The Axemen's Y2K Blog

Gig Preamble/Commentary: Chicago – Axemen, Golden Birthday, Thunderbolt Pagoda, David Diarrhea

steve mccabe — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 01:20:08 +0000

Reprinted From: http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/Event?oid=1241677

When: Sat., Nov. 28, 9:30 p.m. 2009
Price: $7 suggested donation

If in the world of classic New Zealand underground rock the Chills’ earnest pop represents the north pole and the Dead C’s corrosive noise is the south, then the Axemen are the molten center of the earth—their shambling, stylistically promiscuous, and occasionally tuneful postpunk is like a bad case of planetary heartburn.

In band histories they claim they formed for political reasons, but the recorded evidence suggests that they just wanted to get up everyone’s noses. Their apex—or nadir, depending on your point of view—came in 1992, when they appeared on a children’s TV show in drag and plugged a record called Peter Wang Pud.

Siltbreeze has reissued two early Axemen albums this year (a third is still forthcoming), and now guitarist [/vocalist] Little Stevie McCabe and drummer Stu Kawowski [and guitarist/vocalists Bob Brannigan and Dragan Stojanovic] are undertaking their first American tour.

They’ve also got a new split seven-inch with Times New Viking, available only at shows, on which the two bands cover each other’s songs.

Golden Birthday, Thunderbolt Pagoda, and David Diarrhea open. At 6 PM today the Axemen play a free in-store at Permanent Records with Cave side project Bitchin’ Bajas. —Bill Meyer

Live at WFMU, New York City – Nutsack (Video)

kawowski — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 03:15:13 +0000

WFMU Recording Studio, NYC

“Nutsack” was written in Los Angeles by Dragan Stojanovic & Bob Brannigan October 2009, inspired by Ice Cube rapping about his nutsack and busting a nut blasting out of our KIA sound system on the LA freeways, oh and seeing squirrels in the parks all over USA, and the fact we lived out of nutsacks from Wholefoods for 5 weeks on our 7,000 mile tour.

Some Set Lists, WFMU Studio

Brannigan and Kawowski with Brian Turner

Kawowski videoed the event and pounded the skins while McCabe added his two-bit guitar part, as WFMU’s Brian Turner, Jason Sigal and Alex Yockey provided the lads with a fantastic opportunity to record a snapshot of a typical set from their recent US tour while they were in New York in November 2009. An inspiration to lovers everywhere.

The full show can be heard here…

Axemen US Tour Nov 2009 – some posters, links etc.

steve mccabe — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 23:53:32 +0000

http://www.last.fm/music/The+Axemen

Sonar, Baltimore

Jared workin on covers, Philadelphia

Florence, Alabama

Black Owl Trading Company, Florence, Alabama

Michael J Fox - Sincerely Yours

Maxwells, Hoboken, New Jersey

Maxwells, Hoboken NJ

Steve tops up his Nutsack at Maxwells

Great Scott, Boston

Great Scott

The Lounge on Elm Street, Dallas, Texas

thats Texas, boy

123 Pleasant Street, Morgantown, West Virginia

Sickie Stojanovic, Takin Care of Business, 123 Pleasant Street, Morgantown, West Virginia

Fun Fun Fun Fest, Austin, Texas

Steve McCabe shows Shonen Knife his front bum, Fun Fun Fun Fest, Austin, TX

The Crepe Place, Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz

Star Bar, Atlanta, Georgia

KXLU Recording for radio - UCLA at Irvine, California

BadAss Supergroup

Axemen Test Kitchen: Steve McCabe tests the Sushi King (kauri square sushi maker)

steve mccabe — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 16:54:33 +0000

(http://sushiking.co.nz)

Post by Mecca Be Vets

Sushi King in action in E20 test kitchen

Living and working in a smaller space gives one the chance to evaluate many innovative and space saving tools, given the limited kitchen area and restricted prep-room, some economy and conservation of preparation area in the areas of both menu (Roast Turkey, Glazed Ham and Side of Lamb are not ideal in the 9″ x 6″ Test Kitchen space, epecially as the main oven is a toast ‘n’ grill, perfectly adequate for one, with slow cooker and compact microwave as adjuncts).

Check out the Sushi King at Sushiking.co.nz!

As an avid small-kitchen chef,I revel in anything which allows for using a limited food preparation area – japanese and other high density population areas invite and incoct such dishes and ingenious food processing tool inventors are only too happy to come to the party with clever, practical, and economical inventions such as the SUSHI KING ^TM which, with its offbeat ’squaring the circle’ build-a-traditional-japanese-food-preparation-device-using-new-zealand-native-timber approach, would seem on the surface to be an oddity, a curiosity piece, the archetypal square peg in a rond hole, but somehow (oddly or not) it makes perfect sense and performs its intended function out of the box, as advertised, to the n^th degree.

Sushi King - Hip to be Square

I’m Steve McCabe, and I like a tasty fish. With my life-threatening heart condition, and as an international rockstar with a substantial fanbase to whom I am still at times a fickle golden calflike idol, when i get a hankering for some pescine produce I look for an oily fish.

Sometimes I can’t get, can’t afford, or don’t feel like the brazen archetype heart-healthy, Omega-3-ridden, bulging with healthiness, stamina and proud fish-oil air of authority and entitlement, healthy as a nutsack on heat hovering over a supersized bowl of garden Caesar Salad, breathing in the sweet nectar of toasting sesame seeds while trying to decide between the smoked or non-smoked salmon fillet, on the rye or on the pumpernickel….

Trevally Fillets

The flesh is darker in colour when raw but once cooked the flesh turns brilliant white. It has a full flavour with a medium to firm texture. A high-oil fish suitable for a wide range of preparations.

Ave Sangria - con los pescados

…Thats when I reach for Trevally & Sangria Snacks, Bar Snacks, Gel Rockets and Fantasy Fizz – there’s something for everyone!

From the far-off hills to the kids and their cheap thrills, a party’s not a party till you’re full of beans!

http://theaxemen.wordpress.com/2009/11/26/new-zealands-axemen-at-wfmu-new-york/

THNXGVNG with AXEMEN

steve mccabe — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 01:20:06 +0000

11.30.2009

Reprinted from: http://worldofwumme.blogspot.com/2009/11/thnxgvng-with-axemen.html

Additional photos by Axemen

THNXGVNG with AXEMEN

There’s always something unimaginably comforting about heading home for Thanksgiving (or for that matter heading home on any number of select weekends throughout the year). But the gluttony and relaxation that persists on this particular holiday can not be overlooked.

As soon as I turn right off of I-75 and roll past the Waffle House and “hillbilly rifle outlet,” I feel like I’ve entered a virtual safe zone, a hermetically sealed environment filled with naps by the fire and limitless liquor – all with none of the annoyances and stress inducers of “real” life. I could honestly do it every weekend if allowed. For me, it’s my wind-back. It’s not getting older or lazier or becoming less of a patron of the arts. It’s the opposite – naturally removing the over-stimulation of bustling “city” life from my horizon line. So arriving at Peters and High (Elliott Manor) for this year’s turkey trough was met with hesitation, as we’d be hosting four lads from New Zealand known as Axemen.

I wasn’t as much worried about their settling into to a quintessential suburban ritual, as I was anxious how my parents might react to having America’s collector scum wet-dream tour (add one drummer from TNV to the mix) make a two-day stop in Troy.

Thanksgiving, Columbus OH

I shouldn’t have had any reservations. Patti and Jeff should get a medal for their hosting abilities. I never knew how liberal my parents actually are (now only if they’d align that mentality with their politics) until I saw them nurturing a gluten free meal for ol’ Dragan. But I digress.

Thanksgiving, Columbus OH

If you’re looking for tragic tales of drunken tirades and streaking through the town square or foul-mouthed kiwis looting the curio cabinet and tagging the doilies with pen knives – you aren’t going to find it here. Axemen are gentlemen. And though they may not be used to our ultra-consumer, warm and fuzzy, football coma shenanigans, they fit right in as adopted Elliotts.

If so anti-climatic, then why the post? Well, it was the well of anomaly that occurred at Troy, Ohio’s pre-eminent 18-35 yr. old hangout, The Brewery, the night before, which prompted this rant. Beyond simply wanting to tie one on in downtown Troy, beyond meeting up with an absent Justin Smith, beyond even the slightest want of nostalgic conversation with past peers whom I have nothing to converse, was a triple bill of Miami County’s finest “music.” Even then, the event of the week at the bar “everyone” goes to was pretty much split between dated booty music (first floor) and townie hard-lucks (second floor) and hardly a soul in the room with the stage, and the real instruments, and the performers. Still, it was a oddly intriguing trio of bands, going from karaoke rural gangsta’ rap to two-man Ween influenced mayhem, to standard issue thrash-emo-speed metal sludge.

Low Budget was first, featuring some kid who used to play basketball with my bro at the Lincoln Center back in the early ‘90s, replete with two hype men. They wore t-shirts emblazoned with Low Budget (were those made at the Troy Sports Center?) and hats reading the same. I thought the name was clever and their rhymes mighty inventive for what seemed like freestyle over the Ipod. In fact it reminded me most of another swang “low” duo from Cali, Low Profile, who went on to become W.C. and the Maad Circlen (a personal favorite). It did get tiresome, overwrought, and something I was happy stopped before it was too late. While I encourage all hip-hop troupes trying to make it in small town America (Teenage Soldiers R.I.P.), I would have liked to have seen them add some regional flavor to their oeuvre. I don’t know exactly what that would entail. In Columbus it’s a working-man, blue-collar, everyone’s invited atmosphere – so would this be sub-Columbus, or even sub-Springfield? I bet the gangsters thrive in Piqua. Explore there. Where’s Shane Darner when you need him?

Next up was the biggest surprise of the night. Electric Banana hail from Dayton, but seem to play most of their gigs at various submarine houses around Troy. Like the Weens, Chromeos, and Party Dreams that have come before them – most of what they do is borne of goofing and can only elicit good times, no heavy-handed criticism here. I’m sure if I were privy to the inane lyrics (I’m sure I heard “pussy” mentioned more than thrice) I wouldn’t have been as thrilled, and if they weren’t serving up PBR tallboys (just like home) I probably wouldn’t be expounding about their simple genius – but both factors were in place and the antics of Jimmy Spade, the mohawk-clad frontman of the two, made for a stellar evening. It was rudimentary funk worship and novel hip-hop in a stoner metal package, but they played it to perfection, knew how to work the “crowd” and had catchy melodies to off-set any whiff of scatology. I want them to come to Columbus, soon.

The last band of the evening could be wrapped up in one song. Through an Ocean of Plagues do what they do well, do it tight, and do it frenetic…..but I wasn’t in any kind of mood after the insanity of Electric Banana. I mean, c’mon, how you can take a band like this seriously? From their one sheet:

The phrase “Through an Ocean of Plagues” metaphorically describes the route humanity takes on its journey to self-destruction. Civilization evolves by consuming and destroying, usurping its power through the contamination and eventual erasure of its competitors. Rather than coexisting, Nature is enslaved, dissolved, and forgotten. Such is the legacy of future generations, once humankind has siphoned the last of the Earth’s resources. Without a target for destruction, we turn our sights to our own demise.

This rural Ohio quintet addresses these issues, translating the impending onslaught of disease, war, and social deconstruction into a medium by which they may express their opinions. The music is brutal, though it still retains a melodious quality meant to remind the listener that social harmony is lost but not forgotten. The live performance of the music parallels its subject matter, brutally portraying the bands frustration and outrage.

I did overhear the lead singer at 3 AM telling his friend he was headed home to “get fucked and fucked,” which I can only assume means he was continuing his quest for drugs and sex. So that was entertaining. But with all of this music, the highlight of the evening? — HUGH KELLY, smartest man on earth.

Axemen play in Columbus

But this was all about Axemen, right? Goodness. They played the Friday after the gorging in Columbus.

Axemen are gentlemen

I’m a bit out of words to go on and describe them, but it’s likely they showed a few “shitgaze” (sic) signifiers throughout their entire set of crust blues and the purest of kiwi protest/prank garage rock – but it all had the guise of a professional band playing like it was the last show of the tour.

This is how you do it. Release the Three Virgins already. I don’t have it yet. Three [3??? - LSM] of the most delightful men I’ve ever had the chance to meet.

Here’s hoping it gets this hopping over Christmas.

Record review – Scary!!! pt 3 by Kel E. Burnette

steve mccabe — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 07:36:56 +0000

Reprinted from Kel E. Burnette’s pronouncement at:

http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=191255993910

Note: CD material is available from http://sleekbott.com

The Axemen, sans McCabe, sans Stojanovic, plus Turner, WFMU, 2009

Artist: Axemen
Title: Scary! Part III
Label: Siltbreeze
Long known underground stars from New Zealand, The Axemen are now gaining some well-deserved notoriety here in the States thanks to one of our finest labels, Siltbreeze. Tom Lax has again exhibited sterling musical sense in [repressing - sic.] – re-pressing “Scary! Part III” and “Big Cheap Motel.”

Steve McCabe with Shonen Knife, Fun Fun Fun Fest, Austin TX 2009

And while it’s not an easy task trying to pin down their sound, especially considering the variety of their entire discography (much less the territorial span of music on this release), I’ll give it a shot.

On my first listening, I immediately drew a comparison to Royal Trux, but that was basically drawn from the majority of vocals on the record, featuring some of the coolest, junked-out vox either before or after the Trux hit the scene.

AXEMEN - cool it with the pool boy

From the get-go, the song “Heart Bullet” features some insanely fucked up vocals and word play. Unlike a lot of New Zealand music, the vocals are uncharacteristically mixed up and not buried in the instrumentation. It kind of paradoxically makes the voice seem like another instrument—I’m at a loss finding (other than Herrema) anyone to compare the vocals to while maintaining any real dignity. Suffice it to say that they’re easily in the upper echelon of all rock vox, and it’s continued across both wunnerfuly screwed tracks on the double LP set.

2009: 300% Sikh & Tyred

Though the music is varied, you never get the feeling that the album was thrown together as pieces. As incoherent and absurd as it is, the record has a marvelous cohesion, at times overtly a downer, such as the track “10 Miles (as the crow flies)” and other points like the near-sinister, hardcore influenced “Join the R.A.F.”

The Mirror News by Vince Carmody, DJ at Chapel Hill's Local 506 Club

It’s near-put impossible to fix these fellers into any genre, and that’s a damn good thing. Not only that, it’s a fucking difficult thing to pull off convincingly, yet the Axemen do so with, well what’s the write word, grace? How about ‘instinct?’ That seems more apropos. It’s an instinct which speaks more to an overall aesthetic than does it any attempt to play this or that style of music.

This one of the strangest records ever sludged to wax, and it’s caused that compulsive collector in my to try and track down any and all of their recordings, which, from what I’ve read, is going to be a formidable task. This is no surprise since they formed around 1981 and have recorded pretty consistently since, and even through the broad spectrum of music the venerable Flying Nun label have pressed over the years, The Axemen stand totally on their own. Flying Nun wasn’t their only label over the years—there have been several, but as an American touchstone, it’s appropriate to mention them as one of the better-known imprints to bring up.

Sickie Stojanovic, 123 Pleasant Street, Morgantown, West Virginia

All I can tell you is that, even on this one double LP, influences include American hardcore and DIY, Beefheart (though nothing obvious springs to mind at the outset), a sort of Zappaesque sense of humor, bizarre synth music, employ of loops and on and on.

The Axemen are their own entity. The only downside to this is that it took so long for an American pressing to go down. I’ve heard that they’ve met with largely great critical press on their recent tour of the U.S. One can only hope that it continues and that we see them again very soon.

P. Somniferum

7 – Inch wonders: Times New Viking / Axemen tour single

steve mccabe — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 14:08:44 +0000

Reprinted from: http://7inches.blogspot.com/2009/11/times-new-viking-axemen-tour-single.html

Times New Viking / Axemen tour single

Picked this up last night at the TNV show at Mercury Lounge with the Axemen…my friend Pat told me to look out for a tour only single at the merch table, and there it was.
Does a band with the power of Matador behind it have to press a split single, hand color the xerox sleeve and inscribe the inner label for their US tour with the Axemen? HELL NO.
But they did it anyway.

I have to admire this.
Plus they set out to educate an audience to a NZ band that probably deserves more due that I’ve never come across before, I’m always up for that.

Didn’t know anything about the Axemen before they went on other than the brief mentions at Siltblog after their reissue by Tom of a huge part of their back catalog.

I stood there watching thinking, ‘I’m sure these guys are important’ especially to the first few rows. I’ve been reading about their protest albums/accident (crash) into some government office in NZ, they weren’t in it for the money obviously.

I can respect anyone touring 20+ years later etc…but it just wasn’t my thing. The one time they got me was an insane hardcore blast, but honestly they didn’t seem happy about it. Have to dive further into the Siltbreeze catalog.
They cover each other on this thing which I wasn’t expecting at all.

The Axemen track on the single ‘SIcKh & TYRED’ is a great interpretation of the track from the TNV Stay Awake EP. I’m into it when they replicate the back and forth Beth Adam vocals. Sounds good.

They have to feel pretty cool that these guys covered one of their tracks for this. I honestly had no idea until I played it this morning.

Times New Viking on the other side cover ‘Rocks in my Heart’ by the Axemen. Which includes the lyric ‘Sick and Tired’ also I noticed…weird. They make this song fit into their catalog, emphasizing the pop chords and immediacy, all with just a touch their special fuzz. Excellent…can’t believe this really. I am honored guys. It’s too much.

Here’s Jared working on the covers…

History of 123 Pleasant Street [Morgantown, West Virginia]

steve mccabe — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 07:17:39 +0000

History of 123 Pleasant Street [Morgantown, West Virginia]

reprinted from: http://www.123pleasantstreet.com/misc/history/4

Page 4: The Underground Railroad, the Dry House, and the Underground, 1982-1990

In 1982, 123 (the stage room) and 125 (the upper room) became the home to a vibrant Morgantown music community with the opening of The Underground Railroad (URR), largely conceived and operated by the now-legendary (in Morgantown, at least) Marsha Ferber.

Marsha and a group of friends with a common interest in music and a distaste for the status quo of the early 1980s spawned the idea of a bar where music was the binding force bringing together all types of people in a peaceful atmosphere.

The Underground Railroad’s name came from her desire to have a place where people could “find their way to freedom,” by interacting and listening to music without regard to skin color, dress, sexuality, hair style, or ideas. Harriet Tubman, the heroine of the real Underground Railroad, was painted on the wall of 123 and came to symbolize the bar’s concept of basic equality among all people.

The bar reflected Marsha’s idealism, her politics, and her taste in music. To help things out, at nearly the same time U92 (the WVU student radio station) went on the air with an alternative format and began supporting local music, while the student newspaper, the DA, began to follow happenings and shows at the bar with interest. To complete the circle an independent record store on High Street called Backstreet Records began carrying local music in conjunction with stuff you couldn’t find anywhere else. Morgantown’s underground music scene was born.

The Underground Railroad specialized in music-inspired fun, with healthy doses of art and politics which emanated an energy that invigorated Morgantown. It was the Reagan years after all, and there was revolution in the air among those not of the conservative mind-set.

There had always been local bands and artists in Morgantown, but the arrival of a venue which supported them on a long-term basis inspired a flowering of original music, art, and nearly anything else people wanted to put on the stage or the walls. Moreover, beginning with a show by Bo Diddley in January 1985, nationally known bands started showing up on the URR stage at an ever-increasing rate. The Dry House, an all-ages venue, opened in the lower room in 1985. The Brick Row building was showing its age by this time, but it became a place that drew people back again and again.
[Note: During URR days the liquor bar was in the stage room. The upper room was turned into a vegetarian eatery (during the day) and bar area at night. The Blue Ribbon Restaurant, two doors up from 123 in what is now The Adventure's Edge store, was a standard visit for Undergrounders after long nights of music.]

The Daily Athenaeum, April 24, 1986

In the spring of 1988, the pivotal Morgantown band Th’ Inbred broke up, and student favorites Shank Swing and the Divots called it quits also. Still, April of 1988 was like any other month at the Underground RR, with a bevy of bands playing. This changed on April 25, the day owner Marsha Ferber walked out of the bar and disappeared without a trace. She was never seen again. Marsha was reported missing but the police, her family, and her friends never turned up any substantial leads to her whereabouts either dead or alive. Like Elvis, one can still hear rumours of Marsha sightings from ex-Morgantownies around the world. The case is still open.

An article about Marsha’s Disappearance from the DA, 1988

“Duff’s Band List,” 1989

The employees kept the venue running for another year but it closed, along with The Dry House, seemingly for good, in late May of 1989, one year after Marsha’s disappearance. In January, 1990, the bar changed hands and reopened as “The Underground.” The Underground only lasted about 6 months, when the bar changed hands again.

New Zealand’s Axemen at WFMU New York (broadcast 24 November 2009)

steve mccabe — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 03:51:08 +0000

Reprinted from: http://blog.wfmu.org/freeform/2009/11/new-zealands-axemen-at-wfmu.html

Downloads and Links:

Download Zip File of Live Audio Tracks

01. [Download] Be My Slave (McCabe) (03:21)
02. [Download] Nutsack (Brannigan/Stojanovic) (03:15)
03. [Download] Shacked Up In Yr Egypt[ian] Tomb (Brannigan/McCabe)(04:08)
04. [Download] Barney Rubble (Stojanovic) (03:20)
05. [Download] Church of the Loosely Brethren (Brannigan/McCabe) (02:54)
06. [Download] Carmen On Ice (Brannigan/McCabe) (03:10)
07. [Download] Baby Eater (Brannigan/McCabe) (04:12)
08. [Download] Made to Die (McCabe) (02:41)

One of the big touring surprises for 2009 has to be the visit of New Zealand’s legendary Axemen to U.S. shores.

