RUMOURS

Rip It Up, Issue 209, 1 January 1995, Page 38

RUMOURS

AUCKLAND KAFM 93.8 (formally Gulf FM) have introduced the Hard Rock Kiwi Top 10 Show. It goes to air Thursdays, between 7pm and 9pm. Interested bands can send DAT or CD demos to Studio 2, PO Box 167, Oneroa, Waiheke Island ... Second Child will release a new single entitled ‘Crumble’ on Wildside next month ... Supergroove will play the Sydney and Melbourne Big Day Out shows ... ex-Chills drummer Earl Robertson has left Upper Hutt Posse ... Simon Laan is now managing Three The Hard Way. For booking info’ fax (09) 6388661... Shayne Carter will debut a new Dimmer line-up at the Big Day Out. Auckland soundman Dean Godwin replaces Peter Jefferies on drums and Chris Heazlewood (King Loser) is the new bassist ... Tangata Records have signed Ruia Aperahama, former lead singer with Southside Of Bombay and co-writer of Moana and the Moahunters’ Top 20 single ‘Tahi’... Brian Wafer of Ima Hitt Records in New Plymouth is bringing US band DOA back to New Zealand for a tour beginning March 10 ... Pumpkinhead spent a weekend in Auckland early last month to master their forthcoming Wildside album Sloth ... Andrew Fagan’s debut solo album, Blisters, will be released in the UK on independent label Timbuktu, in early ‘95. Fagan is currently recording demos at Revolver Studios ... another Bone Machine. This one’s on at Squid on Christmas Eve, featuring Saturn 5 and DJs Psycho Andy and Sicoff ... Flying Nun Records are planning a JPS Experience compilation for release early next year... Saturn 5 have been recording an EP at Revolver with Andrew Fagan and Malcolm Smith producing. The Postcard Continental EP will be released early 95 ... Quaff Records have moved to 1 O’Connell Street in the city ... Greg Johnson has recently returned from Wellington after mixing his forthcoming Pagan album Vine Street Stories at Marmalade with Nigel Stone. JOHN RUSSELL HAWKES BAY Welcome to the first. of hopefully many reports from the sunny Hawkes Bay ... the demise of the Wine Bar in Napier has seen solo musicians and duos successfully find homes in Brodskies and Havelock North’s Sleeping Giant ... Jesters Court has reverted back to being called the Iron Pot, but is now a restaurant with a garden bar out back, that has music on weekend afternoons. Roy Brown is doing the bookings ... with the sale of the Onekawa and it’s planned transformation into a neighbourhood tavern, the Shakespeare is now the only venue to cater for the slowly diminishing number of touring bands that visit Napier ... original songwriter nights are now being held at Sleeping Giant every fourth Wednesday night and, according to organiser Richard Nicholson, are going well, with a wide variety of music being performed ... well respected blues, jazz and rock guitarist Peter Thwaites was given a rousing send off at the back bar of the Provincial, before heading back to his Australian homeland ... Hawkes Bay Musicans Club and Frets have combined forces and are holding monthly jam sessions at different venues. Setting up their own venue is also an aim ... Hawkes Bay compilation tape Windows in Wonderland is meeting with favourable reaction both loyally and nationally. All profits are being channelled back into the next compilation on Hanging Tree Records, which will feature bands Rockinfreakapotomous, Levitation, Sugarjack and Hangar 17, along with soloists Dean Hadfield, Holly Ewans and Andrew Cummins. Videos will hopefully accompany the tape ... Hanging Tree, the band, are also recording in their own studio, and are aiming for a release on CD as well as branching out into the clothing industry with their Hanging Tree Clothing label manufacturing T-shirts ... young Havelock

