Entertainment scene Kippers on the menu

Press, 13 April 1978, Page 19

Entertainment scene Kippers on the menu

By

NEVIN TOPP

Kippers, nee Maud and the Kippers from the Gresham Hotel, have taken up residence at the DB Gladstone Hotel on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights.

The group, in the photo above from left, Luke Neary, bass: Barbara Taha, v ocals; Bob Ogilvie, drums; Mike Waldegrave and Charles White, guitars, became Kippers after the departure of Maud in the form of Nancy Kiel and guitarist John Purvis.

The addition of Mike Waldegrave, former guitarist with Blues Army

Salvation and six years with the gig band, Breeze, and Barbara Taha formerly with Fathermucker, have helped change the band’s stvle.

In a recent “Rolling Stone” article on Graham Parker, Greil Marcus writes about a new form of music called pub-rock. That is what Kippers produce in an energetic sound and visual performance. including Parker’s “Soul Suede Shoes” and Costello’s “Mystery Dance.”

Charles White and Mike Waldegrave even attempt a rock question and answer routine during a

song, that makes one sit up because it has not been done locally for so long. As Charles White says the band have fun because they are all good friends and enjoy playing together.

The group plays a jazzinfluenced song by Barbara Taha called “One of the Boys,” which tells of the pressures of a female in an all-male group. However, the band w«H be without Barbara Tahits vocals in a couple of months when she leaves for Australia, and the rest of the group are considering looking for another vocalist.

Kippers are equally good as a quartet, playing in a driving Motors’ style of two vocalists against a hard rhythm edge.

Charles White is conscious that haying too much variety can give the group a lack of direction, and therefore the songs tend to concentrate on faster, energetic material.

Those in search of something new and different to listen to on a Thursday, Friday or Saturday night, Kippers are worth tasting as they can be regarded as one of the best local rock bands playing in Christchurch.