The band began in Christchurch in 1981 and stood somewhat aside of the pop path exhibited by much of the the Flying Nun label roster, but are without doubt one of the more fascinating Kiwi exports.

Various live shows and releases displayed a loose but virulent amalgamation of avant-garage, Half Japanese style sax primitivism, confusion, and general air of maladjusted greatness.

They’ve got two reissues “Big Cheap Motel” and “Scary!” out now on Siltbreeze, and are hitting the road coast to coast with Times New Viking.

- Brian Turner/WFMU (WFMU Playlist & Streaming Archive for BT’s show)

View Full Radio Show Details

View Live Track Details

Play Full Radio Show (MP3)

Length:00:27:01
Host: Brian Turner
Engineer: Jason Sigal with Alex Yockey
CURATOR: WFMU
Released:November 24th, 2009
GENRES:

Rock

Punk

Indie-Rock

Post-Punk

November 24, 2009

New Zealand’s Axemen at WFMU (MP3’s)

It’s a chore enough these days for any kind of overseas band to land a U.S. tour on any scale, so its was nothing less than a pleasant surprise when we learned that New Zealand’s Axemen had a pretty extensive one lined up with Columbus, Ohio’s Times New Viking this fall.

The Axemen started in Christchurch in 1981, a time when New Zealand and Flying Nun records in particular were stirring up a major musical waves (ones that were felt in countless 1990’s US indie bands and are still being felt today especially disciples like TNV), yet the sweeping, strummy pop element that was evident in many of the Nun’s stable was only a part of the fuzzy picture that was the Axemen.

The band’s central core of (Little) Stevie McCabe, Bob Brannigan, and Stu Kawowski recorded in both cheapo home mode and in traditional studios, but setting had little to do with the wide-swing of directions that are evident wherever you drop a needle (or cue up a tape).

There’s tons of basement weirdness nodding to the more antisocial Velvets and Swell Maps moments, scatterings of drunken White Album recreation attempts, even moments where they sound like Royal Trux way before their time.

When they played at Union Pool in Brooklyn last week I could swear they were going for a Stackwaddy/Doors thing, but then they became Half Japanese with Stevie playing sax solos on guitar. In Axemen recordings, they have one song about Elmer Fudd that sounds like Psychic TV, and another that is totally inspired by Grandmaster Flash. They even did a full album of Elton John songs. I have a feeling that if Flying Nun gave them the giant studio budget like they did Straitjacket Fits they would have come up with an album just as great as their Big Cheap Motel and Scary! Part III cassettes that Siltbreeze thankfully reissued in 2009.

Check out the clip below (and more after the jump) of the band on a 90’s NZ kids’ TV show (promoting their Peter Wang Pud album!), and dig in to their November 20th visit to my radio show, engineered by Jason Sigal and Alex Yockey.Thanks for Terre T for leaving us all the food the Reigning Sound didn’t eat earlier that day, there were some fancy pastries!

The Axemen Live at WFMU, Brian Turner’s show

Lineup: (Little) Stevie McCabe, Stu Kawowski, Bob Brannigan, Dragan Stojanovic

Promo video for Three Virgins LP (being reissued by Siltbreeze in 2010):

You cand find more on the Axemen’s My Space page and Y2K blog,the latter of which has updates on sometimes-member Mick Elborado’s recent exploits at his workplace; he recently drove his car through the lobby of his employers’ building, New Zealand’s equivalent of the IRS. No one was hurt, but New Zealand’s government might be learning a thing or two about satisfying employees’ gripes in the future.

Posted by Brian Turner on November 24, 2009 at 06:27 PM in Brian Turner’s Posts, MP3s, Music, Video Clips | Permalink

GIg Report – Philadelphia Nov 15 2009

steve mccabe — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 08:44:15 +0000

Reprinted from: http://citypaper.net/blogs/criticalmass/2009/11/17/times-new-viking-the-axemen-the-mad-scene-nov-15-kung-fu-necktie/

posted by Brian Howard on Tuesday, November 17th, 2009 at 11:34 am

CONCERT REVIEW: Times New Viking, The Axemen, The Mad Scene @ Kung Fu Necktie, 11/15

This is our second set, like Phish.

Sunday night shows are always a tough sell, but the four-band bill including U.S. Girls (who we’ll be up front and cop to not getting to the club in time to see) was as can’t-miss a show for indie rockers of a certain age as you’ll find. A healthy crowd of 40 or so (in their 40s or so?) crammed into tiny Kung Fu Necktie and watched as New Zealand ex-pat/Clean vet Hamish Kilgour and Lisa Siegel led The Mad Scene through a set of murky Kiwi-style noise rockers rife with alternating strumming and distorted jabs. That’s the thing about New Zealand: even their poppier indie pop is prone, at any second, to spiral into fits of SY-style noise fests. Kilgour, who apparently had lost his guitar strap, spent the first few numbers seated on the floor at the side of the stage — largely invisible to all but the front row — with a microphone stand angled down toward him, creating a scenario where the vocals seemed to be emanating from nowhere. Siegel eventually lent the singer her bass strap and Kilgour finsihed the set standing erect. Stu Kowowski of the legendary Axemen (who’d take the stage next), sat in on drums for the set and was joined by Adam Elliott, drummer for headliners Times New Viking, for a set-closing number where both drummers pounded on the kit.

Then came The Axemen, a New Zealand noise/punk outfit on their first tour of the U.S. despite first slithering from of the antipodean ooze in 1981 in protest of the South African rugby team’s tour of the islands. Led by an apparently intoxicated Steve McCabe, the four-piece chugged through a set of classics, including a few choice numbers from Scary! Pt. III (a 1989 cassette that’s been recently re-released on vinyl by Philly’s Siltbreeze). The band, rounded out by guitarist/singer Bob Brannigan and in this incarnation bassist Dragan Stojanovic (the band’s lineup aside from the three core members has been in constant flux), turned in a rough-around-the-edges set (thanks mostly to McCabe’s inspired/drunken flailing) that alternated between all-out chaos and more crafted blues-rock tigned numbers that created as many questions as it answered. What must it have been like to watch this unit over the years, and what were these grizzled vets like in their younger, angrier days? A newer song that might be titled “Do You Wanna Be My Slave,” suggests the band’s as ascerbic as ever.

Photo | Brian Howard

McCabe (left) and Brannigan of The Axemen.

Though The Axemen were indeed the rare treat that made this lineup a can’t-miss, Times New Viking was the main course. The Columbus-based trio have, since bursting on the scene with 2005’s Dig Yourself (which got the long-dormant Siltbreeze back in business) have honed a style that’s equal parts hooks cacophony, a slicing wail crossed with mistimed engine on overdrive. Keyboardist Beth Murphy’s vocals remain shouted and defiantly off key. Jared Phillips‘ guitar parts are piercing and devastating. Elliott’s drumming and singing are wound tight and delivered fast. They eschewed the typical set-encore structure for a two-set program that may have somehow crammed 30 songs into their hour on stage. It was exhilirating, ear-spitting, and so life-affirming.

Man who drove into IRD pays third of damage

steve mccabe — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 08:42:03 +0000

Reprinted from: http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/3072295/Man-who-drove-into-IRD-pays-third-of-damage

David Jerrold Theobald will have to pay for less than a third of the $41,500 damage he caused in his ram-raid protest at the Christchurch offices of the Inland Revenue Department.

The 48-year-old remained disarmingly frank to the end, when he was sentenced by Judge Jane McMeeken in the Christchurch District Court today.

When she began sentencing him for driving his car through two sets of glass doors at the department’s offices, he corrected her, explaining that it was actually three sets.

“Don’t interrupt me,” said the judge.

She ordered him to do 300 hours of community work and imposed reparation totalling $13,000 to the owners of the building and the department. She also disqualified him from driving for nine months.

Theobald, who has now lost his job after working for the department for 25 years, had pleaded guilty to charges of reckless driving and intentional damage.

He is now a sickness beneficiary but hoped to get more work. His ram-raid in his car at 6.30am on a Saturday was a protest about his ongoing employment dispute with the department.

He will struggle to pay the reparations, even though he is single, has no children, and has been working for 25 years, because he has only about $1000 in assets.

He lives in a rental property and has no car.

“What have you spent your money on?” the judge wanted to know.

Theobald explained that he had been generous to people.

Defence counsel Simon Clay explained that there was a medical background to the case. Theobald’s actions had been a protest gesture. He had never been in trouble with the law, but had difficulties with his employer. He had checked to ensure there would be no-one in the offices when he made his protest.

Judge McMeeken said Theobald had believed for some reason that what had been happening gave him the right to damage property, but the building did not just belong to the department.

“You need to understand that it is one thing to protest, but it is quite another thing to deliberately, and intentionally, and wantonly destroy property especially when the property is not directly related to the organisation you had a gripe with.”

Ordering the reparation payment, she said: “The possibility of you making payment in full seems to me to be extremely remote, but you must realise there are consequences from your actions. You are going to have to budget wisely.”

IRD door smasher had ‘warned of terrorism’

steve mccabe — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 07:21:24 +0000

Reprinted from: http://www.nzherald.co.nz

The man who drove his car through glass doors at the Inland Revenue Department building in Christchurch says he warned the department about terrorism but it had no security measures in place.

David Jerrold Theobald, 47, of St Albans, pleaded guilty in the Christchurch District Court today to charges of intentional damage and reckless driving.

He had worked at the Inland Revenue for 25 years and has said he had a long running employment dispute with the department.

In the summary of facts read to the court, Theobald told the police that he had warned the department about terrorism but they had no security measures there.

He drove his Mazda 626 through the foyer of the building in Cashel Street at 6.30am on a Saturday.

He crashed through two sets of glass doors and smashed a third.

Defence counsel Simon Clay asked Judge Stephen Erber to request a pre-sentence report for the November 17 sentencing.

Judge Erber ordered a reparation report and a pre-sentence report, and prohibited Theobald from driving while he was on bail.

- NZPA

Judge orders community work; $13,000 to repay

steve mccabe — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 07:16:51 +0000

Reprinted from: http://www.stuff.co.nz

A disgruntled Inland Revenue employee who quit spectacularly by driving his car through the doors of the tax department’s Christchurch building has been handed a hefty sentence of community work and ordered to pay $13,000 in reparations.

David Theobald, 48, took his dissatisfaction with his employer of 25 years straight to the front counter at 6.30am on August 15.

He crept his Mazda 626 up to the Inland Revenue building on Cashel St and, after making sure no staff were present, slowly drove through three sets of plate-glass doors causing more than $40,000 in damage.

Theobald, a long-time Christchurch musician whose stage name is Mick Elborado, admitted the crime, quipping to police when they arrived: “It’s OK officer, I work here.”

Photos of his exploits quickly emerged on the website of his band, The Axemen, and a Mick Elborado is Innocent page was set up on Facebook.

Theobald pleaded guilty and yesterday was sentenced in the Christchurch District Court by Judge Jane McMeeken.

Defence lawyer Simon Clay said Theobald’s actions were in the nature of a protest, the culmination of a conflict at work that had lasted for some time.

There was a medical background to the offending, he said.

Theobald had checked there was no risk to any staff and smashed the windows early on a Saturday. He had been “disarmingly frank” with police, admitting his crime at the first opportunity.

The judge wanted to know why Theobald, a worker for 25 years, had no assets and no savings to make reparations.

He said he spent his money on drinks for friends and “being generous”.

The judge said Theobald deliberately drove through plate-glass doors. His actions were completely inappropriate. “It’s one thing to protest, it’s quite another thing to deliberately and wantonly destroy property.”

The building’s owner, Rapaki Property Group, sought reparation of $27,000; Inland Revenue sought $14,500. The judge sentenced Theobald to 300 hours community work. Reparations of $8000 to Rapaki and $5000 to Inland Revenue were ordered at $20 per week from Theobald’s sickness benefit.

Record Review: Axemen – Scary! Pt. III 2xLP (Siltbreeze/Sleekbott)

steve mccabe — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 22:37:16 +0000

November 17, 2009

Reprinted from: http://still-single.tumblr.com/

Axemen – Scary! Pt. III 2xLP (Siltbreeze/Sleekbott)

SCARY! pt 111 - Axemen

So the Axemen finally make it to the United States to tour, and one of the local weeklies lists them as “Axeman.”

Figures, right?

Nobody who’s in a position to know has influence enough to care. Tom Lax coulda bought a very decent used car with the ca$hola he’s sunken into this beyond-insane reissue program for New Zealand’s most divisive band – even so far as to have dug up two never-heard-‘em cassettes for the introductory offers, guaranteed to chase away even seasoned listeners.

Lifting up out of the muck that was Big Cheap Motel, this four-sider thankfully doesn’t give way to clarity, though some would claim it’d give birth to Blankdoggin’, as few of the ‘90s lo-fi oligarchy would have touched a synth or a sampler, let alone subjected them to the levels of abuse that Stevie McCabe offers up all over here.

Approximately 150 people will hear a serious Dirty Faces connection to the flotsam here; more will liken it to Royal Trux in their scum/disassociative phase, and that’s fine.

Here was – and is – a band that is continually in protest mode, against common sense if not a social or political cause … fuck, one of their auxiliary members drove his ride into the glass doors of the Kiwi tax office, and from all accounts, he’s free to walk on American soil as I write this. Does anyone in New Zealand want to swap places with me?

I’ve heard too many good things and am ready to throw away my life in the USA. This 1989 release is nothing but endless ur-jammin’ on some rudimentary melody, jive talkin’ monologue, screechin’ and sneerin’, occasionally stumbling onto a higher truth and really just content to slag off anyone that comes near it.

You don’t have to like it, or even respect it, because it was made to chase you and everybody else away. I respect that Lax puts out a pop record the likes of the Mantles or Eat Skull, but isn’t afraid to keep truckin’ in the weirdness like this charcoal nug. Still waiting on Three Virgins, and more eloquent thoughts from Wood Beez. (http://www.siltbreeze.com)
(Doug Mosurock)

Times New Viking/The Axemen, Talking Head Club, Baltimore, MD 11/14/09

steve mccabe — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 08:44:36 +0000

Sunday, November 15, 2009

Times New Viking/The Axemen, Talking Head Club, Baltimore, MD 11/14/09

Reprinted from:

http://nogiftforthegab.blogspot.com/2009/11/times-new-vikingthe-axemen-talking-head.html

Sonar (Talking Head), Baltimore

The other night I was told, that since I have never left the country I know nothing about what constitutes good taste. I was also told that I was a loser for listening to Pavement. With that being said, I went to Baltimore on Saturday to see a band, who clearly must be shitty, and hung out with a bunch of other losers.

The first two bands, Mr Moccasin and Slow Jerks, are both local products. I only heard two songs from Mr Moccasin, but between that and what I heard on their Myspace, they sounded alright. People, who were there and had seen this band before, said that the group sounded better than they had in the past. I had tried listening to Slow Jerks earlier in the day, but my internet research skills failed me and I found nothing. It’s entirely possible that this was by design, though. Seeing these dudes live, I got the impression that perhaps they wanted to do everything DIY and gradually work their way up. If that’s the case, then props are in order.

The Axemen are from New Zealand, and apparently they formed back in 1981 as a means of protesting the fact that some South African rugby team was playing matches in New Zealand which violated an agreement of some sort. They were pretty tight live, and it wasn’t until the end of the set that I realized that my head had been bobbing the entire time.

Beth, Times New Viking - the object of the reviewers wild desire

This may have been a nervous reaction because early on in the set it occurred to me that the girl from Times New Viking was standing next to me. All the members of the band were in my general vicinity, in fact, and as a result I drank accordingly.

What struck me the most about The Axemen was how they came across as a band with the best of intentions.

Times New Viking, Baltimore

It all just seemed so honest. They brought the one dude [Adam Elliot] from Times New Viking up on stage to do a song at one point, and that was pretty rad.

Towards the end, the guitarist took his shirt off and wiped the brow of the lead singer. The best of intentions. The whole set was a good time, and the forty people in attendance all seemed to dig it.

Times New Viking are quite possibly the loudest band that I listen to, and I went to this show to see how loud it could get. It was quite loud, and this was accentuated by the fact that the Talking Head is about the size of a hallway and the only difference between the club and an actual hallway is the fact that the Talking Head has a bathroom.

I had done some preliminary research about what TNV was like live, but all I found was that they get loud and that the drummer talks too much. Looking back, the drummer didn’t say a whole lot once the set got underway so maybe the internets was wrong about that.

TNV might be better live than they are on record.

They are a band of sounds, and that’s awesome on it’s own, but in concert the melodies are much more apparent. I do have to admit that I don’t own the latest record, and it’s entirely possible that they were just playing songs off of it and it’s also quite possible that the new disc is slightly more hi-fi than previous albums. I know for a fact that didn’t play all new songs because I recognized several and also because at one point they said, “Now, we’re going to play some old songs.”

Everyone was into it. There was more moving around at this show then at anything else I’ve seen all year, for the most part.

There was this one girl, and she seemed really tapped into the whole thing. She swayed and spun her way through every song. I think she had her eyes closed, but it didn’t really matter because the way she was dancing it was like an act of surrender. It was like what Nietzsche had described. She was on the edge of the proverbial cliff, but instead of being frightened or concerned, she was reveling in the chaos.

Loving every minute of it, and dancing like it would never stop. It’s how I generally feel on the inside, but since I’m such an uncouth deadbeat unfit for the public, it’s better for me to just keep my head down and try not to piss anyone off.

Times New Viking, The Axemen, Royal Bangs – Hi Tone Lounge, Memphis

steve mccabe — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 08:29:04 +0000

Times New Viking, The Axemen, Royal Bangs

Reprinted from: http://www.livefrommemphis.com/memphis/memphismusicnews/1218-times-new-viking-the-axemen-royal-bangs-at-hi-tone-cafe

Venue: The Hi-Tone Cafe http://www.hitonememphis.com/calendar.php

The Hi-Tone, Memphis

NOVEMBER 9, 2009

Reprinted from: http://www.livefrommemphis.com/submitevent/details/2638-times-new-viking-the-axemen-royal-bangs

Doors Open: 8:00 PM

Starts: 9:00 PM

Age Restriction: 18+ Ages

$7.00 / Day of Show Price: $10.00 General Admission
Royal Bangs | 10:00 PM
http://www.myspace.com/royalbangs
Insound Staff Pick – 2008! Royal Bangs are a five-piece rock band from Knoxville, Tennessee. We Breed Champions is the band’s first full-length offering on Audio Eagle Records. Angular, dueling guitar melodies dance around manic, start-stop rhythms and are crowned by the earnest, pushed-to-the-breaking-point vocals of frontman Ryan Schaeffer. Or whatever. They have been compared to Modest Mouse, TV on the Radio, Architecture in Helsinki, etc, etc.

The Axemen | 11:00 PM
http://www.myspace.com/nemexa
The Axemen is a New Zealand band formed around 1981 in protest against the South African Springbok rugby team tour of New Zealand, a tour which created great controversy, especially as was in contradiction to New Zealand’s obligations under the Gleneagles Agreement.

The Axemen played in Chch Cathedral 1981 in response to the Springbok tour.

They also played at the protests for homosexual law reform in 1983, with member Little Stevie McCabe being severely beaten up in the Cathedral Square, Christchurch, toilets.

The Axemen’s founding members, Bob Brannigan, Little Stevie McCabe and Stu Kawowski had played in various bands, apart and together, in the South Island cities of Christchurch and Dunedin, but cohesed in reaction to Sprinkbok rugby tour.

Before Bob Brannigan and Steve McCabe met, Steve was playing in a two-piece band at Cashmere High School called The Gorillas with Peter Rees, evolving comix maestro and classical guitarist.

Brannigan and McCabe met through a mutual friend and played gigs in Christchurch and Dunedin under many names including The Whining Plums, Hey, We’re Wolves and The Twins in the early ’80s. It was at a Twins gig at the notorious Empire Tavern in Dunedin in 1983 where Stu Kawowski was first unable to control himself and leapt on stage to commandeer the bongoes, instantly adding another dimension to the unit.

Art School Photography graduate, photography guru, filmmaker, artist [1] , promotional maverick and explosives expert Kawowski was playing drums with Above Ground, Bill Direen’s band at the time he met the other members of the Axemen and soon ’joined’ the Axemen as a permanent fixture.

Brannigan, McCabe and Kawowski remain to this day the ’core’ of the Axemen, however many New Zealand musicians played with them over the years as guest / transient / semi-permanent members, making their influence and the influences they assimilated (like the borg) an important breeding ground and virtual swap-meet of ideas and influence in Kiwi music circles.

In February 2009, US record label Siltbreeze re-released the Axemen’s 1984 protest album :Big Cheap Motel” [2] on 12″ vinyl. Originally the album was released as a cassette packaged in a small bubble-sleeve with a straw, mimicking the milk drink “Big M” that the album was aimed at. The Axemen were invited to play at Christchurch’s “Summertimes” Festival in January 1984, a public music stage set up in Hagley Park. The band was shocked by the large-scale sexist “Big M” advertising surrounding the main stage, and decided to write a suite of protest songs about how the Christchurch City Council had “sold out” to the “Big M” sexist marketing. The Axemen recorded the concert, as well as studio versions of their songs and released a 45 min cassette entitled, “Big Cheap Motel”

Times New Viking | 12:00 PM
http://www.myspace.com/timesnewviking
Much like ’90s indie darlings Guided By Voices, Times New Viking are a noisy, lo-fi indie rock band from Ohio who made the leap from the long-running indie Siltbreeze Records to the higher profile Matador label.

