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Artists

The Henchmen

West Auckland punks from the early 80s – Stooges obsessed 20-somethings who evolved out of the equally primitive Dum Dum Boys and made sloppy punk-metal, later reissued by revivalist imprint Raw Power.

Eventually moved to Sydney and (due to the name clash with a 1960s Australian group with the same name) became Reptiles at Dawn.

The Blunts

Auckland guitar and drums duo who have put out a couple releases adorned by excellent 60’s hard-rock styled artwork (coming from guitarist John Appleton’s pen) to match their bluesy minimalist rock.

Drummer Martinengo would go on to form similar garage rock groups Los Hories and Gaytime, whilst also running 1:12 Records.

The Stereo Bus

The pop outgrowth of Ex-Christchurch song-writer Dave Yetton (Ex Jean-Paul Sartre Experience), who’s backing band has included a couple generations of well-known kiwi performers, including Pluto’s rhythm section at one point.

Sonya Waters

Sonya Waters first appeared as the vocalist for ska group The Instigators, putting out a couple 7″ singles on Ripper Records in the early 1980’s before releasing an EP under her own name in 1983. This release got her a lot of attention – eventually leading to an RIANZ award for most promising female vocalist.

This Night Creeps

Auckland-based punk-emo-type outfit featuring Luke Mcpake (Guitar/Vocals), Mark Brenorffer (Guitar/Vocals), Jeffrey Burch (Bass), Mark Seeney (Drums). After forming in 2002 the group found immediate exposure, thanks to the quickly rising profile of Auckland hardcore and their label ElevenFiftySeven.

Unspecified

An off-shoot of Sandoz Lab Technicians members Tim Cornelius and Nathan Thompson:

“Unspecified was recorded 94/95 by Sandoz Lab Technicians Nathan Thompson and Tim Cornelius. This prehistoric piece of grind and scrape shows the pair tip-toeing through a trough of strawberry shortcake on their way to a screaming mass extinction. edition of 50 lathe cut 7″ vinyl”

Nathan Thompson

Fauxhound

Downbeat chiptune’s from ex-Christchurch resident Jos van Beek, currently residing in Auckland. Jos has been pretty heavily involved in making Chiptune music more visible in New Zealand (particularly Christchurch), playing a renegade slot at Camp A Low Hum, supporting touring Chiptune artists like cTrix and collaborating with Bang! Bang! Eche! vocalist Zach Donney.

Louie and the Hotsticks

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.

My Deviant Daughter

Early to mid 90’s Dunedin dark-pop trio with an album, and 7″ single on the ‘Delerious’ label, plus a Yellow Eye music Dunedin-music compilation appearance.

Avant Garage

Ira Robbins (Trouser Press): “A jazzy-cum-classical nine-person ensemble with clarinets, cello, tuba and bassoon (in addition to guitar, bass and drums), New Zealand’s determinedly oddball Avant Garage sounds like something Zappa might have done in his Dada orchestral phase.”

Lip Service

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.

Hallelujah Picassos

Long-running Auckland group with reggae overtones who have performed an eclectic array of music styles. Probably best known for their 1994 single Rewind, which was a big hit nationally.

Alchemy

Biography Christchurch hard-rock-with-female-vocals type group from the mid 00’s. Members Discography Links  

Barzell

Biography Lower Hutt rock via punk quartet who formed in 1997, but split in 2001 after releasing a split album with Discenter. The members (and Discenter’s) reunited in band successor the Valley Five.. Members Jonny Davis (Bass, 1997) Paul Herschell… Read More »Barzell