Tiny Ruins are an Auckland indie folk ensemble founded in 2009, evolving from a solo project by Hollie Fullbrook into an internationally touring four-piece whose 2014 album Brightly Painted One won Best Alternative Album at the New Zealand Music Awards and whose four studio albums have each been shortlisted for the Taite Music Prize.
This Is Heaven was the solo project of Auckland musician Paul Luker, founder of the Industrial Tapes cassette label, releasing the limited-edition 200 Variations EP on Flying Nun Records in 1985.
Biography Palmerston North based jangly indie-pop group formed in 1985, featuring future member of The Mutton Birds bassist Alan Gregg, guitarist Greg Malcolm – who would have considerable success in underground circles as a solo artist, in collaboration with other… Read More »Three Leaning Men
After Nocturnal Projections went their seperate ways in the early 80s, the two Jefferies brothers formed This Kind Of Punishment, a group that expanded their song-writing capabilities, and added variety to the Joy Division-styled approach of their former group.
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
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
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
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
One of the greatest New Zealand groups of all-time – The 3Ds were one of the key groups in my own personal history as a fan of New Zealand Music. Led by 2 contrasting guitar playing front-men ably backed by a terrific, explosive rhythm section – their songs were full of hooks and exciting noise and distortion.
#nzmusic #the3ds
80’s synth-pop from Ian Morris (Th’ Dudes, DD Smash), and sometimes his brother Rikki. Tex Pistol had 2 huge hit singles in 1987/1988 then promptly disappeared, with Morris concentrating on production until his death in 2010.
#nzmusic #texpistol #rikkimorris
Trillionaires were a Christchurch institution through the late 1990s and 2000s. A covers band formed as a super-group of local musicians with the twin vocals of Ross Humphries and Nicole Moffat.
The group were known for their eclectic covers, with each song reinterpreted in their own unique style, usually as a rollicking garage rock’n’roll number, driven by the killer guitar of Mick Elborado and the rhythm section of John Christoffels (bass) and Malcolm Grant (drums).
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Mid 1990’s free-noise duo made up of Danny Butt (Flies Inside The Sun) and Michael Morley (The Dead C etc). Released three ultra-rare Peter King 8″ lathes on Morley’s Precious Metal imprint, along with 2 albums and a single. Went from noise, scrapes and drones to releasing their own take on electronic dance music with 1998’s ‘Twelve Inches Heaven’.
#nzmusic #undergroundmusic #freenoise #tanakanixonmeeting
Noisy Dunedin rock group formed by Ex-Alpaca Brothers Bruce Blucher and Paul Cahill. Robbie Yeats was their primary drummer, but their recordings feature contributions from a number of well-known underground performers. Released 3 albums and a couple 7″ singles.
25 Cents were known as being an impressive, ass-kicking party band in Christchurch in the early 1980’s, flush with a range of 1960’s garage numbers, Velvet Underground and Pere Ubu covers.
Sisters Mary and Susan Heney would go on to influential groups like Victor Dimisich Band, Scorched Earth Policy and The Terminals.
Though lasting just 18 months, Toy Love were one of New Zealand’s most influential groups. Chris Knox, Alec Bathgate and Mike Dooley had come from The Enemy were joined by the Christchurch duo of Paul Kean and Kate Walker to form the most brilliantly dynamic new wave group.