Unlike Guided By Voices, whose hissy, distortion-heavy sound masked a knack for traditional ’60s-influenced pop hooks and surreal lyrical wordplay, this Columbus trio favor a more purely noisy and punk derived sound and minimalist, deliberately repetitive lyrics.

Times New Viking (the band name an obscure and meaningless pun on the name of the popular typeface Times New Roman) formed in Columbus in 2004, when art school students Adam Elliott, Beth Murphy and Jared Phillips spontaneously decided to form a band while hanging out in a local rock club.

Murphy and Phillips, who had no musical training between them, took over keyboards and guitar respectively, while the marginally more skilled Elliott played drums. (Elliott and Murphy both sing, often together though rarely in harmony.)

Debut album Dig Yourself was released on Siltbreeze in 2005, followed by Times New Viking Present the Paisley Reich in 2007. (The CD version of this album includes the six tracks from a pair of limited edition vinyl-only EPs released prior to the album.) Generally approving reviews and regular touring, including a stint opening for Yo La Tengo and performances at indie cred-builder festivals Coachella and SXSW, raised the band’s profile, and they made the jump from Siltbreeze to Matador for 2008’s Rip It Off, 16 breathless tracks in less than 31 minutes produced by Ohio noise-rock godfather Mike Hummel of Mike Rep and the Quotas.

Venue

Venue:: Hi-Tone Cafe – Website
Street:: 1913 Poplar Ave.
ZIP:: 38104
City:: Memphis
State:: TN
Country:

Description

The Hi Tone was established in 1998 and quickly became one of Memphis’ premiere music venues.

Under new ownership in April of 2002, the Hi Tone has re-dedicated itself to bring Memphians and mid-southerners the best national and local acts from a wide variety of music genres.The Hi-Tone has been voted #1 Place to See Live Music six times since 1998 by the Memphis Flyer’s “Best of Memphis” public polls.

The Hi-Tone brings more original live music to the city than most all other venues combined. The house produces over 300 shows per year with nearly 1000 sets per year.

Conveniently located in the heart of midtown in Memphis, Tennessee, the Hi Tone offers music fans a unique experience with world-class musical talent.

We offer a small menu of great bar food including burgers and appetizers for your night-time cravings. See the Menu page for more information.

Times New Viking / Axemen at Kung Fu Necktie, Philadelphia

steve mccabe — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 08:15:49 +0000

Reprinted from:

http://reviews.citypaper.net/articles/2009/11/12/times-new-viking-the-axemen

Times New Viking/The Axemen

Sun., Nov. 15, 8 p.m., $10, with The Mad Scene and U.S. Girls, Kung Fu Necktie, 1250 N. Front St., 866-468-7619, kungfunecktie.com.

by Brian Howard

Published: Nov 11, 2009

noise/punk

You could think of The Axemen as New Zealand’s answer to The Dead Kennedys. The reckless, shattered lo-fi art punk band formed in Dunedin in 1981 in protest of then-apartheid South Africa’s Springboks rugby team tour of the islands, and has raged ever since. Stu Kawowski, Bob Brannigan and Little Stevie McCabe have shuffled through a panoply of guest members over the years, and the result is a catalog that’s essentially a petri dish of virulent, smashed-up angst. Philly label Siltbreeze has recently re-released, in vinyl-only pressings of 500, two of the band’s early classics — Big Cheap Motel (an impromptu festival set protesting the fest sponsor’s sexist advertising) and the mammoth double album Scary! Pt. III. Consider this a statement show for resurgent Siltbreeze impresario T.J. Lax, who was not only responsible for discovering headliners Times New Viking (pictured) but more than likely had a hand in luring Kiwi expats The Mad Scene down from NYC for the evening.

Sun., Nov. 15, 8 p.m., $10, with The Mad Scene and U.S. Girls, Kung Fu Necktie, 1250 N. Front St., 866-468-7619, kungfunecktie.com.

Tags: axemen, Times New Viking

AXEMEN/Times New Viking split 7″ vinyl out now

kawowski — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 02:36:02 +0000

Axemen do TNV’s “Sick ‘n tyred” and their “Rocks In My Heart” tune done to death by Times Neu Vikin’ – wicked 7” (ONLY AVAILABLE AT GIGS) and a limited eedition of 350 discs – each one individually enhanced by the artist band members. Ultra collectable sh*t. Check out some evidence below. See you at the NY show.

Axemen & Times New Viking at Chapel Hill :: Friday 13th :: Mirror News

kawowski — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 16:49:19 +0000

The Mirror News by Vince Carmody, DJ at Chapel Hill's Local 506 Club

Poster courtesy of http://vinciple.blogspot.com/

Tour Diaries 7) – Walkin in Memphis

steve mccabe — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 19:40:22 +0000

The Hi-Tone - Elvis's Dojo

Playing in Elvis’s old dojo was always gonna be a tall order. For a bunch of middle-class kiwis with a passion for rock’n'roll, Memphis is a trigger-word for what can be so right and also so wrong in the genre – the full spectrum of green lily-livered-nigger-music-lovin southern boy with just the right amount mixture of sass, sasparilla, and god-given ass and hips.

These coloureds don't run!

Thankfully it was an awesome gig and elvis even made an appearance and winked at me, he dug it i know…

He kissed me – and it felt like a punch….

Quote generator:

“i gotta say i was “

* shocked

* disgusted

* enthralled

* appalled

with your lastest show in the US.

I was expecting the unexpected, with the proviso that i was forewarned that the act was going to be unpredictable and the attitude factor would play a good part in what would eventuate into the axemen’s set, very much a reflection of the local conditions and atmosphere, once we can establish a base anywhere

don’t be cruel… to a heart thats true

Tour Diaries 6:) A fire within – nutsacks are ablaze!

steve mccabe — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 19:30:57 +0000

Nutsacks abound here in the States.

We have been privileged enough to sample some of the best goddam nuts the US has to offer, and the boys digged em so much they wrote a song about it.

‘Nutsack’ has become the trailblazing anthem for the axemen’s debut us tour with its unguarded gargantuan thrust, a melody worthy of methusela for its longevity properties, the lyrics reminding one of Baez in her Dylanesque – Poe phase, plus a backbeat Ringo would kill for, the uncompromising one-note guitar overlayin the verses topped off with the cream on the pudding, the triple-X chorus of Brannigan, Stojanovic & McCabe every 8 bars or so.

“It shall be the killer single in 2010″ – Nostradamus

Tour Diaries: 5) Bob and Dragan – Arrival

steve mccabe — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 11:48:13 +0000

"I Think He Wants to Focus!"

the lads sail into perfect storm conditions...

As the mythics in Valhalla prophesied, the four axemen were once again reunited in the new world, with all the dignity and indignities which applied.

Slowly but surely coming sharply into focus, as if from a dream Bob and Dragan emerged from the highly pressurised, sterile environment of he plane into the highly pressurized, puerile environment of L.A.

As if metatmorphosing from a dream of waldorf salads, pumpkin pie and some garbanzo beans.

Steve visibly winced when he saw the “Please be gentle with the girl from Yentl!” bumper sticker on his guitar case – It was plain as the nose on yer face it would take these gringos a while to socialize.

Santa Cruz Gig pre-nup

steve mccabe — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 07:30:26 +0000

Reprinted from: http://thecrepeplace.com/

30 October 2009

Santa Cruz Gig pre-nup

Times New Viking, The Axemen, The Happy Hollows

Times New Viking

The Axemen

The Axemen is a New Zealand band formed around 1981 in protest against the South African Springbok rugby team tour of New Zealand, a tour which created great controversy, especially as was in contradiction to New Zealand’s obligations under the Gleneagles Agreement.

The Axemen played in Chch Cathedral 1981 in response to the Springbok tour.

They also played at the protests for homosexual law reform in 1983, with member Little Stevie McCabe being severely beaten up in the Cathedral Square, Christchurch, toilets.

Before Bob Brannigan and Steve McCabe met, Steve was playing in a two-piece band at Cashmere High School called The Gorillas with Peter Rees, evolving comix maestro and classical guitarist.

Brannigan, McCabe and Kawowski remain to this day the ‘core’ of the Axemen, however many New Zealand musicians played with them over the years as guest / transient / semi-permanent members, making their influence and the influences they assimilated (like the borg) an important breeding ground and virtual swap-meet of ideas and influence in Kiwi music circles.

The Happy Hollows

“The Happy Hollows have a lot of weapons in their arsenal, but chief among them is vocalist/guitarist Sarah Negahdari. ‘Faces,’ from the forthcoming Spells, gives Negahdari the perfect chance to show off her Polly Harvey-meets-Kim Deal croon.” — Magnet Magazine

“A killer hybrid of Kim Deal, PJ Harvey and Emily Haines. Negahdari has the guitar chops, explosive energy and winning sense of humor that should make The Happy Hollows one of the more interesting bands of our new millennium’s next decade.” — Wired Magazine

“A pugilistic mix of stinging guitars, turbulent rhythms, and shouted vocals. Alternates between childlike experimentation and ferocious firestorm.” — Los Angeles Times

The much-anticipated and highly acclaimed debut album by Los Angeles trio The Happy Hollows officially hits streets today, October 6th, 2009. The album, Spells (listen/order here) is a culmination of their work with producer and former Mighty Lemon Drops guitarist David Newton (The Little Ones, The Blood Arm), who also produced the group’s 2008 EP Imaginary. In support of the album, The Happy Hollows will be performing a string of East Coast dates surrounding their CMJ New Music Marathon showcases. The band will then headline a residency at Spaceland in Los Angeles throughout November. Please see complete dates below.

The young group’s infectious and irreverent noise-pop has earned considerable following up and down the west coast, with their energetic and charismatic performances. Vocalist/guitarist Sarah Negahdari wields ominous riffs and finger-tapped arpeggios while singing with a cherubic-yet-mischievous grin. Meanwhile, the agile rhythm section of Charles Mahoney (bass/vocals) and Chris Hernandez (drums/vocals) vault and lunge with precision.

Wired Magazine recently described Negahdari as “a killer hybrid of Kim Deal, PJ Harvey and Emily Haines” and added that “Negahdari has the guitar chops, explosive energy and winning sense of humor that should make The Happy Hollows one of the more interesting bands of our new millennium’s next decade.” The BBC picked them as a band to watch for 2009, the Los Angeles Times has described the group’s sound as a “pugilistic mix of stinging guitars, turbulent rhythms, and shouted vocals” that “alternates between childlike experimentation and ferocious firestorm.” AllMusic wrote that the band’s “appeal is immediate” and LAist has labeled them “a must see!”

The Happy Hollows’ catchy yet dissonant sound is influenced by genres as disparate as 90’s college rock, garage punk, art rock, and 80’s pop. The band combines innovative song structures, surreal lyrics, and fiercely adept instrumentation to recreate reality into a jagged panorama of vibrant, kaleidoscopic collage. Listening to their music, one cannot help but see visions of a place oddly askew from the world we experience everyday, a parallel universe that is at once whimsical, demented, and ferocious.

Having born and bred their band in various corners of the L.A. music scene since forming 2006, The Happy Hollows played their first shows in Japanese restaurants, laundromats, and small local clubs. In their first year as a band, they snuck into a studio at night and, in two sessions, recorded Bunnies and Bombs, an EP that attracted the attention of the L.A.’s underground music scene. After seeing them play a show, established L.A. heroes Silversun Pickups asked The Happy Hollows to open for them at The Wiltern and The Fillmore. In 2008, fellow art-rock outfit Deerhoof invited the Hollows to open for them on their album release shows at The Avalon and The Great American Music Hall.

ONLINE TICKETS

View The Happy Hollows myspace site

View TNV ‘Move To California’ video

8pm doors, 9pm show $10

AXEMEN items stolen from tour van, Sacramento

kawowski — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 21:31:03 +0000

Stolen Gear List USA

1x Gibson Epiphone “tobacco starburst” electric guitar (US$275) with soft black Gibson travel case (US$150)

1x Aria Pro 2 bass guitar (white body, rosewood neck) in Ibanez hard case brown (US$750 serial No. in NZ)

STUART PAGE EQUIPMENT STOLEN

1x Bolex SBM 16mm camera Nr. 305828 (US$2000 approx)

1x Switar 10mm ƒ1.6 lens SN 1069999 (US$650 approx)

1x Switar 25mm ƒ1.4 lens S/N 974399 (US$450 approx)

1x small suitacse with wheels and handle similar to:

TravelPro 4070820-10 20-Inch Rollaboard Suiter Suitcase $175

Panasonic DMC GH1 accessories: charger, AC adapter, cables etc… approx US$200

de-a49c charger

K2CJ2DA00008 AC cable

DC cable VEKON98

AV cable K1HA14CD0001

USB cable K1HA14AD0001

CD-ROM software

Body cap VKF4385

lens rear cap VFC4315

Lens storage bag VFC4430

1x Panasonic LX2 battery charger $30.00

1x Wiebetech Ultradock

31205-2409-0000 UltraDock v4, FW800/FW400/eSATA/USB, access IDE or SATA drives, US power plug US$199

1x Hitachi 2TB SATA hard drive US$184.99

1x SEAGATE 1TB SATA hard-drive US$89.99

1x SEAGATE 320GB serial ATA notebook drive

1x Vantec NST-285S2 BK 2.5″ hard drive case US$18.95

1x SABRENT EC-UEIS7 3.5″ hard drive case

1x power strip (NZ) 4 outlets US$10

Various US->NZ power adapters $100

Various firewire cables, 6pin and 9pin $100

1x Manfrotto clamp/ball-joint-camera attachment NZ$200

1x Manfrotto tripod 745B MDEVE TRIPOD BLACK, fitted with 1x 128LP MICRO FLUID VIDEO HEAD Approx NZ$600

1x Philips Electric shaver 8240 8200 Series NZ$399.00

1x Medium suitcase hard-sided Approx. US$100

Personal items (Stu):

1x “OMEN” brand (Hamburg, Germany) light blue jersey wool US$300

1x Rodd & Gunn black moleskin trousers (NZ$159.00)

1x Icebreaker top greay NZ$64.99

3x Icebreaker BOXER BRIEF WITH FLY NZ$120

4x Icebreaker socks Hiker Heavy crew NZ$18.99 x3 NZ$57.00

1x MARMOT MEN’S PRECIP JACKET NZ$279.00

1x NORTH FACE MEN’S NUPTSE JACKET $399

2x pairs all cotton sox $NZ40

6x various t-shirts NZ$120

6x “SHUSTAK “DVDs NZ$120

OTHER:

3 dozen T-shirts Lime green in carrier bag US$75 shirts, US$97 printing

Tour Diaries: 4) A message from home, and the latest L.A. dance craze

steve mccabe — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 10:40:44 +0000

Stu checks if Kurt Vile has that 20 bucks he owes him

A lot happening since last post.

We got the touring wagon sorted, a late model (2010 even) KIA minivan with 6 seats and a GPS unit we are calling ‘Suzie’.

Grow Yor Own Media, Atwater Village, L.A.

Grow Your Own Media - http://gyomedia.com

The Touring Van - 'Kia Car Ha', AKA 'Ludwig', AKA 'The Korean Paean', AKA 'Herbie', AKA 'Pork Pie', AKA 'The Seoul Train'

Went down to the garment district and picked out some fluro lime green t-shirts to get printed up for tour with a facsimile of one of the original designs for an early gig in dunedin by a guy with a small screenprinting shop just outside central L.A.

Word came in from Aussie when we drifted in tonite that Bob missed his plane to Sydney (layover on way to L.A.) due to an AK transport malfunction but had rebooked on another two hrs later and was now safely ensconced on the L.A. flight.

No word from Dragan who is supposed to be joining Bob in Sydney from Wellington before the pair travel on to L.A. together, so can only assume no news is good news until we hear further…

Steve Humann, Ava

Downtown L.A.

Steve Humann in lime fluro Axemen T, Stu Kawowski

Is that a giant pizza or are you just pleased to see me?

That guy takes the cake

Picked up Steve Humann’s kid Ava from school, took them over to the Halloween Carnival the next day, picked up the shirts and caught a couple of gigs, Kurt Vile and Jello Biafra with his new band The Guantanamo School of Medicine.

Eating at least 3 meals a day, Humann is a walking directory of L.A. food joints!

I get the feeling Suzie is a little jealous of him as she only wants to please us but Humann has the insider knowledge of the good eating and shopping locations without us having to punch the zip code into him. Hope we don’t piss her off too much before we hit the road…

Caught a couple of gigs, Kurt Vile at Spaceland and Jello Biafra and the Guantanamo School of Medicine at the El Ray Theatre on Wilshire Blvd.

Kurt Vile, Spaceland

Jello Biafra and the Guantanamo School of Medicine, El Ray Theatre, L.A.

Our string of good luck with parking in L.A. (mostly due to broken meters) came to an abrupt halt at Spaceland when we got a traffic violation ticket for parking in an obscurely signposted Residents Permit parking zone… we will contest it claiming kiwi ignorance of course.
Fiddle-de-di, tomorrow is another day… picking up Bob and Dragan at LAX tomorrow at 5.00PM local time.

Went round to Steve’s ex’s to drop off Ava and partake of the biggest pizza either of us have ever seen, a celebration for SH’s birthday…

The L.A. Stroll – Origins

Not being a big city for walkers, it is culturally interesting the latest dance craze here involves participants walking round in a circle – by the end of the gig, quite possibly the longest walk the auience member has done since the last mosh-able gig they attended.

According to our authority on the subject (Humann, fount of all L.A. knowledge), the dance developed from L.A. punks getting bored with pogo-ing in the 80’s and becoming fascinated with skanking when one of their number returned from England in the early 80’s having mastered skanking, the dance style favoured by Ska groups of the time vaguely resembling jogging on the spot.

Steve and Stu tuck into some tasty Mexican

In Humann terms (or, as the saying goes, ‘As the Humann Flies’), as soon as the punks realised they could ‘inadvertantly’ hit and kick crowd members and claim they were only dancing (in some versions of the story, this was also the origin of the Bowie classic “John I’m only dancing”, the gay overtones added to embellish the story later when it became fashionable once again to be gay), it took off and spread like a California wildfire through the 80’s and has disappeared and reappeared in one guise or another throughout the decades since.

I must say the latest incarnation to me had a sense of ’slothiness’ to it which perhaps does the high-energy music which it often accompanies a disservice in that the performer will often build more of a sweat than the audience.

The ‘L.A. Stroll’ dance – looks suspiciously like walking around in a circle to me….

...Jimmy shows us how its done

Ol' Fuck-pants takes a break from strollin'

JB has a little merch. left for the next gig

AXEMEN: THE ORDER OF ERRED WAYS

steve mccabe — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 04:51:05 +0000

aka SCARY PT. IV

an album of unreleased Sleek Bott recordings from the 1983-1985 cache

JACKSON CREEK
from the THREE VIRGINS sessions, Christchurch, April 1985

OM – STORY OF UNIVERSAL LOVE
from the Feast of Flesh rehearsal, Dunedin, March 1984
(not the same version that appears on A SCAR IS BORN);
features keyboards by George D. Henderson

MOULDIE (LEG STORY) full version live
from the Gladstone, Christchurch, Dec. 31, 1983
—a 2-minute excerpt from this same take featured on the CD version of THE SOUTH DUNEDIN SOUND, as well as on the AGRO/BAIRD BASS-OFF collection (where it appeared alongside another live take recorded 2 nights later at the same pub); includes Arthur Sheep on sax & the 3rd-eye guest guitar of Gordo Baird’s brother, B. B. Ryan.

DO OR DIE
from the THREE VIRGINS sessions, Christchurch, April 1985

THE HOLLYWOOD SINGER
live at the Star & Garter, Christchurch, June 1984

YE GODS!!
live at Lisa Preston’s birthday party, Christchurch, November 1984

GIMME ROOM #2
from the THREE VIRGINS sessions, Christchurch, April 1985

THE ORDER OF ERRED WAYS
live at Lisa Preston’s birthday party, Christchurch, November 1984

LIVING, LIVING & DYING
live at Lisa Preston’s birthday party, Christchurch, November 1984

THE GREATEST POP ON EARTH
sounds like Christchurch, July-August 1985

BRAIN ONE IAMBENT 1 Music for public toilets
live at the Arts Centre, Christchurch, June 1984

PUT THE IRON ON/TEQUILA
from the THREE VIRGINS sessions, Christchurch, April 1985

GIMME ROOM
from the THREE VIRGINS sessions, Christchurch, April 1985

* * *

an axemen anno XXV rediscovery series production
specially compiled & released on the eve of their first US tour, 2009

Our shining path to delighted states

steve mccabe — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 04:33:46 +0000

Today’s excerpt is from an acknowledged American classic:

Scientists believe America was discovered by Erik the Red, the world’s first communist, sometime in the After Dark Ages. Erik and his viking shipmates, all called Erik, outsmarted Royal Danish revenue collectors – whose exorbitant tax on Danishes had crippled the North Sea sweet pastry industry and resulted, in 1066, in the Diet of Scones – by masquerading as Scandinavian women. “Jühü, taxmänner! Wir lieben euch langseim! Ich am Erika!” became the catchcry of the wouldbe viqueen sirens; henceforth the mythical country of the bearded lady protoMarxists became known as am-Erika. The revenue men, already hardened after months at sea, gripped their stiff longswords. Suddenly seamen spurted from the ship in great foaming gouts…

author Walt “Slim” Whitmon & his famous book

Tour Diaries: 3) Los Angeles, Takin Care of Business

steve mccabe — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 07:45:14 +0000

The Touring wagon - Kia Car Ha

Well we got the touring wagon today, no Siennas available but we got a KIA 2010 model with 1400 Miles on it and a GPS – now thats what I call golden!

