Southern Discontent

Rip It Up, Issue 211, 1 March 1995, Page 8

Southern Discontent

In reply to Fair Dinkum (RIU February), regarding NZ On Air’s recent grant to Failsafe Records artists.

In view of the inadequate reporting on the status of most groups south of the Bombay Hills, I can understand how you wouldn’t know one way or the other the activities of artists on the Failsafe label. I’ll enlighten you.

The Malchicks have completed an album of new material for release in the first half of this year. The band members are presently and temporarily in different parts of the world, and will remain so probably until the release of their album. The group intend to continue working under the name of the Malchicks when the opportunity arises, so I guess that means they are a current band, currently not performing. Their album is cool. It’s called Mercury. You should check it out when it’s available.

Springloader received a grant for their song ‘One More Thing’. It was the third track they had applied for and, although not their first choice for a video, is probably the most applicable ‘commercial’ intro to the band. As I am personally in this band, I guess I’d know what we were doing. Nope, we haven’t split either. We did lose an unreliable drummer late last year, but I don’t recall having split. Springloader have had a track on the Good Things compilation and have an EP and album mostly finished. Throw received a grant for the forthcoming singles ‘Falling Inside Me’ and ‘Nowhere Near’. The original intention in forming Throw was to write and record songs in a loose group of musicians co-ordinated by myself, similar to how outfits such as the UK’s This Mortal Coil work. A spate of live activity in 92 saw this idea temporarily sidetracked toward a more traditional band format. An album, Rememory, is due out soon and was completed under the original objectives over the last three years. This information has been included in almost all info kits on Throw, of which RIU has received a few.

It’s unfortunate you haven’t been informed much either way on these groups, especially by this biased publication, who seem to find

a page of full colour photos of what’s up Courtney Love’s dress etc. (February 95 issue) more relevant to the music readers of this country. It is, however, good to see you’re supportive of locally made music in the face of relative national apathy. My personal opinion on the LUC and Pumpkinhead tracks you mentioned is that both bands have made better songs more applicable to a video funding scheme aimed at the less open minded genre of national music and TV.

Cheers etc. Rob Mayes, Failsafe Records, Christchurch. Editor Replies: What extra terrestrial power could have made me think that our readers were more interested in “what’s up Courtney Love’s dress” than your bands?