Wax Chattels
Wax Chattels are an Auckland trio making confrontational, guitar-less post-punk, who released their self-titled debut album in 2018 through New York label Captured Tracks to international acclaim.
w artists
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
Wadd
Christchurch 5-piece rock group who put out a self-titled debut in 1995 after featuring on Failsafe Records Good Things compilation. Disbanded in 1996. Keyboardist Andrew ‘The Hammer’ Hamtpon would later become the head of New Zealand’s Secret Service, i.e. the GCSB.
#nzmusic #wadd #failsaferecords #gcsb
The World
Jangly Christchurch pop from the early 1980’s. The group recorded a 6 song mini-album with the intent of it being released on Flying Nun Records, however the recordings went unreleased until 2013 when it was picked up and released as a retrospective LP by German label Unwucht.
The song ‘Mystery’ shows the group had bags of potential.
#nzmusic #theworld
Warble
Warble was a High School aged post-rock group formed by (future stand-up comedian and author) Eamonn Marra and Jack Hooker, with the intent to enter Smoke-Free Rock Quest in 2008.
Joined by drummer James Woods (who had previously appeared alongside Hooker in We Will Fight You), violinist Clare Fryer and (initially) Valentine Nixon – though the Purple Pilgrims vocalist left before Warble had started recording their sole EP, which they put out on BandCamp in 2009.
#nzmusic #warble #purplepilgrims
The Wastrels
The Wastrels were an early 1980’s Christchurch 4-piece pop-rock group who were touted as the ‘Next Big Thing’, but never kicked on to wider success, with just a single and an EP to their name.
#nzmusic #thewastrels
The Wallsockets
Fairly rudimentary punk coming out of Wellington’s late 1970’s / early 1980’s Terrace scene. Famously organized the **** compilation – which is a pretty effective scene document.
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.
Wasp Factory
Biography 3 piece pop-punk band out of Gisborne featuring Martin Kirk, Mark Revington and Jason Fawcett. A couple of releases on the tiny F Star label, along with an appearance on the Positive Vibrations compilation on Pagan, showing influence from… Read More »Wasp Factory
John White
Biography As the distinctive voice of Mestar, John White has become quite a well known figure in new zealand music, particularly in his home-town of dunedin, where mestar first formed, and where Cloudboy have become such a loved troup. John… Read More »John White
Worlds Apart
Biography I know very little about this New Zealand group other than what I can gleam from their 1986 12″ single ‘Time will tell’. The record lists Dave Cammock, Si Jaxn, Steve Entwhistle and Astrid Muller as performers. Members… Read More »Worlds Apart
Witcyst
Biography Perhaps the most prolific artist new zealand has ever produced, Michael Veet Ruiliude has produced as Witcyst, or as an number of his other mysterious alias, Veetjist, M. W. Vit, Wytcystallio, Mxvxwx, Thighte Whistle, or a handful of groups… Read More »Witcyst
Weetbix Boys
Biography Dunedin-based skiffle group featuring Simon Vare, Steve Cournane (Alpaca Brothers, C.L. Bob Etc), Andy Scott (Electric Blood) and Richard Morris. Andy Scott left the band in 1989, replaced behind the kit by Donald Harman. The band toured the North… Read More »Weetbix Boys
The Winter
Biography Wellington trio led by Dave Edwards (guitar / harmonica), with San Shimla (Cello) and prolific New Zealand music journalist Simon Sweetman (Drums / Percussion). Edwards has been self releasing on his own Fiff Dimension website his own recordings for… Read More »The Winter
The Warners
Biography Jon Baker, Deby Turner, John Micham, Chris Koole, Allen Stephenson, Mike Howie, Mike Mcdonald. Fairly popular outfit who started out with a couple of EPs (including their signature release Satellite Surfing) and an album in the late 80s, before… Read More »The Warners