Bigger Than Both of Us Booklet 2_Layout 1

NZ singles 1979–82
Toy Love
Proud Scum
The Spelling Mistakes
The Features
The Herco Pilots
Alms For Children
Rebel Truce
The Clean
The Screaming Meemees
The Instigators
The Body Electric
Danse Macabre
The Newmatics
The Androidss
No Tag
The Chills
The Bongos
The Swingers
Pop Mechanics
Techtones
The Tall Dwarfs
The Dabs
Penknife Glides
Blam Blam Blam
01.
02.
03.
04.
05.
06.
07.
08.
09.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.
Toy Love Rebel
Proud Scum Suicide 2
The Spelling Mistakes Reena
The Features City Scenes
The Herco Pilots Essential Services
Alms For Children Danny Boy
Rebel Truce The Man Inside
The Spelling Mistakes Feel So Good
Techtones That Girl
The Clean Tally Ho!
The Screaming Meemees See Me Go
The Newmatics Riot Squad
The Swingers One Good Reason
Pop Mechanics Jumping Out A Window
Penknife Glides Taking The Weight Off
Blam Blam Blam There Is No Depression In New Zealand
The Instigators Hope She’s Alright
The Dabs Love The Army
The Screaming Meemees Sunday Boys
The Chills Kaleidoscope World
The Tall Dwarfs Nothing’s Going To Happen
Danse Macabre ECG
The Body Electric Pulsing
Blam Blam Blam Don’t Fight It Marsha, It’s Bigger Than Both Of Us
The Clean Anything Could Happen
The Newmatics Square One
The Bongos Falling
No Tag Legalised Dogs
The Androidss Auckland Tonight
The Screaming Meemees Stars In My Eyes
Bigger Than Both Of Us was a labour of love that I
put together back in 1988, with a great deal of encouragement and help from my good friend Simon
Bayertz at Festival. The idea was to gather together
a bunch of the classic indie singles that dominated
New Zealand’s rock’n’roll scene between 1979 and
1982, the post punk era.
It was a period when New Zealand music took off,
and especially the recording of the New Zealand
music, done, predominately, by indies, came to life
after being moribund for most of the seventies.
At the time, the quoted figure was that there were
more New Zealand singles released in 1981 than
there was in the whole of the last decade. I don’t
know about that, but there were so many bloody great
singles and most were due to be lost forever. Bigger
Than Both Of Us was/is our attempt to
preserve some of these gems.
— Simon Grigg, 2003
To what can one attribute the spurt of activity represented here?
I don’t know — maybe it was the aftermath of Britain’s punk and new
wave explosion of 1976 and ’77 or maybe it was a live music
reaction to the disco era, or maybe a lot of guys left single-sex schools
(Auckland Grammar, Westlake, Rosmini, Hastings High, Sacred Heart,
etc) and formed bands to meet girls.
Whatever the reason, live music had a resurgence and some nights
in 1980 there were new bands playing to good crowds at the Station
Hotel, the Rhumba Bar (now the site of the Stock Exchange), the Reverb
Room, the Windsor Castle and Mainstreet Cabaret. There were two
underage venues, XS in Airedale St. and Squeeze in Fanshawe St, and
oldies hung out at the Gluepot Hotel.
Represented here are some of the fine songs that found their way
on to vinyl via the many indies. The scene had the energy of people
starting something yet many of the bands never got beyond
tentative beginnings — most were only just about to capture their
sound in the studio, when oops, they split. Bands such as the
Swingers, Newmatics and Marching Girls didn’t get the opportunity or
didn’t bother to record many of their finest songs.
Those newly acquainted with this era should not assume that some
egalitarian paradise once existed where every band in Auckland got to
make a record. For every band on this record there were two others
thrashing it out as support bands, or seeking fame and fortune at a
Battle Of The Bands.
Having failed to answer this question — why this 1979–81 spurt
— it is time to address the more difficult question – why did this
creative flower wither? I guess the musicians represented here
had other things to do. But have any, even one, surpassed the
achievements represented here? I doubt it.
Maybe there’s a clue in one of the era’s lost songs, the Newmatic’s
‘Getting Colder’ — maybe they foresaw a decade where a Labour
government leader would equal, and even surpass, the arrogance,
bloody-mindedness and vanity of a fading, senile conservative political
party leader.