Kawowski & McCabe - Takin' Care of Business

Capitalism: a Love Story

Having got that sorted out we took it for a spin out to Hollywood Forever to see Johnny Ramone’s grave and the Hollywood sign for photo shoot, picked up Humann’s kid Ava, went book-grazing and caught a movie…

The iconic Axemen sign in the Hollwood Hills

Stoop Boy Stoop Kawowski on the stoop

Car Ha the Kia - ooh la la... GPS, USB, MP3, AXE

Stu Kawowski, Steve Humann, the late Johnny Ramone at Hollywood Forever

Steve bones up on some reading

Down on Sunset

Tour Diaries: 2) Los Angeles, pre-tour

steve mccabe — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 10:49:59 +0000

All Souls

Having now taken command of Los Angeles, and whilst allowing trade to continue as normal albeit under ein military regime, this is 2000 and some harrowing but major exceptions to the rule have decided, independent of the fully sanctioned and streets away, predictably, from where the real action was happening.

Hollywood 'n' Fry's

Notably, Stu and Steve (on behalf of the axemen as a partially available whole, or soul ['The choice is yours, you tithe your 10% to your local rich-ass and you're in line for the throne" struck out Pedro, his fb) buoyed by her decision to put a modicum of their eggs in one basket (as a causation equation and bearing in mind dragan and bob are initiated and primed to enter the arena at an unspecified yet predetermined time)

This first episode I call 'WHITEY'

Science is fuck-all. We each have our own Memphis. We are all Elvis. Who the fuck are you? - Steve Humann, thats who!

Checked out rental cars. Some horseless carriages yippeeing up and restless, no doubt riled up by the host with the most, the antagonist, the chip mother, the screaming, breathing Grimm brother, th senseless one they don’t talk about, thy slipped a micky finn to one of those guys, who gives a fuck who.

HOWEVER

All Souls is an equal-fate non-soul-discriminatory story, primarily but not solely based on the sole premise that the soul’s sole is imprinted indelibly on the soul of the holy fisherman, the weeping fisher, the fishing weeper, the weeper who never fishes, across the river directly from the fisher who never weeps…
Ginger the sliced ginger guy grunts as he psycles off another few slices of ginger for the solely soulless. “Otherwise it’d be for the birds!” he quips, the word ‘birds’ rhyming with the oft-used-advertising phrase ‘dis iz forda boids’!, mostly famous for accentuating the long vowel sound in the 60’s.

Day 3 – We are off to Burbank Airport to check out rental vans. stop.

Tour Diaries: 1) Stu and Steve take off – AK-SYD

steve mccabe — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 18:32:07 +0000

Stu Kawowski, Ak Airport

After yet another sleepless nite the time was finally here to get on board the U.S. ass-kicking train, destination Kick Some Ass, USA, with just long enough a stopover in Aussie to knock back a coupla cold ones.

Stu and Steve, forward scouts for the touring party proper headed off one week in advance to suss the terrain, check out transportation for tour, ogle and purchase electronic goods, check the cuisine, generally reconnoitre and give our credit cards a test run.

Our first cuppa coffee for the day and the news is out....

First leg to Sydney take off at 0915 hrs, a cuppa java and HEY PRESTO the news is out – the much-vaunted tour has officially commenced!

TO DO LIST, SYDNEY:

1) Meet up with Tracie at airport

2) Coffee

3) Pick up Stu’s camera from Ted’s

4) Coffee

5) Lunch

6) Beer

7) Get back to Airport for L.A. Flight

Steve, Britney, Stu on VA-1

Panasonic GH1

After waiting round for Tracie about an hour we called Kirsten and we went out to her pad in Newtown, walked into town for lunch then caught the train in Sydney to visit Ted and pick up Stu’s camera, the awesome Panasonic GH-1, got a few more< snaps and then back to Newtown to pick up Kirstens kid from school, and head down the pub for a beer – a must-do activity when in Aussie

Kirsten, Stu, Ted in Sydney

Stu, Steve - pub life, Newtown, Sydney

Stu and Taylor, underage massage specialist

Steve, Stu, Tracie, Sydney Airport

AXEMEN USA TOUR :: TRAVEL DISTANCES & TIMES.

kawowski — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 15:50:52 +0000

LAX, Los Angeles, CA

Mon-Oct-26

391 mi – about 5 hours 55 mins (up to 7 hours 20 mins in traffic)

Sacramento, CA

Tue-Oct-27, Sacramento, CA – Luigi’s Fungarden

86.7 mi – about 1 hour 30 mins (up to 2 hours 10 mins in traffic)

San Francisco, CA

Thu-Oct-29 San Francisco, CA Bottom of the Hill confirmed

72.8 mi – about 1 hour 18 mins (up to 1 hour 40 mins in traffic)

Santa Cruz, CA

Fri-Oct-30 Santa Cruz, CA Crepe Place

US-101 S 367 mi 6 hours 5 mins (7 hours 20 mins in traffic)

or I-5 S 348 mi 5 hours 43 mins

Los Angeles, CA

Sun-Nov-01 Los Angeles, CA Echoplex/Part Time Punks

373 mi – about 5 hours 27 mins (up to 7 hours 0 mins in traffic)

Irvine, CA

Mon-Nov-02 Acrobatics Every Day / UC Irvine

I-5 S 41.7 mi – 40 mins (2 hours 10 mins in traffic)

Phoenix, AZ

Tue-Nov-03 Phoenix, AZ Modified Arts

I-10 E 1,066 mi 15 hours 7 mins

Dallas, TX

Fri-Nov-06 Dallas, TX The Lounge on Elm St

221 mi – about 3 hours 41 mins

Austin, TX

Sat-Nov-07, Axemen TBA, TNV playing Fun Fun Fun Festival

I-30 E 647 mi 9 hours 44 mins

Memphis, TN

Mon-Nov-09 Memphis, TN Hi Tone

US-78 E 237 mi 3 hours 54 mins

Birmingham, AL

Wed-Nov-11 Birmingham, AL Bottletree

146 mi – about 2 hours 22 mins

Atlanta, GA

Thu-Nov-12 Atlanta, GA Star Bar

I-85 N 382 mi 6 hours 2 mins

Carrboro, NC

Fri-Nov-13 Carrboro, NC Local 506

I-85 N 312 mi 5 hours 26 mins

Baltimore, MD

Sat-Nov-14 DC / Baltimore Otto Bar

98.3 mi – about 1 hour 55 mins

Philadelphia, PA

Sun-Nov-15 Philadelphia, PA Kung Fu Necktie

I-95 N 96.8 mi 1 hour 52 mins (2 hours 20 mins in traffic)

New York

Wed-Nov-18 NY Mercury Lounge

4.1 mi – about 13 mins

Brooklyn, NJ

Tue-Nov-19 NY NY Union Pool

Flatbush Ave 9.9 mi 30 mins

Hoboken, NJ

Fri-Nov-20. Maxwells

I-95 N 219 mi 3 hours 59 mins (4 hours 50 mins in traffic)

Boston, MA

Sat-Nov-21 Boston MA, Great Scott

I-81 S 779 mi 12 hours 42 mins

Morgantown, WV 123 Pleasant Street

Mon-Nov 23, Morgantown, WV 123 Pleasant Street

I-78 E 381 mi 6 hours 25 mins

Columbus, OH

Fri-Nov 27, Columbus, OH – TBC

205 mi – about 3 hours 15 mins

Chicago, Il

Sat-Nov-28, Chicago, Il – (instore & gig) venues TBC

I-70 W – 354 mi 5 hours 31 mins

New York

I-80 E 788 mi 12 hours 16 mins

TOTAL: Approx 7000 miles

Gig Report: Chicks Hotel, Port Chalmers, Thurs Oct 1 2009 – The port with the charming name

steve mccabe — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 08:43:15 +0000

Chicks – October 2009

Chicks @ Chicks

If anyone was laying bets on to see who could be chosen to charm this gloomy yet cheerful neck of the woods the odds would probably not have had good pile of winnings had they invested in the dynamic pairing of those vehemently and unapologetically wizened old geezers [The Axemen] with the relatively youthful and still bouncy and vibrant Auckland-based chick and bloke combo [The Hairdos] at the South of the South Islands premiere music venue CHICKS Hotel in Port Chalmers.

The Location

Chicks - One Nite Only - gizza ticket bro!

Port Chalmers, the idyllic Southern town is of course just a sunny breeze away from that mestasising brooding musical hub of the South, South Dunedin, poorer of the two Dunedins group, and allegedly the inspiration behind Gaylene^tm‘s epic poem DUNEDIN.

SD, having spread its gull wings over the Octagon and smearing its majestic leaves outwards in order to imperfectly carpet the rest of the polygonal submetropolis that is Dunedin proper, or ‘the Dunedin Interface’, as hungry commuters wait to devour their buses, taxis and the famous trams and trains bustling through the hurdy-gurdy streets, the better to transport the throngs who have drawn the magic lots to go out and visit the poor cousins in the Charming Port just a stones throw away, has of course now become a touchstone for all visitors interested in getting a taste of the ‘olde’ Dunedin sound and the sights and smells of the city which at once enthralled and appalled those who uptook them in those heady days of the 80’s.

The People

Leila, Luk

You Can't Touch This! .... Stu's photo-timer is glaringly unaware of the 5-second rule - Steve and Marty's only too aware...

The axemen / hairdos combo has been firing up dancefloors across the island nation of nz since time immemorial (or at least for most of the year 2009) however this was the inaugural trip to the mainland for the follically annointed trio and the first visit across the rubicon of the mighty Kilmog for their adze-wielding cohorts in a number of years.

AXEMEN show on WFMU 91.1FM (NYC metro NJ USA) Nov 24th, 3pm – 6pm

kawowski — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 21:46:47 +0000

The Axemen
Tuesday, November 24th, 3pm – 6pm on Brian Turner’s show,
http://www.wfmu.org (streaming/archiving)
91.1 fm (NYC metro NJ) 90.1 fm (Catskills/Hudson Valley/PA/WNJ)

One of the big touring surprises for 2009 has to be the visit of New Zealand’s legendary Axemen to U.S. shores. The band began in Christchurch in 1981 and stood somewhat aside of the pop path exhibited by much of the the Flying Nun label roster, but are without doubt one of the more fascinating Kiwi exports. Various live shows and releases displayed a loose but virulent amalgamation of avant-garage, Half Japanese style sax primitivism, confusion, and general air of maladjusted greatness.

They’ve got two reissues “Big Cheap Motel” and “Scary!” out now on Siltbreeze, and are hitting the road coast to coast with Times New Viking. You can catch them in the NYC area November 18th at Mercury Lounge, 19th at Union Pool, and 20th at Maxwells in Hoboken!

Gig Report: Scary Motel Tour – Lyttelton – Christchurch leg

steve mccabe — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 10:09:26 +0000

Upon arrival in Christchurch we were whisked off to our waiting vehicle, then before you know it, we were thru the tunnel and at Lyttelton gasbagging with Maree and Keith on their Volcano Radio Show ‘Pale Green Things’ (see http://volcanoradio.co.nz/ for schedule, http://worldtimezones.com/ for time translation), then off to Roz’s for the traditional sumptuous pre-show dinner before making our way across to the Wunderbar to set up for what was to be an awesome night for an awesomely tiny crowd in an awesome venue in an awesome town.

Wunderbar, Lyttelton Sept 24th

Green Eyed Owl

Green Eyed Owl - send Chills down your spine

First up Green Eyed Owl , named from a line from a Chills song, which hints at the direction / audience type they are aiming at [finicky bread thieves whov'e kicked more band members out than Andrew Mehrtens kicked penalties???] They got the look and a tight performance, playing a variety of styles, William Daymond’s trademark Beatles bowl-cut looking not a hair out of place and offset nicely by his chequered scarf, all of which reeked style.

Stu Kawowski, Mick Elborado, Axemen, 2009

Stu Kawowski (L) and 'The New Stu' Liz Hairdo (R)... bitter rivals on the skins, but best of buddies off the stage; Stuck in the middle: Renee Barrance, Luke Stimpson

The Axemen

Next up to the plate were the Axemen. Steve having played at the Wunderbar recently with Matt Middleton (accompanied by Loliners backline Mick Elborado and Russel Covini) they were soon down to business in the classic 3-piece lineup of McCabe, Brannigan and Kawowski and giving the tiny crowd their all in their first post-Liz Hairdo gig of recent times… in fact their first gig together in about two months…

The Axemen pared back their sound as though it were a gleaming knife slicing throgh a perfect unblemished avocado, McCabe even pausing to metaphorically stoop down, pluck a hair from his head and proceed to (metaphorically once again) chop it in half with the sound coming from the speakers – i know you could argue that were it extra sharp one could cut it all the way down the middle lengthyways, but to be honest I’ve never been one to split hairs…

Axemen / Hairdos at Volcano Radio, Lyttelton September 2009 l-r:StuK,RenB,LukeS,LizM,BobB,SteveS

Rifling through their gander-bag of songs old and new, as is their wont of late in preparation for their upcoming tour (“Let No Song Remain Unplayed!” McCabe was heard to malevonantly whisper during a break in the proceedings). Hooking through their hookladen hits like Dr Hook in a velcro factory the guys effortlessly pulled off a lean, tight rock show with very little fat on it (“I’m gonna need a cheeseburger after this!” Bob quipped). Steve’s one-note Michael Jackson tribute guitar solo concept is developing and sounding better at each performance. A pleasant surprise to see Bob Brannigan behind the wheel of a full-fledged, fullsize axe once again, having recently been heavily into playing keyboards and ukulele. And as for drums, you could set your watch by Kawowski as usual – in fact it is not widely known that the term ‘New York Minute’ refers to and is defined as “the space between beats in the drum trill at the beginning of ‘Animals Have Rights Too’ “ (recently re-released on the Scary! double LP - Silt Breeze);

Liz Mathews, Hairdos

The Hairdos

And now for those erstwhile barely-out-of-their-teens “I was the first punk in the incubator” angry young people rocking their wayout of the slums and grey streets of Grey Lynn and now to Chch and Lyttelton where the small but feisty crowd generate enough spirited banter and appreciative sounds to emulate a crowd of at least twice the actual size the numbers would indicate.

The Hairdos played a typical highly energised set giving Lyttelton the honour of being the first South Island town to get a taste of the Hairdos, a badge of honour the hardy individuals who made the effort to come along will remember for a lifetime and have many a bartab settled by a buddy coming up to them and saying “Please Great Uncle Steve, you were there – please will you tell us once more about the time you saw the Hairdos the first time they played at the WunderBar in Lyttelton?”

As usual the band follow their high-minded democratic principles and the singing is shared equally between the 3 members, Renee, Luke and Liz.

Al’s Bar, Christchurch Sept 25

In Video: Big Cheap Motel, Ming Shoe Scene

In Video: Ghost Picnic

Gig Report: Meet the new Stu [or: 2 Nights in Auckland City, Sept 09]

steve mccabe — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 22:47:53 +0000

Posted by: Cab Ice Mettle Vilest

AXEMEN, HAIRDOS, NOBBQ – WHAMMY BAR, AUCKLAND NZ, NOVEMBER 16 2009

Axemen, Hairdos, xNOBBQx - 16 September 2009, Whammy Bar, Auckland

The AXEMEN, or in keeping with their ‘Fair Trade’ and Consumer Guarantees Act commitments more correctly adopting the AXEMIN moniker due to the last minute substitution of teen heartthrob Liz Hairdo on drums in Stu’s place for these gigs while Stu down in the South Island hustling his film and other projects.

For the two-nite Auckland stand featuring two of their stalwart Silt Breeze sidekicks on different nites – xNOBBQx from Brisbane on Wednesday nite at the Whammy bar to a tiny but enthusiastic crowd (think next time they should bring the BBQ – their attempts to show their disdain for the grill so loved by kiwis and aussies alike did nothing to endear them to those in the crowd hungry for prawns, shrimp, hot-dogs, tofu burgers and rock’n'roll).

xNOBBQx: non Flaming Aussies

Axemin feat. Liz Hairdo as The New Stu

“Even a sausage sizzle would have been nice” one veteran punter (who looked as if he’d seen more than a few sausage sizzles up close and personally in his time) lamented later.

Fortunately for Auckland, the erstwhile and awesome HAIRDOS and ageing (but still with all their faculties since getting their fillings removed and not using aluminium cooking pots) Axemin emerged as crowd favourites to redeem the evening – It should be noted since playing gigs with the Hairdos in recent times, the Axemin have appeared to be getting noticeably and palpably younger at each gig, following the infusion of post-teen spirit exuded by that band and their followers, in an alarmingly, almost Dorian Gray kind of way.

Liz Hairdo & Bob Brannigan: Bringing feminine mystique back to the Axemin at the Whammy Bar

Sandwiched around xNOBBQx like so much white on rye, the Hairdos played first. Switching their Stranglers / B52s sound mix across to ‘more Stranglers’ setting for the evening (fuzzier and dirtier) the Hairdos played a punchy, poppy, plucky set in their inimitable enthusiastic style, going almost the entire set without a fight – I think that is a record, I know people who go to Hairdos gigs just for the fights, and occasionally run a book on them.

Liz shows Stu how its done - look ma, no sticks!

Energetic and snappy as always, the Hairdos style contrasted vividly with xNOBBQx’s ethereal meandering soundscapes. Conjuring images of aborigines standing on one foot on the outback, tossing a boomerang, blowing a digeridoo and watching re-runs of Evonne Goolagong at the French Open in 1971, these straight-edge ’stralians evoked images of an eery gum-tree-lined outback road, a camel your only friend.

Next the Axemin. Fresh from being on the door in the early part of the evening Steve and Bob virtually bounded to the stage. the role of Stu for the evening was taken by the gal Auckland society is calling ‘the New Stu’, the Hairdos own Liz Hairdo. After just one practice ‘Stu-do’ and the lads went out and effortlessly knocked it to the pint-sized crowd, and Liz H did perhaps the best impression of Stu I’ve seen since I copped an eyeful of him practicing under his fisheye ceiling mirror (the “objects may be larger than they appear” sticker remaining proudly intact).

AXEMEN, PUMICE, PINK REASON – THE HIGH SEAS, AUCKLAND, NZ NOVEMBER 19 2009

The Axemen feat ‘The New Stu’ (Liz Hairdo):
filling in for Stu Kawowski for 2 Auckland engagements:
This Video from THE HIGH SEAS, Beresford Street, Auckland, 19 Sept 2009

The AXEMEN, chafing at the bit to meet up with and play for their Silt Breeze stablemates The Pink Reason sidled up first for the High Seas gig in Beresford Streed, Newton Auckland. Just a stones throw from the infamous toilets and a brisk walk to K Rd, the surroundings as well as the gig really gave those cornfed Colombus boys something to write home about. Bristling from their successful (artistically if not commercially) Wednesday nite gig Bob and Stu once again gave it their all and Liz NewStu literally never missed a beat.

Once again another noteperfect evening of axemen rockola, if anything enhanced by the injection of some new drumming blood, like stem cells called in to mend a hole.

Pink Reason, 'Gnarley' Bob Brannigan, at The High Seas

PUMICE next came on playing a bunch of songs on ‘treated’ guitar with white noise, radio frequencies and memorable lines such as ‘half price for half a chicken’, obviously calling on the audience to metaphorically extend their minds and go outside their aural comfort zones, yet coming back full circle, maybe to bite you on the bum, maybe to serenade you. Mesmeric.

PINK REASON played an immaculate spooky and at times delicate set, sounding quite at home in the intimate venue of the High Seas, the venue tonite showcasing its flexibility as a band venue for artistes playing a wide range of different musical styles. These guys represent the cutting edge of indie rock in America at the moment and they are good buddies with our touring partners on our US tour, Times New Viking. Columbus, Ohio has produced some fine musicians, along with the strapping muscular farmboys [with six-pack abs and rivulets of sweat rolling down the bulging veins and following the smooth curve of their oversized triceps before evaporating away to nothing - are we keepng this in?] it is famous for!

A much better turnout on Friday at the High Seas than the Whammy Bar on a rainy Wednesday I must say…

21st century Sleek Bott band . . .

steve mccabe — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 03:53:30 +0000

The Spunks recorded in Auckland, Dec. 2008

Spunks Theme

Portaloo Sunset

Auckland and South Island Tour Dates – September 09

steve mccabe — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 03:10:14 +0000

Axemen, Hairdos, xNOBBQx - 16 September 2009, Whammy Bar, Auckland DONE

Axemen, Pumice, Pink Reason 16 September 2008

Axemen, Hairdos, with special guests Green Eyed Owl (chch, lyttelton) - Scary Motel Mini Tour, Wunderbar 24, Volcano Radio, Als Bar Sept 2009

Axemen, Hairdos, with special guests Green Eyed Owl (chch, lyttelton) & Wolfskull (pt chalmers) - Scary Motel Mini Tour, Wunderbar, Volcano Radio, Als Bar, Chicks 24 Sept- 1 Oct 2009

16 Sept: Whammy Bar, Auckland with xNOBBQx, Hairdos – DONE
19 Sept: High Seas, Auckland with Pink Reason, Pumice
24 Sept: Wunderbar, Lyttelton with Hairdos + Green Eyed Owl
25 Sept: Als Bar, Christchurch with Hairdos + Green Eyed Owl
26 Sept: Hairdos Live-To-Air, Radio Volcano, Lyttelton
1 Oct: Chicks, Port Chalmers, with Hairdos + Wolfskull

Click to download hi-res PDF of SCARY! MOTEL tour poster

Axemen US Tour W/- Times New Viking – now with confirmed dates!

steve mccabe — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 03:06:29 +0000

UPDATED OCT 24 2009! NEW DATES SEE BELOW….

