Robert Scott
Dunedin bassist, guitarist, and songwriter at the heart of New Zealand’s underground music scene since the late 1970s. Co-founder of the Every Secret Thing cassette label and fanzine, bassist in The Clean, and frontman of The Bats.
The Magick Heads
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
Runt
Dunedin grunt-rock trio that formed in 1993 and recorded their debut self-titled album at Volt Studios in 1995, and 2nd album Thirsty at Strawberry Sounds in 1997. Bassist / vocalist Richard Strang was also a member of The Magick Heads.
The groups recordings have recently been made available on streaming services after years of being unavailable.
#nzmusic #runt
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
Bedford Tours
A bizarre cassette release from Robert Scott and Andrew Strang; providing incidental sound and commentary of the long drive (in a Bedford van) from Christchurch to Dunedin.
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.
The Clean
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.
Jousting Vandals
One of Rob Scott’s many one-off bands – this time with R. Dejoux and Sarah Robin. They put out the Ground Level cassette on Scotts’ own Every Secret Thing label in 1985. Scott reissued the Ground Level cassette as a CDr in 2022.
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
Wreck Small Speakers On Expensive Stereos
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
The Bats
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
Pop Art Toasters
Biography A short-lived super-group of sorts featuring martin phillips, david kilgour, noel ward, alan starrett and mike dooley. Members Discography Links