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Artists

The Chills

The Chills, led by Martin Phillips, were a seminal New Zealand band central to the Dunedin Sound. Formed in 1980. Despite struggles, including the death of drummer Martyn Bull and Phillips’ drug dependency and health issues, they continued producing acclaimed albums until Phillips’ unexpected passing in 2024.

#thechills #martinphillips #nzmusic

Regular Cadets

Regular Cadets were part of the Gisborne live music scene of the early to mid 1980s. Members Martin Kirk and (future television celebrity) Jackie Clarke would go on to find more success in later group Marching Orders.

#RegularCadets #NZMusic

Marching Orders

Gisborne-based chirpy synth-pop 4-piece featuring the vocals of future comedian / television personality Jackie Clarke and F Star Records’ Martin Kirk. Thanks to an association with Doug Hood (who engineered their recording) the group put out an obscure 12″ single on Flying Nun Records, before disbanding.

#MarchingOrders #NZMusic

Lyndon and the Liars

Short-lived Christchurch group fronted by Ross Humphries after the dissolution of the legendary Pin Group and featuring a young Lyndon Frasier prior to his stint in Ballon D’Essai, plus the future Bats duo of Kaye Woodward and Malcolm Grant.

#lyndonandtheliars #nzmusic

Stepford 5

Biography One of the earlier Christchurch acid-rock groups of Celia Patel (aka Celia Pavlova / Mancini) along with twins Sharon and Joanne Billesdon and Reta La Quesne. Forming after Celia and Rita’s former group The Axel Grinders, Stepford 5 only… Read More »Stepford 5

Trimasterbate

Trimasterbate was a ridiculous Wellington Eletro-Sex-Pop act from Gemma Syme and (Holiday with Friends and Dianna Rozz) with Nicola Higham and Sasha Rainbow, plus Matt Beauchamp-Buck (Holiday with Friends and Crackhouse 5) handling production.

#nzmusic #trimasterbate

Nocturnal Projections

Excellent post-punk four piece that came out of small-town Taranaki in 1981, featuring the first recordings of Peter Jefferies haunting baritone vocals. Over the course of 2 years the group released 2 demo cassettes, 3 EPs and a terrific single before disbanding, giving way to later group This Kind of Punishment.

#nzmusic #nocturnalprojections #thiskidofpunishment

Nemesis Dub Systems

Biography Early Wildside Records electronic dub outfit comprised of future Unitone Hi-Fi member (and production wizard) Joost Langeveld along with his NRA bandmate Eddie Chambers. Stinky Jim (aka Auckland DJ and musician Jim Pinckney) was a regular contributor, and some… Read More »Nemesis Dub Systems

Daisy Chain Halo

Hamilton rockers (who describe themselves as having a heavy acoustic sound) Daisy Chain Halo are a trio comprised of ex-Wellington group Porch members Carl Watkins and Corrina Watts, along with a succession of drummers, eventually settling on Hamilton-native Luke Hale in mid-2002.

#nzmusic #daisychainhalo

3 Voices

3 Voices is an extraordinary release in the history of New Zealand underground pop. The group was formed by the core song-writing duo of Rob Sinclair and David Bowater, with brilliant slick drummer Steve Garden, and an assortment of talented musicians contributing to the sole album. Sinclair and Bowater had both been in Schtung, then briefly formed the group Ray A – which is where most of this material originates from.

#nzmusic #3voices

Black Albino

Black Albino was the name of a trio Hodgson fronted as guitarist for a single show in 2004.

The show reunited last-generation Incisions members Tim McDonald (Drums) and Karl Jensen (Bass) for a balls-to-the-wall explosion of noise – excellent stuff and an indication of what Hodgson can do given the context.

#nzmusic #blackalbino

Dave Edwards

‘Gleefully Unknown’ Wellington-based New Plymouth-raised lo-fi homebrew musician releasing material under his own name (on his own fiffdimension mail order label), under the fiffdimension or Dave Black aliases, as well as in collaboration with other like-minded artists.

#nzmusic #daveedwards #fiffdimension

The Verlaines

Formed in late 1980, The Verlaines is Graeme Downes’ long-standing song-writing vehicle, and one-hell of a brilliant, literate band at that. With the classic early 1980’s line-up of Downes on guitar and vocals, Alan Haig on drums and Jane Dodd on bass, the Verlaines released excellent singles such as ’10 O’Clock In The Afternoon’ from the EP of the same name, and of course their signature tune ‘Death And The Maiden’, which stands as one of the true kiwi classics.

#nzmusic #theverlaines

Lesley Speaker

Lesley Speaker was a Dunedin trio fronted by Kitset’s Peter Hobbs, putting out a 7″ lathe cut single and a CDr EP on the Beat Atlas label in 1998. Hobbs went on to become a movie soundtrack composer and studio engineer.

#nzmusic #lesleyspeaker

Return Of The Wahlbergs

Experimental recording alias of Wellington-based musician Brett Garrity, who formed the Stinkbuzz Recording Co-Op label with Julian Desmond (Letterbox Lambs) in 1999. Garrity had a stint as Marineville’s bassist during the period they recorded their well-liked debut Ready for the Dance.

#nzmusic #returnofthewahlbergs