Maybe it’s time for some cheer y pop music to warm things up.
Cherish these songs — some of the master tapes may be missing but
at least the good riddums, sentiments and rhymes are here preserved.
— Murray Cammick
Probably the biggest status symbol had by any of the bands on
this compilation was not the brand new Rockitt amp, or the Pearl kit.
It wasn’t the recording contract with the new trendy local independent
record company, or the fact that your name was mentioned in Corless’s
address book, or the fact that your demo had been played on the Barry
Jenkin show. Nope, the surest way of getting a good gig was by having
the right sort of van.
I mean, if the band drove a Mk III Zephyr you’d be lucky to get an
early week at the Rhumba Bar or a Saturday night riot at some church
hall in Kohimarama or Takapuna. A CF Bedford guaranteed a mid-week
at the Windsor Castle but to really hit the big time or at least a weekend
at the Gluepot you had to have a Metropolitan Rentals truck.
Toy Love managed for years on two completely trashed Ford
Transits, but look where that got them. Split up into many different
parts all over Ponsonby. People are still trying to piece things back
together but there are only so many things you can do when grass
starts to grow through the floorpan. Proud Scum had a ’66 Commer
and it was suicidal to enter any venue with it parked outside as there
were probably at least 66 of their supporters inside.
I can’t remember what sort of van the Features used to drive but
the only vans ever parked outside their gigs belonged to the police.
We, the Herco’s, commandeered a fleet of Morris Minors. Bryan Staff,
who owned XS at the time, had one as well and every time we played,
more pieces of his went missing. I know I got the tail-lights and the
hubcaps and our drummer got the bumpers.
A.F.C. could always be seen in late model Japanese mum’s cars —
says it all, doesn’t it — and Rebel Truce were the only band I ever saw
getting their gear off an ARA bus.
‘Feels So Good’ was written when Nick Hanson emerged from the
back of the Spelling Mistakes’ van one night. The bloody heap had a
hole in both the floorpan and the muffler and I’m sure the fumes got
to him a bit too often. ‘Tally Ho’ seems a bit more geared up for a
thoroughbred and not a ’69 Transit (I think) but at least it was always
a trusty steed.
‘See Me Go’ was just per fect for the MeeMees. They were the
first to own one of NZ rock’s most coveted prizes — a CF Bedford.
No bloody wonder they had stars in their eyes. The Newmatics and
No Tag followed their lead but none of the three ever followed my
advice. I reckoned that if you parked all three outside the chosen venue
with painted blue salad bowls on the roof then the police would never
come in as it would look as if they were there already.
The Swingers and the Pop Mechanics shared the same truck and
it’s lucky the latter were called what they were, believe me.
Penknife Glides ended up in the Metropolitan Rentals trucks but they
didn’t get them ver y far as ‘Taking The Weight Off’ was written
after getting a puncture on the notorious Bombay Hills. ‘There Is No
Compression In The Commer’ sung Blam Blam Blam and rightly so, but
that van had a real histor y. There were tales of being driven from
Christchurch to Auckland in third gear and the police would just never
leave it alone. One night when I was in the back we got stopped and
some eager new recruit from Trentham decided to search it for the
tell-tale leafy green substance. Poor guy had to give up before he had
even got through the top layer of greasy burger bags that made up the
carpet.
The Techtones used to play weekends at the Gluepot. ‘Hope She’s
Alright’ sung the Instigators every cold morning when the bastard just
would not start, and believe it or not, ‘Kaleidoscope World’ was written
about being a passenger in the back if the Toy Love transit, or at least
that’s what the paintings said to me.
Chris Knox hit the nail on the head when he wrote ‘Nothing’s Gonna
Happen’. I think it was yet another attempt to make Doug Hood buy
another form of transport as that old Cortina just wasn’t right for the
family.
The last trip I took in a real live band van was back from a gig in
Belgium, with the Chills. Things have come a long way since then but
so has the music. No doubt the collectors are lining up to pay big bucks
now for both the old 45’s, and the old 65’s, 66’s and 67’s.
