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Artists

Vibraslaps

Vibraslaps were an all female post-punky outfit best known for an EP put out on Flying Nun Records in 1985, and for (briefly) being at the forefront of New Zealand’s lesbian feminist music scene during the turbulent mid 1980s.

#nzmusic #vibraslaps

Marie and the Atom

Marie and the Atom were an experimental pop group created as a performance and song-writing vehicle for Gill Civil. The group released 3 boundary-pushing EPs in the mid 1980’s and are best remembered for their song ‘Isol’.

#nzmusic #marieandtheatom

The Knobz

Opportunistic Dunedin-based 4-piece pub-rock band known pretty much exclusively for their career-defining single ‘Culture?’, a satirical lampoon of Prime Minister Muldoon, and his despised 40% sales tax on local music. The song and hastily produced video featured McPhail and Gadsby regular, comedian and Muldoon impersonator Danny Faye. Released in November 1981, ‘Culture?’ is a rock radio classic in New Zealand – and has the distinction of being the first independently released local single to break into the top 5 of the New Zealand charts.

#nzmusic #theknobz

Psycho-Kat

The Psycho-Kat was the name given by Tracey Pagey to her solo music for kRkRkRk between mid 1994 & late 1996. “Metal percussion & distorted synth drones Amidst all this industrial noise & chaos, however, were far more subtle compositions which used layered, ethereal vocals, wind instruments & understated loops to create an altogether more meditative & ritualistic feel.

#nzmusic #psycho-kat

Five Year Mission

Napier-based old school punk band that split a record label and an EP with Auckland group Armatrak in 1986. The group prepared a 4 song EP but lost the masters of 2 of the songs, so instead released the two song ‘UFO’ (written about the infamous Kaikoura Lights) as a single.

#nzmusic #fiveyearmission

Armatrak

Mid 1980’s hardcore punk band from Auckland. Released a split EP with Five Year Mission in 1986, released on Positive Youth Promotions, who exclusively released the two groups music.

Their frontman Stephen Moore and original bassist Simon Blendall put together a punk zine called ‘Anarchy, Outrage and Serious Intent’ which lasted a few issues and garnished the group some international interest. German underground label Gift of Life released the groups final release (of their original run), the 1987 EP ‘Inner Space’.

#nzmusic #armatrak

Peter Arnold

Jangly drum-machine propelled indie pop from Christchurch multi-instrumentalist and member of The Jumblies Peter Arnold, who put out an EP (also with Claire Timings) on Flying Nun Records in 1986.

#nzmusic #peterarnold

Hoihoi

Just in time for local 4-piece post-punk group Hoihoi’s all-ages show at A Rolling Stone this Sunday, here’s a profile I’ve put together:

#nzmusic #hoihoi #tereo

Satina Saturnina - 'Annabelle' 7" single

Satina Saturnina

Cabaret-punk from Palmerston North’s Victoria Singh with (former Builders drummer) Derek Champion. The duo released a CD and 7″ on Andrew Tolley’s Kato Records label in the late 1990s. In a live context Singh was backed by The Santina Droids – Champion and Chris Swain.

#nzmusic #satinasaturnina

Circus Block Four

Wellington-based funky pop rock group from the mid 1980. Formed by Gavin McLean and Jeff Thorpe after the demise of their previous group The List. Percussionist Dean Hutton (and production from Ian Morris) gave them a distinct sound on their first replace ‘In Stone In Steel’.

Well-known drummer Caroline Easther later joined the group, however the group only lasted a couple years, without attaining any commercial success. They recorded an album that went unreleased.

#nzmusic #circusblockfour

Tim Teen and the Teen Tones

Auckland underground group, not to be confused with 1960’s rock’n’roll outfit Tommy Dee and the Teen Tones and featuring original first gen Auckland punk drummer Juian Hanson. Released a lathe-cut split 7″ with Pillar of State.

Keyboardist Dene Barnes would go on to have a productive experimental solo project as L$D fundraiser in the 2010s.

Julian Hanson passed away in February 2021.

#nzmusic #timteenandtheteentones

The Rainy Days

Eclectic Auckland group with a revolving line-up based around the song-writing talents of David Graham. Their music has pushed and pulled in various different directions over the years, from punky rock’n’roll to encompass full horn sections and strings, to stripped back indie-rock line-ups. Their songs just explode with melody, crazy lyrics and noisy enthusiasm.

#nzmusic #therainydays

Lanky

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

Willow

Obscure solitary release from Michael Webby on short-lived Palmerston North based underground lathe-cut label Secret Safari.

Debut release from a Palmerston North import from Hawkes Bay who’s now resident in Dunedin. Beautiful low-key solo guitar pieces.

– Secret Safari

#nzmusic #willow

This Boy Rob

Auckland-based pop duo featuring a barely out of High School Greg Johnson (plus guest vocals from Fiona Macdonald) – a studio production project from the likes of Mark Tierney, Paul Casserly and Joost Langveldt – essentially making it a pre-cursor to The Greg Johnson Set and Strawpeople.

#nzmusic #thisboyrob