Christchurch alt-rock trio active 1989–1998. Fronted by Simon Maclaren (vocals/guitar) with Angela “Floss” Leslie (bass) and Jason Young (drums). Released two Flying Nun albums — Cakehole (1995) and Showered in Gold (1997) — plus numerous EPs. Reunited in 2024; released Lost Demos 12″ on Acrid Plume Records in 2025.
Christchurch-born singer-songwriter James Milne recording under the name Lawrence Arabia. Indie pop shaped by 1960s classicism, wry storytelling, and sophisticated arrangements. APRA Silver Scroll winner (2009, ‘Apple Pie Bed’) and inaugural Taite Music Prize recipient (2010, Chant Darling). Five solo albums on Lil Chief, Honorary Bedouin, Bella Union, and Flying Nun.
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
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.
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Lanky was a short-lived group formed by former Jean-Paul Sartre Experience singer-songwriter Jim Laing. The group put out an album on the then-fledgling Arch Hill Recordings label in 2000 before disappearing, with Laing’s backing band all going on to David Kilgour’s Heavy Eights.
#nzmusic #lanky
Look Blue Go Purple was an influential and resilient all-female indie-pop group from Dunedin during the Early-Mid 1980s. Despite facing chauvinistic attitudes, they released 3 stellar EPs on Flying Nun, with their debut ‘Bewitched’ reaching No. 21 on the pop chart. Their impact endures through the compilation ‘Still Bewitched’.
#nzmusic #lookbluegopurple
High School-aged shenanigans from future BnP members. Lonely Harris Club were firmly a party band with a focus on covers (specifically a large catalogue of Brian Jonestown Massacre songs, plus a handful of classic nuggets).
#nzmusic #lonelyharrisclub #bnp
Manic Christchurch outfit based around the extreme bass guitar talents of (apprentice Wizard) Ari Freeman, with drumming by Andrew Robins, piccolo bass by Andrew Moore and the junk percussion of Mike Fordham (original member Adrian Currie moved to Wellington in 2002). Released an EP before moving on to other groups.
#nzmusic #luge #arifreeman
Hamilton-based former Datura multi-instrumentalist Craig Williamson has released an ever-growing discography of solo albums since Datura’s demise in the late 1990s, originally under his own name, but now under the bizarre hippy-pseudonym Lamp of the Universe.
Prolific formerly Christchurch (now Melbourne) downbeat and hip-hop producer, now performing under the name Trillion.
Christchurch stalwart Al Parks’ 1980s outfit – a slick professional band who played regular residencies with long sets featuring both covers and originals. A mix of Jazz-Rock and more bluesy numbers with multiple vocalists and a brass section.
Auckland pop-rock 4-piece with a couple of D.D. Smash’s members, who put out a major label debut on CBD before morphing into similar outfit Neons.
Biography Christchurch 4-piece with a heavy Birthday Party flavor comprised of Mark E Smith-channeling vocalist Janus Currie, Nick Cave look-a-like guitarist Herbert Palmer, drummer Kris Taylor and bass-playing Karate enthusiast Rush Jopson. These guys exploded onto the local scene in… Read More »Leper Ballet
Biography palmerston north outfit comprised of andrew carey, nathan harris, regan o’brien, sean o’brien, who released several albums on the spotty dog label, before fracturing, carey and o’brien going on to form trough. Discography picks in bold hard of hearing… Read More »The Livids
Biography ross mullins, bob shepheard, steve garden and nigel gavin. Discography picks in bold state house kid [1985 ode SODE210] this sporting life [1986 ode SODE244] parting shots [1988 ode SODE290] Members Links