One of the longest running mythic underground figures of New Zealand rock who has worked (and commanded) such significant figures in the New Zealand music scene as Chris Knox, Peter Stapleton, Maryrose Crook, Dave Mitchell, Malcolm Grant – the list goes on.
Early 80s Wellington post-punk outfit in the style of the Au Pairs, with long-standing members Kate Walker and Stephen Norris, plus a rotating cast of drummers and vocalists, including well-known Actor/Comedian Jennifer Ward-Leland and future Oscar winner Fran Walsh.
Wellington-based experimental noise trio featuring Paul Douglas (aka Rosy Parlane), Robert Lundon (RSW London / Imperial Records) and Paul Yates (aka Paul Ling – ex Garbage and the Flowers – now in the Melbourne-based Minit).
Kim Blackburn is a poet and singer-songwriter who put out the ‘Lizards In Love’ album on Flying Nun Records, using acoustic guitar and digital effects to give the album an unusual edge. Her voice has a deep, haunting quality – reminiscent of Nico.
She had previously been associated with underground labels such as Industrial Tapes, performing alongside Sandra Bell on the cassette only release ‘Two Metallic Hearts’.
Bizarre but often highly melodic experimental group, one of the first New Zealand outfits to incorporate multimedia elements into their shows and actually classified themselves as a production, creating art shows and (eventually) computer based presentation that encompassed both visual and audible elements.
Prolific formerly Christchurch (now Melbourne) downbeat and hip-hop producer, now performing under the name Trillion.
Two-piece Rock’N’Roll duo from Auckland. They were tremendous on A Low Hum’s 2nd to last tour, with drummer Zoe Fleury belting it out (and singing too) from behind the kit while Maeve Munro played feedback-drenched guitar and sang from up front. Very cool.
Only release was a split single with The Lover Haters.
Palmerston North outfit that released a tape of folk pop songs on Spotty Dog in 1995.
West Auckland punks from the early 80s – Stooges obsessed 20-somethings who evolved out of the equally primitive Dum Dum Boys and made sloppy punk-metal, later reissued by revivalist imprint Raw Power.
Eventually moved to Sydney and (due to the name clash with a 1960s Australian group with the same name) became Reptiles at Dawn.
Auckland guitar and drums duo who have put out a couple releases adorned by excellent 60’s hard-rock styled artwork (coming from guitarist John Appleton’s pen) to match their bluesy minimalist rock.
Drummer Martinengo would go on to form similar garage rock groups Los Hories and Gaytime, whilst also running 1:12 Records.
The Harbour Light Theatre was thought to have been designed by J.S. and M. J. Guthrie and purpose-built as a picture house and theatre for the Lyttelton Picture Company. It could seat 550 people in both stalls and circle. The front of the building was two storeys high, with a mezzanine floor, and two decorative brick towers topped with spherical domes on either side. The entry was framed by large Tuscan columns, with quoin stones on the corners of the building. The material of the building was mostly brick with a stucco finish on the facade painted white in the “California style”. The entrance featured an art nouveau style etching of a pattern above the verandah roof.
The Gladstone has the doubtful distinction of being the last hotel in Christchurch to host a post mortem. The examination was carried out in July of 1901 by a Dr. William Diamond, who told the coroner that there was extreme difficulty working in such cramped and unsuitable quarters as those provided by a hotel and he sincerely hoped that something would be done about it soon. His wish was granted, for on that very day the eminent architect Mr. S Hurst-Seager, designer of the new morgue, had handed the keys to the completed building to the City Council.
Old and dilapidated wooden villa on Madras Street that functioned as a rather excellent venue for house parties and all-age events for a few years prior to the Canterbury Earthquakes in 2010 / 2011.
Occupied by a variety of individuals connected to Christchurch live music, student radio (RDU) and all-ages (Red Panda) scenes, the house was opened up for day time shows on the front-lawn or in the living room.
The pop outgrowth of Ex-Christchurch song-writer Dave Yetton (Ex Jean-Paul Sartre Experience), who’s backing band has included a couple generations of well-known kiwi performers, including Pluto’s rhythm section at one point.
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.