Photo © Stuart Page

Two SKEPTICS albums' - III and Amalgam - are to be re-issued this August through Flying Nun and Captured Tracks.

The re-issues also coincide with the release of  'Sheen of Gold', a documentary film about the SKEPTICS which will have it's world premiere at the upcoming New Zealand International Film Festival. Directed by Simon Ogston ('Rumble & Bang' + 'Gone With The Weird' ), 'Sheen of Gold' tells the story of one of New Zealand's most influential and innovative bands, that throughout the 1980s combined traditional instrumentation with electronic sounds to make some of the best music this country has produced. You can watch the trailer below.

Both SKEPTICS III and Amalgam  will be re-mastered and re-issued on LP, CD and Digitally. More details here

The Bats are set to the tour the USA for the first time since 2006.

The 12-date tour starts on May 30 at the Chaos in Tejas festival in Austin, TX - for full details and tickets click here

The Clean's debut album Vehicle plus the collected works of the Bird Nest Roys are now set to be re-issued. Following on from the The Bats and Snapper EPs re-issued for Record Store Day, we decided to tackle the longer format, and The Clean's first full-length studio album Vehicle seemed the perfect fit. The upcoming re-issue will also include the bonus live EP In-A-Live from the same reunion tour. Presented in a gatefold 2xLP set that includes not just that great piece of cover art (done by guitarist David Kilgour), but a full colour booklet with liner notes from the band, photos, posters and a pull out In-A-Live 12" sleeve.

Born in the hills west of Auckland, New Zealand the Bird Nest Roys had a brief but brilliant lifespan. Formed in the mid-1980s the six-piece released one LP, one EP and a 7" single in the space of four years. Now, we've packaged them up for your listening convenience. Re-issued for the first time will be the bands entire discography including Whack It All Down and their 1987 self-titled album. Simply titled Me Want Me Get Me Need Me Have Me Love, the release will be available on 2xLP gatefold with previously unseen posters, flyers and photos, as well as digitally and on CD.

Here's the video for 'Ain't Mutatin' off their 1985 EP Whack It All Down:

Congratulations to the Gordons who will be presented the inagural ‘Independent Music NZ Classic Record’ at this year's Taite Music Prize.

The award will be presented by Shayne Carter at the event next week, and will be accepted by band member John Halvorsen, the event will also be live-streamed via NZ Herald Online. 

We are pleased to announce two amazing EP reissues this Record Store Day (April 20) in partnership with Captured Tracks. 

First up, the debut self-titled EP from Snapper, orginally released in 1988, packed with dark and spaced pop jams this 12-inch quickly went out of print. Another Southern band's debut EP is also being offered up on Record Store Day with The Bats' 'By Night' being made available for the first time in nearly 30 years. Both EPs will be available on limited edition 12" vinyl and are exact replicas of the original release.

Underwater Pyramids, the latest album from noize quartet Badd Energy, is available now. You can pick up a copy on 12" LP, CD and download from our webstore here.

Check out their latest video for 'Riot' , directed by Thom Burton, an anti-apathy attack ‘Riot’ sees the group return to their love of punk - and if you are in Auckland this week, the band are playing a release show at Cassette 9 on Friday (March 15). 

BADD ENERGY – UNDERWATER PYRAMIDS
AVAILABLE NOW
 

March 15: BADD ENERGY w/ MELTING POT MASSACRE + TRUST PUNKS at Cassette 9, Auckland. $10 entry.

David Kilgour and The Heavy Eights have a new single, 'Christopher Columbus', available digitally now for free (or whatever you choose to pay).

You can have a listen below, or head to Arch Hill Recording's bandcamp to download a copy:

Recorded by Tex Houston in downtown Dunedin last year, the track features David Kilgour on guitar/vocal/keys along with Thomas Bell (bass), Tony de Raad (guitar) and Taane Tokona (drums).

David Kilgour and The Heavy Eight's play Chicks Hotel, Port Chalmers, Dunedin on March 8 + 9, and WOMAD, New Plymouth on March 17.

Get ready for the unveiling of Underwater Pyramids, the latest album from noize quartet Badd Energy - the band's (Coco Solid, Sam Moore, Trixie Darko and J.Suave) second album is set for release on March 15 on 12” LP, CD and download.

Check the album cover above by artist Eli Orzessek, and the band have just announced two album release shows:
 

BADD ENERGY – UNDERWATER PYRAMIDS
OUT MARCH 15

March 9: BADD ENERGY w/ YUCKY BOYS + FREAK MAGNET at Puppies, Wellington. $10 entry
 

March 15: BADD ENERGY w/ MELTING POT MASSACRE + TRUST PUNKS at Cassette 9, Auckland. $10 entry.

Announcing the Flying Nun & Arch Hill Afternoon Grill with...

Two Stages at either end of the room

7.15PM - Snapper

6.30PM - Street Chant

5.45PM - Solid Gold Hell

5PM - Transistors

4.15PM - Ghost Wave

3.30PM - Surf Friends

The Kings Arms, Auckland - Sunday the 17th of Feb from approx. 2pm

Tickets from UnderTheRadar

We are very pleased to announce we will be teaming up with New York record label Captured Tracks to set up a Flying Nun US office. The partnership plans on releasing currently out of print titles including the most prominent and most obscure releases, from the earliest releases through the catalogue. Check out the annoucement via Pitchfork here.