— ‘Arry
Stranglers and and Scavengers put fire to a fuse that gave a lot of good
people five years of music you could get your teeth into and a hell of a
good time. But in the early ‘80s the Forces of Bland first infiltrated, diluted and then invaded and arrested music. It was declared illegal by
the Radio Police. Casualties were carried off in droves. I was walking
wounded, so; “Whatever happened to Whatsisname?”
“Let’s go let’s go… to Australia
Won’t have to worry, won’t have to work
Frolicking by the sea”
(Vivid Militia 1981)
Pretty much how it turned out. No worries mate. It ser ves
‘em right.
When Simon and Simon sprung It’s Bigger Than Both Of Us
I thought, we need a retrospective compilation like we need more
French frogmen. Never been much interested in where the music has
been, only in where it’s going.
But with a few wondrous exceptions, where it seems to be going is
down the gurgler. Retro-punks are as irrelevant as time-warped hippies.
Nostalgia sucks.
It’s Bigger Than Both Of Us is a collection of what has been but as
an alternative to a lot of present packaged pap, it is justified. Those
too young to have been there may find a few ideas or at least get some
clue as to what the fuss was all about. Those who were around at the
time might find it useful as well. Bet you don’t own all 30 songs.
Reckon I thrashed a good 25 when they let me loose with a transmitter.
Good odds.
Naturally, a couple of lumps of vinyl can’t tell the whole story and
there are a lot of personal favourites missing, but there is some damn
fine music here. I better get a copy, eh.
— Barry Jenkin
Isn’t it funny how things turned out?
Harr y Ratbag’s in London working under the right label (Rough
Trade), Paul Rose is in Dunedin selling Zippo lighters and second-hand
Levi’s and nursing a severe chilli dependency problem. Simon Grigg’s
a leading Auckland disco Maitre ‘D, earning so much money he can
now afford to change his T-shirt several times a week.
And Murray Cammick and I… well, some of us have no imagination.
But we can all recall a time, in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s, when
New Zealand pop music earned a good name for itself. Lots of good
names, in fact.
Most of them are here on what anyone with half an ear would
recognise as the definitive collection of songs from the last golden era
of Kiwi pop.
Let’s hope it isn’t the last of all time.
When I listen to the four sides lurking inside this sleeve, I think of
Monday Problem Drinker’s meetings at Propeller Records HQ, a dusty,
stained box with windows at the top of endless stairs, above Queen
Street.
Demolished now.
But – look out, here comes the bloody corny punchline — you can’t
demolish a good song. This record has 30.
Decent songs carry their own protection orders. Try and knock this
lot down, Cath Tizard…
— Colin Hogg
Toy Love – Rebel
Recorded at Mandrill in April 1979.
Produced by Toy Love and Glyn Tucker Jnr.
Released June 1979 on Elektra Z 10015.
Chris Knox – vocals, Alec Bathgate - guitar,
Jane Walker – keyboards, Paul Kean – bass,
Mike Dooley – drums.
This debut single, double A-sided with ‘Squeeze’, was
released at a time when the band was simply the
biggest and best thing in the countr y. A reminder of
endless Saturday afternoons at the Windsor. Later in
the year they went to Australia, recorded an album, and
returned in 1980 to finally split.
p1979 Toy Love
Proud Scum – Suicide 2
Recorded at Mascot in January 1980.
Produced by Mike Chunn and Bryan Staff.
Released April 1980 on Ripper Rip 1.
Jonathan Jamrag – vocals, Alastair Rabbit – bass,
Bruce Hoffman – drums, Sid Rabbit – guitar.
The world’s most polished garage band, and one of
the funniest. This 45, about their former guitarist,
was also one side of the debut single on Ripper and
therefore the first local post punk indie single. As Toy
Love were to the Windsor, so Proud Scum were to the
Occidental.
p1980 Ripper Records
The Spelling Mistakes – Reena
Recorded at Mascot in March 1980.
Produced by Bryan Staff.
Released August 1980 on Ripper Rip 4.
Nick Hanson – vocals, Julian Hanson – drums,
Warwick Fowler – guitar, Nigel Russell – bass.
Continuing the twisted humour of Ripper releases, this
was the band’s first single but was released after the
second. The sleeve described it as “a wry urban folk
tune with a certain rustic charm to the chorus”. It was
a double A-sided with the Whizz Kid’s debut.
p1980 Ripper Records
The Features – City Scenes
Recorded at Mascot in April 1980.
