Hallelujah Picassos
Long-running Auckland group with reggae overtones who have performed an eclectic array of music styles. Probably best known for their 1994 single Rewind, which was a big hit nationally.
Flying Nun Records
The Clean – Compilation
My review of ‘Compilation’, the original retrospective of The Clean’s first phase releases. 2 singles and 2 EPs crammed into a brilliant album.
8 Living Legs
Biography Short lived flying nun band who contributed a brilliant track to the last rhumba compilation (a live single-night recording on flying nun), and split an ep with flak in 1984. In 2005 the failsafe label released ‘false sense of… Read More »8 Living Legs
Marching Girls
Biography spawned out of first generation punkers the scavengers, the marching girls we’re a stripped down, and more new wave focused attempt for ronnie recent, johnnie volume and des hefner. they re-recorded the ‘scavs brilliant ‘true love’, and appeared on… Read More »Marching Girls
Tall Dwarfs – The Sky Above, The Mud Below
2001, Flying Nun Records, FNCD456 After 20 years of continually releasing dynamic, independent and thoroughly inventive music – the Tall Dwarfs have released perhaps their most laid-back and restrained full length with ‘The Sky Above, The Mud Below’, their 13th… Read More »Tall Dwarfs – The Sky Above, The Mud Below
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
Michael J. Brassell: A Memorial [Mar 2004]
A memorial I wrote for Michael J. Brassell after he sadly passed away from pneumonia in 2004. I helped organize a music tribute wake here in Christchurch to celebrate his life, whilst a similar event was also help in his then-current home of Dunedin.
Christchurch in the 80’s [By David Swift]
The Christchurch scene of 1980-82 is pretty legendary, and rightly so. This was most fertile period of rock’n’roll in the city since the beat-boom days of Chants R’n’B circa 1966. There were some very good Christchurch punk bands (notably the… Read More »Christchurch in the 80’s [By David Swift]
Shocking Pinks – Mathematical Warefare
2005, Flying Nun Records, FNCD494 Mathematical Warfare is an album with a heavy back-story and variety of disclaimers. Almost completely removed stylistically from the sound the band became known for just last year, the Shocking Pinks have gone through so… Read More »Shocking Pinks – Mathematical Warefare
Chainsaw Masochist
Biography Members Murray Couling (Chainsaw Masochist) Debbie Silvey (Chainsaw Masochist) Darren McShane (Chainsaw Masochist, Figure 60) Ricky McShane (Chainsaw Masochist) Discography Facing Up EP (1989, Still Ill Tapes) Periphery (1991, Flying Nun Records Records, FN170) Thrashing Around 7″ Single… Read More »Chainsaw Masochist
Friend
Biography chris knox recorded friend as a project work – an experiment in digital technology using pro-tools in his own home studio setup. fairly abstract, electronic and fractured; its a huge departure from his analog recordings, and is a difficult… Read More »Friend
Bird Nest Roys
Biography Another in the long line of jangle pop outfits that optimized the Dunedin sound (though they originated from Auckland). They never quite hit the big time, though both the EP and their self-titled LP are well worth tracking down.… Read More »Bird Nest Roys
Solid Gold Hell
Biography Brash Auckland rock outfit from the mid 90s featuring Glen Campbell, (former Jean-Paul Sartre Experience Member) Gary Sullivan, Matthew Heine, Colleen Brennan and Simon Cummings. Discography ‘Sugar Bag’/’Evil Cabaret’ 7″ Single [1994 Flying Nun Records Fn289] Swingin’ Hot Murder… Read More »Solid Gold Hell
The Magick Heads
Biography Reading like a kind of second generation super-band, The Magick Heads were more of a Robert Scott (The Bats / The Clean) and Jane Sinnott vehicle than any such premise. Even with both 3Ds guitarists in Dave Saunders and Dave… Read More »The Magick Heads
Phoenix Foundation
Biography acclaimed and eclectic wellington pop outfit with huge flourishes of whimsical instrumentation and whatnot. their debut caused quite a bit of fuss, critics gushing at their use of melody and whatnot. conrad wedde, samuel flynn scott, luke buda, tim… Read More »Phoenix Foundation