Biography
The Spirals were a Wellington pop group active from 1989 to 1992, fronted by vocalist Belinda Bradley. The band formed in Wellington and quickly established themselves on the New Zealand live circuit, embarking on tours and releasing recordings that captured the lush, melodic sound of the era.
In January 1989 the band hit the road on their “Melting Pot Tour,” playing venues across New Zealand including Hamilton, Rotorua, Masterton, Wellington’s Old Town Hall, Palmerston North’s Opera House, and the Bowl of Brooklyn in Auckland. That same year they released their debut 7″ single “(I Send My Love) To The Old Country” on their own Spiral Productions label, and the Three Graces recording on Metro Marketing. Guitarist and chief songwriter Bill Wood provided the band with a melodic, hook-driven identity, while Perry Bradley’s saxophone and xylophone gave the group a distinctive textural richness.
In 1992 the band recorded their CD single Normal for BMG New Zealand, produced and engineered by Nigel Stone. The recording featured contributions from prominent New Zealand musicians including Annie Crummer, Barbara Griffin, Jay Vanderwerff and Rob Winch. The accompanying music video for “Normal” was one of a number of New Zealand clips from 1992 whose whereabouts are now unknown. The single marked the end of the band’s recording career, and The Spirals went on hiatus not long after its release.
After more than three decades away, The Spirals reunited in 2025 for their first performance together in 30 years — a support slot for Australian legends Hoodoo Gurus at Meow Nui in Wellington on 3 April 2025, part of the Hoodoo Gurus’ “Back to the Stoneage” tour celebrating the 40th anniversary of their debut album.
Members
- Belinda Bradley (Vocals, The Spirals, Selon Recliner)
- Perry Bradley (Saxophone/Melodica/Xylophone/Vocals, The Spirals)
- Ash Lienert (Bass/Guitar, The Spirals)
- Scott Simpson (The Spirals)
- Bill Wood (Guitar/Bass/Vocals, The Spirals, 1/3 Octave Band, Dead Vicious, Birdcatcher, Wellington Heads)
- Mike Yates (Drums, The Spirals, Full Flight)
Discography
- Three Graces (1989, Metro Marketing)
- (I Send My Love) To The Old Country [Vinyl, 7″] (1989, Spiral Productions)
- Normal [CD, Single] (1992, BMG, 74321-100992)