Gordons, The - The Gordons (1981)

VINYL LP + 7inch Single

The Gordons crashed upon the do-it-yourself scene of early 1980s Christchurch with torrential force, self-releasing two foundational planks of the vibrant New Zealand underground. Future Shock, a three-song 7-inch released in 1980, is a wild-eyed rampage, as staggering as any feedback-addled punk then being recorded at Southern Studios. The Gordons LP, which followed in 1981, matches the abandon with motorik churn and livewire dissonance, evoking New Zealand antecedents as divergent as This Kind Of Punishment and the Dead C. Brought together on this release, they’re a noise-rock landmark anticipating fans such as Sonic Youth.  

Flying Nun Records, the storied Christchurch label and symbol of the island nation’s rich independent music scene, re-released The Gordons and Future Shock together in 1988 following the formation of Gordons outgrowth Bailter Space, which frontman Alister Parker founded with Clean drummer Hamish Kilgour. Bailter Space, which would also come to include founding Gordons members Brent McLachlan and John Halvorsen, settled on a droning shoegaze sound, drawing comparisons to Dinosaur Jr. and the Pixies. The Gordons and Future Shock, however, represent the trio’s unreformed id, as startling today as upon release. 

1. Spik And Span           
2. Right On Time           
3. Coalminers Song      
4. Sometimes
5. I Just Can't Stop        
6. Growing Up
7. Laughing Now

1. Future Shock
2. Machine Song           
3. Adults And Children

GORDON 2, FNE 16, FN099
1981 and 1988

A1 Spik And Span
A2 Right On Time
A3 Coalminers Song

B1 Sometimes
B2 I Just Can't Stop
B3 Growing Up
B4 Laughing Now

Recorded At – Harlequin Studios
Distributed By – Flying Nun Records

Design [Cover Design] – John Halvorsen
Drums – Brent McLaughlin*
Engineer, Producer – Simon Alexander
Guitar, Vocals – Alister Parker, John Halvorsen

"Recorded and mixed in 22 hrs at Harlequin Studios. Auck. N.Z. Oct. 81."