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Bailter Space

Lyndon and the Liars

Short-lived Christchurch group fronted by Ross Humphries after the dissolution of the legendary Pin Group and featuring a young Lyndon Frasier prior to his stint in Ballon D’Essai, plus the future Bats duo of Kaye Woodward and Malcolm Grant.

#lyndonandtheliars #nzmusic

The Clean - Anthology (2002, Flying Nun Records, FN468)

The Clean – Anthology

Flashback to my 2002 review of The Clean’s ‘Anthology’ (2002, Flying Nun Records, FN468, a double CD monster packed to the brim with material from The Clean’s early and mid-period releases.

#nzmusic #theclean #anthology #flyingnun

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

'Barnard's Star' EP cover

Barnard’s Star

Excellent Christchurch shoegaze / electronic group with a unique, spacey sound. Released an EP and 2 7″ lathe cut singles on the Beat Atlas imprint in the late 1990’s before going their seperate ways.

#nzmusic #barnardsstar

Trillionaires

Trillionaires were a Christchurch institution through the late 1990s and 2000s. A covers band formed as a super-group of local musicians with the twin vocals of Ross Humphries and Nicole Moffat.

The group were known for their eclectic covers, with each song reinterpreted in their own unique style, usually as a rollicking garage rock’n’roll number, driven by the killer guitar of Mick Elborado and the rhythm section of John Christoffels (bass) and Malcolm Grant (drums).

#nzmusic #trillionaires

The After Dinner Mints

Celia Mancini’s ‘lounge band in the ’80s.’ A Christchurch-based group that played a variety of upmarket events with Mancini fronting a killer backing band. Unknown for many years, a recording of Bobby Hebb’s ‘Sonny’ on the excellent ‘The Celia Mancini Tapes’ posthumous release in 2018.

#nzmusic #celiamancini #theafterdinnermints

The Pin Group

The very first group to record on Flying Nun Records, fronted by legendary experimental guitarist Roy Montgomery. Dark and Gloomy, evocative recordings – suitably earning the nickname ‘Roy Division’.

#nzmusic #pingroup #flyingnunrecords #roymontgomery

Onanon

Dunedin 4-piece indie-rock outfit with a sound heavily indebted to the classic early Flying Nun groups. Self-released a couple albums and toured with support from A Low Hum before ending in 2009.

#nzmsuci #onanon

The Gordons

The Gordons appeared out of (almost) nowhere in March 1980 to take the mantel of Christchurch’s (and soon New Zealand’s) loudest band; however they were more than just loud. It’s the songs they created during their initial year and a half run that have fuelled the legend of the Gordons. Through blistering feedback and propulsive bass come visions of a dystopian future, and anti-regime anthems.

#nzmusic #thegordons #bailterspace

Scorched Earth Policy

Excellent early Flying Nun band from Christchurch featuring 3 future Terminals (Stapleton, Elborado and Crook).
Some terrific songs that build suspense and tension with galloping drums, rumbling bass and a cacophony of guitar, organ and violin.

Skeptics

Hugely popular and influential New Zealand industrial rock act who emerged out of Palmerston North in 1979. Known for their grinding sound (a mix of noisy, scattered and angular guitar and eclectic electronic sounds) and one particularly visual music video – the incredible and universally banned ‘Affco’.

The Clean

The Clean have left a giant stamp on New Zealand Independent Music. The group that came to define ‘The Dunedin Sound’ had a terrific topsy-turvy career that spanned 5 albums and a number of EPs, singles, compilations and live releases over a 31 year time-span.

Bailter Space

Biography Starting life as the Gordons, Bailter Space were one of the most abrasive aggressive and (primarily) loudest bands to ever emerge out of Christchurch and the Flying Nun Records scene of the early 80s. Comprised of Alister Parker on… Read More »Bailter Space

Dolphin

Biography Christchurch based three piece featuring Failsafe’s Rob Maye, Kevin Stokes and Stephen Birss. The band was formed out of the ashes of 1986 – 87 band Heartland featuring all three members. Birss and Stokes going on to work on My… Read More »Dolphin