Produced by The Features.
Released June 1980 on Propeller Rev 1.
Karel Van Bergen – vocals, Jed Town – guitar, James
Pinker – drums, Chris Orange – bass.
Totally unpredictable live, either great or undescribably
awful, The Features, who were formed out of the Superettes, had a huge following in Auckland, and this, the
debut single on Propeller, was thus a Top 30 single.
Various members ended up in SPK, Fetus Productions
and Dead Can Dance.
p1980 Lamont Music Limited
The Herco Pilots – Essential Services
Recorded at Harlequin in December 1980.
Produced by The Herco Pilots.
Released in March 1981 on REM 001.
Harry Ratbag – vocals/bass, Chris Williams –
guitar/vocals, Steve Wester – drums.
Notoriously independent, this track was on the first of
two EPs recorded in the band’s short life span, on the
band’s own label. Ratbag later achieved some sort of
fame as a Rip It Up columnist, alternatively loved or
detested, subsequently renouncing drink to become a
Methodist Minister in Te Puke.
p1981 REM Records
Alms For Children – Danny Boy
Recorded at Harlequin in June 1981.
Produced by AFC, Simon and Harry.
Released July 1981 on REM 002.
Gary Rodent – vocals, Daron Johns – drums,
Ben Hayman – bass, Paul Fogerty – guitar.
The second single on Ratbag’s REM label, and
packaged in a printed envelope, with a tartan label. The
band later became This Sporting Life, toured
with The Hercos and recorded for Flying Nun. Rodent
became Gary Charlton and was involved in Auckland’s
Quays nightclub.
p1981 REM Records
Rebel Truce – The Man Inside
Recorded at Harlequin in November 1980.
Produced by Steve Kennedy.
Released March 1981 on Propeller LP REV 201.
Adolf Sutterman – vocals, Terry Towelling – bass,
Bones – drums, Elf Zubielevitch – guitar.
The Clean – Tally Ho!
Recorded at Nightshift in July 1981.
Produced by Arnie Van Bussel and The Clean.
Released September 1981 on Flying Nun FN 002.
Hamish Kilgour – drums/vocals,
David Kilgour – guitar, Robert Scott – bass.
From the Class of ’81 LP, this was never a single but
should have been. The band was fairly representative
of the flood of North Shore bands which hit Auckland
in 1980 – 81, and produced The Meemees amongst
others. Towelling later became the Meemees roadie
and mascot.
p1981 Rebel Truce
Legend has it that this was recorded for $50. The single
was the first release on Flying Nun and signalled the
rise of the South Island. ‘Tally Ho’ was, deservedly, a
huge hit, surprising quite a few people in the process.
Bigger things were to come.
p1981 Flying Nun Records
The Spelling Mistakes – Feel So Good
Recorded at Mascot in May 1980.
Produced by Fane Flaws.
Released June 1980 on Propeller REV 2.
Lineup as ‘Reena’.
Second 45 from the band and Propeller, it made the
Top 30 on release, appearing about the same time as
an article in XTRA noting that the group was banned
from every venue in Auckland. Nick ended up in Green
Eggs And Ham, and The Suspenders, Nigel in Danse
Macabre.
p1980 Lamont Music Limited
Techtones – That Girl
Recorded at Harlequin in October 1980.
Produced by Techtones.
Released December 1980 on Propeller REV 5.
Steve Roach – guitar, Chris Burt – drums, Peter
Solomon – bass, Jimmy Juricevich – guitar, vocals.
Techtones were descended from Zwine’s stalwarts The
Stimulators, via Sheerlux and Berlin, and had a feel for
the perfect pop song second to none. This was the first
Propeller record distributed through a new deal with
Festival. Techtones later recorded for CBS and made
an album for Ripper.
p1980 Lamont Music Limited
The Screaming Meemees – See Me Go
Recorded at Harlequin in May 1981.
Produced by Andrew Snoid.
Released July 1981 on Propeller REV 8.
Tony Drumm – vocals, Yoh – drums, Peter Van Der
Fluit – bass/keyboards, Michael O’Neill – guitar.
