Crime and punishment

Press, 2 May 1985, Page 18

Crime and punishment

This Kind of Punishment appear to be living up to their name. The Auckland band is on their first tour, including Christchurch this week-end, but immediately it is over they are going into an indefinite hiatus.

The nucleus of the band — Graeme Jeffries, the guitarist, and his brother, Peter, the vocalist — intend heading back to where they come from, Stratford, Taranaki, after the tour finishes at Auckland’s Maidment Theatre on July 23 and July 24. Although This Kind of Punishment have two albums out (including “A Beard of Bees,” which is reviewed below) the band have only played a few shows at their home base, Auckland.

It seems ironic, therefore, that the band might finish after their nationwide tour with the Expendables, which includes playing at the Gladstone Tavern tomorrow and Saturday evenings.

This Kind of Punishment originated in Stratford after a collaboration between the Jeffries brothers, Peter and Graeme. Both were formerly in Nocturnal Projections. When Children’s Hour split up, Chris Matthews, the vocalist, joined the two brothers on a permanent basis (having helped out on some of the tracks on the band’s first self-titled album). The brothers moved to

Auckland, and the band’s line-up became steady with the addition of Michael Harrison on bass. This Kind of Punishment have just released the second album, “A Beard of Bees,” through Flying Nun records. The group looked after the cutting, pressing, and printing themselves, plus carrying out their own distribution in Auckland. Like the first LP, it was a home recording, although much* better equipment was used.

The band are already planning a new EP, with a new bass guitarist, Johnny Pierce, formerly of Children’s Hour, joining the group.

But the surprise comes at the end of the tour when the Jeffries brothers return to Stratford for that is an indefinite period. No mention has been made about the fate of the band.

Meanwhile, the Expendables, also known as They Were Expendable, return with a new line-up and new eight-track EP in the offing. Jay Clarkson, the vocalist and guitarist, and Michael Kime, the bass guitarist, remain in the band, and have been joined by a new guitarist, Anthony Nevison, and Chris Matthews, the drummer, who had left Children’s Hour to join This Kind of Punishment.

The eight-track EP, “Inbetween Gears,” is due to be released soon by Flying Nun.