The Picnic Boys was a loose collective formed around the core trio of Kevin Smith, Patrick Faigan and Steve Watson (who later became Say Yes to Apes). At Faigan’s behest the various members recorded their own take on ‘experimental’ music to tape, which was later compiled into a handful of cassette releases on the groups TV Eye label in the early 1980s.
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Presumably named after a song by notorious cult leading serial killer (and Beach Boys collaborator) Charles Manson. One of Duane Zarakov, Celia Mancini and Brother Love’s many psychedelic rock acts – this time a Christchurch-based group who were around during 1991 (after the demise of The Axel Grinders, but before Space Dust and King Loser) and recorded a single cassette EP.
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Constant Pain were a sadly under-recorded group featuring brilliant underground noisy guitar legends Cameron Bain and Roddy Pain, along with a revolving drummers seat of some of New Zealand’s finest drummers. Walls of wailing feedback and rolling rhythm drive some immense tunes. Both guitarists passed away in the 2010’s.
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Lo-fi Garage rock’n’roll duo from Dunedin, circa the early to mid 2000’s. Released an album on guitarist/vocalist Dianne Smith (aka ‘Lucy Lurex’) label and promised a 2nd before promptly disappearing in 2005.
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The key group of New Zealand underground legend Peter Gutteridge (despite being a founding member of BOTH the Clean and the Chills). Snapper made driving, droning guitars-infused with synths post-punk throughout the 1980s and 1990s before Gutteridge disappeared from the public eye.
Shaft is the long-standing vehicle of prominent song-writer Bob Cardy (aka Bob Brannigan), guitarist for the Axemen and a stalwart of the New Zealand underground scene. With a rotating cast of musicians backing him, Shaft always sounds like Shaft; a terrific band brimming with brilliant, dynamic and catchy songs.
A shambling blues-rock trio of notorious obscurity, driven by the sheer creative talent of Bill Vosburgh – they split a 12″ EP with The And Band – who shared member Mark Thomas.
Biography One of the earlier Christchurch acid-rock groups of Celia Patel (aka Celia Pavlova / Mancini) along with twins Sharon and Joanne Billesdon and Reta La Quesne. Forming after Celia and Rita’s former group The Axel Grinders, the Stepford 5… Read More »The Stepford 5
Biography Born Celia Patel (and at one stage known as Celia Pavlova), Celia Mancini was a smart, creative, talented and volatile musician. A born front-woman and general icon within the music community, who was never afraid to speak her mind,… Read More »Celia Mancini
Biography Fuzzy, bluesy Rock’n’Roll from Martin Henderson, aka Brother Love. Henderson has lent his name to a number of groups (‘The Homebacon Gang’, ‘The Second Hand Emotions’, The Free Association’, His Dark Horses’, ‘His Far Out Space Nuts’ etc), featuring… Read More »Brother Love
..A loose cowpunk outfit that played a mixture of originals and country covers. Royce T Doyster got compared to the Violent Femmes a lot, mostly because people couldn’t see past the stand up drums. The band played 15 gigs altogether,… Read More »Royce T Doyster
Weird old Christchurch hard/sludge rock act who put out a few releases in the mid to late 90s. Made up of prominent poster artist Rock Hardman, Brother Love, Ken Mexted, Dave Clarke, and a revolving crowd of Bass players.
Biography A Christchurch institution of absent idols (only John Christoffels still resides in the garden city from the classic line-up), dating back to 1993 but seldom surfacing more than a single gig every couple of years. The group was original… Read More »Space Dust
Biography King Loser is the kind of band I’ve always wanted to form. More of a loose collection of friends (with an almost comical approach to drum-throne rotation), yet somehow managing to get it together enough to release 3 brilliant… Read More »King Loser
Biography Say Yes To Apes were a loose, noisy, often sloppy and usually creative Dunedin-then-Christchurch-based underground rock outfit formed by frontman Kevin Smith, drummer Pat Faigan and multi-instrumentalist Steve Watson, born out of the earlier Picnic Boys. Though The Picnic… Read More »Say Yes To Apes