Originally appearing on a 1980 compilation, this
re-recorded version was the band’s second single and
a genuine number one, being the only NZ single ever to
enter the chart at the top. Along with The Blams and
The Newmatics, the band were part of Propeller’s
Screaming Blamatic Roadshow which went up and
down the nation in mid ’81.
p1981 Lamont Music Limited
The Newmatics – Riot Squad
Recorded at Harlequin in August 1981.
Produced by Don McGlashan, The Newmatics
and Steve Kennedy.
Released October 1981 on Furtive FUR 2.
Mark Clare – vocals, Sid Pasley – guitar, Ben Staples
– drums, Jeff Smith – bass, Simon Clarke – sax, Kelly
Rogers – sax.
This came from the Broadcast O.R. double EP, a record
which made the Top 20 in November. The song was
widely assumed to be about the Springbok tour riots
but was actually about an earlier brutal police task
force raid on XS Café in Auckland’s Airedale Street.
p1981 The Newmatics/Lamont Music Limited
The Swingers – One Good Reason
Recorded at Mascot in January 1980.
Produced by Mike Chunn.
Released May 1980 on Ripper RIP 2.
Bones Hillman – bass, Buster Stiggs – drums,
Phil Judd – guitar, vocals.
Another debut single, this is one by a band which grew
out of the earlier Suburban Reptiles, and the only one
they made in NZ before superstardom in Australia.
Buster was in The Models for a while and Bones ended
up in Coconut Rough and Midnight Oil, under his real
name, Wayne Stevens.
p1980 Ripper Records
Pop Mechanics – Jumping Out A Window
Recorded at Mandrill in January 1981.
Produced by Eddie Raynor.
Released March 1981 on XSF XS 001.
Andrew Snoid – vocals, Paul Scott – bass,
Chris Moore – organ, Paul Mason – guitar,
Kevin Emmett – drums.
From Christchurch, the band that gave us Dick Driver
who was replaced by Andrew Snoid, ex-Whizz Kids. After
stopping and starting, changing names to NZ Pops,
then The Zoo then Pop Mechanics again, the band
re-emerged in 1987 as The Big Rehearsal. This was a
Top 20 single.
p1981 CBS New Zealand
Penknife Glides – Taking The Weight Off
Recorded at Mascot in February 1981.
Produced by Alistair Riddell.
Released in April 1981 on Warrior Z 10042.
Steven Gravelle – vocals, Cliff Gravelle – guitar,
Stefan Morris – drums, Jules Maloney – bass.
Along with the Blams, Meemees, Newmatics and
Danse Macabre, this band was one of Auckland’s top
drawcards in 1981. This was the B-side of their first
(and best?) 45. They later signed to Reaction, made
two EPs, went to England where they broke up.
p1981 Warrior Records Ltd.
Blam Blam Blam –
There Is No Depression In New Zealand
Recorded at Harlequin in June 1981.
Produced by The Blams.
Released July 1981 on Propeller REV 11.
Tim Mahon – bass, Mark Bell – guitar,
Don McGlashan – drums/vocals/bass.
Descended from The Whizz Kids and The Plague, the
Blams had a Top 10 hit with this song, one of the
anthems of the anti-tour movement in 1981, the whole
crowd singing it at one of the last rallies in Auckland.
The recording of this was partially financed by a video
grant from TVNZ.
p1981 Blam Blam Blam
The Instigators – Hope She’s Alright
Recorded at Harlequin in November 1981.
Produced by Steve Kennedy.
Released August 1982 on Ripper RIP 23.
Ed Geddes – vocals, sax, Sonya Waters – vocals,
keyboards, Tarawai Wesley – bass, Eddie Olsen –
drums, Tom Rossey – guitar.
A popular second generation ska band who later veered
towards becoming an even more popular third generation punk band. This was their second and final single,
both supported by very, very extensive touring. Sonya
was later a short-lived member of The Woodentops as
well as recording solo for Ripper.
p1982 Ripper Records
The Dabs – Love The Army
Recorded at Harlequin in June 1982.
Produced by Steve Kennedy.
Released August 1982 on Propeller REV 19.
Rowan Sheddon – guitar/vocals, Steve Thorpe –
drums, Geoff Hayden – bass.
