxophone, keyboards), Che Fu (vocals), Ben Sciascia (guitar), and Tim Stewart (trumpet).
Supergroove was one of the first New Zealand bands to fuse hip-hop and rock with a horn section, blending funk, rap, soul, and jazz influences. As AudioCulture notes, “Supergroove arrived with a sound that was funky, heavy, and always energetic.”
Their 1994 debut album Traction achieved remarkable commercial success, shipping platinum in its first week and staying atop the charts for a month, ultimately selling over 70,000 units. The single “Can’t Get Enough” reached No. 1, while other tracks like “You Gotta Know” and “Scorpio Girls” charted in the top five.
In 1996, the band made a controversial decision to fire both Tim Stewart and Che Fu, attempting a stylistic shift toward post-punk influences. This backfired significantly—Che Fu’s solo single “Chains” outperformed Supergroove’s new material, reaching No. 1 while the band’s “If I Had My Way” stalled at No. 8. Karl Steven quit during an Australian tour, and the band disbanded in 1997.
Supergroove reunited in 2007 and were inducted into the New Zealand Music Hall of Fame in 2014. The band continues to perform reunion shows with their original lineup.
Members
- Paul Russell (Supergroove)
- Karl Steven (keyboard / vocals, Heart Attack Alley, Supergroove, The Drab Doo Riffs)
- Tim Stewart (trumpet / trombone, Hopetoun Brown, Supergroove)
- Ben Sciascia (guitar, Supergroove)
- Joe Lonie (Supergroove)
- Nick Atkinson (keyboard / saxophone / clarinet, Breaks Co-Op, Hopetoun Brown, Supergroove)
- Che Ness (Supergroove)
Discography
- Here Comes The Supergroove [File] (1992, Royal One Records, ROR026)
- Scorpio Girls (1993, Motown, TMGX 1405)
- You Gotta Know (1993)
- Traction (1994, Jolly Roger Records, JR 24)
- Sitting Inside My Head (1994, Avex Trax, VEJT-89236-39)
- Tractor (1994, Musique & Music, ZIK 102)
- Can’t Get Enough (1994)
- GreatMixes (1995, :chlodwig, 74321 35566 2)
- Backspacer (1996, Emitta Sounds, EMT 200)
- Mama Konda (1998, Mesmobeat, MESMO CD5)
- Mutha Land Funk (1996, Thumpin! Records, TH911)