Captured Tracks are a label who have recently made waves with a series of great releases from artists like Wild Nothing, Beach Fossils, Mac DeMarco, Diiv and others.

Our offices will be closed between December 21 - January 7. Any orders made between those dates will be sent out first thing on January 8.

Thanks for your patience and wishing you all a happy new year! See you in 2013.

Our latest tee has arrived just in time for summer (if your in the southern hemisphere).

For this one we pulled out another logo from the archives. We were never quite sure what the name of design was - so we have gone with 'Flying Nun Angel'.  Used during our '25th Anniversary', it's an unique angel, a one-eyed cupid deliverying records. No one knows what the record is either, but its bound to be good.

Furthermore we've also got a re-stock of the Fuzzy Logo T-shirt and The Clean - Boodle, Boodle, Boodle grey tee.

A couple of shows a happening this weekend in Wellington with the Sharpie Crows releasing their new 12" LP Nostalgia Kills at Puppies (118 Tory Street). Joinging them will be Mean Girls and Team Ugly from Auckland.

There is a special presale offer with a ticket and a copy of the LP for only $20! You can grab them from here.

Then on Saturday, following the release of their recent video for How Do You Sleep - Badd Energy are playing at Mighty Mighty (Cuba Street) alongside It Hurts and Yucky Boys.

Congratulations to Grayson Gilmour on winning the 'Best Score' award at this year's New Zealand Film Awards for his work on 'The Most Fun You Can Have Dying'.

You can check out the soundtrack here

On the brink of releasing their anticipated second record ‘Underwater Pyramids’ local noize foursome Badd Energy are celebrating with their new single ‘How Do You Sleep’.

The surreal and unsettling video is the brainchild of Auckland director (a.k.a Moppy and Wilberforces band-member) Thom Burton.

How Do You Sleep, along with a special remix by Mexico’s José José José is available for download here:

 

Congratulations to Toy Love with their new double LP debuting at #15 on the New Zealand Music charts. A no mean feat especially considering it was achieved on the back of 100% vinyl only sales.

PS. We have another Toy Love bundle on the go, this one featuring both the Toy Love Double LP and the Pull Down The Shades DVD. Click here for more info.

Pre-orders are now available for the Sharpie Crows' 'Nostalgia Kills' LP - each order comes with an immediate download of the album and a hidden secret surprise. Click here to grab a copy.

That great band-of-the-south are back to remind us how sweet, lovely and connective pop songs can be - with The Bats playing two must-see shows this weekend at the Leigh Sawmill Café and Bodega, Wellington.

Details are:

Fri November 2nd Leigh Sawmill Café
142 Pakiri Rd, Leigh 0985
Doors from 8.00pm
Show from 9.30pm
Pre sales www.undertheradar.co.nz & Venue

Sat November 3rd Bodega, Wellington
101 Ghuznee Street, Wellington 6011
Doors from 8.00pm
Show from 9.00pm
Pre sales www.undertheradar.co.nz & Rough Peel 

Robert Scott (The Clean and The Bats) is playing two Auckland shows this weekend.

First up an early show on Saturday (October 27) at Golden Dawn from 7pm. Plus he will be performing as part of the Waitakere Festival the following from 3:45pm. For more info click here.

Following on from the news that Toy Love are the 2012 Legacy award recipients –  Real Groovy Records in Auckland have announced a series of Toy Love related material.

Along with the upcoming Toy Love double LP, there will also be limited edition 7", a DVD plus some t-shirts. All available from Saturday November 3.

Pre-Order a copy of the Toy Love double LP here.

A huge congratulations to Toy Love who will recieve year's Legacy Award for the NZ Music Award and be inducted into the NZ Music Hall of Fame.

Plus we are teaming up with Real Groovy Records to release a double LP of Toy Love material on November 3, along with a bunch of other Toy Love related goodies, including a special DVD collection.

PRE-ORDERS FOR THE TOY LOVE DOUBLE LP AVAILABLE HERE

LISTEN TO A PREVIEW OF THE ALBUM STREAMING AT THE NEW ZEALAND HERALD HERE

Read the full story on our blog here

We are making a few tweaks up here at Flying Nun. Nothing major. For the most part it is business as usual.

The main change is that we will be moving operations up from Wellington to Auckland. Flying Nun will continue re-presenting, re-packaging and re-discovering music worth caring about. Equally importantly, we want to make sure the music is accessible to fans from all around the world.

The head office will now be located in Auckland, alongside Arch Hill Recordings. Ben Howe (from Arch Hill) will become general manager, Roger Shepherd will work as a consultant and shareholder (based in Wellington) and Matthew Davis will move to Auckland to carry on as the local label manager.

In the current environment it makes sense for labels and independent music businesses to consolidate and share resources. In order to succeed we must keep the focus on working with great bands, making sure they are properly looked after and taking them to the world. We think this is the future for Flying Nun - from vinyl through to online.

New contact details are:

PO Box 68-194
Newton
Auckland, 1145
New Zealand
Ph +64 9 5229314

Two singles and one 12” EP, live shows only in Christchurch between May 1981 and January 1982, a reunion single in 1993; and that’s all folks. Now, over 30-years since their (and the) first release on Flying Nun, all the Pin Group material has been bought together for a complete re-issue.