The Dabs were formed from several North Shore invasion bands, and were tipped by many as a band to
watch, but it never really happened as the scene they
were a part of had started to evaporate by this stage.
Steve and Geoff went on to form the rhythm section of
The Mockers and Rowan formed The Yesmen. This
one’s for Steve.
p1982 Lamont Music Limited
The Screaming Meemees – Sunday Boys
Recorded at Harlequin in November 1981. Produced
by Ian Morris.
Released December 1981 on Propeller REV 15.
Lineup as ‘See Me Go’.
The band’s third single, the first off their debut album,
and one that got them accused of all sorts of plagiarism. Nevertheless this made the Top 10. Originally
called ‘See Through Boys’, the title was changed
halfway through recording.
p1981 Lamont Music Limited
The Chills – Kaleidoscope World
Recorded at Paul’s House (Christchurch)
in March 1982.
Produced by Doug Hood and Chris Knox.
Released August 1982 on Flying Nun DUN 1.
Alan Haig – drums, Terry Moore – bass,
Fraser Batts – keyboards, Martin Phillipps –
guitar/vocals. Remixed by Martin Phillipps and Terry
Moore at Lab Studios, Auckland 1986.
Another song that was never a single, this appeared on
the Dunedin Double EP, which also included The
Stones, Verlaines and Sneaky Feelings. Along with The
Clean’s discs this announced to the world the existence
of the supposed Dunedin sound. The first vinyl appearance of The Chills and the forerunner of bigger things
to come.
p1982 Flying Nun Records
Tall Dwarfs – Nothing’s Going To Happen
Recorded in Chris’s front room in May 1981.
Produced by Tall Dwarfs.
Released August 1981 on Furtive FUR 1.
Chris Knox and Alec Bathgate – all instruments and
noises.
Alec and Chris from the oft-lamented Toy Love, recorded
this on the much-used TEAC 4 track. It came from the
Three Songs EP, which almost blew the speakers whilst
being mastered at Mandrill. This was Tall Dwarfs’ debut
and also the first single on Propeller offshoot label,
Furtive. Later re-issued on Flying Nun.
p1981 Sheep Music
Danse Macabre – ECG
Recorded at Mandrill in August 1981.
Produced by Glyn Tucker Jnr and Trevor Reekie.
Released November 1981 on Reaction REACT 3.
Nigel Russell – vocals/synth, Weston Price –
guitar, Roddy Carlson – drums,
Ralph Crump – bass.
The first modern synth band in Auckland, Danse
Macabre toured the countr y with Penknife Glides on
Chris Parr’s Positive Reaction tour, which, through no
fault of the artists, was better known as the Positive
Fiasco tour. This track was off their debut EP Between
The Lines. Nigel is now in The Car Crash Set.
p1981 GTM Ltd.
The Body Electric – Pulsing
Recorded at Radio New Zealand studio, Wellington,
in November 1982.
Produced by Tony Burns, Bryan Staff
and Body Electric.
Released December 1982 on Jayrem JAY 107.
Gary Smith – vocals/keyboards, Alan Jimson –
guitar/keyboards, Andy Craig – bass.
A genuine smash hit, sitting in the charts for months,
but unlike most of the other hits on this album, was
accused of being a fix by moronic radio programmers.
The band was from Wellington and included two former Steriods. Alan and Gar y are now recording
moguls in Auckland.
p1982 Uptown Studios Limited
Blam Blam Blam – Don’t Fight It Marsha,
It’s Bigger Than Both Of Us
Recorded at Harlequin in October 1981.
Produced by Paul Streekstra and The Blams.
Released December 1981 on Propeller REV 14.
Lineup as ‘No Depression’.
A classic single and song title of the decade. This Top
10 single was the first off the Luxury Length album
and made Rip It Up’s Top 5 singles two years running.
The band disintegrated after a van crash while
promoting the album. Tim was later in Dead See
Scrolls, Don in The Front Lawn, and Mark in Coconut
Rough and The Big Rehearsal.
p1981 Blam Blam Blam
The Clean – Anything Could Happen
Recorded at Frontear in September 1981.
Produced by Doug Hood, Chris Knox and The Clean.