The Axemen, in cahoots with Times New Viking /Ground Control Touring /Silt Breeze / Matador / Sleek Bott Records proudly announce the much vaunted US TOUR has now been confirmed!

View Latest Itinerary / Buy Tickets…

View Tour Map

Tue-Oct-27 Sacramento, CA Luigi’s Fungarden
Thu-Oct-29 San Francisco, CA Bottom of the Hill
Fri-Oct-30 Santa Cruz, CA Crepe Place
Sun-Nov-01 Los Angeles, CA Echoplex (Part Time Punks)
Mon-Nov-02 Irvine, CA Acrobatics Everyday/UC Irvine
Tue-Nov-03 Phoenix, AZ Modified Arts
Wed-Nov-04 El Paso, TX Black Market
Fri-Nov-06 Dallas, TX The Lounge on Elm St.
Sat-Nov-07 Austin, TX Broken Neck
Mon-Nov-09 Memphis, TN Hi-Tone
Tue-Nov-10 Florence, AL The Black Owl
Wed-Nov-11 Birmingham, AL Bottletree
Thu-Nov-12 Atlanta, GA Star Bar
Fri-Nov-13 Chapel HIll, NC Local 506
Sat-Nov-14 Baltimore, MD Otto Bar
Sun-Nov-15 Philadelphia, PA Kung Fu Necktie
Wed-Nov-18 New York, NY Mercury Lounge
Thu-Nov-19 Brooklyn, NY Union Pool
Fri-Nov-20 Hoboken, NJ Maxwell’s
Sat-Nov-21 Boston, MA Great Scott
Mon-Nov 23 Morgantown, WV 123 Pleasant Street
Nov 27 Columbus OH, Oldfield’s On High
Nov 28 Chicago, Il Permanent Records instore
Nov 28 Chicago Il, Cave space (all ages)

Dave drives to work

steve mccabe — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 13:30:56 +0000

Reprinted from:

http://indymedia.org.nz/article/77588/dave-drives-work

Dave Theobald has worked at Inland Revenue’s Christchurch office for the last 20 years. His work is valued, he is a highly intelligent literate man. And he has problems with mental illness, something the TV ads tell us happens to 10% of the population.

He was diagnosed paranoid after self referring himself to a doctor. Because of the medication his work output became low. Dave was assigned a colleague within the department and this is where the real problems began.

This unqualified colleague would make her own “diagnosis” based on ‘OOh I don’t like the look of your eyes, I think you’re a bit mad today’ and other such remarks. On this basis she would insist on visits to the doctor where she sat in attendance and would insist on Dave’s medication being changed, often with adverse side affects to Dave.

On one occasion shortly after being assigned, when Dave was off work for a week and enquiring whether he had any money and being told he had $800 for emergencies, she proceeded to borrow first $300 then another $500 off Dave till “next payday”. The money wasn’t repaid for a year until Dave insisted.

Another episode illustrates the stress Dave was under.

Dave: “I had gone through a particularly trying time, after being assaulted in my own home by gang prospects and burgled twice by my next door neighbours.”

The colleague insisted on driving him to Psych Emergency.The diagnosing psychiatrist, asked to talk to her alone first. After speaking to her, the psychiatrist seemed very concerned and was insisting Dave be admitted for 3 weeks of residential psychiatric care at the local hospital. Dave already under stress from the burglaries and having to appear as a witness against the gang prospects was shocked.

The psychiatrist decided that even if Dave didn’t go to hospital he required three weeks off work, no annual leave, no sick leave, so totally unpaid and with no chance to prepare.

When Dave applied to sight the doctor’s notes he discovered his colleague in her private conversation with the psychiatrist had said blatant untruths such as ‘His house is filled with rotting food and swarming insects such as ants’ – Dave has photos of his house he’d taken at the same time, which although messy was quite habitable.

But do not get the impression that Dave is a charity case, somebody employed to demonstrate Inland Revenue’s commitment to human rights. He is a highly intelligent individual, very good at his job and insanely knowledgeable about tax. In a working environment where these extra stresses weren’t laden on him he is a productive and useful member of a team. His department in Inland Revenue was one of the more specialised, making decisions on very large refunds.

In workplace assessments over the three years these events occurred his overall marking was 106% out of an unattainable 120%. Exceptional results by anyone’s measure.

Dave is also a gifted multi-instrumentalist musician and has played keyboards for one of NZ’s top indie bands for the last 20 years.

In short Dave is a functional, valuable member of society, who recognises that he has a problem, but is well equipped to deal with it under normal circumstances.

Events finally came to a head last week when after Dave’s repeated efforts to have his colleague’s behaviour looked into, IR Management in Christchurch responded with a list of unachievable demands at a meeting on Friday:

1. Only working between 8:30 am and 6pm on whatever he was assigned which is basically the stuff nobody else could deal with. He was expected to clear up to 9 cases per hour, his section dealt with refunds of over $100,000. Previously Dave had been starting work at 10:30am (because his medication makes him drowsy first thing in the morning) and working till 7 or 8pm.

2. Dave has a 4 day week for mental health reasons, and if he was unable to work on any particular day because he was sick, he would swap the days around. The new edict from management demanded that he only take Wednesday off, any other day had to be leave without pay and a medical certificate would have to be provided by Dave. The reason given was for “structure and consistency”.

This regime would continue for a month and if Dave hadn’t met all targets by then it would be “formal discipline” time. Management referred to this unattainable plan as “moving forward”

How many times have we heard of management trying to get rid of “difficult” staff by assigning them impossible tasks so at the end they can sack them for non fulfillment?

In Dave’s case it was even more dangerous. After spending a sleepless night on Friday worrying about his future, and realising that while at the moment he was sane, he certainly wouldn’t be after a month worth of stress and sleep deprivation from worry about meeting these unattainable targets.

So in Dave’s own inimitable way he decided on Saturday to show his response to their demands and the stress IR were trying to put on him.

After checking the cleaners had left and the building was unoccupied, Dave drove his car through the plate glass windows of the Christchurch Inland Revenue Office and left it parked, lights on and surrounded by shattered glass, in the foyer.

Calmly waiting for the police to arrive, car keys in one hand, a copy of Emma Goldmans “Anarchism and other Essays” in the other Dave quipped to the arresting officers “It’s OK – I work here”
Conventional media has remained absolutely silent on reporting these events for two days, possibly because they feel uncomfortable about what has probably been presented by the cops and IR as the act of an unhinged person.

But this is *not* the act of an insane person – rather the actions of a man, confronted with abuses of power and a work regime designed to push him over the edge, to *protect* his own sanity and highlight the overwhelming wrongs and abuses perpertrated against him as an employee.

In support of Mick, David

steve mccabe — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 09:01:18 +0000

Please take a moment to write to your MP if you too are upset about the underlying causes leading to David Jerrold Theobold’s actions, ie

Allegations of managerial incompetence in Inland Revenue / State Services
Allegations of a culture of bullying in State Services, inhibiting the discussion, submission and implementation of any positive changes
Inadequate dispute resolution outcomes where issues are raised leading to an unsatisfactory work environment
Allegations of preferential treatment being given to the top echelons of taxpayers – old boys network
Allegations of slanting of news stories on the state-owned television network to minimise damage to government infrastructure and make DJT look like a fruitcake by editing interview footage and moving the focus onto the damage to the building, and DJTs mental health rather than focusing on his reasoning for feeling that after 3 years of unresolved disputes he had exhausted all other avenues and had no choice but to take drastic action
Allegations of a culture of wastefulness and excess in management at IRD
Lack of accountability and public scrutiny of affairs in Inland Revenue

etc. etc.

Whether or not you are familiar with any or all of these issues you can still help by writing to your MPs saying that for a longterm (20 year) employee to take such drastic actions and feel that he had exhausted all other channels to try and resolve his dispute, there should be an independant enquiry into the management culture within State Services at the very least.

Some of the relevant Ministers are listed below, plus a link to a full list of MPs

*******************************************

TVNZ Complaints Form

Hon Tony Ryall
Ministerial Portfolios

Minister of Health
Minister of State Services

Contact Details
Email: tony.ryall@national.org.nz
Phone: (04)817 6804 (Parliament)
Phone: (07)5780175 (Electorate)

*******************************************

Hon Dr Jonathan Coleman

Ministerial Portfolios

Minister of Immigration
Minister of Broadcasting
Associate Minister of Tourism
Associate Minister of Health

Contact Details

Email: jonathan.coleman@national.org.nz
Website: www.jonathancoleman.co.nz
Phone: (04)817 6818 (Parliament)
Phone: (09)4198021 (Electorate)

*******************************************

Hon Simon Power

Ministerial Portfolios

Minister for Justice
Minister for State Owned Enterprises
Minister of Commerce
Minister Responsible for the Law Commission
Associate Minister of Finance
Deputy Leader of the House

Contact Details

Email: simon.power@national.org.nz
Website: www.simonpower.co.nz
Phone: (04)817 6803 (Parliament)
Phone: (06)3237253 (Electorate)

*******************************************

Hon Judith Collins
Ministerial Portfolios

Minister of Police
Minister of Corrections
Minster of Veterans’ Affairs

Contact Details
Email: office@judithcollins.co.nz
Website: www.judithcollins.co.nz
Phone: (04)817 6806 (Parliament)
Phone: (09)2997426 (Electorate)

*******************************************

List of members of parliament and contact details as at 24 July 2009 [PDF 275k]

*********************************************

From Mick: “I’d like to add a comment at the top of Alastair’s letter that if every anyone’s begging, pleading, cajoling, screaming, crying for friends to help a simple testimonial or 1,000 of them would have done — Alastair also did what any moron would have done — complained to the broadcasting standards association — hands up who else thought of using the correct process first — I did for three years and that’s why I’m onmn bail and needing hospitalisation right now.”

By Alistair Galbraith

I’m sorry to bug you when you’re out of the country BUT
a very dear friend of mine has done something pretty newsworthy

David Theobald drove his car through 3 sets of plate-glass doors in to the IRD building in CHCH on Saturday morning at 6.30 am (having checked with staff and cleaners to make sure no-one would be inside)
He did this to draw attention to a culture of waste,bullying, and “favours for the rich” within IRD
he has worked there for 20 years and had a 100% rating!
he has never been before the courts before and is 47 years old
He is highly intelligent and articulate yet the only news coverage was total crap on tv1 which described him as “a paranoid and depressive” and allowed him NOT ONE FULL SENTENCE.
His concerns, what his protest was about , were completely ignored!

One of the major issues he’d like to draw attention to
is the amount of time allocated for reviewing Refunds for more than $100,000. to trusts and business (9 per hour)
compared to the excessive attention paid to Refunds for low income brackets.

the lack of “public scrutiny” to which IRD are subject, despite it being a part of their charter that their work be carried out so as to be acceptable to the highest public scrutiny!
the culture of bullying within the department which prevents positive change.

the unfairness of fairly recent changes to the tax system.

IS THERE ANYONE STILL IN THE COUNTRY WHO IS NOT AFRAID TO LET THIS MAN TALK TO NEW ZEALAND ABOUT WHAT IS GOING ON, WITHOUT CUTTING HIS WORDS TO MAKE HIM APPEAR MENTALLY ILL?

i WISH YOU WERE HERE, COS i’D TRUST YOU MORE THAN ANYONE TO INTERVIEW HIM

let me know if you can help, or anyone you know would pick up the story from its real angle – IRD failures – not “disgruntled employee”

My blood’s boiling, seen a lot of good people go down for silly things
but this is different – otherwise I really wouldn’t bug you

Elborado post-game analysis – update

steve mccabe — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 22:42:00 +0000

Reprinted from:

http://cryptome.org/0001/nz-tax-charade.htm

19 August 2009. Updated.

17 August 2009

I’m a long time Inland Revenue NZ employee of 20 years I have many frustrations with incompetent managers, absolute waste of taxpayer money, illiterate team leaders ( ‘waist bin’ in team minutes is not a typo, it’s a spelling mistake), a workplace bully, Carol Buckenham, who has had extraordinary protection, even by my union delegates, failed payroll systems, failing tools, and last but not least a tax system which is designed to overdeduct tax, but which the IRD adverts sold as ‘you never have to file a tax return again’ allowing a company to set up a very succesful business giving people back the money the government hoped they wouldn’t claim …

There’s also penalising of low income taxpayers but almost no scrutiny of huge refunds going out the door — my job was to check refunds of over $100,000 and I was told on Friday to do this at the rate of 9 per hour, if that was the work given to me.

In this case it was me the payroll system failed to pay — twice — and they had no idea why and asked me to get a bank statement to prove I wasn’t paid as they thought I had been. Complaints got me nowhere, requests for information got me nowhere and finally four official information requests (our FOIA equivalent) resulted in either no information, or on the last day an extension could be requested in a well-defined form, simply a statement that I’d be charged NZ$38 per half hour, without specifying what would be provided, when, or even whether they’d search all night for non-existent info.

Basically the New Zealand Inland Revenue Department believes it’s above the law.

Our code of conduct states in the preamble that the actions of the department should be able to withstand the closest public scrutiny — however Inland Revenue doesn’t open itself to any scrutiny. In an effort to draw attention to this and a major abuse of process …

… I drove my car through the Christchurch NZ Inland Revenue’s closed front entrance, through two sets of glass doors, through the staff only door, then backed out into the foyer to wait for police.

You sure as hell wouldn’t know it from Google or the papers. It was on Saturday morning and it’s now Monday night.

I filmed an interview, across from the patched up hole, done by our local television station CTV. I popped in there today because I’m out on bail of NZ$500. In fact today they forgot to serve a tresspass order so I walked inside, showed my tag, and almost got access through to the staff only area. This is symptomatic of the place — I’ve dealt with stupidity by pointing it out when and where it occurs and can give you megabytes of examples because I just BCC’d myself in on the responses. Walking out with taxpayer information (which I haven’t done — I have absolute integrity with regard to taxpayers) would be as simple as photographing the terminal the information is on.

Some of this is comic, some serious, but all worthy of public discussion. However the NZ Inland Revenue while driving staff harder for less, doesn’t permit any discussion. Discussion at team meetings is cut off if the team leader can even understand it.

This all sounds surreal, but I’ve played music, my job supported that, and part of their action screwed with my music. So one group have added a webpage where we intend to put everything up relating to the crash.

A sample page is at:

http://theaxemen.wordpress.com/2009/08/17/mick-elborado-the-car-crash-set/

We’re taking the piss and they know it. But Inland revenue have some pretty heavy lawyers — they’ve just upped the charge to Criminal damage which is 7 years maximum.

Can you add this to the Cryptome Collection? I assume then it would be archived on the DVD and any gag orders redundant. I did everything I could through the system. The checks and balances that should catch incompetence or bias failed. Also the checks that should stop Carol, the bully mentioned above from calling staff native to the country ‘my little black jungle bunny’ and then claiming it was a joke. In fromt of maybe 20 staff who all look the other way. She also tried to get me committed but my sanity hopefully is reasonably evidenced by the fact I’m on bail and not in jail.

It’s late … I’m tired … far more of this if you want it, my stack of paer is about 6 feet high. I’ve been with the place 20 years and believe it’s time the public scrutiny test was applied. I’ll name names, give detailed analyses of abuses, failures, incompetence. If our media is too scared to deal with it I will pass it to you until I’m gagged. I’ve played this for laughs to keep sane and am proud of some of there responses and the fact they couldn’t fire me, and it was I that ”was the decider” as our HRSouls put it.

If my kinetic statement about ‘moving forward’ won’t do it, I invite you to. I’ll give you the information until I’m stopped, principally so the low income NZ taxpayers see that a tax system called fair by IRD certainly isn’t t fair to them

Cheers

Dave Theobald. (aka Mick Elborrado)

A sends 18 August 2009:

There’s also a picture. See he did make the local news.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/2765173/IRD-drove-me-to-this

A taxman driven around the bend by continuing work woes drove his car
through the building where he had worked for 25 years.

David Jerrold Theobald, 47, drove his Mazda 626 through the foyer of the
Christchurch Inland Revenue building on Cashel St at 6.30am on Saturday
after a three-year employment dispute.

He crashed through two sets of glass doors and smashed a third on the other
side of the foyer before coming to a stop.

Mr Theobald said he had gone to great lengths to avoid risk to any staff.

“I checked with the cleaners the night before to make sure no-one would be
in the building. I drove right up to the doors, looked both ways, then
slowly pushed forward till the doors broke.”

Mr Theobald said he was fed up with what he saw as concealment of workplace
bullying and incompetent management at Inland Revenue.

“This has been going on for three years, and now I’ve got four official
information requests in with them and they’re making that as onerous as
possible … This was just a way to make a gesture.”

He also wanted to highlight how easy it would be for someone with terrorist
intentions to ramraid the building with a truck full of explosives. “It’s
just another 9/11 waiting to happen.”

Mr Theobald is a fixture of the Christchurch music scene. He is known as
Mick Elborado when he plays with his band The Axemen and in other groups.

He appeared in Christchurch District Court yesterday charged with
intentional damage and reckless driving and was remanded on bail till August 31.

He told The Dominion Post he had not decided how he would plead, but was
prepared to accept the consequences of his actions.

Inland Revenue would not comment on the incident as it was before the court,
but Mr Theobald has received a letter from human resources head Patrick
Crawford.

In it, Mr Crawford said: “Information has come to my attention which
indicates that you may have intentionally driven a car through Inland
Revenue’s Christchurch building … I am concerned that your conduct may be
inconsistent with the Code of Conduct.”

Mr Theobald could face up to seven years in prison if found guilty of
criminal damage.

Date: Thu, 20 Aug 2009 00:34:48 +1200
Subject: TV1 spin of the news
From: mickle Borrado
To: John Young

Hi John,

Want a story about news spin — TV1 (an NZ news station) are a bit clumsier at editing than the professionals.

Here’s the TV1 footage

http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/disgruntled-employee-crashes-into-ird-building-2926890/video

All that information from a thirty minute plus interview — and camera stage directions — I think I must have spoke all of a hundred words in the newsbite — and the voice over described me — i certainly didn’t.

So let’s look at what happened today so people in NZ see how TV1’s news is spun.

Lisa Davies of TV1 news rang — I originally said where were you yesterday andprobably mentioned something about investigative journalism — the fact that NZ has no-one like Daniel Hopsicker is a national shame — anyway I said I’d meet her at Madras Cafe Bookshop — lovely place with lovely food. I ordered breakfast and they interrupted it. They apologised for that though.

Lisa then talked to me at length — we discussed numerous things including the way the rich (who I define as anyway with family trusts, loss attributing qualifying companies, and suchlike) are stopping the poor getting hospitals and education — we then filmed the segment completely disturbing the business of the cafe — I suggested they buy food — they bought coffees — If they don’t actually eat food maybe they could have given it to the people who follow the ‘Free Soup’ arrows in Latimer Square (to Christchurch’s shame).

Anyway look at what I personally say and do in the vid that link points at and read this:

1) 00:15 — ‘Dave let’s go through each of the photos on your camera one by one — no go back to that one’ — the actual photo on axeblog is at http://theaxemen.files.wordpress.com/2009/08/img_6421.jpg in its full glory — hmmm

2) 00:16 — that’s funny this looks like a home video — oh no it’s a professional cameraman (who knows a friend of mine so for once I’m not naming names) filming me holding my camera and either he or I are moving the camera — again the actual photo is up.

3) 00:17 ‘I feel pretty good actually’ — who knows what question was asked — could’ve been something sympathetic like ‘How do you feel after getting out of IRD after all those years of bullying’ or even ‘Dave ,me old friend, treat me as a confidant and tell me how you feel having barely eaten yesterday being able to buy that yummy empanada today’

We retook this shot two or three times because the cameraman wasn’t satisfied ‘higher, lower, tilt it a bit more to Lisa, Dave, yeah that’s fine’

4) 00:25 — hey that looks like it wasn’t a complete sentence ‘…at the end of my tether going for one last kamikaze move, this was a very carefully calcualted protest…’

Um a bit of context here Lisa — just put the whole sentence on the TV1 website or I’ll arrange for someone somewhere to find out what else you’ve put in less staunch peoples soundbites.

Let’s see did I say something like ‘{Instead of allowing my team leader Pip Lloyd and manager Yvonne van Grinsven to subject me to 4 weeks of pressure to achieve the impossible and putting me} at the end of my tether making one last kamikaze move, this was a very carefully calculated protest {when every other check and balance had failed to make an undeniable statement without hurting anyone}

I have no idea TV1 has the footage — so TV1 put up the whole thing say 20 seconds context either side of the soundbite if you’re too shit scared to broadcast what I told Lisa about massive abuse of the tax system — if your context in the soundbite is correct I’ll apologise in public, if it isn’t and you’ve distorted the one little bit of the interview you could (30 mins maybe) then I expect TV1 to either no longer use the word news in its ‘news’ coverage or as a fair compromise the TV1 Chief executive can donate an amount equal to his annual salary to Rape crisis and the Battered women’s refuge — I don’t think any rich men can find a way to benefit from those two and they really need the money.

00:37 ‘i-i Catharthic, I actually feel a great relief now’ — maybe ‘Dave my little innocent what did you say to the police straight after the crash’ Because I don’t feel that way now — it certainly isn’t a description of my current state.