Compiled by Bruce Russell, Ambivalence sees all the Christchurch act’s material fully re-mastered and repackaged with reproductions of the original artwork by contemporary artist and Pin Group associate Ronnie van Hout. Plus, each copy of the LP comes with a bonus CD featuring live tracks from the band's 1981 show at the Gladstone Hotel, Christchurch.

PIN GROUP - AMBIVALENCE
Available now on CD and LP

For more information and to purchase a copy click here.

Following in a tradition of bands and beer that has existed throughout the ages, T54 thought it was time they got their own brew too.
 

So the Christchurch band wrote the song 'Kill Red', the Dux brewed a beer, found some old bottles and now they are one. Plus the band are taking it on a taste tour around the country.

Check out the single below and click here for the tour details.

Grayson Gilmour is heading to Japan for some solo shows in Tokyo this month.

Dates are....

July 18 - Rock Action at Club Asia - w/ birds melt sky, 夕暮レトロニカ, She Her Her Hers, MOROHA, pocketlife, luvrap group, Boys get hurt DJs

Time To Go explores the early history of Flying Nun from 1981-86, a ‘heroic period’ of lo-tech recording, handmade covers and ‘extended play’ 45s.

Rather than being simply a ‘greatest hits’ from this period, the compilation brings together a collection of tracks from key South Island bands that were active during that time. 

More information click here

AVAILABLE NO ON 2xLP, CD AND DIGITALLY

It's been a bit of a while, but finally we have the limited edition art print  for our 30th Anniversary compilation, "Tally Ho! Flying Nun's Greatest Bits".

There are only 200 of these beauties, each individually signed and numbered by artist and illustrator Henrietta Harris. Plus every order includes a copy of the compilation CD and free postage.

To get yourself a copy click here

Grayson Gilmour has just released his first feature length soundtrack for the film The Most Fun You Can Have Dying and with a couple more in the making he has offered a little insight into the process – via a video playlist on our blog here.

The soundtrack features 20 tracks with music composed by Grayson along with songs from New Zealand bands Jakob and Wilberforces, is available now digitally here. Directed by Kirstin Marcon, The Most Fun You Can Have Dying is out in NZ cinemas now and the kind folk at Rialto have offered a bunch of double passes for us to giveaway, just  email us with your address to win.

Bruce Russell (Dead C, Xpressway Records) has kindly provided us with a piece on the new ’Time To Go’ compilation he curated. You can read the full article over on our blog here.

He has also written a column for Volcanic Tongue which is well worth checking out as well (some good photos too).

Album number nine in the 30-year career of The Verlaines, Untimely Meditations is now available on CD and digitally.

So, what to expect from these "Untimely Meditations"? Like most Verlaines’ albums there are no two songs alike. But there is a theme throughout of expressing what it is to be born into this time and place. It is outspoken and confrontational and yet again showcases singer-wongwriter Graeme Downes fine talents.

Check it out (and order if you so wish) in our store here

Look what recently arrived in the mail - The Bats postcard series!

And they are now available to order so you too can recieve them in the mail (and send them in the mail if you so wish). Plus The Bats have another new video for their latest album Free All The Monsters - this for the instrumental track Canopy. 

Graeme Downes will be talking words and singing tracks from The Verlaines upcoming new album "Untimely Meditations". 

A senior lecturer at the University of Otago, Graeme will be talking about a songwriter's occupation - what the word occupation means or entails when it comes to writing songs, James K. Baxter, Friedrich Nietzsche, MTV, Fox News, National Identity, sovereignty . . . and anything else that comes up.

Graeme Downes - "Untimely Meditations", A Songwriters Occupation.

Wednesday 22nd February 6.00 pm - Free
Chancellor 1, 16th Floor, James Cook Hotel Grand Chancellor, 147 The Terrace Wellington

Thursday 23rd February 6.00 pm - Free
The Loft, Q Theatre, 305 Queen Street Auckland

That's right, Auckland trio Popstrangers are heading to the South Island again for a couple of shows in early March.

You can catch Popstrangers on:

Friday March 2nd – FUSE 2012 - The CPIT Orientation Festival at The CPSA Ballroom, Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology.

Saturday March 3rd – ReFuel, Dunedin w/ Opposite Sex & Hunting Bears.

Badd Energy have just released the video for “Ba-Zing” their latest single from their upcoming second album Underwater Pyramids. Once again the video is directed by Jason Howden (who did their earlier "Third Eye" music video), and sees the foursome hurtling through a video game vortex and mean digital streets.

Plus if you are in New Zealand Badd Energy have got seven gigs around the country this month.

It's summer (well, in New Zealand at least) and you can't go past a good t-shirt for the wardrobe. Thankfully The Bats have a bunch of new tees for their new album Free All The Monsters. Featuring artwork by Robert Scott, it's fast becoming the Flying Nun office uniform.

Plus the band have a new video for 'Spacejunk' off Free All The Monsters. Directed by John Morrison, the clip captures the band playing at The East Brunswick Club in Melbourne with five different cameras going at once.

Some good news to finish the year, with The Verlaines set to release their new album, 'Untimely Meditations' in early 2012.

In the meantime you can purchase a digital copy in advance, or pre-order a CD copy from our online store. Plus, you can also get a digital copy of the album as an immediate download when you pre-order the CD from here.

Released in 1992, Hellzapoppin, was The 3Ds first full length album, and is now available for the first time on 12" LP. Plus, the digital album now comes with the bonus track - the band's cover of Brian Eno's 'Baby's on Fire', which was orginally released as the B-side to the Outer Space 7" single (FN241, 1992).

