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Artists

Bad Evil

Fuzzy guitar-rock with surf-trash overtones from Stink Magnetic one-man band (and purveyor of classic New Zealand guitars) Aidan Moody; formerly of super-group The Dallas Pro-Drag Allstars. Moody started out in the Manawatu region but moved to Christchurch around 2006.

Expanded to a 3-piece for a handful of shows with support from ‘The Dirty Germs’, a pickup group featuring the likes of his Grand Chancellors bandmate Luke Wood (drums) Violet French (bass) and others.

#nzmusic #badevil #stinkmagnetic

Magic Eye

3-piece indie-rock group formed by the Melted Ice Cream label’s Brian Feary in August 2009. Though connected to the label the trio never recorded and released any material, with Feary playing in a whole swag of other groups.

#nzmusic #magiceye

The Snares

Dunedin based avant-indie trio featuring Mike Dooley (Toy Love and Snapper – Drums) his step-daughter Maxine Funke (Guitar) and Brett Moodie (Guitar), that formed out of the Dooley / Funke duo The Beaters.

Their debut EP was a meditative production guided by Arc Life engineer (and member of David Kilgour’s Heavy Eights) Tom Bell, whilst their follow-up Dance The Dervish is closer to a live recording, though still capturing their eclectic strengths – both released on the bands own Horrible Records (the name, not the quality) label.

#nzmusic #thesnares

Feast of Stevens - Etch EP (1992, Failsafe)

Feast of Stevens

A well-liked melodic indie-rock group that emerged from Palmerston North in the early 1990s, self-recorded a cassette before being picked up by Rob Mayes Failsafe Records label for their discography highlight; 1992’s ‘Etch’ EP.

#nzmusic #feastofstevens #failsaferecords

Cancer Maidens

Palmerston North indie-rock 3-piece featuring ex-members of Foisemaster, Feast of Stevens and Shoeshine. Appeared on ‘Swamp MUSAK’, a compilation of local groups compiled and distributed by Radio Control 99.4 (Massey University’s student radio station).

Ross Harkness passed away in May 2020.

#nzmusic #cancermaidens

Don’t Make Noise

Christchurch free-noise group featuring future Breathing Cage bandmates Greg Malcolm and Michael Kime, plus Into the Void’s Paul Sutherland and the drums of John Kennedy.

#nzmusic #dontmakenoise

Foisemaster

A ‘dirty Palmy low-fi punk sludge band’ from the ever-talented Ross Harkness and a crew of The Stomach regulars. Released the majority of their material on their own DIY cassette and lathe cut imprint Lizard Mull Records. Their recordings have an endearing shambolic nature and some blistering guitar.

#nzmusic #foisemaster

Vapor and the Trails

An early garage-rock turned punk group led by Christchurch music stalwart Al Park. Established Mollet Street Market – a communal venue that would become the centre of Christchurch’s punk and underground scenes in 1977-78.

#nzmusic #vaporandthetrails #alpark

Up Periscope

Christchurch-based indie-rock group that formed the Beat Atlas Records label, then relocated to London. 20 years later they resurfaced, contributing a couple of faithful covers to 2 distinct Galaxie 500 tribute albums.

#nzmusic #upperiscope #beatatlasrecords

'Hey Creep' 7" single cover by Rob Haakman

Snort

Hugely popular Christchurch hard-rock all-girl group with a very 90’s riotgrrrl sound and a line-up that changed quite a bit over time. Members have included: Reta Le Quesne, twins Joanne and Sharon Billesdon, Lisa Preston, Fleur Walden Ninakaye Taane-Tinorau and Carla Rotta .

They recorded 2 singles, then had an album and a music video held back by Festival Records in nefarious circumstances.

#nzmusic #snort

The Centre Will Hold

Melodic Christchurch indie-pop trio who released a catchy and incredibly brief 5 song EP, along with a handful of tunes straight to student radio that subsequently turned up on the ‘Indie Hit Disc’ radio promotion CDs. Holloway and Bycroft would later form The Undercurrents.

#nzmusic #thecentrewillhold #theundercurrents

'Barnard's Star' EP cover

Barnard’s Star

Excellent Christchurch shoegaze / electronic group with a unique, spacey sound. Released an EP and 2 7″ lathe cut singles on the Beat Atlas imprint in the late 1990’s before going their seperate ways.

#nzmusic #barnardsstar

The Steffan Van Soest Hit Machine

Excellent quirky Christchurch rock group who formed in the late 1990’s, had an incredibly prolific few years with 4 albums, an album and a single released in quick succession. The group then transitioned into an occasional reunion outfit, with several of the key members now living out of town or overseas. Led by their namesake (and only consistent member) the band have had many offshoot groups.

#nzmusic #steffanvansoesthitmachine

The Dialtones - Better Late

The Dialtones

Long-running country-folk flavoured rock band from Christchurch featuring singer-songwriter Fleur Walden (aka Fleur de Lis). After forming in 1997 it took until 2004 for their debut album was released – a strong selection of songs that date right back to the bands formation.

#nzmusic #thedialtones #fleurdelis

Free Radicals

Wellington-based electronic / art-music group from the mid 1980’s who recorded and released their debut 12″ ‘Polarities’ with the assistance of a QEII Arts Council grant under the Demonstration Recording Subsidy Scheme. Formed by New York-born classical composer Jonathan Besser and former Victoria University lecturer and composer Ross Harris.

#nzmusic #freeradicals