band Static Black, who feature on the Windows tape, have reformed with a new drummer and additional guitarist, and are planning to record demos in Auckland early next year... the establishment of Access Radio in the Bay is good news for musicians and listeners wanting something more than the endless supply of classic hits/rock radio currently on offer. The station aims to be on air by February ... new originals band Soulside Journey features Jason on drums, Jeff on guitar, vocalist Shane, and Matt from Rockinfreakapotomous on bass ... Premature Autopsy are now down in Wellington, receiving an enthusiastic response from punters, and gaining interest from record companies ... overall winner of the Hawkes Bay Original Song Contest was Richard Gannoway, while Sugarjack and Rockinfreakapotomous shared the rock category. Other winners were Wyn Drabble (folk), Frank Wagglesworth (classical), Brenda Anderson-Coley (country) and Rosalind Armstrong (contemporary pop)... the Music Machine is moving across the road into bigger premises and expanding into keyboards and more PAs. A party for Bay musicians is planned for the opening. TONY PARKER DUNEDIN Bruce Russell is leaving Dunedin after 15 years, to reside in Lyttleton. His extensive contribution to the local music scene includes establishing the successful Xpressway label, playing guitar in the Dead C, writing for Garage and Alley Oop fanzines, having the most peculiar laugh ever heard at the Empire, and much more. The Dead C will continue sporadically ... Does it Float? is a 19 song strong CD compilation just released by Trinder Music. It provides a sweeping cross-section of material from both young and more well known acts ... Dadmah’s This is Not a Dream album has been re-released on CD, with their two singles also included. Off-shoot band Flies Inside the Sun have also recorded an album ... Dimmer have recorded three songs for a single, but are still searching for a bass player ... American cult duo Mecca Normal have been visiting and are recording a single for IMD, who have also just released a Brown Velvet Couch single ... Dating Godot have released a single and album. Andrew Spittle’s other band Das Phaedrus have also been gigging lots ... mod squad Too Many Daves’ EP So What’s Normal? sold out upon release, possibly due to the cover photo of Age of Dog bassist Victor Billot caught being a yuppie ... Matthew Perkins is the new bassist in Kid Eternity ... the Puddle played their only gig of the year at a Gaye Oakes benefit gig at the Crown in midNovember. Bungalow, Squid and Christmas also performed. The benefit raised $250 ... S7OO was stolen from the Super 8 performance venue, but a benefit gig managed to recoup most of it. An inside job is suspected, but the pathetic creep responsible has yet to be caught ... promoter Doug Nuttal has blamed advertising on commercial radio instead of Radio One as the reason for only 35 bands entering and 400 people attending the Speights Battle of the Bands final recently, according to a Critic interview. The previous two Battles under Nuttal’s direction each attracted at least 70 entrants and far bigger crowds ... Junkyard Jesus have split up ... Umlaut played their final gig at the Crown in November... Das Phaedrus have recently recorded 4 tracks at Volt Studio ... the 3Ds are playing ail the dates on the Australian leg of the Big Day Out. GRANT McDOUGALL/GAVIN BERTRAM PALMERSTON NORTH Spotty Dog Records has released Hard of Hearing #2. The cassette features previously unreleased material from three Palmerston North bands (Foisemaster, The Ashvins and Meat Market), providing more evidence the scene in Palmy is a flourishing one ... party pub band Vital Signs have recently recorded a demo at the Stomach, and get geared up to enter the new year with a series of gigs around the lower North Island in December ... other bands recording at the Stomach lately include Dog Tooth Violet, Blunt, Frolt Head, Toadstool, Craig Black (ex the Flickering and Rain), new project Claire’s Un-Natural Twin (formerly Cunt), and Treehouse and Undercover Tribe, both from Wanganui... Polly have sold heaps of their 7” single, released by Thousands Records, and have bought a van in preparation for their planned upcoming tour of the North Island ... Full Noise celebrated the release of their tape with a gig at the New Royal with State of Hate and death metallers Shaitan ... new band of manic noise merchants on speed are Stump Thumper, who debuted at an all ages gig at the Stomach with