CLICK HERE TO ORDER A COPY OF HELLZAPOPPIN ON 12"

It has been a busy year for Popstrangers, nominated for this year’s Critic’s Choice Award, performing at CMJ in New York and performing as part of Flying Nun Record’s 30th Anniversary celebrations.

Now the Auckland-based trio – Joel Flyger, Adam Page and David Larson - have a new video for ‘What Else Could They Do?’.

As the year comes to an end, so does our Garage zine re-issue series. Issue 6 was the last Garage zine and features a great photo of The Clean on the front cover as well as pieces on Straitjacket Fits, The Chills, Fetus Productions, The Bats and many more. You can also listen to the Richard Langston compiled podcast for this issue here.

DOWNLOAD GARAGE #6 PDF
LISTEN TO THE GARAGE #6 PODCAST

The Flying Nun 30th Anniversary month of November is over. Most anniversaries are over a long holiday weekend but it’s a bit tricky fitting 30 shows (and 20 odd bands) into that many days. So, what was an idea for a simple celebration that would be an excuse to see some favorite artists new and old expanded into a month long event taking in all the main centres. I blame enthusiasm, so we returned to our roots in a sense.

Read the full blog post here

To celebrate our 30th Anniversary we thought it was about time for a compilation that explores the label's history. It was no easy task, and resulted in many a discussion and what we came up with were 40 tracks put together in this package here - Tally Ho! Flying Nun's Greatest Bits

On the eve of touring New Zealand with Alphabethead, as part of the Flying Nun 30th Anniversary, F IN MATH releases a new single and video for the track AETHER TEENS from his ‘Couch EP’ released earlier this year.

The video, directed by Simon Ward (Disasteradio, Bang Bang Eche, Golden Axe), features, in our humble opinion, some of the best animal costume dancing in a long time.

Tickets are now on sale for the Flying Nun Record’s 30th Anniversary shows in November, with 30 shows featuring both past and present acts from the label.

The celebrations begin this Friday (November 4) with the 'New Nun Night' at the Kings Arms in Auckland, and F in Math w/ Alphabethead playing the Archive in Christchurch.

Follow the 'read more' button for the full schedule and tickets.

Garage Issue #5 is now available, again, and you can download the PDF version of the music zine below. This issue focus' on Chris Knox, with editor Richard Langston hitch-hiking to Auckland at the time to interview him, while the cover is a photo of Chris Knox from his Enemy days. Check out the podcast that accompanies the zine here.

Plus Richard Langston and Roger Shepherd go head to head in this week's issue of Volume Magazine (dedicated to our 30th Anniversary) Talking Heads section, where they talk about how it all began and music journalism in New Zealand in the mid-1980s. Listen to the full audio of the conversation here.

DOWNLOAD GARAGE #5 PDF
LISTEN TO GARAGE #5 PODCAST
RICHARD LANGSTON - ROGER SHEPHERD TALKING HEADS IN VOLUME

THE BATS release their eighth studio album today ‘Free All The Monsters’.  Recorded at Seacliff, a former asylum in the grand Victorian style just outside of Dunedin, New Zealand, and masterfully produced by Dale Cotton (HDU, Dimmer), it captures some of their strongest songs to date.

Plus, the new video for second single 'In The Subway' is out today. Directed by bassist Paul Kean, it aptly features the band playing in a subway

'Third Eye' is the latest single from our newest signing - Auckland-based band Badd Energy.

The exciting video was directed by visual artist Jason Howden and produced by Sarah Wensley. And is suitably apt, taking you away to a world of pyramids, fantasy and pyschedelic adventure.

Third Eye is available as a pay as you like download here.

Tickets are now on sale for the Flying Nun Record’s 30th Anniversary shows in November, with even more acts added to the bulging line-up of past and present acts from the label.

Shayne P. Carter (Straitjacket Fits, Dimmer) will be taking his Last Train To Brockville shows down south to Christchurch and Dunedin with Ghost Club, while The Subliminals reform for a series of shows with The Clean (ArchHill/Merge Records) across New Zealand.

Also joining the celebrations are Fetus Productions and X Features for a special one off show, as well as The Verlaines, Solid Gold Hell and The Puddle.

In turn, Flying Nun Records are pleased to announce their latest signing Badd Energy – who will play the 'New Nun Night' to launch the month in Auckland and Wellington. 

We are up to Issue 4 in our series of digital republications of the Garage zine. In this issue there is coverage of The Puddle, Look Blue Go Purple, The Chills, Victor Dimisich Band and cover stars Doublehappys. Plus former Garage contributor Ian Henderson (Fishrider Records) has written a piece on Garage, and there is another podcast compiled by editor Richard Langston.

DOWNLOAD GARAGE ISSUE 4 PDF HERE
IAN HENDERSON ON GARAGE ISSUE #4
LISTEN TO THE GARAGE #4 PODCAST HERE

ALSO AVAILABLE - GARAGE #1, GARAGE #2, GARAGE #3

Following the Flying Nun EP T-Shirt series last year, Barkers and Flying Nun Records have teamed up again to release 4 new T-shirt designs.

The second set features EP artwork from The Clean's 'Boodle Boodle Boodle', Look Blue Go Purple's 'Bewitched' and Straitjacket Fits' 'Life in One Chord', along with the new Flying Nun Records logo (designed by artist Paul McNeil).