My overwhelming feeling at the moment is a broadcast like the TV1 segment will drive (no pun intended) seriously unbalanced people or people with a grudge into similar acts — feeling that what I appear to have said in those tiny little bits reflects their own feelings. It doesn’t — I carefully read ‘The Psychology of Political Violence’ by Emma Goldman several times and even then I would have stopped if there was a person who could be harmed — even if it meant arrest. I’m pretty sure anyone unbalanced will not have similar concerns — I was already prepared to accept 50% of the responsibility if anyone died (along with the people responsible for closing off any more responses) — however now it’s 33% due to the TV1 spin — that feels better but I’ll still grieve, and apologise sincerely and personally, if anyone gets hurt by a deliberate car ramming incident.

00:39 — Newspaper shots under ‘catharthic’: ‘Dave you’ve got the paper on the table there, it’d be nice to get a shot of you reading it. Can you hold the paper a litte higher, no tilt it more toward me, now lookk at the photo, OK now the news item, look like you’re reading it for thefirst time, good’

I’d just bought the paper and was more interested in an article buried on page two suggesting shaming drunken drivers by publishing photos and names — I’m pretty sure I discussed that being a great idea to apply to white collar criminals, although in retrospect maybe they should do it for the criminals whole family if they took more tyhan $100,000 — might be just the disincentive they need.

00:41 ‘He describes himself as a paranoid and a depressive’ — um shouldn’t my voice be used to describe myself instead of Lisa’s, or even my doctor’s. I think my self description was I have had paranoia and depression, I take medication for it which works, I see my General Practitioner once every three months to obtain more medication (Venlafaxine and Quitiapine — we won’tr even look at the wiki article on discontinuation syndrome for Venlafaxine)

I’m currently not on any mental health registers or seeing anyone other than my GP and three police medical experts who had a very good understanding of mental illness talked to me at length to decide if I was paranoid or depressed. The record will show I crashed on the morning of Saturday and was released the same evening under my Brother’s recognizance.

Currently paranoid and depressed, Lisa? I don’t think so — I co-host a radio show most Thursdays, play music, and visit friends, I play trivial pursuit some Fridays, For f’k’s sake I’m so depressed and paranoid that I’ve arranged and learn’t Bohemian Raphsody for solo guitar and can play it without looking at any prompts (starts with C6 so a different key, and needs a 5 string guitar) — um, I think I’m a fully functional member of society who can dissect a hack and spin job the night it’s played — unless I’m being paranoid here

So Lisa, as you said you had to get back urgently to edit this so you couldn’t buy food — You’ve set mental health in NZ back from where it was gradually getting seen as being acceptable and possibly given a person or maybe 1,000,000 of them with no previous reason to identify with a person on TV1 news every reason to take their car and crash it.

I showed you photos of the front of the barely scratched car. I talked with you at length in the pre-interview discussing all of this.

OK, detour, back to the video ’says he was driven to it after a three year employment dispute with IRD’ — I’d imagine I cracked a wry smile with the word ‘driven’ — check Axeblog, you’ll see we’ve got a great sense of humour.

Oh that ‘employment dispute’? You didn’t really ask, Lisa, but in depth:

I have a record of depression (about once every ten years or so)

I self-referred myself to a doctor for paranoia, mainly — let’s see; Helicopter noises over the house at night, fleeting glimpses at the edge of peripheral vision, increased signification(?) — basically where every numberplate looks like a personalised numberplate, but part of that would go with the fact that Pynchon, Gaddis and Oakley Hall are my favourite authors.

Ah my outputs aren’t good and surprisingly I have trouble getting up occasionally. Let’s help him by assigning him someone everyone is shit-scared of (right up the line — all employees in CHCH in earshot of her voice will remember that the poor high ranking sod who dared to ask her not to call him Dick but to use Richard, was forever tagged with ‘Hello Richard not Dick’ when he visited. Maybe he enjoyed it. Anyway IRD NZ has a perfectly working Employee Assistance Program, usually you refer yourself, but according to the EAP website managers can refer staff who don’t wish to go on it if the referal is for behavioural or performance reasons.

Actually John — I’ll send this the way it is but I have my entire personal file on camera — put this up, I;ll send you the file (including psych reports) with my blessing to make ita lla vailable for downoad and I’ll carry on the story — eventaully returning to that video

Thanks heaps

Dave/Mick (work/Music)

Date: Thu, 20 Aug 2009 03:15:29 +1200
Subject: Re: David Theobald
From: mickle Borrado
To: Lisa Davies
Cc: mcwilson[at]mediaworks.co.nz, jya[at]pipeline.com

(LSM — you konw the drill — blog it!)

(Mark — when I said I don’t like spin — this is to TV1 — the first interviewer and cameraman that messed me around. I have no problem CC’ing it to you)

John — this is becoming familiar!

Hey Lisa,

If they were interested in what I had to say they’d have heard it, rather than the guy whose glass I broke — analysis of the TV1 interview process including suggested poses for the guy thatr kinda new John on cryptome.org fairly shortly and I’ve very publically requested that TV1 at the same page add another video with 20 seconds context either side of each soundbite — double dare ya!

I’ve also pointed out publically that you were too cheap to even buy a pie from the poor shop that had to suffer the charade of getting ‘my side’ and losing business whileyou worked out just what you needed — I checked at MCB that you guys had paid for the drink, cause otherwise I would have.

More seriously — and this is also up in al ot of places — you should be aware I don’t mess around — if any unbalanced person does a copycat crash because they identify with a ‘Paranoid Depressive Kamikaze who needs catharsis’ I didn’t edit it and put it on National TV, you did.

I’m CC’ing this to cryptome.org — deal with it and start to learn what a reporter does. Or as I’ve already memed. Spin this ONE.

After talking with me, who went up against IR, you should quickly have realised not to mess with me — you did. Bad Mistrake.

Now about that stuff I said about massive abuse of the tax system by the wealthy. Donations, Imputation, Working for Families Credits, LAQC’s? Guess you’re a wannabe rich person.

Accountability/Transparency/Integrity it means something.

Bye

Dave

_________

On Wed, Aug 19, 2009 at 9:38 AM, Lisa Davies wrote:

Hi there,

I am really keen to catch up with David for an interview today – a lot of people are very interested to hear his version of what happened at the weekend!

Please get him to give me a call or email me his details?

Thanks heaps, Lisa

Lisa Davies
ONE NEWS – Reporter
[Phone numbers deleted]
lisa.davies[at]tvnz.co.nz

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Elborado Showdown – The Shit Hits The Fan pt 2

steve mccabe — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 07:30:38 +0000

New Zealand Employment Law is defective

Reprinted from:
http://offsettingbehaviour.blogspot.com/2009/08/new-zealand-employment-law-is-defective.html

19 August 2009

I’ve seen lots of anecdotal evidence that it’s difficult for firms to fire problem employees under the Kiwi Employment Relations Act. The procedures are often described as onerous.

Here’s a great one. Disgruntled employee of Inland Revenue (the Kiwi IRS) drives his car through the plate glass first floor windows of the IRD’s Christchurch Office, then tells the attending police officers that he had every intention of doing it.

IRD’s notification letter to David Theobald, the driver, is hilarious and depressing. The whole thing is documented here, including photos of the crash scene, the police report, and the letters from IRD to Theobald subsequent to the crash. Relevant excerpts:

From the police report:

The defendant admitted the facts as outlined and explained his actions stating ‘I had every intention to do that. I’ve thought about it and knew exactly what I was doing. I had warned them that someone could drive through there with a bomb in the car and create another 9-11, as they had no security measures.’

Seems pretty clear-cut. IRD’s response:

Commencement of an Employment Investigation

1. Information has come to my attention which indicates that you may have intentionally driven a vehicle through Inland Revenue’s Christchurch building on Saturday 15 August 2009. I am commencing an employment investigation in to this matter.

2. I am concerned that your conduct may be inconsistent with the Code of Conduct (contributing to a safe workplace and ensuring personal activities do not discredit Inland Revenue) and/or, the Standards of Integrity and Conduct, and/or your obligations to Inland Revenue, and that if substantiated, this conduct may amount to serious misconduct.

Suspension

3. Given the nature of the allegations I am considering whether, or not, suspension is appropriate. Your employment agreement provides for this to be on pay.

Wow.

Note that the “Mick Elborado is innocent” group on Facebook now has 128 members.

bk drinkwater said…
Your headline is a noble attempt at understatement greater than part (2) of the IRD letter.

Philip said…
I don’t have much of a problem with the IRD letters. They will just be form letters. I mean it’s pretty obvious in this case, but there would be cases where employees were accused of crimes/misconduct where it would be a lot murkier. It’s probably a lot safer/cheaper/easier for everyone involved if the IRD just sends out the same letter to everyone that they are investigating rather than starting to tailor the letter to specific cases..

ONE News – The vehicle of David Jerrold Theobold

steve mccabe — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 06:42:35 +0000

Reprinted from:
http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/disgruntled-employee-crashes-into-ird-building-2926890
19 August 2009

ONE News – The Vehicle of David Jerrold Theobold

ONE News - The vehicle of David Jerrold Theobald

A disgruntled tax worker has left the Inland Revenue in no doubt about his feelings towards them after driving his car through the front door of their Christchurch building.

David Jerrold Theobald, 47, appeared in Christchurch District Court on Tuesday charged with intentional damage and reckless driving, after driving into the building at 6.30am on Saturday.

The pictures posted on his blog show a portrait of a man making a stand just moments after he ploughed through three plate glass doors parking his car in the Christchurch Inland Revenue reception.

“At the end of my tether going for one last kamikaze move – this was a very carefully calculated protest,” says Theobald.

It was so carefully calculated he says, he checked there would be nobody in the building at the time.

“It’s cathartic, I actually feel a great release now,” he says.

Theobald describes himself as paranoid, and a depressive. Having worked for the IRD for 25 years, he says he was driven to the protest after a three year employment dispute.

He said he was fed up with what he saw as concealment of workplace bullying and incompetent management at Inland Revenue.

“This has been going on for three years, and now I’ve got four official information requests in with them and they’re making that as onerous as possible … this was just a way to make a gesture.”

Theobald’s friend Ross Dixion says he has been under constant pressure.

“He has just been under repeated constant pressure where he felt like he was getting nowhere,” she says.

The IRD has no comment about the damage or the employment matters, but the owner of the now battle-scarred building has much to say.

“Beating up on the IRD’s a national sport. Most people see he act as something he has managed to carry out against the IRD but it’s actually against someone’s private property,” says building owner Simon Henry.

Theobald has documented the incident all online and says he would not do it again – unless pushed.

“I wouldn’t do it again, unless I went through three years of harassment the way I have with the IRD,” he says.

Theobald has been remanded on bail to reappear on August 31.

Interesting comments on elborado story from Fishing.net.nz… as usual

steve mccabe — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 06:29:04 +0000

Reprinted from:
http://www.fishing.net.nz/asp_forums/forum_posts.asp?TID=44184&PN=1&title=david-theobald-crashes-ird

My alter ego’s actions seem entirely reasonable if has to deal with people who speak like this on a daily basis:
“Information has come to my attention which indicates that you may have intentionally driven a car through Inland Revenue’s Christchurch building … I am concerned that your conduct may be inconsistent with the Code of Conduct.”
Not sure about the Mick Eldorado bit though

The beard was a clever disquise though Obie

Hummm was there a Mazda in that car line up of yours???

Now if they had said your band was the Marlin Axeman ha!

Obie and the Marlin Axeman… got a ring to it, Boulder playing 2nd fiddle???

well done that man.

Wouldn’t surprise me if the careful manner in which he did the deed and the way he ensured no others were likely to be injured during his gesture are actually found to be covered in the code of conduct.

What a crock, the man should get hung, drawn and quartered.

Drawn by the finest artists, hung in the best galleries and quartered in the top hotels!

One day the boffins at IRD might actually realise how stressful their PC-ness is to us mortals. Then again maybe not…

Will the real slim shady please stand up
Yeah and doesn’t the statement by Mr Crawford epitomize the utter b.s. world he must live in.
Reckon David Theobald should now sue IRD, claim ACC, get over $1000 per week on benefits..

Previously, Mick Upbraids Apathy…

steve mccabe — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 03:51:51 +0000

Reprinted from:
http://cryptome.org/0001/nz-tax-charade.htm
17 August 2009

Basically the New Zealand Inland Revenue Department believes it’s above the law.

You sure as hell wouldn’t know it from Google or the papers. It was on Saturday morning and it’s now Monday night.

A sample page is at:

http://theaxemen.wordpress.com/2009/08/17/mick-elborado-the-car-crash-set/

We’re taking the piss and they know it. But Inland revenue have some pretty heavy lawyers — they’ve just upped the charge to Criminal damage which is 7 years maximum.

Cheers

Dave Theobald. (aka Mick Elborrado)

Elborado Showdown – The Shit Hits The Fan pt 2

steve mccabe — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 00:40:38 +0000

Show Your Support… join MICK ELBORADO IS INNOCENT now!

Reprinted From:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/2764914/IRD-drove-me-to-this

IRD drove me to this

By STACEY WOOD – The Dominion Post
19 August 2009

TAXBREAK: David Theobald said he was prepared to accept the consequences after driving his car into an IRD building.

A taxman driven around the bend by continuing work woes drove his car through the building where he had worked for 25 years.

David Jerrold Theobald, 47, drove his Mazda 626 through the foyer of the Christchurch Inland Revenue building on Cashel St at 6.30am on Saturday after a three-year employment dispute.

He crashed through two sets of glass doors and smashed a third on the other side of the foyer before coming to a stop.

Mr Theobald said he had gone to great lengths to avoid risk to any staff.

“I checked with the cleaners the night before to make sure no-one would be in the building. I drove right up to the doors, looked both ways, then slowly pushed forward till the doors broke.”

Mr Theobald said he was fed up with what he saw as concealment of workplace bullying and incompetent management at Inland Revenue.

“This has been going on for three years, and now I’ve got four official information requests in with them and they’re making that as onerous as possible … This was just a way to make a gesture.”

He also wanted to highlight how easy it would be for someone with terrorist intentions to ramraid the building with a truck full of explosives. “It’s just another 9/11 waiting to happen.”

Mr Theobald is a fixture of the Christchurch music scene. He is known as Mick Elborado when he plays with his band The Axemen and in other groups.

He appeared in Christchurch District Court yesterday charged with intentional damage and reckless driving and was remanded on bail till August 31.

He told The Dominion Post he had not decided how he would plead, but was prepared to accept the consequences of his actions.

Inland Revenue would not comment on the incident as it was before the court, but Mr Theobald has received a letter from human resources head Patrick Crawford.

In it, Mr Crawford said: “Information has come to my attention which indicates that you may have intentionally driven a car through Inland Revenue’s Christchurch building … I am concerned that your conduct may be inconsistent with the Code of Conduct.”

Mr Theobald could face up to seven years in prison if found guilty of criminal damage.
Reprinted from:
http://news.msn.co.nz/article.aspx?id=851637

‘Bullied’ taxman drives car through workplace

By MSN NZ staff

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

A Christchurch tax worker smashed his car through his own Inland Revenue office because he was fed up with “incompetent management and workplace bullying”.

David Jerrold Theobald, 47, drove through two sets of glass doors and smashed a third at the Christchurch Inland Revenue building before coming to a stop.

Mr Theobald, a well-known musician in Christchurch who has worked for the IRD for 25 years, said he had been careful not to put lives in danger.

“I checked with the cleaners the night before to make sure no-one would be in the building,” he told The Dominion Post.

“I drove right up to the doors, looked both ways, then slowly pushed forward till the doors broke.”

Mr Theobald posted pictures of the damage on his blog , along with copies of legal documents he received from police and his employer following the incident.

One of the documents was a letter from Inland Revenue human resources head Patrick Crawford.

“Information has come to my attention which indicates that you may have intentionally driven a car through Inland Revenue’s Christchurch building,” Mr Crawford wrote.

“I am concerned that your conduct may be inconsistent with the Code of Conduct.”

Mr Theobald said he was upset with what he saw as workplace bullying and incompetent management at Inland Revenue.

“This has been going on for three years and now I’ve got four official information requests in with them and they’re making that as onerous as possible,” he said.

“This was just a way to make a gesture.”

He also said he wanted to highlight the potential for a terrorist attack if someone were to drive a car full of explosives into the building.

“It’s just another 9/11 waiting to happen,” he said.

Mr Theobald appeared in court yesterday. He has been charged with intentional damage and reckless driving and could face up to seven years in prison if found guilty of criminal damage.

Reprinted from:
http://keepingstock.blogspot.com/2009/08/taxman-cometh.html

The Taxman Cometh…

We had a bit of a chuckle when we read this story on Stuff this morning:

A taxman driven around the bend by continuing work woes drove his car through the building where he had worked for 25 years.

David Jerrold Theobald, 47, drove his Mazda 626 through the foyer of the Christchurch Inland Revenue building on Cashel St at 6.30am on Saturday after a three-year employment dispute.

He crashed through two sets of glass doors and smashed a third on the other side of the foyer before coming to a stop.

Mr Theobald said he had gone to great lengths to avoid risk to any staff.

“I checked with the cleaners the night before to make sure no-one would be in the building. I drove right up to the doors, looked both ways, then slowly pushed forward till the doors broke.”

Mr Theobald said he was fed up with what he saw as concealment of workplace bullying and incompetent management at Inland Revenue.

“This has been going on for three years, and now I’ve got four official information requests in with them and they’re making that as onerous as possible … This was just a way to make a gesture.”

He also wanted to highlight how easy it would be for someone with terrorist intentions to ramraid the building with a truck full of explosives. “It’s just another 9/11 waiting to happen.”

Doubtless there will be many of us who will at some point in our lives have been tempted, sorely tempted to lash out at the IRD. But the overwhelming majority manage to resist said temptation. And there’s a certain delicious irony in an employee of the IRD accusing the department of workplace bullying when we taxpayers regularly feel bullied by the likes of Mr Theobald and his colleagues!

And mindful of Mr Theobald apparently being a serial litigant, we also chuckled when we read this:

Inland Revenue would not comment on the incident as it was before the court, but Mr Theobald has received a letter from human resources head Patrick Crawford.

In it, Mr Crawford said: “Information has come to my attention which indicates that you may have intentionally driven a car through Inland Revenue’s Christchurch building … I am concerned that your conduct may be inconsistent with the Code of Conduct.”

The letter is extremely careful in its wording is it not? We would have thought that this was a pretty clear case of serious misconduct by way of the wilful destruction of departmental property; something that would normally warrant summary dismissal. Mr Theobald’s concerns about workplace bullying could very soon be addressed – but not in the way he may have expected!!

Elborado Showdown – The Shit Hits The Fan pt 1

steve mccabe — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 23:13:07 +0000

Show Your Support… join MICK ELBORADO IS INNOCENT now!

Reprinted From The Christchurch Press, 19 August 2009
http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/christchurch/2764971/Its-OK-officer-I-work-here/

“It’s OK Officer, I work here”

By IAN STEWARD – The Christchurch Press

DRIVE-IN: David Theobald poses for a self-portrait of himself with his car "parked'' inside IRD's Christchurch office.

A Christchurch tax worker fed up with his bosses has made a spectacular protest by driving his car through three plate-glass windows in the Inland Revenue building.

David Theobald, 47, a musician and 25-year Inland Revenue employee, posted photographs on the internet of his protest, which he made at 6.30am on Saturday. The pictures showed his car “parked” in the Cashel St building.

A blog accompanying the photos said Theobald, a long-time member of rock and punk band The Axemen, “decided he had had enough and wasn’t going to take it any more after years of abuse” from Inland Revenue.

“Driving into the place that had been his nemesis for the past 25 years, he felt an eerie calm as he took the final turnoff, revved the vehicle and drove through three plate-glass windows and into the reception area,” it said.

Theobald said he was careful not to trample broken glass into the department’s new carpet because “I didn’t want to get in trouble”.

He waited “calmly” for police and quipped when they arrived: “It’s OK officer, I work here.”

Theobald appeared in the Christchurch District Court yesterday charged with intentional damage and reckless driving.

He was re-arrested and his bail conditions were altered, ordering him to stay away from the Inland Revenue building, after he stood outside and sent text messages to his workmates “to show them I’m not in the loony bin”.

Theobald is known in music circles as Mick Elborado. He has played in several bands since the early 1980s.

A picture on the blogsite of Theobald and his Mazda 626 was captioned: “Mick at grand opening of Inland Revenue’s new 24hr drive-thru in Chch.”

An Inland Revenue spokeswoman yesterday confirmed the incident and said no-one had been hurt. The damage “did not compromise activities”, she said.

She declined to comment further.

Theobald posted the letter suspending him from work, written by a human resources manager, on the internet.

“Information has come to my attention which indicates that you may have intentionally driven a vehicle through Inland Revenue’s Christchurch building,” the manager wrote.

“I am concerned that your conduct may be inconsistent with the code of conduct.”

Theobald said his actions were the culmination of a three-year employment dispute centred on “workplace bullying”.

Theobald said he believed destruction of property was a last resort after all other checks and balances had failed. “I take all responsibility for these actions. You’ve got an evangelist on your hands here,” he said.

A founding member of The Axemen, Steve McCabe, began a Facebook support group for Theobald titled “Mick Elborado is innocent”. McCabe said Theobald was innocent because he had been provoked into the act by years of bureaucratic and institutional bullying.

