Auckland-based group comprised of experimental underground regulars – Tim Coster (field recordings), Richard Francis (computer), Rosy Parlane (guitar, computer), Mark Sadgrove (feedback, linuxcsound), Clinton Watkins (guitar) and Paul Winstanley (electric bass, digital feedback).
Experimental music from Nick Hodgson (later known as Nick Harte), High Tension House’s Hamish Noonan and Tim McDonald. Scattered drums and treated guitars form a free-noise vibe that’s not entirely unpleasant
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.
Mid 1990s rock’n’roll outfit from Andrew Tolley, before he found fame with The Hasselhoff Experiment. Tolley formed the group with This will kill that drummer Andrew Goodchild, before expanding the band to a 4 piece (and both Tolley and Goodchild switching to guitar).
Jawload were based in Wellington and released an album and two singles on Tolley’s own Kato Records label.
An Iggy Pop and the Stooges obsessed proto-punk outfit from the early 80s. After recording New Zealand’s very first full-length punk LP (1981’s ‘Let there be noise’) the group morphed into The Henchmen.
Wellington based garage surf-punk band headed up by Marty Squire (guitar/vocals) wit brothers Dave (drums) and Luke Benge (keyboards), and Jules Desmond (bass). Formed from the ashes of Letterbox Lambs.
Had one catchy single ‘We Ride Tonight’ released as a New Zealand On Air music video
Hamilton-based former Datura multi-instrumentalist Craig Williamson has released an ever-growing discography of solo albums since Datura’s demise in the late 1990s, originally under his own name, but now under the bizarre hippy-pseudonym Lamp of the Universe.
Christchurch-based art-rock group from the mid 1980’s who put out one EP on Bill Direen’s South Indies label. Several members came from low-key Flying Nun acts Mainly Spaniards and Ballon D’Essai.
Auckland duo of Mike Knuckley and Brett Higson. Released a cassette and appeared on a live compilation on Paul Lurkers Industrial Tapes label. Had some songs recorded live by Chris Knox and Doug Hood at the Rumba Bar with ‘One More’ turning up on the famed ‘The Last Rhumba’ live compilation on Flying Nun.
Christchurch-based shoegazey indie-rock group that started out as a studio project but became a fairly successful touring group with 2 albums and an EP on band member Rob Mayes Failsafe Recordings.
A formative group for 2 significant groups in New Zealand music – The Terminals song-writing duo of Peter Stapleton and Stephen Cogle, and Bilders duo Bill Direen and Allan Meek. Though a fairly significant group at the time, their recordings were sparse.
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 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.