Alongside the t-shirts we are offering special Tee and CD bundles for each release.

We are very pleased to announce Auckland trio Popstrangers have joined the Flying Nun stables, and we have their first new single 'What Else Could They Do' for all to hear:

So turns out we are 30 this year and thought we should hold a party or two to celebrate. With over 20 shows throughout New Zealand during November, the anniversary features both past and present Flying Nun acts, along with some very special guests paying tribute to our 30 years.

While, it wouldn’t be a party without live music, we also have a bunch of new releases and re-releases out soon on CD, digitally and Vinyl. Plus an exciting handful of new bands signed to the label.

It's ok, It's Alright, Oh Yeah!

It's the third issue of the Garage zine. Now re-issued as a free PDF download. Originally released in the mid-1980s, edited by journalist Richard Langston, the music zine tracks the history of many of the early Flying Nun bands in Dunedin.

Plus each issue comes with a podcast featuring a fine selection of music picked by Richard Langston to accompany each issue.

DOWNLOAD THE GARAGE #3 ZINE PDF FOR FREE HERE
LISTEN TO THE GARAGE #3 PODCAST HERE

GARAGE #1 and #2 ARE AVAILABLE HERE AND HERE

The Bats have just released the first single from their upcoming album Free All The Monsters.

F IN MATH t-shirts are now available. These white t-shirts come with a free download of F IN MATH's Couch EP - or you can grab a tee and CD bundle here.

F IN MATH T-SHIRT + DIGITAL DOWNLOAD AVAILABE HERE

Robert Scott (The Clean, The Bats) is having some of his art exhibited at Auckland’s City Workshops Gallery (28A Burliegh St, Grafton). The exhibition is on now till August 21, with a range of paintings and sketches by Robert.

The second issue of Garage is now available as a free pdf download.  Originally published in the late 1980s by Richard Langston, we are digitally re-publishing the six issues of the Garage music fanzine through the rest of the year as part of the Flying Nun 30th Anniversary .

And if you need something to listen to while reading, Richard Langston has compiled a podcast for the issue.

Featuring pieces on the Sneaky Feelings, The Puddle and a live review of The Chills, Roger Shepherd has written a run down of issue 2 and for more details have a look over at our blog.

DOWNLOAD GARAGE ISSUE 2 HERE

It was announced in Dunedin last week that the Otago University Students Association was looking to put its bNet station Radio One up for sale. The move follows a review into the finances of the association that owns the station, and supplies it with a modest annual subsidy.

Read the full blog post on Radio 1 here.

Help Save Radio 1.

Sign The Petition here

Write a submission to: submissions@r1.co.nz

Save Radio 1 on Facebook.

As part of our 30th anniversary we are republishing the Garage fanzine online throughout the rest of the year and here it is - Issue 1 in PDF format for you to view or download (for free as well - used to cost a $1).

Plus Richard Langston has compiled a podcast mix tape as a musical companion to the first issue. This choice reflects the music of the time that inspired him to write, edit, print and staple his fanzine of musical life in Dunedin during the mid 1980s. 

The zine child of journalist Richard Langston, Garage was first born in Dunedin in 1984 featuring the Great Unwashed on the cover, while inside are pieces on The Verlaines, The Chills, Tall Dwarfs and much more.

DOWNLOAD GARAGE #1 HERE

LISTEN TO THE GARAGE #1 PODCAST HERE

And find out more about Garage over at our blog.

F in Math is Michael Logie’s solo adventure in electronic music. The inventive playfulness and humour cannot disguise his innate sense of melody or the strength of his underlying musicality. From playing bass with, The Mint Chicks, Michael Logie is marking out his own part of the lab, towards the wayward back, as the high achieving F in Math.

Read the blog post

F IN MATH - The Couch EP

The Couch EP is the debut release of F IN MATH (Michael Logie, former Mint Chicks bassist).

The solo project was born out the realisation that one can playelectronic music live without ditching your beloved bass or pretending to twiddle knobs. 

David Beniston, bassist and founding member of the Able Tasmans died suddenly of an aneurism at his home in Melbourne on May 7th. He was the bassist on the Able Tasmans’ Tired Sun EP and the album Cuppa Tea And A Lie Down.

The funeral was in Melbourne on Saturday 14th May but there will be a memorial service in Whangarei in a month or 2 where his ashes will be sprinkled on Mt Parahaki near his old family home.

All Able Tasmans salute this lovely man and outstanding musician. We really didn’t deserve somebody that good, we just lucked on him and we can’t believe we’re not going to see him again. Special thoughts and sympathies from us to his partner Rosemary, his Mother Frances and his sister June.

- The Able Tasmans: Craig Baxter, Graeme Humphreys, Leslie Jonkers, Peter Keen, Stuart Greenway, Craig Mason, Ron Young, Jane Dodd

“Sandy Denny and Ozzy Osbourne had a baby, and they called it the 3Ds”

Researched and compiled by Bruce Russell (Dead C) The 3D’s - Early Recordings 1989-90 is exactly that - a selection of tracks from the Dunedin band’s formative years.

The compilation features seven previously unreleased demo tracks, alongside digitally re-mastered versions of the band’s first two EPs - Fish Tails (1990) and Swarthy Songs For Swabs (1991).