Reprinted from NZPA, 19 August 2009
http://nz.news.yahoo.com/a/-/mp/5836958/man-in-court-after-driving-into-ird-building/

Man in court after driving into IRD building

NZPA, NZPA August 19, 2009, 7:26 am

A disgruntled Inland Revenue employee who intentionally drove through the organisation’s Christchurch building has appeared in court.

David Jerrold Theobald, 47, appeared in Christchurch District Court yesterday charged with intentional damage and reckless driving, after driving into the building at 6.30am on Saturday.

The car crashed through two sets of glass doors and smashed a third on the other side of the foyer before coming to a stop.

He was remanded on bail to reappear on August 31.

Theobald, who had worked at IRD for 25 years, told the Dominion Post the incident followed a three-year employment dispute.

He said he was fed up with what he saw as concealment of workplace bullying and incompetent management at Inland Revenue.

“This has been going on for three years, and now I’ve got four official information requests in with them and they’re making that as onerous as possible … This was just a way to make a gesture.”

Inland Revenue would not comment on the incident, but Theobald said he had received a letter from IRD’s human resources saying: “Information has come to my attention which indicates that you may have intentionally driven a car through Inland Revenue’s Christchurch building … I am concerned that your conduct may be inconsistent with the Code of Conduct.”

Mick Elborado & the Car Crash Set

steve mccabe — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 10:54:53 +0000

Show Your Support… join MICK ELBORADO IS INNOCENT now!

Click Pics for enlarged image…

A statement from Mick – Monday 17 August 2009

steve mccabe — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 15:51:09 +0000

Show Your support… join MICK ELBORADO IS INNOCENT now!

ask the same of anyone awake or woken up.

1: appear in court and behave

2: walk to the crime scene gathering a motley crowd of the slightly curious hoping for more action.

3: make a very short speech calling upon tony mccone senior human resources officer to resign within 24 hours if he believes the actions of ir human resources staff will not withstand the main code of conduct test of ‘the closest public scrutiny’

4: advise that because of the results of his incompetence i require payment in front of ir at this time tomorrow.

5: advise that if he does not resign and he’s found to have sanctioned any actions which arouse public disgust it’s 10 times his salary or everything he owns except his home.

6: give the commisioner of inland revenue one week to hear whether all actions can withstand public scrutiny – if not the same thing.

7: the next steps escalate to ir shifting all its banking to Kiwibankor another bank with nz ownership no matter what the cost and if they work theres leverage to change the world. You all helped!

I bet this is the first plan for world undomination transmitted by txt, facebook and hopefully youtube, if anyone films it

- let’s see anyone shut down fcbk youtube and txting in one week.

If this crazy strategy works we all work 3 day weeks and live better, all meaning NZ and the world – if it gets shut down then it was already too late, but then any opposition will be visible.

All the planets are in line and they won’t be again – forget scrabble and soaps – just for a day or so.

Huge thanks to all:

special mention to Amy, Ange, Alex, Ros, Steve, Joanne, Peter Hall-Jones, my union, and Emma Goldman.

Elborados Fury – Drive In Saturday

steve mccabe — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 15:34:23 +0000

: Mick at Grand Opening of Inland Revenue’s new 24 hr drive thru in Chch

Show Your Support… join MICK ELBORADO IS INNOCENT now!

On Saturday August 16, 2009, Axemen Taxman, grunty bass player and disgruntled employee Mick Elborado decided he had had enough and wasn’t going to take it any more after years of abuse from the IRD.

Driving into the place that had been his nemesis for the past 25 years he felt an eery calm as he took the final turnoff, revved the vehicle and drove through 3 plate glass windows and into the reception area, then stepped from the car taking care not to trample the glass into the new carpet – “I didn’t want to get in trouble” – and calmly waited for the police to arrive.

: Te Tari Taake or Te Tari Turkey?

On their arrival he quipped “Its OK officer, I work here!” as they cuffed him and hauled him away.

: Its OK Officer I work here!

When asked for a quote about the split he cited musical differences and wanting to spend more time on his private projects – “My dentistry business is really picking up!” he chirpily quoted to one reporter.

It was fairly obvious robbery was not the motive, in fact as with many people that come through these doors he later noted he later checked his wallet and realised he had left with $150 less than what he came in with. “Even after all these years I still don’t know how they do that” he noted, shaking his head.

: Mick doing the hard yards awaiting bail

After 6 hours in the infamous Sydenham Prison he was put out on the street on bail with his brother Des.

We will be following his case with interest and keeping you posted.

Post: Amble Testicle Evict, with Micks Blessings

What about these guys??? the Puddle Live-to-air at Radio Volcano, sweet as, direct from another universe

steve mccabe — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 02:19:31 +0000

the puddle, live to air, radio volcano, lyttelton, one romantic gesture

and this one with different scenery – needs more mick though if you ask me….

The Puddle - better scenery in this vid... wish george the best after his stroke - oops sorry that was that other guy

It was 40 years ago today – Abbey Road Cover pic anniversary – on Bob’s Birthday!!

steve mccabe — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 00:14:15 +0000

I want you – I want you so bad

i want you – i want you so bad its driving me mad its driving me mad

40 years ago today sgt pepper took this photo on abbey road, london…. the mysterious eggman and walrus sketches have faded over the years but have been enhanced using y2k technology… you be the judge…

the Beatles L-R - the eggman, the eggman, the walrus, john (the walrus was paul)

Gig Report, Newtown Farewell Gig, Ariki st , auckland,friday August 7 [Bobs birthday] – hello darkness my old friend

steve mccabe — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 01:05:56 +0000

Newtown - l-r {girl peeing in cup, probably not a pregnancy test} Greta, Kirsten- i am almost sure that goatee and moustache is fake...

Posted by : Beam Civet Sec

Ironically it was Bob who didn’t show on the very night of his birthday bash but fortunately Celia assumed the role of Bob admirably in the Axemen’s short but brief albeit cutdown and necessarily concise set later into the evening. Two exquisite songs Womin of Love and the trex classic Buick MacKane

But I digress, this was Newtown’s night as the lovebirds plan to head off to the US to seek their fame and fortune and we all of course wish them the best in their pursuit of the dream.

Ariki Street, Auckland

In some ways it was hard to disconnect the incestuous associations from the music in the lineup of bands on this night but this turned out to be a bonus for all involved as there was a general vibe of love and peace in the air uncommon to many a house party.

The Newtown, darkly lit video, but with great Alice Cooper bits - click for video

Newtown played first, followed by the Hissyfits then penultimately the Axelmin (Stu, Celia & Steve) preceding the Hairdos, hosts of the party and friends of all.

Celia X... smouldering, small & feisty as usual on this nite

Celia X, TCB a few milliseconds before blacking my eye and leaving an intriguing TNUC welt on my forehead

More emotional upheaval for me, but thats rock’n'roll… celia and stu played fantastically and i was well satisfied with my guitaring and singing – unfortunately singing a bit quiet on the recording but thats the nature of da bidnis.

Thanks to Liz for the padded wall, I had a little bit of a sore back from being round at davey g’s and working on his dodgy wokstation.

probably contracted the swine flu sitting out in the back yard between sets, but frankly i don’t care – this is what its all about and i miss it and want more, once again.

no sex, no sax, but a great time nonetheless with great pals and a great evening which i wouldn’t trade for the world… thanks 2 all

great but darkly video here of womin of love/buick mccane (t.rex, ladies first)

all i can say is wow these are the good old days

(Click for radio without pictures) This is why video killed the radio star - axelmin, ariki st, auckland 7 august 2009, bobs 444th birthday, dancing on the ceiling LET THERE BE ROCK

can’t beat the original though- but i think we came close… almost simultaneously – they had better lighting, and vocal amplification, even in the 70’s with no guitar leads or mics….

T Rex - Buick MacKane - the original

wunderbar reeview part DUO

mattmiddleton — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 01:04:10 +0000

why more ? considering the last one was so succinct? Because I said I would. It was a night that could’ve fallen to bits. It was all brawls and band fights and frustrated staff. My own fault, I knew the wild and crazy ways of the Bastardwisher band when i put them on the lineup. Like getting a slightly better behaved GG to play. So I kinda got what I asked for. But i won’t waste time wallowing in that psycho-logistical misery coz the whole thing was beautifully salvaged. The first few audience members came in to an air of stinking chaos, but the show went on. Everyone did their bestest. Stevie’s assortment went from folk-blues street busker duo to lap-top entrepreneur/electro-disco bit-beat to rock power trio all in one set. Mick on Bass, Lo-liner Rustle Coveney on drums. Pock’n'roll. Hoik it up. Hook me up. From jangle to dangle. Charmed. Act 2 and Sefton got up and rocked an admirably calm set of re-constituted bits/bytes/beats chanting ‘ i was born in a rock’n'roll band’ in this hypnotized american drawl – cunningly referencing my very own ‘lines of flight’ gig earlier that year where i, in a hypnotized american drawl chanted ‘I was born in the 1970s’ . We would continue our fighting talk after the show. ……And then The Aesthetics. Doin the best we could with other peoples gear in other peoples venues in other peoples cities. Muddled and dopey rifferama, weak high pitched melody , propulsive beatery and poisonous bass-buggery. With Sefty doin some of the work for us. By that stage I had already vented at him and had no energy left to evacuate him from the stage. One audience member didnt like it. Oh well. I’m just obsessing about it all now. There probably wasnt even a need to write a part DUO either. Its a gig. Another shitty gig. A great reason to leave the dishes till tomorrow. Another night of it. Theres more photos in the MEDIA SECTION.

Scary Motel Tour! coming soon….

steve mccabe — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 13:24:11 +0000

Not on the List?

Looking to get some great kiwi bands to play at your FANTASTIC SOUTH ISLAND VENUE in LATE SEPTEMBER/EARLY OCTOBER?

Your name could be here tomorrow…

Scary Motel Tour - Sept / Oct 09 , South Island, NZ - b/w lo-res v1(LSM)

Scary Motel Tour - South Island, NZ, Sept-Oct 2009 - color lo-res v1 (LSM)

POSTER VARIANTS RECEIVED:

Tues 4 Aug 09, Stu Kawowski

Scary Motel Poster Variant: Dragan-Master (StuK)

Scary Motel Poster Variant: RedLips (StuK)

wunderbar REEVIEW PT ONE

mattmiddleton — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 09:50:49 +0000

The Aesthetics, Stevie McCabe and Bastardwisher =—–Wunderbar 28th July 2009
review by a participant.
PART UNO :

>>>
“Come together – right Now – Over me.”

Gen X . The original punks, methinks the youngest of the Exers gotta be something like 33 or something. Ands there’s the ageism already. And thats the last of it.
And the Ugly Ambition get’s uglier and uglier and with brill creamed quiff’n'quim in the air and the hooting hops and testosteroney we all thought it would fall to pieces.

Wunderbar - Nice People Only

But salvage they do and on comes he the Little guy – Littl’ Stevie McCabe and his gat’n'lappy, and blues as is orignal and as if as original and haast pass- haaart felt as you can linen! Blues, riff and mulch! Audio that is – up up up the Stevie! Cause the bastards they wish! And we’ve whipped it awl up! Ballad, plop and Kierkegaardens! Fellow puff knock colour dyke towels! Rockin on over to your best And Band tickle-me-punk! Roster, roster outward bound to be schtoopid in Mickleodeon ! Oi Oi! Harden up! They actually told me to wear a hat! And those ballads and blues sawngs kept -a comin’! And the adrenaline flowed like lava! and mines immunes seeestem did chatter unt chortle. And the nazis and the jews didst fooozball! And the ROXY musics did SHINE! Sax and all! And meaning went home for christmas dinner! Then the bastardwisher set dried up the air and it was special interest sessions abound. Flights of plunder-beato and post-bonk riffer-refer-ama all making us blush and sneer. Blush and heave-ho ‘harden-up’ skin skin oi oi ‘this ain’t ‘76′ bitches snitches and ditches. Jobs and slobs. Hogs and Dogs. Ruffle the feathers of Sunni england. Because opium is live and dangerous and the answer to all you prayers. As is Saint Barnaby. Tracker. Akka Dakka. And next was The Aesthetics. Ruffed up and tuffed up and seering. And oh the agony. And I wanna thank ya.

part two AS soon as possibull!!!!!!!

VIDEO

The Aesthetics at the Wunderbar, July 28 2009

BastardWisher at the Wunderbar, July 28 2009

Creaky Back Stairs - Little Stevie McCabe Live at Wunderbar feat. MattMiddleton

Shoes This High – Live 22 June 1980 – Recording C/- Bob Sutton

steve mccabe — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 22:36:00 +0000

Thistle Hall, in the '80s - thats the 1980's for you young-ass mofos

Recorded and mixed by Andy Drey (Steroids/Body Electric) at Billy The Club, 22 June 1980, (incidentally Steve’s 14th birthday)

(recording courtesy of Bob Sutton).

: thistle hall poster

01 Shoes This High – Monodrone 6:39

02 Shoes This High – Living Hell 1:08

03 Shoes This High – Nose One 3:38

04 Shoes This High – Sop Pong 2:34

05 Shoes This High – Mental Whiff 2:48

06 Shoes This High – Tic Toc* 4:42

07 Shoes This High – Ain’t 1/2 Right 3:27

08 Shoes This High – Fatman 3:56

09 Shoes This High – Gifted? 2:09

10 Shoes This High – Stuk 3:15

11 Shoes This High – Christian Song 4:46

: Shoes This High, Newmatics, gig poster c.1980

12 Shoes This High – Menace In Yer Head 1:31

13 Shoes This High – Tunnel Vision 2:00

14 Shoes This High – ——– 0:28

15 Shoes This High – You Sold Out 2:36

16 Shoes This High – Small 2:35

17 Shoes This High – For Too Long 6:12

18 Shoes This High – Scab 3:28

19 Shoes This High – Catshit 1:41

20 Shoes This High – Bull-fight 3:41

21 Shoes This High – Cretin Time 2:14

22 Shoes This High – Beach Muscle 2:44

23 Shoes This High – Don’t Wanna 1:52

24 Shoes This High – R U Happy? 3:35

*Tic Toc was an improv while Kev restrung half of his guitar.

the late Kevin Hawkins, greatly missed, at the Womb, AK, 1985

Protected:

steve mccabe — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 09:30:39 +0000

“BEAT IT” BOYS Live (1983) (K WoW Loud Mix)

kawowski — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 19:14:47 +0000

“Beat It” (Jackson M.) (K Wow Loud mix)

AXEMEN recorded live on 4-track at the Star & Garter, Christchurch, New Zealand

Guy Fawkes Day 5/11/83 by Hamish Kilgour (features Steve, Bob, Mick & Stu). 06′29 dur.

Beat It (K Wow Loud mix)

[1st Verse]
They Told Him Don’t You Ever Come Around Here
Don’t Wanna See Your Face, You Better Disappear
The Fire’s In Their Eyes And Their Words Are Really Clear
So Beat It, Just Beat It

[2nd Verse]
You Better Run, You Better Do What You Can
Don’t Wanna See No Blood, Don’t Be A Macho Man
You Wanna Be Tough, Better Do What You Can
So Beat It, But You Wanna Be Bad

[Chorus]
Just Beat It, Beat It, Beat It, Beat It
No One Wants To Be Defeated
Show them How Funky Strong Is Your Fight
It Doesn’t Matter Who’s Wrong Or Right
Just Beat It, Beat It
Just Beat It, Beat It
Just Beat It, Beat It
Just Beat It, Beat It

[3rd Verse]
They’re Out To Get You, Better Leave While You Can
Don’t Wanna Be A Boy, You Wanna Be A Man
You Wanna Stay Alive, Better Do What You Can
So Beat It, Just Beat It

[4th Verse]
You Have To Show Them That You’re Really Not Scared
You’re Playin’ With Your Life, This Ain’t No Truth Or Dare
They’ll Kick You, Then They Beat You,
Then They’ll Tell You It’s Fair
So Beat It, But You Wanna Be Bad

[Chorus]
Just Beat It, Beat It, Beat It, Beat It
No One Wants To Be Defeated
Showin’ How Funky Strong Is Your Fight
It Doesn’t Matter Who’s Wrong Or Right

[Chorus]
Just Beat It, Beat It, Beat It, Beat It
No One Wants To Be Defeated
Showin’ How Funky Strong Is Your Fight
It Doesn’t Matter Who’s Wrong Or Right
Just Beat It, Beat It, Beat It, Beat It, Beat It

[Chorus]
Beat It, Beat It, Beat It, Beat It
No One Wants To Be Defeated
Showin’ How Funky Strong Is Your Fight
It Doesn’t Matter Who’s Wrong Or Right

[Chorus]
Just Beat It, Beat It, Beat It, Beat It
No One Wants To Be Defeated
Showin’ How Funky Strong Is Your Fight
It Doesn’t Matter Who’s Wrong Or Who’s Right

[Chorus]
Just Beat It, Beat It, Beat It, Beat It
No One Wants To Be Defeated
Showin’ How Funky Strong Is Your Fight
It Doesn’t Matter Who’s Wrong Or Right

[Chorus]
Just Beat It, Beat It, Beat It, Beat It
No One Wants To Be Defeated
Showin’ How Funky Strong Is Your Fight
It Doesn’t Matter Who’s Wrong Or Right
Just Beat It, Beat It
Beat It, Beat It, Beat It

Wunderbar Gig, Tuesday 28 July 2009

steve mccabe — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 01:26:55 +0000

Aesthetics, LSM, BastardWisher, Wunderbar Lyttelton Tuesday 28 July 2008

wunderbar 28 july poster (Printable PDF)

Loliners – doing lines, doing time

steve mccabe — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 06:22:15 +0000

Loliners

http://www.facebook.com/ext/share.php?sid=91638257606&h=d55fQ&u=szLNJ&ref=mf

Loliners Started 2004
Ex trash/grungeriotgrrlpunk with gats
Some history:
Lisa Preston – keyboard, drums, guitar, vocals
Bands: Portage, Nux-Vomica The Axemin, Snort, Thee Hellfire Club, The Luvin’ 44’s, The Ginger Group, The Tryhards, Loliners
Joanne Billesdon – lead and rhythm guitar & vocals
Bands: The Stepford 5, The Renderers, The Axemin, I M Force, Snort, The Hellfire Club, The Strap-ons, The Tryhards, Loliners
Sharon Warhurst – bass guitar
Bands: The Stepford 5, Snort, I M Force, Thee Hellfire Club, loliners
Russell Covyene – Drums…

100% New Zealand Music

Releases

A Little Bit Country, A Little Bit Rock n Roll

MP3s NZ $10.95

Buy

Buy All Releases

Prev Play All Next

Tracks

	Obsessed And Deranged	3:12	MP3	NZ $1.99	Play	Buy
	Another Dead Daddy	4:10	MP3	NZ $1.99	Play	Buy

Buy All Tracks

Videos

Obsessed And Deranged

Play

Photo Galleries

Penguin Club Oamaru

Craziest place in Oamaru Penguin Club !! G8 Time and Great People

Loliners & Renders at Harbour Light Ch CH

2007 Lo liners support Renderers at the Harbor Light, Lyt Christchurch

Location

Christchurch

Members

Lisa Preston: vocals, noise ,rhythm guitar
Joanne Billesdon: vocals, lead guitar

Sharon Warhurst: Bass guitar
Russell Coveenie: Drums

Record Company

None

Official Site

www.myspace.com/bandloliners

Genres

Alternative, Country, Film Music, Rock

Chris Knox Suffers stroke – News thread from NZ Papers, blogs etc.wart

steve mccabe — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 21:06:23 +0000

Blog Comments:

GO TO WARD-KNOX OFFICIAL FAMILY BLOG

Reprinted from NZ News and various Sources (newest at top)

Tall Dwarfs’ Chris Knox Recovering From Stroke

Knox - recovering

Indie fans in both the U.S. and New Zealand were stunned to learn over the weekend that Kiwi legend Chris Knox suffered a stroke. The 57-year-old musician/songwriter/cartoonist is recovering at Auckland City Hospital.

“We’d just like to say that Chris’ partner Barbara Ward and his children John and Leisha are grateful for the support and love they’ve received, and at the moment everyone’s focus is just on Chris and his recovery, and we just ask that people be respectful of that,” a spokesman for the family said in the Sunday Star Times.

Knox’s late ’70s bands the Enemy and Toy Love were the pioneering artists of the New Zealand scene, which rose to prominence in the U.S. during the late ’80s via Flying Nun Records and such bands as the Chills, the Bats, the Clean and, of course, Tall Dwarfs, Knox’s lo-fi weird-pop duo with Alec Bathgate. Tall Dwarfs influenced everyone from Pavement, Portastatic and Olivia Tremor Control to Jay Reatard, Crystal Stilts and just about anybody playing post-punk music in New Zealand.

The Tall Dwarfs song ‘Not Given Lightly’ later became an improbable hit, popular at weddings even though it was written specifically for Ward (“This is a love song/to John and Leisha’s mother,” is one lyric). It’s been covered by Frente and J Church, and provides the title of Morr Music’s new double CD ‘Not Given Lightly: A Tribute to the Giant Golden Book of New Zealand’s Indie Scene.’

The average American, however, probably knows Knox best for his 2000 solo song ‘It’s Love,’ which was featured in this 2008 Heineken commercial, directed by the ever-rock ‘n’ roll savvy filmmaker Todd Haynes:

Knox’s family and friends launched a website to keep fans informed.

Chris Knox stable after stroke, Jay Reatard posts tribute

undertheradar – Date Published:18th June, 2009 @ 18:46

Chris Knox, influential Tall Dwarfs member and Enemy lead vocalist suffered a stroke last Thursday. All reports are positive that he is stable and recovering well. Undertheradar sends our best thoughts to Chris and his family.

