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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

Arclife Records

Arclife Records was an excellent ‘home-grown’ independent label formed by the Arclife Trust, an arts organization that formed out of the Arc Cafe in central Dunedin.

The label had a strong, tight-knit community of local Dunedin groups on its roster – many of whom had moved on from the by-then Auckland based Flying Nun Records.

#nzmusic #arcliferecords

Hannah Everingham

Exceptional Christchurch-born (now NYC based) singer-songwriter Hannah Everingham is just about to release her 2nd album on local label Leather Jacket Records.

Here’s a short bio i’ve put together so far, including a video link for new single ‘Giving up the Dog’, filmed at the Botanic Gardens.

#nzmusic #hannaheveringham

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

The Great Unwashed

The Great Unwashed were a quieter, folkier edition of The Clean, a contrast to their raucous earlier sound. Peter Gutteridge’s contributions to their song-book should not be understated, with ‘Born in the wrong time’ an absolute classic.

#nzmusic #greatunwashed #theclean

Alpaca Brothers

The Alpaca Brothers were a short lived noisy post-punk band from Dunedin formed by Bruce Blucher and Nick Wilkinson in 1984, with a young Steve Cournane soon joining as drummer. The group disbanded after releasing a single EP for Flying Nun, but miraculously resurfaced recently (after a 36 year absence) with a new album.

#nzmusic #alpacabrothers

Mr Big Nose

‘Various Outakes’ is one Of Robert Scott’s many one-off releases on his own Every Secret Thing label.

Recorded in a typically DIY fashion and released straight to cassette in 1989, the album features a stellar band line-up – Dave Saunders just arrived in Dunedin and yet to mark his mark in The 3Ds, Australian guitarist / vocalist Ken Stewart, Peter Gutteridge – just about to reach his creative zenith with his solo release ‘Pure’, and the ever-busy (and Gutteridge’s Snapper bandmate) Alan Haig on the kid.

#nzmusic #mrbignose