[{"id":211725320343,"handle":"able-tasmans","title":"Able Tasmans","updated_at":"2022-06-27T22:06:28+12:00","body_html":"\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"Able%20Tasmans%20band%20from%20New%20Zealand%20on%20Flying%20Nun%20\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0450\/3165\/3527\/files\/Able_Tasmans_Flying_Nun_Records_1024x1024.jpg?v=1598091205\"\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch1\u003eThe Able Tasmans Band is Formed\u003c\/h1\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNamed after the Dutch explorer \u003cstrong\u003eAbel Tasman\u003c\/strong\u003e (who was first European to visit New Zealand in 1642) the band themselves were avid explorers limited only by their imagination. Their songwriting and arrangement crossed lines between baroque and indie-pop integrating field recordings and bringing keyboards to the forefront of their music.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Auckland-based group went through a number of line-up and mood changes since they first surfaced in 1984 as a trio whammying things up for the kids on the dancefloor with a very '60s fun organ-bass-drums sound and songs with titles like \"Nelson the Cat?!!\".\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Nelson\" was one of six songs which appeared on the Ables' 1985 debut EP for \u003cstrong\u003eFlying Nun\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cem\u003eThe Tired Sun\u003c\/em\u003e. The EP featured the quietly expanding Ables line-up, with the original trio of \u003cstrong\u003eGraeme Humphreys\u003c\/strong\u003e (keybaords and vocals), \u003cstrong\u003eDave Beniston\u003c\/strong\u003e (bass) and \u003cstrong\u003eCraig Baxter\u003c\/strong\u003e (drums) being augmented by \u003cstrong\u003ePeter Keen\u003c\/strong\u003e on vocals and future \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.flyingnun.co.nz\/collections\/headless-chickens\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHeadless Chicken\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eAnthony Nevison\u003c\/strong\u003e, who lent a hand on guitar and vocals.\u003cbr\u003eRecorded with thanks to 'the marvels of modern steam recording' at Auckland's Progressive Studio over Easter, 1985, The Tired Sun was a lively psych-out, admired for its strong singing and punchy upbeat feel.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe following year, the \u003cstrong\u003eAble Tasmans\u003c\/strong\u003e released the sparse and eccentric 7\" single \u003cem\u003eBuffalos\u003c\/em\u003e, which was backed with \u003cem\u003eRelapse\u003c\/em\u003e, a song performed by \u003cstrong\u003ePeter Keen's\u003c\/strong\u003e first band, \u003cstrong\u003eRaucous Laughter\u003c\/strong\u003e. The classic organ pop frolic \u003cem\u003eCarolines\u003c\/em\u003e also appeared on the Radio B compilation, \u003cem\u003eOutnumbered By Sheep\u003c\/em\u003e in 1986.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch1\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Able Tasmans Debut Album\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h1\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Ables released their first full-length album in 1987, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.flyingnun.co.nz\/products\/fn536-able-tasmans-a-cuppa-tea-and-a-lie-down-2015\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eA Cuppa Tea And A Lie Down\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e -- which featured an expanded line-up of six people. \u003cstrong\u003eLeslie Jonkers\u003c\/strong\u003e (who was responsible for the front cover art of \u003cem\u003eThe Tired Sun\u003c\/em\u003e and had been writing Ables tunes since the early days without appearing on stage!) was playing organ, and \u003cstrong\u003ePeter Keen\u003c\/strong\u003e was now full-time on vocals and \u003cstrong\u003eGraeme Humphreys\u003c\/strong\u003e playing guitar and singing. \u003cstrong\u003eDave Beniston\u003c\/strong\u003e still played bass but \u003cstrong\u003eStuart Greenway\u003c\/strong\u003e replaced the Australia-bound Craig Baxter on drums. Additional instrumentation was provided by \u003cstrong\u003eJane Leggott\u003c\/strong\u003e (flute) and \u003cstrong\u003eDave Tennent\u003c\/strong\u003e (some guitar). The Ables confused plenty of people by including 23 associates (from studio and live sound engineers to album cover artists and dancers -- the band was now involved with providing music for the Te Kani Kani dance group) in the group photo on the back of the album...\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eA Cuppa Tea... remains the \u003cstrong\u003eAble Tasmans\u003c\/strong\u003e most eclectic recording to date. In Melody Maker, the album was described as \"a strange beast indeed... winding, melodic, theatrical, folky, with more than a string of acerbic guitars in its tail... Jaunty tunes, blissful rock-outs, sixties throwbacks with whining violins and catchy cowboy singalongs.