Biography
Excellent Christchurch guitar band that evolved from earlier group The Centre Will Hold. From that group Jamey Holloway (Guitar / vocals), and Nathan Bycroft (Drums) were joined by Nik O’Keefe (Bass, Vocals) and Marcus Winstanley (Guitar) to form the original line-up in mid 2003. This original line-up played in a low-key manner, with just Winstanley’s guitar adding an extra layer of Shoegaze type guitar into the mix (as he had done with previous band Barnard’s Star).
Eventually Bycroft left and after a short stint by Stephen McCarthy (Pine) the ever-versatile Simon Nunn (also of the Steffan Van Soest Hit Machine, Hi-Tone Destroyers etc) filled the drummers seat more permanently, and beefed up their sound quite a lot. Michael Summerfield (Palace of Wisdom, Cowboy Machine) joined on viola, adding a level of country/folk inflection to their sound. The group managed to win the 2004 RDU Round Up band competition, released an EP with the help of Michael Brassell (aka Michael J Hex) / Arclife Records and set up All Plastics – a small recording studio.
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Simon Nunn eventually found himself committed to his regular gigs as a professional musician, so young drummer Matt Scobie (Black Market Art, T54) was brought in to replace him, and long-time bassist Nick O’Keefe also left, replaced by Vaughan Watson (Pumpkinhead, Squirm). The group has continued a low-key existence, with only a handful of shows a year and recordings few and far between.
Members
- Jamey Holloway (guitar / vocals, The Centre Will Hold, The New Existentialists, The Undercurrents)
- Nathan Bycroft (drums, Shocking Pinks, The Centre Will Hold, The New Existentialists, The Undercurrents)
- Nik O’Keefe (bass / vocals, The Teasers, The Undercurrents)
- Marcus Winstanley (guitar / vocals, Barnard’s Star, Barnard’s Star, Cowboy Machine, Minisnap, The Dialtones, The Undercurrents)
- Stephen McCarthy (drums, Pine, The Undercurrents)
- Simon Nunn (drums, Hi-Tone Destroyers, Kate in the Lemon Tree, Weaponized, Exercise Machine, Hi-Tone Destroyers, Kate In The Lemon Tree, Monsta Machine, The Hitone Destroyers, The Palace of Wisdom, The Steffan Van Soest Hit Machine, The Sweethearts, The Undercurrents, Weaponized)
- Michael Summerfield (viola / vocals, Cowboy Machine, Dogfish, Minisnap, Tacoma Mould, The Bats, The Palace of Wisdom, The Undercurrents)
- Matt Scobie (drums, Black Market Art, Devilish Mary and the Holy Rollers, Lonely Harris Club, O’Lovely, Planet Of The Tapes, Salad Boys, T54, The Undercurrents, Valdera)
- Vaughan Watson (bass, Pumpkinhead, Slim, Squirm, The Dialtones, The Undercurrents)
Discography
- Undercurrents (Blue Stripes) EP (2004, Arclife Records)
- Undercurrents (Big Ears) EP (2005, All Plastics)
- Undercurrents EP (Black Birds) (November 2006, All Plastics)
- Heavy Sky (July 2010, All Plastics)