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
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
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.
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]
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
Biography Although Martin Phillips can essentially be regarded as the heart and soul of his two-decade old troop the Chills (and the only surviving member of some 20+ line-up changes), Phillips has released material in a solo capacity which he… Read More »Martin Phillips
1998, Antenna Recordings, ANT012 Originally published as a retrospective feature review for Stylus Magazine There’s a distinct possibility that you may never see this album in even your most reliable of indie music stores. Darcy Clay was an unusual talent,… Read More »Darcy Clay – Songs for Beethoven
Biography Short-lived group containing Simon Mclaren (Gat/Vox – Loves Ugly Children, Sleepers Union), Brendan Moran (Drums – Hasselhoff Experiment) Steven Reay (Gguitar) And Jared Johnson (Bass) that put out one of the best albums of 2000 with the driving, enthralling… Read More »The Subliminals
Biography Originally an Auckland based indie-pop outfit that formed in 1996, and showed a lot of promise, before dissappearing in the early 00s after half their members relocated to Dunedin. Originally comprised of Gillian Craig (Bass, Tenor Horn), Paddy (Keys,… Read More »Sugarbug
Wreck Small Speakers On Expensive Stereos were a Dunedin-based duo consisting of Michael Morley and Richard Ram.
The groups recordings are based around strong rhythm tracks – usually plucked bass guitar and drum machine, with shout-sung vocals, fractured guitar riffs and organ squeels, with samples and other sound manipulations added into the mix. Though experimental, Wreck Small Speakers retained a high level of musicality and accessibility.
#nzmusic #wrecksmallspeakersonexpensivestereos
Biography The Provincial Lounge was a traditional Kiwi Tavern with a long history: The license for the hotel was granted to Robert Wagner on 1 May 1865. During the earlier years there were two licenses, one for the hotel and… Read More »Provincial Lounge
Biography The Clean was never a band to stand still. Several times during the 80’s they broke up, then reformed for a European, New Zealand or American tour, and all three members relocated at least once during these crucial years.… Read More »The Bats
Biography Biography As a strong song-writer behind the seminal flying nun 3-piece the clean, david kilgour developed his own style of country tinged psychedilic rock-guitar playing, earnest vocals and a distinct kiwi sound that he made all his own. kilgour… Read More »David Kilgour
2003 Reissue, Flying Nun, FNCD099 As part of Flying Nun’s initial installment of classic album reissues (celebrating the labels 21st birthday), The Gordons first album had otherwise been selling for astronomical figures in its rare original vinyl issue. The reissue brings… Read More »The Gordons – 1st Album And Future Shock EP [Reissue]
Biography A short-lived super-group of sorts featuring martin phillips, david kilgour, noel ward, alan starrett and mike dooley. Members Discography Links