To celebrate the release we have put together a special 3D's Bundle which includes a copy of both the Early Recordings compilation CD and the band's 1996 EP Dust, along with a 3D's 'Swarthy Songs For Swabs' EP t-shirt and limited edition poster featuring artwork by David Mitchell.

THE 3D'S - EARLY RECORDINGS 1989-90
AVAILBLE NOW ON CD AND DIGITAL ALBUM

GET THE SPECIAL 3D's BUNDLE HERE

Shayne P. Carter is one New Zealand's greatest musical identities. He has constantly pushed and developed his art, but always maintained an uncompromising integrity.  He has produced a large and important body of work that is not always fully comprehended due to the fragmented way it has been presented over the years. Bored Games, Doublehappys, Straightjacket Fits and Dimmer were all recognisably fine bands but the common dominant creative force in each of them is not always clearly perceived as Shayne P Carter. The two upcoming live dates and souvenir CD compilation we are making for the show will hopefully help start to redress that clouded reality.

Read full Nunlog post

After two sold out shows, Shayne Carter's - Last Train To Brockville limited edition CD is now available via Flying Nun Records.

The collection, put together for the recent Last Train To Brockville shows in New Zealand, spans Carter's music career from the Bored Games -  'Joe 90' to early Dimmer material, stopping off on the way via Straitjacket Fits and the Doublehappys - including the rarely heard 'Some Fantasy'.

PURCHASE SHAYNE CARTER - LAST TRAIN TO BROCKVILLE HERE  

50 years ago today Yuri Gagarin hurtled around the planet earth in a beat up armour plated piece of future space junk. The first man in space was blasted into and then slung around the planet at speeds of up to 30,000 kph for almost 110 minutes before being plunged back home. He was spared certain death by jettisoning and parachuting the final bit back. He got off lightly compared to the previous space dogs and later space monkeys.

Read full nunlog post

Years ago when I was a music writer/journalist at the Herald I interviewed Robert Scott of The Bats and The Clean. I don't remember all the details but it must have been about how he was juggling two jobs as it were, however he was still committed to The Bats for a long time to come.

My final resonating line was – complete with an embarrassing spelling mistake – “Robert Scott, the once and future Brat”.

Read Blog post

Robert Scott (The Clean, The Bats) solo album 'Ends Run Together' is now available in the form of a 12" LP.

I have been trying to write something about the Christchurch earthquake for a couple of weeks now and continue to find it very hard to do. The scale of the disaster is so impossible to comprehend and ones’ perception of it all is constantly challenged and altered as one learns more.

Read full post

We were off to Campus A Low Hum (CALH). Three days of fine weather, at a great location to experience an unknown lineup of like-minded music from all over New Zealand and around the world. Blink, the man who started it all, has been running this annual event for five-years now and has expanded each year to encompass more than just music. 
Read full post.

Think back to when you were 16.

No one could tell you what to do. You were a force to be reckoned with, filled with the undeniable feeling that you could take on anything and win.

Having formed in 1994, Deerhoof has now reached that fateful age and by rites it’s their turn to go out and challenge the world. The result is Deerhoof vs. Evil. The band’s eleventh album and the musical equivalent of hormones raging out of control.

DEERHOOF VS. EVIL IS OUT NOW ON CD AND LIMITED EDITION PINK GATEFOLD VINYL

I was Auckland last week to see Children's Hour perform to a gathering of music fans at the Laneways Festival. Held in Aotea Sqaure in central Auckland the site has pedigree as the focal point for the infamous Queen Street Riots in 1984. I was dubious about the locale but it works well. Grass to sit on if you need to, the handy Town Hall clock to keep time by and plenty of aesthetically friendly trees to soften the brutalistic style of much of the surrounding architecture, all combined to welcome and relax my naturally agitated frame of mind when venturing outdoors.

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We have teamed up with Barkers Clothing for a new range of Flying Nun tees.

In addition to printing the classic Flying Nun ‘fuzzy’ logo tees for the first time in a decade or more, the first series is based around classic Nun EPs.

Think back to when you were 16.

No one could tell you what to do. You were a force to be reckoned with – filled with the undeniable feeling that you could take on anything and win. Having formed in 1994, Deerhoof has now reached that fateful age and by rites it’s their turn to go out and challenge the world.

The result – the band’s eleventh album, is 'Deerhoof vs. Evil', and Flying Nun Records are excited to announce they have joined forces with Deerhoof and Polyvinyl Records for the New Zealand album release next year.

I visited Dunedin a lot in the early 1980s but gradually shifted further away (from Christchurch to Auckland and then London). I’m close again now in Wellington and realised the many of the people I know well from that time are still in Dunedin, still my very good friends, still very creatively active and still maintain an interest in things social.

Like my earlier visit this year Dunedin was so hot and sunny I managed to get sunburnt again. So hot that I had to check out the Emerson’s Brewery who are very nice people who are currently making a series of Flying Nun themed tap beers.

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Watch the video for Grayson Gilmour's new demo single 'Humble Punk Rock'.

David Wood - Straitjacket Fits bassist (1986-1994)

The Chills, are pleased to announce a special one-off show in Dunedin on Saturday 27 November to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the band.

November 30 years ago Martin Phillipps and a fledgling band are invited to play an unadvertised support slot for 2 other local bands: 'The Clean and 'Bored Games', in Maori Hill Dunedin. In what became a seminal moment, Martin Phillipps, Peter Gutteridge, Jane Dodd, and Alan Haig took to the stage and the first Chills was on!

