The Alpaca Brothers were a short lived noisy post-punk band from Dunedin formed by Bruce Blucher and Nick Wilkinson in 1984, with a young Steve Cournane soon joining as drummer. The group disbanded after releasing a single EP for Flying Nun, but miraculously resurfaced recently (after a 36 year absence) with a new album.
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Junkanoo were a percussive band from Christchurch who put out a split album release on Campbell McLay’s Onset/Offset label in 1986, recorded at Arne van Bussell’s Nightshift Studios. The name ‘Junkanoo’ stems from a festival that was originated during the period of African chattel slavery in British American colonies.
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Jangly Christchurch pop from the early 1980’s. The group recorded a 6 song mini-album with the intent of it being released on Flying Nun Records, however the recordings went unreleased until 2013 when it was picked up and released as a retrospective LP by German label Unwucht.
The song ‘Mystery’ shows the group had bags of potential.
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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).
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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 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
Christchurch trio fronted by The Puddle’s Norman Dufty. Urgent, shuffling indie-rock, with warbly vocals (part Morrissey, part Stephen Cogle) and the occasional clarinet (from Dave Woods) sneaking through.
Onset/Offset Records founder Campbell McLay (bass) and Donna Lawson (drums) complete the trio; who released an LP split with Lawson’s other group Junkanoo in 1986, then followed it up with a couple cassettes in 1987.
Thanks to German label Unwucht re-issuing a heap of old Onset/Offset releases their appearance on the Krypton Ten compilation is now (slightly) more accessible.
Gas were a 3 piece garage-rock 3 piece from Christchurch, featuring ex-members of The McGoohans, Drowning is Easy and Scorched Earth Policy. Formed in 1995 and ended in 2002.
Christchurch-based punky proto-grunge outfit that formed after the dissolution of Ian Blenkinsop’s Drowning Is Easy, a 4-piece that featured Blenkinsop along with future Scorched Earth Policy band-mate Mick Elborado, Craig Davison and Andrew Valance. Noted rock music historian George Churton would replace Elborado on bass and eventually become the lead vocalist.
Short-lived Christchurch punky group from 1981/2, made up of a bunch of English Immigrants still not quite old enough to drink in pubs. The would form a vital cog in the story of Scorched Earth Policy and te Terminals.
The Shallows were a short-lived Christchurch trio fronted by Roy Montgomery in 1985. Backed by Mick Elborado (bass) and Mary Heney (guitar / vocals) the trio recorded and self-released a sole 7″ single over a couple weeks in May, 1985.
The single was the result of a $750 government arts grant – the group laid out their exact expenses on the inside sleeve of the single.
25 Cents were known as being an impressive, ass-kicking party band in Christchurch in the early 1980’s, flush with a range of 1960’s garage numbers, Velvet Underground and Pere Ubu covers.
Sisters Mary and Susan Heney would go on to influential groups like Victor Dimisich Band, Scorched Earth Policy and The Terminals.
Victor Dimisich Band was formed in 1980 by the song-writing duo of Peter Stapleton and Stephen Cogle while both were members of Vacuum Blue Ladder.
Though only around for 18 months and with scant recorded output – they got the ball rolling for successive bands such as Scorched Earth Policy and the Terminals.
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.
Wonderful home-brewed recordings from Annabelle Alpers. Guitarist, keyboardist and singer-songwriter formerly of the supremely under-recognized Christchurch troop Hawaii Five-0. Her solo recordings are infused with electronic flourishes and wispy, emotive lyrics – but with a distinct and almost robotic approach to harmonic vocals.