Released November 1981 on Flying Nun FN 003.
Lineup as ‘Tally Ho!’.
Probably the most popular track off the wonder ful
Boodle Boodle Boodle EP, which was the band’s
second release and did even better than the first,
selling vast numbers and allowing the band to retire
as tax exiles. They later metamorphosised into The
Great Unwashed.
p1981 Flying Nun Records
The Newmatics – Square One
Recorded at Harlequin in November 1981.
Produced by The Newmatics.
Released May 1982 on Furtive FUR 3.
Lineup as ‘Riot Squad’ but with Chris Watts – sax.
A posthumous single from Murray Cammick’s all time
favourite kiwi band. The Newmatics were notorious
for extended touring with the band, manager, crew,
lights and PA all in one Bedford Jumbo. Mark went
into management, Sid, Ben and Kelly to The Miltown
Stowaways and Ben later to The Woodentops.
p1982 The Newmatics/Lamont Music Limited
The Bongos – Falling
Recorded at Harlequin in September 1982.
Produced by The Bongos.
Released November 1982 on Propeller REV 20.
Gill Civil – keyboards, John Quigley – guitar,
Phil Steel – drums.
John and Phil were from Rhythm Method who
appeared on the Class of ’81 album. This, their only
single, was released to a fair amount of critical
acclaim but, unfortunately, few sales. The Bongos
toured NZ with The Skeptics, Prime Movers, and Dabs
as Paul Rose’s Furtive Four tour.
p1982 Lamont Music Limited
No Tag – Legalised Dogs
Recorded at Harlequin in May 1982.
Produced by No Tag.
Released August 1982 on Propeller REV 21.
Andrew Boak – guitar, Paul Van Wettering – vocals,
Carl Van Wettering – drums, Mark Sullivan – bass.
This single confused critics (and there were quite a few)
by debuting in the charts at 15 and selling a ver y
respectable quantity. They recorded a live album before
splitting. Andrew became a DJ on a commercial FM
station until they all disappeared to London where they
reformed.
p1982 No Tag
The Androidss – Auckland Tonight
Recorded at Harlequin in September 1981.
Produced by Doug Hood.
Released October 1981 on Ripper RIP 20.
Steve Android – guitar, Mark 1 Android – keyboards,
Mark 2 Android – guitar, Eric Android – drums,
Frank Android – bass, Neil Android – guitar.
Out of the South Island, this band consistently pulled
and entertained large crowds for years, totally oblivious
to musical fashion, and completely lacking in pretension. This single made the Top 20; unfortunately there
were no more.
p1981 Ripper Records
set the all-time Mainstreet attendance record at their
farewell and then split.
p1982 Lamont Music Limited
Dedicated to the Rhumba Bar, Liberty Stage,
Windsor Castle, Gladstone, Cook, XS Café,
Squeeze, Station Hotel, Last Resort,
Mainstreet, countless church halls and the
rest of those long-lost things they call venues.
Thanks to: all the members of all these bands,
wherever or whoever they are now. Paul Rose,
Roger Shepherd, Bryan Staff, Hugh Lynn,
Glyn Tucker Jnr, Ratbag, Colin Hogg, Peter Blake
and especially to the staff of Rip It Up 1979-82:
Murray Cammick, Mark Philips and Stefan Morris.
Sleeve: Thermostat/Chad Taylor.
CD artwork reassembly by Andrew B. White,
Simon Grigg and Dylan Pellett.
Compiled by Simon Grigg.
Digitally Mastered by Roland Morris at
Mandrill Studios, Auckland.
The Screaming Meemees – Stars In My Eyes
Recorded at Mandrill in November 1982.
Produced by Glyn Tucker Jnr, Tom Sampson
and Tony Drumm.
Released December 1982 on Propeller REV 22.
Lineup as ‘See Me Go’ but Peter Van Der Fluit also
played violin and Steve Anderton – trumpet.
Although not the last Propeller release, this 45 really
signals the end of the label’s era. The best Meemees
single in every way, a month later the band was one of
the major successes at Sweetwaters ’83. In April they
http://simongrigg.info/bigger.htm
REV505
p1988 PROPELLER LAMONT MUSIC LTD. c2003 PROPELLER LAMONT MUSIC LTD.
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