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch1\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e'Hey Spinner' on Record\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h1\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt was three years and more line-up changes (naturally) until a new \u003cstrong\u003eAble Tasmans\u003c\/strong\u003e recording appeared on \u003cstrong\u003eFlying Nun\u003c\/strong\u003e. Released in 1990, \u003cstrong\u003eHey Spinner!\u003c\/strong\u003e was a denser album, with tunes that continued the Ables' curious line in lyrical kiwiana -- a trend begun on the previous album, which had built local geography and custom into songs like \"And We Swam the Magic Bay\" and \"Evil Barbeque\". Hey Spinner! matched these with \"Grey Lynn\" and \"Michael Fay\" -- a Dickensian tale where \"It was Christmas day\/When Michael Fay gave all his money away\".\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe band line-up now featured the songwriting core of Humphreys, Jonkers and Keen, with former Verlaine \u003cstrong\u003eJane Dodd\u003c\/strong\u003e playing bass and \u003cstrong\u003eCraig Mason\u003c\/strong\u003e, longtime Ables associate and singer-guitarist in Auckland's \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.flyingnun.co.nz\/collections\/the-sombretones\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSombretones\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e, on drums. Another new full-time member and longtime associate was Ron Young, adding a curtain of analogue synth nonsense and more vocals to the songs. The Ables' Hey Spinner! sound was rounded out by regular live clarinetist, Donald Nichols, and extra trumpet, cello and violin.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe \"baroque folk rock\" (Colin Hogg) of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.flyingnun.co.nz\/products\/fn162-able-tasmans-hey-spinner-album1990\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHey Spinner!\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e gave way to something a little wilder and weirder by the time of the 1992 release, Somebody Ate My Planet. The album, recorded with the same settled line-up as Hey Spinner! at Auckland's Lab Studio with engineer \u003cstrong\u003eVictor Grbic\u003c\/strong\u003e, sees the \u003cstrong\u003eAble Tasmans\u003c\/strong\u003e fully extending their sound over eleven songs packed with warm noise and cool ideas. It's the best commie astronomer clever lover environmentally friendly rock you'll enjoy in a good while -- proof that the \u003cstrong\u003eAble Tasmans\u003c\/strong\u003e have grown to a position where they're comfortable and popular musical adventurers on this planet, even if \"somebody\" is making a mess of their own...\u003c\/p\u003e","published_at":"2020-08-09T18:30:30+12:00","sort_order":"created","template_suffix":"","disjunctive":false,"rules":[{"column":"tag","relation":"equals","condition":"Able Tasmans"}],"published_scope":"global","image":{"created_at":"2020-08-22T22:12:17+12:00","alt":"Able Tasmans band from New Zealand on Flying Nun ","width":993,"height":992,"src":"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0450\/3165\/3527\/collections\/Able_Tasmans_Flying_Nun_Records-2.jpg?v=1656324388"}},{"id":392313798900,"handle":"flying-nun-catalog","title":"Flying Nun Catalog","updated_at":"2022-07-01T15:35:04+12:00","body_html":"The full catalog of Flying Nun Records releases, including many rare and collectable records released on 7' 12\" vinyl, cassette, CD and download. Many of these albums are out of print or no longer available, while others have been re-pressed and can be bought in our record store. If you find one of these going cheap in your local junk shop - snap it up!","published_at":"2021-12-04T16:32:39+13:00","sort_order":"manual","template_suffix":"","disjunctive":true,"rules":[{"column":"tag","relation":"equals","condition":"Flying Nun Catalog"},{"column":"tag","relation":"equals","condition":"Flying Nun"}],"published_scope":"global"}]
On Hey Spinner!, this obscure New Zealand group deliver some of their best upbeat Byrds-esque guitar pop on record. Of the five albums they produced in the late '80s/early '90s, the signature of their sound is the keyboard-driven melody, subtle acoustic arrangements, and propulsive rhythm section. The sound is quite close to a more folk-sounding Stereolab, with vocal harmonies from the Brian Wilson songbook. - All Music Guide
ITEM DETAILS
Artist: Able Tasmans Title: Hey Spinner! Label: Flying Nun Records Year: 1990 Cat #: FN162 Formats: Digital Recorded: At Mascot Studios, Auckland 1989. Engineered by Terry Moore. Produced by the Able Tasmans and Fred E. Rick.
Band Members: Leslie Jonkers, Graeme Humphreys, Craig Mason, Peter Keen, Jane Dodd and Ronald Young.