Download a copy of the Anniversary postcard here.

With the recent release of The Dead C's new album 'Patience' , we asked guitarist Bruce Russell to put together a podcast, he made up the rest of the rules around what he played, and sent us a track listing on the back of a postcard.

Originally broadcast on Volcano Radio in Lyttelton, community radio - live and local.

… and the maggots dance, 1…2…3… by FlyingNunRecords

That trio of noise subvertors (or sabateurs depending on your position to the stereo) the Dead C return with their new album 'Patience' and our good mates in the States Ba Da Bing Records have hooked us up. Indeed, not only with copies of the new album (on CD and 12") but also the full array of the Dead C catalogue including the recent 12" re-issues of previous Flying Nun releases 'Eusa Kills' and 'DR503'.

So a warm welcome to the Dead C. It is good to have you here.

As the countdown continues, Down To The Wire investigates last year (2009) on the internet, while the download of the day comes from our first release this year - Grayson Gilmour's  'Loose Change'.

It's 2008 and getting close to the end with only 2 more years to go on Down To The Wire, while today's download jumps forward in time to this year's 'HowYe' by Die! Die! Die!

Pick a year, any year, how about 2007, which is what is happening over at Down To The Wire today and the download is....drum roll...The Tall Dwarfs 'The Brain That Wouldn't Die'.

2006 was the year the likes of Twitter, Facebook and even LOLcats arrived on the internet - while it was also our 25th Anniversary. Down To The Wire looks into the LOLcats (plus much more) and our download of the day is Chris Knox's 'Half Man, Half Mole'. 

Down To The Wire re-visits the internet in the year 2005 - which also saw the release of Toy Love's best of double CD 'Cuts' - and today's download is their 1980 single 'Bride of Frankenstein'.

In 2004 we re-released two classic compilation's as a double CD - 'In Love With These Times' and 'Pink Flying Saucers Over The Southern Alps'. Opening the second disc was The Chills 'Heavenly Pop Hit' - which also happens to be today's download over at Down To The Wire.

Flying Nun celebrated it's 21st birthday in 2003 (who did the yardie?) and it was also the International Year of Freshwater. Furthermore, The Verlaine's released their retrospective compilation 'Your Too Obscure For Me' - which includes today's download at Down To The Wire - "Doomsday".

'Whatever I Do It's Right' is the call for today's download by The Clean over at Down To The Wire where they look into what was going on the world wide web in the year 2002.

The Clean achieved a huge degree of success in 1981 completely on their own terms without having to concede to industry norms at all. Their success was won on the back of a grass root following that coalesced into a formidable market for New Zealand and alternative music in the 1980s. Intelligent, talented and confident in the value of their music and how they presented it but always humble and self-effacing as well. “Whatever I do it’s right, whatever I do it’s wrong”. 

The Internet Odyssey continues into 2001 at Down To The Wire, with today's download coming from the sonic explorations of HDU - 'Schallblute" off their 2001 album Fireworks.

It was the dawn of the new millenia over at Down To The Wire, and what better band than The Subliminals to help see it in with today's download of their 2000 'United State'.

From material preserved and made available by The Film Archive 

It's 1999, and we are going to party like it's...etc etc. 1999 also saw the release of the Sneaky Feeling's retrospective compilation 'Positively George Street' and you can head over to Down To The Wire for today's download of their song 'Husband House' - as well as a whole lot of history on the internet in NZ.

From material preserved and made available by The Film Archive 

1998 saw the launch of the Lunar Prospector, not to mention the Straitjacket Fits Best of compilation - so it only seemed right that today's download at Down To The Wire was the Fits' 'Hail' off their in 1987 debut album.

From material preserved and made available by The Film Archive 

In the Gregorian calendar 1997 was a common year that started on a Wednesday, Down To The Wire's Flying Nun download of the day is far from common however and comes in the form of Bressa Creeting Cake's 'Palm Singing'.

From material preserved and made available by The Film Archive 

There are messages from afar over at Down To The Wire, not to mention today's free download of Dimmer's 'Crystalator'.

From material preserved and made available by The Film Archive 

Perfect Sunday listening, The Bats - 'Afternoon in Bed' (Couchmaster, 1995) is today's download on Down To The Wire

From material preserved and made available by The Film Archive 

1994 was the year the internet found itself, say the good folk at Down To The Wire, 1994 was also the year of David Kilgour's 'No No No' (Sugarmouth) which is the download of the day.

From material preserved and made available by The Film Archive 

1993. What a year! And to celebrate today's download on Down To The Wire is the 3D's 'Hey Seuss'.

It is 1992 all over again on Down To The Wire and the Nun Download of the day comes courtesy of The Able Tasman's 'Fault in The Frog' from their album 'Somebody Ate My Planet'.

From material preserved and made available by The Film Archive 

Down To The Wire Download of the day is Look Blue Go Purple's 'Circumspect Penelope' off the 1991 LBGP album.

The Down To The Wire download for today (1990) is The Headless Chicken's 'Gaskrankinstation'.

To coincide with the launch of the website downtothewire.co.nz – The Story of New Zealand’s Internet today (Monday October 11), we are offering a free download a day.

