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The 3Ds

The Aesthetics artist photo

The Aesthetics

Dunedin destructo-rock outfit formed in 1995 by Matt Middleton (aka Crude). Trashy but sinister post-punk noise rock inspired by King Loser, Snapper, and the Dead C, with numerous lineup changes over three decades.

Exploding Budgies

Biography Formed while the trio were still students at Northcote College around 1983, the Auckland group embraced a poppy, jangly sound—a style far removed from the fiery intensity guitarist Dave Mitchell would soon become famous for in Goblin Mix and… Read More »Exploding Budgies

Ghost Club

Biography ‘The Ghost Club‘ originally surfaced as the name of a 7″ single released by The 3D’s Dave Michell and Denise Roughan back in 1996 – a wonderful slice of melancholy that slipped under the radar on release. Within a… Read More »Ghost Club

Plagal Grind

Biography Short-lived super-group who’s key line-up centred around guitarist, vocalist and song-writer Alastair Galbraith, with Peter Jefferies (Nocturnal Projections, This Kind Of Punishment) on drums, Dave Mitchell (The 3Ds, Goblin Mix, Ghost Club etc) on rip-roaring guitarm and Galbraith’s former… Read More »Plagal Grind

Mr Big Nose

Recorded in a typically DIY fashion and released straight to cassette in 1989, this rucous live album features a stellar band line-up. Bob Scott was joined by future 3D Dave Saunders (just arrived in Dunedin), Australian guitarist / vocalist Ken Stewart, former-Chill Alan Haig on the drums, and billed as a special guest on organ; Peter Gutteridge – just prior to the release of his incredible solo album ‘Pure’.

#mrbignose

Look Blue Go Purple

Look Blue Go Purple was an influential and resilient all-female indie-pop group from Dunedin during the Early-Mid 1980s. Despite facing chauvinistic attitudes, they released 3 stellar EPs on Flying Nun, with their debut ‘Bewitched’ reaching No. 21 on the pop chart. Their impact endures through the compilation ‘Still Bewitched’.

#nzmusic #lookbluegopurple

The 3Ds

One of the greatest New Zealand groups of all-time – The 3Ds were one of the key groups in my own personal history as a fan of New Zealand Music. Led by 2 contrasting guitar playing front-men ably backed by a terrific, explosive rhythm section – their songs were full of hooks and exciting noise and distortion.

#nzmusic #the3ds

Spacious

In 1995 The 3Ds guitarist and vocalist Dave Saunders got together with well-known drummer Alan Haig to record a 3-song single for Flying Nun Records under the name Spacious – all 3 songs were eventually re-recorded by The 3Ds for their final album ‘Strange News from the Angels’.

#nzmusic #spacious #the3ds

Rik Starrr

‘A sort of holiday’ was a one-off 7″ single on Fkying Nun records from the mysterious Rik Starrr – an alias for Edmund Cake, yet to find his fame in the much vaunted Bressa Creeting Cake.

#nzmusic #rikstarrr #flyingnunrecords #edmundcake #bressacreetingcake

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

Snapper

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.

Goblin Mix

Short-lived David Mitchell 3 piece, and the last of his Auckland bands. This is when he truly found his voice, with support from Phil Moore, Andrew Moon and (Flying Nun alumni) Alf Danielson. Their complete recordings would later be compiled (along with The Exploding Budgies complete discography) as a compilation CD in 1991.

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