Blunt and Christchurch folks Ape Management ... Tree Fellas, Palmerston North band with a Celtic nature, are having a break to sip Guinness until the new year. Tree Fellas usually play at the Celtic Tavern ... the overseas lineup for Mountain Rock has expanded to include Australian act My Friend the Chocolate Cake. Buy your ticket now and be in to win some great prizes ... Trent and Matt’s Heaven Dance Parties are attracting 3-400 people, and are being held monthly, usually at the Globe Theatre. The DJs play up-front trance, tribal and house music, and feature special guests from Wellington ... Frolt Head's debut album, Grinding Stone, is out now on Yellow Bike Records ... if you want to know more about the Palmerston North music scene, contact Claire Pannell on (06) 3568-199, extension 7780, or PO Box 586, Palmerston North. CLAIRE PANNELL WELLINGTON The Sonic Arts Society is raising it’s profile again after a period of restructuring with releases due from Breathe, Funkmutha, Eve, Demoniac, Bud Piece and a video from Harry Death. They have rehearsal space available, call 801-6815 ... Fat Mannequin took out the Shoot Out Battle Of The Bands final with a scorcher of a set, and have secured themselves a main stage spot at Mountain Rock. Their debut EP is now distributed by Metro ... Darren Watson has a new group made up of old leftovers called the Band Of Giants, and when you see those growing lads on stage you’ll understand the name. Watson has more than an albums worth of strong originals in the can ... The energetic Short have a release due on Beats Bodega and the label has a second compilation nearing the shops ... Bill Lake of the Windy City Strugglers, Pelicans and Living Daylights fame is recording a new album... Bruno Lawrence has a new jazz band Fireworks ... Marabu are a new seven piece reggae, funk, afro band ... Monster are self described ‘low tech’ band ‘who don’t write songs’... local popsters Story Board have been touring and have a possible release through Sun Pacific ... if you know who, or what, Leningrad Cowboys are then check out Paris Troika for some swinging polka. No long pointy shoes or mountainous quiffs though ... Plankton are a promising new band in Paddy Moran’s Really Big Records stable ... Delerium are about playing sax lead acid jazz ... Shihad are back from a very successful tour of Germany, Holland and London and have demod their second album ... also back from overseas and back on the boards are Banshee Reel. Their debut album Culture Vulture is going into a second pressing. They will record again in the new year with a single due out in March ... the four piece percussion unit Many Hands Percussion have been recording an album for release next year ... Tycody is now being booked by Martin Wilson. The venue has good in house production and reasonable room hire rates. Capacity 450. Ph/fax 384-1998. JOHN PILLEY CHRISTCHURCH Headrush have just finished a hectic tour and are now looking for a residency whilst planning on several changes for the New Year. Ape Management have just set off on their countrywide tour. Vocalist Rob provided the artwork for Snort’s up coming single before he left ... Snort are releasing their single ‘Hey Creep’ on a new label that has connections to Plains FM's punk show Pirate 5... I and I have split from original member Mingo and are continuing as John Tuala and I and I ... up and coming sound-tech Sarah Nicol has burnt a few bridges and headed to Auckland ... New Fuck Explosion will be continuing as a three piece ... Banshee Reel recently played their first gig in the old home town (all bar fiddler Gavin are from Christchurch) which packed out the Dux ... John McCarthy’s new bar The Edge opened recently with little fanfare. Situated on Hereford Street and booked by ex-Newtone Tony Peek, it is currently appealing to a jazz kind of crowd ...The cafe where everyone is seen,Java has been hosting a number of performers, both local and touring (including Balance and Wendy House) ... Loves Ugly Children and Pumpkinhead will be representing Christchurch at next years Big Day Out ... Matt Alien is about to debut a new three piece band which will be completely different from Alien and Human ... big news of the month is the split of 147 Swordfish and the rumour of Dave (Dynamo) Deakins taking a break which will leave Blast Off bass less and Salmonella drummer-less! ... and for those Squirm fans who have been wondering, it appears it is one of the band members on the cover of Whip Me Honey ... the correct telephone number for

Siftwood Studio is 026 3516990, or alternatively 379 6881. They also have practice space and a PA for hire. JOHN GREENFIELD HAMILTON The Pilgrims are back together, now that guitarist Karl has returned from Latvia ... Dean Leary, the manager of 5 Girls and King Biscuit, is now managing Inchworm, who have also just re-recorded ‘Come Out, Come Out, Wherever You Are’ off their Looper tape, for a NZ On Air funded music video ... Andrew Johnstone’s album ‘The Wallflower’ is receiving good reviews and selling well ... recording recently at ‘the Zoo’ have been the Bitchymins and Tetnus, who have completed five songs towards their debut album on Hark Records ... Blackjack’s new single, a cover of the Promises song ‘Baby, It’s You’, has been mastered at Studio 301 in Sydney, as has Knightshade’s forthcoming single ‘Television Eyes’ ... Hand Of Glory are presently recording with Greg Locke’s ‘Orange’ label ... the Romantic Andes are now being managed by Douglas Ewan, who is also planning a compilation CD of Hamilton bands for early 1995. Bands that will probably appear on the CD include the Andes, 5 Girls, Inchworm, NODROG and Boil Up ... Fridge Records, formerly known as Zygote Promotions are planning a sequel to the 1993 Hamilton compilation CD, Discordia Concors. The new compilation will be released in 1995, and unlike the first one, which included many older, defunct bands, it will contain only current bands ... King Biscuit have completed a national tour promoting their first single on Hark Records, ‘Crazy Dreams’ ... 5 Girls are now a three piece after the departure of vocalist Renee. The video for their song ‘Food’ (made by Greg Page and recently seen on Frenzy) won the Best Video Award at the Waikato Rock Awards ... other winners at the Awards included No Thrills for Best Live Band, and the Set won the $30,000 recording contract with Hark Records, which includes a $5,000 NZ On Air video grant and a place on a Kiwi Hit Disc... Tim Hall from Uncharted was recently in Hamilton to interview 801 l Up, Inchworm, The Romantic Andes, Plop Records and Hark Records for future shows ... Loose New Romans are recording at the Fridge Studios ... Tetnus have begun recording an album at the Zoo studios ... also at the Zoo recently, John Michaels is recording a single, lan Whitehouse has recorded four songs, and Tama Dean is working on a new

album.

JUSTIN HARRIS