As part of the celebration of 21 years of the Internet in New Zealand, each track corresponds with a moment in the label’s history, starting with Jean-Paul Sartre Experience’s ‘Inside and Out’ from their 1989 album ‘The Size of Food’.

The Bats are always busy. All have jobs and even other bands and solo projects on the go. Robert Scott has been in the USA with his other band The Clean as well as doing his own thing talking and playing around the Portland Oregon area. But Bat activity never ceases.

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Today Flying Nun releases its first record in over 15 years. Yep, today you can buy the Die! Die! Die! album ‘Form’ on vinyl. You know, a record. Flat round black things with grooves that can be played on either side when pulled out of its attractive 12” cover.

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Following on from their mammoth 25-date New Zealand tour, Die! Die! Die! are going west.

Ahead of the Australian release of FORM (on October 1 via Flying Nun/Remote Control) the band have announced a series of shows across the southern continent.

Ends Run Together is the third solo album from Robert Scott (The Clean, The Bats), an outstanding collection of 13 engaging songs, as likely to appeal to any fan of great alternative pop as much as to those already familiar with his past projects.

To Robert’s guitar and voice (which has never sounded better) are added the talents of fellow Clean-er David Kilgour, and miraculously, even Lesley Paris (Look Blue, Go Purple) has been coaxed back onto a drumkit for some of the songs.

Jam-packed full of pop hooks, Ends Run Together features everything from squalling guitar rock, dreamy pastoral folk, through to the driving krautrock-ish pop of first single Daylight. 

There is something otherworldly about Too Early, the latest noisy, melodic piece of psych-pop from Robert Scott’s new solo album Ends Run Together.

Featuring a crashed UFO and a lost visitor from another world, the video, by Melbourne music video maestro John Morrison, seems to capture this feeling perfectly. 

Die! Die! Die! are set to appear on TVNZ's 'Talk Talk' show this Saturday.

The band is performing on the television show as part of an episode with Flying Nun owner Roger Shepherd, screening this Saturday (August 28) at 9.10pm on TVNZ 7.

The upcoming episode features Roger Shepherd talking about re-acquiring the label, reflecting on its history and the way forward, so it made perfect sense to get Die! Die! Die! to play some songs off their new album FORM.

After neglecting NZ for a couple of years while touring UK/Europe and Australia (twice!), The Bats are very pleased to announce their NZ SPRING TOUR. 

To coincide with the tour, Flying Nun is set to re-release three classic Bats titles, including their 1987 debut Daddy’s Highway and their 1990 best of Compiletely Bats. 

Both these albums, alongside 1995’s Couchmaster, have now been re-mastered and will be availble from September.

Proving once again that Die! Die! Die! don’t do tours by halves - from house parties to arenas, from schools to community halls – the band has just completed a mammoth New Zealand tour, playing 25 shows, including supporting The Pixies, in just over 20 days. 

In turn, proving once again that Blink (A Low Hum) doesn’t run tours by halves, as well as booking, promoting and tour managing one of the most intense local tours in recent memory, he also found the time to shoot and edit some highlights of the tour.

Robert Scott’s list of music projects over the years reads like a who’s who of alternative New Zealand music. 

From his role as bass-player, song-writer and non-Kilgour in legendary New Zealand noisy jangle-pop pioneers The Clean and as singer, guitarist and songwriter in The Bats, he also helmed the acclaimed Magick Heads, not to mention fronting a bewildering variety of less well-known groups from the long running Electric Blood to the short-lived Gina Rocco & the Rockettes.

In turn he has contributed to numerous other Flying Nun groups, while drawing and painting the cover art for many memorable Flying Nun album sleeves. Therefore it seems fitting that his latest solo alum, Ends Run Together, has found its way onto the new Flying Nun Records.

As if 15 nationwide shows were not enough, Die! Die! Die! have decided to add more dates to the FORM album release tour.

So if you missed them first time in the North Island fret not, the band plan to return with five extra shows next week.

Straight off the ferry from their Southern sojourn they will play an all ages show in Wellington on August 4, followed by dates in Ohakune (August 5), Hamilton (August 6) and Auckland on August 7. Then to wrap it all up another all ages show in West Auckland on August 21.

Welcome to our new website. It's been a while in the building and we are just getting started. There is a lot more to come and we have many plans for this little place - in fact as you can see we have even got Roger his own 'website construction suit' to explore this vast internet landscape.

Indeed after the re-purchase of Flying Nun Records by founder Roger Shepherd late last year there has been plenty to do. We’ve got nearly 30 years of music to care for, restore and re-release. Just as importantly, there’s a bunch of new bands for us to hunt out and help out. It has all just begun, and the plan now is to take it quietly, step by step, in an organised and sober manner. Of course the reality will be rather different...

Having braved the elements for his album release tour around the country - unfortunately the Dunedin show was cancelled but the southern freeze -  Grayson has been busying himself with plans for the rest of the year - while drinking plenty of tea.

Since then he has picked up a five star review in the New Zealand Herald and has also recently appeared on CMJ about his new album 'No Constellation' and upcoming plans for the US of A.

FORM is Die! Die! Die! like you have never heard. It is the album they always wanted to write, and the one you knew they would.

It calls upon all the parts, plus more, that make this band so exciting but never allows you to stop and put your finger on one.

Whatever you call it, its relentless, reckless and sometimes menacing. It has all the ferocious energy and bursting melodies of their previous releases, and while it can tear through you one moment, it also shows a band trying on something different.