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Straitjacket Fits

Straitjacket Fits were a corner stone in New Zealand independent rock from their formation in 1986 till their inevitable break-up in February 1994. Though predominantly a kiwi indie-rock group, they were at times dissonant (and incredibly loud), hiding their delicate… Read More »Straitjacket Fits

Monsterr Records

Short-lived Wellington-based label. Their catalogue is book-ended by a couple of compilations, but otherwise their roster included releases by a handful of local rock’n’roll groups, the most well-known of which is probably The Raskolnikovs.

#nzmusic #monsterrrecords #theraskolnikovs

Marginal Era

Marginal Era were a synth and based-driven pop act formed in 1981 by song-writer Warwick Paul Agar (ex Vivid Militia).

Probably best known for ‘This Heaven’, originally an instrumental track that would later become the theme to the popular ‘Radio with Pictures’ television show.

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Root Don Lonie For Cash

Prolific cassette, CDr and lathe-cut label run by Clayton Noone (aka CJA) and utilised by a fair few New Zealand (and some overseas) artists since the mid 1990s. Their first few years of releases had distinctive spray-painted covers. The original Don Lonie was billed as ‘America’s No. 1 high-school assembly speaker’, who recorded several albums for popular Christian record labels in the early 1960s.

#nzmusic #undergroundmusic #rootdonlonieforcash

The Ho’ Dogs

Extremely wild Dunedin old-school rock’n’roll from a handful of underground experimental or lo-fi musicians. I managed to catch them once at the Provincial Lounge in Christchurch and was blown away by their stage antics; which included jumping on the Prov’s bar, kicking over drinks.

#nzmusic #thehodogs

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.

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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