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Showing posts with label New Zealand. Show all posts
Showing posts with label New Zealand. Show all posts

Sunday, August 31, 2025

Split Enz - A Collection

 


Split Enz were a New Zealand band formed in 1972 in Auckland. Regarded as the first New Zealand band to gain significant recognition outside of Australasia, they were initially noted for their progressive/art rock sound, flamboyant visual style and theatrical performances. The band later moved toward a pop/new wave sound that yielded hit singles such as "I See Red" (1978), "I Got You" (1980), "History Never Repeats" (1981), "Dirty Creature" (1982) and "Message to My Girl" (1983). The band also released several critically-acclaimed and commercially successful albums, including Mental Notes (1975), Dizrythmia (1977), True Colours (1980) and Time and Tide (1982). Split Enz broke up in 1984. Since that time, the band has staged several brief reunions.
























Saturday, February 15, 2025

The La De Da's - A Collection

 


The La De Da's were a New Zealand rock band from 1963 to 1975. They were formed as a mod-ish group, the Mergers, in Te Atatū, by long-term members Kevin Borich on lead guitar and vocals, Phil Key on lead vocals and guitar and Trevor Wilson on bass guitar. In mid-1968 they relocated to Australia. Their popular singles in New Zealand were "How Is the Air Up There?", "On Top of the World" (both 1966), "Hey! Baby", "All Purpose Low" and "Rosalie" (all 1967), while their hits on Australia's Go-Set National Top 40 were "Gonna See My Baby Tonight" (1971), "Morning, Good Morning" (1972) and "Too Pooped to Pop" (1974). The group released one of the first Australasian rock music concept albums, The Happy Prince (1969).

The La De Da's toured New Zealand, Australia, England and continental Europe and also supported various international artists at their shows in Australia. The band's sound developed from instrumentals through garage rock-infused R&B to psychedelic rock and then from blues rock to "stripped-down" hard rock in their later years. In Australia the band are known for launching the solo career of Borich as leader of Kevin Borich Express from 1976.







Monday, January 13, 2025

Dragon - A Collection

 


Dragon is a New Zealand rock band which was formed in Auckland in January 1972, and, from 1975, based in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The band was originally fronted by singer Graeme Collins, but rose to fame with singer Marc Hunter and is currently led by his brother, bass player and co-founder Todd Hunter. The group performed, and released material, under the name Hunter in Europe and the United States during 1987.

The name "Dragon" came from a consultation of I Ching cards by founder vocalist Graeme Collins.

Keyboard player Paul Hewson wrote or co-wrote most of the group's 1970's hits: "April Sun in Cuba" peaked at No. 9 in New Zealand and No. 2 in Australia; "Are You Old Enough?" reached No. 6 in New Zealand and No. 1 in Australia in 1978; and "Still in Love With You" reached No. 35 and No. 27 in each country respectively that same year. Later hits, from when the band re-grouped in the 1980's, were written by other band members, often working with outside associates: The Hunter brothers, with Todd's partner, Johanna Pigott, wrote "Rain", a No. 2 hit in 1983, while other, more minor hits were written by the Hunters and/or Alan Mansfield, frequently in collaboration with any combination of Pigott, Mansfield's partner Sharon O'Neill, Marc Hunter's partner Wendy Hunter, or producers Todd Rundgren and David Hirschfelder.

Dragon were a premiere live act in their heyday, and released a stack of classic singles. As Australian rock historian Ian McFarlane writes, ‘Dragon were one of the most popular and notorious acts on the Australian scene … the band earned a reputation for fierce live shows, arrogant behaviour and a decadent lifestyle.’













    
                                      Power Play - 1979                                         




















Wednesday, July 24, 2019

Sydney-based R'n'B artist A.GIRL stunning debut single ‘2142’ - endearing and intricate


Western Sydney-based R'n'B artist A.GIRL recently unveiled her stunning debut single ‘2142’ - produced and mixed by Taka Perry (Ruel, M-Phazes).

Opening with its steadfast beat and arpeggiated guitars, the endearing and intricate cadences of A.GIRL float effortlessly above, as the track builds into its brooding chorus of warped bass-infused synths.

The track takes cues from the likes of Urban luminaries SZA, Jhené Aiko and Jorja Smith, and samples the actual recording of a young woman known to A.GIRL being arrested by police. It’s an all too common scene in the 2142 postcode area.

"The song is about the area I was exposed to and the things I saw first-hand. As much as it represents 2142, it’s an anthem for all people from all areas that have been through the same” says the vocalist.




A.GIRL is the moniker of 19-year-old Hinenui-Terangi Tairua. Although she calls Australia home, the connection to her family’s Maori homeland of Te Hapua in the north island of New Zealand runs deep.

When she’s not writing and recording music, A.GIRL volunteers for the OzHarvest Food Bank, where she helps deliver food to people in need across Western Sydney.


FOLLOW A.GIRL

Monday, October 3, 2016

Split Enz...Second Thoughts (1976) and Dizrythmia (1977)






Second Thoughts, released in 1976, was Split Enz' second album. It was recorded in London with Roxy Music's guitarist Phil Manzanera producing the album. Four of the songs on the album were reworked versions of songs from their 1975 debut album Mental Notes. Two other songs on the album had been first recorded during the Mental Notes sessions, but left off and re-recorded for Second Thoughts. There were two new songs, both written by Phil Judd, and a re-recording of an early Judd/Finn composition ("129"), which for the Second Thoughts version, was renamed "Matinee Idyll".


Dizrythmia, Split Enz' third album, released in 1977, was the first Split Enz album without co-founding members Phil Judd and Mike Chunn. Neil Finn and Nigel Griggs, the first being the younger brother of band leader Tim Finn, replaced them respectively. Meanwhile, Nigel's old friend and former band mate Malcolm Green took the place of Emlyn Crowther who also left around this time. The album was released domestically by Mushroom Records, and overseas by Chrysalis Records.

The single "My Mistake" was a hit in New Zealand and Australia, but failed to make much impact overseas. "Bold as Brass" was the second single. The album is regarded as the start of the band's breakthrough, and marked a shift from art rock to more pop-oriented songs.

The album's title comes from circadian dysrhythmia, more commonly known as jet lag. The back cover was originally intended as the front cover. Both were designed by Noel Crombie, who also designed the band's costumes.

Tim Finn coughs forty-four seconds into "Nice To Know", a feature erroneously left in the final mix. Both Tim Finn and Eddie Rayner were disappointed with the final mix of "Charlie" feeling that the vocals sounded very flat. Geoff Emerick, the engineer for the album thought it was a beautiful vocal however, so it stayed.





see previous post on Mental Notes
Split Enz on Wikipedia

 

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