Today Jay Reatard has posted a tribute on his website here detailing plans of a collaboration after a meeting the two had when Jay toured here earlier this year

Along with his post, Reatard writes: If you haven’t heard Toy Love, Tall Dwarfs, The Enemy or his countless solo records please do yourself a favor and hunt them down. It might change your life…It did mine.

Knox’s family has set up a blog to keep fans up-to-date on his recovery, head there now to leave your messages. The 56-year-old musician is currently in stable condition at an Auckland, New Zealand hospital and is doing well.

Jay Reatard “Shook Up” by Chris Knox’s Stroke, Reveals Planned Collaboration with Flying Nun Stalwart

6/16/2009

By Josiah Hughes

As we previously reported, key Kiwi pop figure and Flying Nun Records spearhead Chris Knox suffered from a stroke on Thursday (June 11) and is currently recovering. A huge Kiwi pop disciple himself, Memphis garage monster Jay Reatard has shared his thoughts on Knox on his blog, revealing that he had planned to record a single and tour with him in the near future.

Reatard writes:
A few years back I was introduced to Chris Knox’s genius via the kiwitapes blog. I immediately connected to the sound of his voice, his lyrics, and for sure the production of his many records. Upon learning that I was gonna be lucky enough to travel on tour to New Zealand earlier this year I knew I just had to meet the man behind it all. A few emails were sent and with a bit of luck I was invited over to his house for tea and some snacks! I only a had a few of his various bands records at home and none with me… So I dropped a ton of dough at a local record shop picking up the entire Toy Love catalog along with a few other records…

As the door to his house opened I was overcome with a nervous fan boy feeling I hadn’t felt since I was 16 or so. Our meeting was brief, only 3-4 hours, but in that time we made plans to tour together this upcoming year and made plans to record a single together as well. I found Chris to be so unjaded and so full of ideas and life. A few days back before our LA show I received a text from our NZ promoter letting me know Chris had suffered a stroke. I was pretty shook up but put everything I had into the show that I could muster up. I have had quite a few days to think to myself how lucky I was to meet Chris and how much hope he gave me for my own future as an artist. Here’s hoping for a speedy and successful recovery for Chris and his family! And if you haven’t heard Toy Love, Tall Dwarfs, The Enemy or his countless solo records please do yourself a favor and hunt them down. It might change your life… It did mine.

Hunting down Knox’s music is actually a great idea right now, as Knox’s progress blog recently mentioned that “the best thing to do if you wanna help is to buy a Chris Knox & The Nothing album.” All of these CDs, which are available to ship worldwide, can be purchased here.

Meanwhile, Reatard is in the middle of a previously announced North American tour.

Family hopeful for Knox recovery

The Press Last updated 05:00 16/06/2009

KENT BLECHYNDEN/Dominion PostICON: Kiwi music icon Chris Knox, pictured here singing in 2008.

Kiwi musician Chris Knox is responsive and not in pain following last week’s stroke, friends and family say.

In a statement yesterday, friend Roy Martyn said the Ward-Knox family remained “very optimistic” about the performer’s recovery. Knox is in Auckland Hospital.

“He enjoyed his vegetable frittata this morning but I suffered the classic Knox withering look when I mentioned beer,” Martyn said.

He said the family wanted to thank those who had sent messages of support from around the world.

The statement said: “We have learned that it is too early to predict the ramifications of a stroke with any degree of accuracy. However, positive anecdotes have been flooding in which fill us all with hope.”

A website to keep the public updated on Knox’s progress is at chrisknox.blogtown.co.nz.

HUGE BUMMER: Chris Knox had a stroke…

By Chip Norman • June 15, 2009
Filed under: NEWS

Please take a moment to pray to every god, and then invent new ways to pray, because we don’t think a moment of silence is going to cut it.

For the uninitiated among you, New Zealander Chris Knox is one of the finest songwriters alive. As a member of The Enemy, Toy Love, Tall Dwarfs, and most recently, The Nothing, Chris has been a musical giant among the Kiwis.

Mr. Knox has also served as a film critic, newspaper columnist, cartoonist, television host, and head of his own record label, ‘A Major Records.’ His music releases have been a staple of New Zealand’s great ‘Flying Nun’ label since its inception.

And last evening, he suffered a stroke.

Chris is recovering at Auckland hospital. He is currently unable to speak and may have permanently lost his ability to walk, though the doctors have yet to give an official prognosis.

You can find updates on Chris’ condition at the following blog created by his family members and friends. Do some good with the internet for once and leave an encouraging note for Chris.

http://chrisknox.blogtown.co.nz/

Chris Knox ’showing good signs’

By Hamish McNeilly on Mon, 15 Jun 2009

Chris Knox - Click photo to enlarge

Chris Knox, a pioneer of the Dunedin Sound, is in hospital after a stroke, but the 57-year-old musician is already showing signs of his former self, friends say.

News reports the musician might never walk again were premature and hurtful to his friends and family, who had gathered to support Mr Knox since he was admitted to Auckland Hospital on Thursday, family friend Roy Colbert, of Dunedin, said.

Doctors were still waiting for the swelling to go down before they were able to offer a prognosis, he said.

Mr Colbert had been in contact with former Dunedin-based musician Shayne Carter, who visited Mr Knox in hospital.

“When he was there, someone came in to see Chris and asked him if he wanted any help with religion. Chris just rolled his eyes . . . That’s the Chris Knox we all know.”

Mr Colbert said the Invercargill-raised musician made a big impact on the Dunedin music scene with his punk band, the Enemy, in the late 1970s, which “began the Dunedin Sound and influenced the like of The Chills and The Clean”.

“He is immensely talented.”

Mr Knox was also responsible for recording many of the early Flying Nun records and had a cult following in New Zealand and overseas for his recordings with Toy Love, Tall Dwarfs and, more recently, The Nothing.

He is perhaps best known for the “low fi” love song, Not Given Lightly, which was dedicated to his partner, Barbara, and children John and Leisha Ward Knox.

The Chills frontman Martin Phillipps, of Dunedin, said he visited Mr Knox while he was in Auckland to play a gig on Friday.

“If there is anyone who can beat this, it is Chris.”

hamish.mcneilly@odt.co.nz

Knox smiles but still can’t speak

By TOM FITZSIMONS – The Dominion Post

Last updated 05:00 15/06/2009

Chris Knox

Rock musician Chris Knox is smiling and recognising people after having a stroke, one of his former bandmates says.

But Paul Kean, bass player for Knox’s ex-band Toy Love, said he understood the 57-year-old was still unable to talk after Thursday’s stroke and that doctors had taken action to try to relieve pressure on Knox’s skull.

Knox had apparently been able to drink water and answer basic questions while being taken to hospital, Kean said.

A cartoonist and author, Knox was in a stable condition in Auckland Hospital’s stroke unit yesterday.

Earlier friends said doctors were anticipating that Knox would at best be in a wheelchair for the rest of his life.

Kean said the whole New Zealand music scene was rallying around him.

Knox’s partner, Barbara Ward, was too upset to comment yesterday.

A family spokesman said Ms Ward (to whom Knox dedicated the hit Not Given Lightly) and children John and Leisha were grateful for the support and love they were getting.

Musician Chris Knox suffers stroke

7:39AM Monday Jun 15, 2009 – NZ Herald

Chris Knox with his partner Barbara Ward last November. Photo / Herald on Sunday

New Zealand rock musician Chris Knox is unable to talk after suffering a stoke on Thursday.

Paul Kean, bass player for Knox’s ex-band Toy Love, said he understood the 57-year-old could still not speak and doctors had taken action to try to relieve pressure on Knox’s skull.

He had apparently been able to drink water and answer basic questions while being taken to hospital, Kean told The Dominion Post.

Earlier friends said doctors were anticipating Knox would, at best, be in a wheelchair for the rest of his life.

A family spokesman said Knox’s partner, Barbara Ward, and children, John and Leisha, were grateful for the support and love they were getting.

Knox’s recording career stretches back to late 70s punk era bands The Enemy and Toy Love, as well, as having a long association with independent music label Flying Nun as a solo artist and a member of duo the Tall Dwarfs.

His best known songs include the hit Not Given Lightly.

Knox is also an television arts show presenter, writer and cartoonist who has pennned the weekly Max Media strip in the New Zealand Herald’s entertainment pages for almost 20 years.

- NZPA

Chris Knox may not walk again after stroke

By CATHERINE WOULFE – Sunday Star Times

Last updated 05:00 14/06/2009

KENT BLECHYNDEN/Dominion Post ICON: Kiwi music icon Chris Knox, pictured here singing in 2008.

Friends of Kiwi music icon Chris Knox say he is now unable to speak and may not walk again after suffering a stroke three days ago.

A spokesperson for Knox’s family said the 57-year-old had a stroke on Thursday and was recovering at Auckland City Hospital.

The spokesperson would not confirm any details about Knox’s condition. However, it is understood the medical prognosis was grim.

Friends said Knox, who lives in Auckland’s Grey Lynn, had surgery on Friday night, and doctors were anticipating that he would at best be in a wheelchair for the rest of his life.

He was also unable to speak, although stroke victims often regained their speech through therapy.

Sunday Star-Times music writer Grant Smithies said that after three decades in the music scene, Knox was one of our finest songwriters and had tried everything from cartoons to film-making and animation, talking about music on Radio Live and reviewing movies for the 1990s’ Backch@t show.

“He is a real pioneer of a lot of things in this country and deeply loved by a lot of people,” Smithies said.

Those who followed Knox range from fans of his early underground punk sound to those who, lately, may have hummed along to his 1990 love song to Barbara, “Not Given Lightly” on Vogel’s television advertisements.

Eight years ago that slow-burning song with the catchy chorus “Yeah, it’s you that I love and it’s true that I love” was deemed the 13th-best Kiwi song of all time. Another song, It’s Love, was recently picked up for a Heineken campaign.

But Smithies said Knox’s latest album, A Warm Gun, was his best yet: a “trademark mix of tenderness and disgust”.

“It’s the sound of somebody that is at the peak of his musical powers, still doing interesting things. It’s got his best singing on it for years. He sings one whole song in falsetto. That’s just marvellous.

“He’s a top bloke and there will be a lot of people throughout the country just really distressed. I just hope he recovers and makes another dozen great records.”

Chris Knox recovering after stroke

4:00AM Sunday Jun 14, 2009 – NZ Herald

By Rebecca Lewis

Chris Knox is considered to be one of New Zealand's greatest musicians. Photo / Herald on Sunday

Ground-breaking Kiwi musician Chris Knox is in hospital after suffering a stroke this week.

Family member Roy Martyn said Knox was admitted to Auckland Hospital on Thursday morning, and his family members are with him.

He said Knox’s partner, Barbara Ward (to whom he dedicated the hit Not Given Lightly), and children John and Leisha Ward Knox were grateful for the support and love they had received, and were focusing on his recovery.

Knox is widely considered to be one of New Zealand’s greatest musicians, and is also a film reviewer, author and cartoonist. He helped found music label Flying Nun, which manages Kiwi acts such as The Chills and Phoenix Foundation.

He and former musical collaborator Alec Bathgate were to have reformed The Tall Dwarfs to support international act MGMT next month.

News of Knox’s stroke filtered through the Kiwi music community yesterday, with many voicing messages of a speedy recovery to Knox.

“I’ve only just learned of this and I feel great sympathy for him and the family at the moment,” said fellow music great Neil Finn. “He’s a pretty feisty guy and I’d like to think he’ll be around for a while longer. He’s a good acquaintance of mine and I send my best wishes to him.”

Barnaby Weir of The Black Seeds said Knox was a “living legend” and an inspiration to all musicians.

Musician Chris Knox suffers stroke

12:34PM Saturday Jun 13, 2009 – NZ Herald

Pioneering New Zealand rock musician Chris Knox is in Auckland hospital after suffering a stroke on Thursday.

Knox’s recording career stretches back to late 70s punk era bands The Enemy and Toy Love, as well as a long association with independent music label Flying Nun as a solo artist and a member of duo the Tall Dwarfs.

His best known songs include the hit Not Given Lightly.

Knox is also an television arts show presenter, writer and cartoonist who has pennned the weekly Max Media strip in the New Zealand Herald’s entertainment pages for almost 20 years.

A family spokesperson said Knox’s partner and children are focusing on his recovery.

- NZPA

Musician Chris Knox suffers a stroke

Chris Knox

Sat, 13 Jun 2009 12:58p.m. – RadioLIVE

The pioneering New Zealand musician and critic, Chris Knox suffered a stroke on Thursday.

Knox is currently surrounded by family and friends at Auckland Hospital’s stroke unit.

The 56-year-old was admitted on Thursday. His wife and children have released a statement thanking people for their love and support.

Knox started his career during the punk era with the bands The Enemy and Toy Love and has continued to have a successful recording career as a solo artist.

Musician and RadioLive presenter, Graeme Hill has been friends with Chris Knox for 25 years and says his work has set the standard for music in New Zealand.

RadioLIVE

Chris Knox suffers stroke

13/06/2009 14:36:02 – Newstalk ZB

Musician Chris Knox has suffered a stroke.

The 56-year-old former Toy Love and Tall Dwarfs front man is comfortable and in a satisfactory condition in Auckland Hospital.

Knox is best known for his hit song Not Given Lightly, and for being one of the founding members of Flying Nun Records.

Breaking News: Scary! Part III Re-release July 2009!!

steve mccabe — Thu, 28 May 2009 22:15:24 +0000

Press Release from Silt Breeze in conjunction with Sleek Bott RE: Axemen – Scary Re-release July 2009

PR Date:May 2009

Axemen-Scary! Part III-dbl lp (SB-119/120)

“…you’ll begin to see (& hear)…”

“…the Axemen blazed through the 80’s…”

“Unlike the hyper punk-charged pastiche of Big Cheap Motel…”

Axemen: Scary - Pt III; LP re-release July 2009

The second entry in the Siltbreeze/Axemen / Sleek Bott reissue series, Scary! Part III originally saw light as a cassette only release sometime in 1989.

Most band/fans active in the Christchurch & Dunedin scene’s at this time will tell you (sans embellishment) how prolifically the Axemen blazed through the 80’s decade (new cassettes seeming to exist almost on a daily basis) & in classic Rashomon style you’d likely get a different story from all willing to reminisce, though it’s be safe to say everyone would agree that the beguiling je ne sais quoi (now) found within the grooves of Scary! Part III to be some of the bands most intriguing blat to date.
Unlike the hyper punk-charged pastiche of Big Cheap Motel, Scary! operates from practically a Gestalt concept & sensibility.

While on the surface the contents found therein might sound fragmented, ruminous or obfuscatory, dig deeper (or listen better) & you’ll begin to see (& hear) the mystifying ooze lactating out of the 4 sides of Scary! Part III not as individual, insurmountable constructs of bizarreness, but as a coherent pattern of brilliant phenomena that is-in a word-SCARY!

Various sets of novice ears who have made it though this Bunyanesque giant find themselves making comparisons to a mixture of S.Y.P.H., Royal Trux & Ptose.

All one can say (really) to such hodgepodge is…..congratulations. Twenty yrs & counting & this release refuses to be aptly pigeonholed. Hell, even a seasoned horror chomper such as Shirley Jackson (were she still croaking) would tell ya to give these guys a wide berth. They mean business & their business is mean. Or as the poet (& bartender) Bing McFreud once scribed as an ode to this collection of doozy’s;

‘Be Very Afeared
Cause This Ain’t No Beard
And You Have An Aversion
To Clean’.

————————————————————-

Scary! Part III. It’s for real. Again. Finally!

Ltd ed dbl LP run of 700 w/sticker, insert & poster.

Order direct from Silt Breeze: paypal: sltrx@pil.net

————- TRACK LISTING ————–
SIDE 1

HEART BULLET 2:42

CHURCH OF THE LOOSELY BRETHREN 3:41

10 MILES (AS THE CROW FLIES) 3:10

THAT MUST BE HELL 2:07

SHACKED UP IN YR EGYPT TOMB 3:37

15.2 mins

SIDE 2

JOIN THE RAF 2:58

YOU, YOU CABINET 1:00

THE VIRGIN 2:17

ANIMALS HAVE RIGHTS, TOO 3:36

ACCUSATION OF MURDER 3:23

13.1 mins

SIDE 3

FREE WORLD 2:20

INTERMISSION 1:51

SUN UND MOON 4:12

BEER UND FLINTSTONES 2:10 1

THE WRECK OF THE WHISTLING MAREE 2:24

12.9 mins

SIDE 4

THE 2-BIT STAR 4:11

MUST LOVE DIE 3:14

NO LOOK BACK 5:44

NASTY MOON SHINE 2:35

15.7 mins

Loliners – Single release May 2009

steve mccabe — Thu, 28 May 2009 21:11:27 +0000

Loliners – Single release May 2009 – Another Dead Daddy / Obsessed and deranged

Loliners Single - Obssessed and Deranged cw Another Dead Daddy

Song :LoLiners: obsessed and deranged

Buy single here:

http://www.amplifier.co.nz/artist/46319/the-loliners.html

Loliners: History

Lo liners Started 2004
Ex trash/grungeriotgrrlpunk with gats

Some history:
Lisa Preston – keyboard, drums, guitar, vocals
Bands: Portage, Nux-Vomica The Axemin, Snort, Thee Hellfire Club, The Luvin’ 44’s, The Ginger Group, The Tryhards, Loliners

Joanne Billesdon – lead and rhythm guitar & vocals
Bands: The Stepford 5, The Renderers, The Axemin, I M Force, Snort, The Hellfire Club, The Strap-ons, The Tryhards, Lo liners

Sharon Warhurst – Bass guitar
Bands: The Stepford 5, Snort, I M Force, Thee Hellfire Club, Lo liners

Russell Covyne – Drums…
Bands: mainly Boy Bands

Gig Report: Ferry / Legend, Axemen Aesthetic Hairpiece Do, Ambassador, Pt Chevalier, Auckland, NZ, 22 May 2009

steve mccabe — Tue, 26 May 2009 07:05:59 +0000

Ferry : Legend (1945-2009)

By Steve McCabe

Hard on the heels of their epic lower North Island mini tour, those pedal-pushing stalwarts of stage and screen, constant kerbside companions, touring and blossoming bosom buddies and lesbian action figures The Axemen and Hairdos got together one more time with a couple of other sets of touring veterans – Piece War and The Aesthetics – in a show with everything but Yul Brynner!

THE FOREGROUND MUSIC IS HERE

Badgers: however endearing, still couldn't compensate at twice the price for just another nite with the boys

From the four far-flung corners of the country they came in droves, from miles around they eked, far and wide they came to crane their necks for just a glimpse, a sneak preview, a peek at what was to come, an unprecedented tribute gig to the late great Bryan Ferry of Roxy Music, hastily mustered up by Steve, Bob and Stu (all big Roxy Music fans in their own right of course, and as such not one of them would end up leaving Point Chevalier without a sopping handkerchief on this nite).

Steve McCabe, Ferry's Southern Hemisphere body double - I can't believe its not Ferry!

Not wanting to upset the girls, the Axemen left it to the very last moment to break the news of Ferry’s premature demise, causing a monumental cascade of wailing as the news broke.

Piece War – I can’t believe its not the Sirens!

Piece War - I can't believe its not the Sirens!

Some Talibanis wanted to get some girls in the sack and stone them but it turned out they were already pretty stoned when they arrived so they left it at that.

Hairdos: I can’t believe its not a Roxy Music Album cover!

Hairdos: I can't believe its not a Roxy Music Album Cover!

Of course the rugby on the big screen was cancelled because of the telly ban.

Bob Brannigan - I can't believe its not Eno!

Scrapping their initial set of all-original songs in deference to a hastily cobbled together set of Roxy classics the lads pressed on with the show through the vale of tears as though it were a tsunami or Mount Vesuvius – even Oliver’s Army would have had difficulty keeping a dry eye on this occasion. The most brazen and battle-hardened of mongol hordes charging along the steppes would also have wept at the sorry news, such was the furore.

Hairdos: Do you feel punk, Lukey?

AESTHETICS: FIRE AND ICE

Matt Middleton – I can’t believe its not Andy Mackay!

Aesthetics - I can't believe its not Eno!

Stu Kawowski - I Can't Believe its not Paul Thompson!

Wide-eyed, whacky and bushy tailed, the Axemen honed their craft like so many Armani-wearing, cravat-sporting, brylcreemed to the nines cads on their way to the country club in their cut and shut shortened limousine.

McCabes note-perfect renderings of ‘The Bogus Man’ and ‘In Every Dream Home, a Heartache’ inspired more than one young lady to peel off her panties and toss them stagewards and by the end of the first set it the stage was awash with underwear, a virtual octopuses grab-bag, and thats something you don’t see every day!

“My sole regret to this day”, Steve McCabe was heard to mutter in the alley outside the Ambassador, “is not to have included ‘Both Ends Burning’ on the list of Roxy covers we played on that night, especially considering Ferry’s dramatic expulsion from the earthly world with the coffin being set alight literally at both ends. I just couldn’t do it after my Mexican food poisoning experience. Just couldn’t go through with it. Sorry Bryan”

Ambassador Bar Manager Peter Roach: found bound, gagged, bludgeoned and bloodied while the Hairdos downed Tequila slammers

who made who? the fonzie / ferry conundrum may now never be answered

Ferry wearing the cool fake leather sharkskin suit he wanted to be buried in at Vielles Charues in 2007. An ardent socialist with a taste for the high life, Ferry , although an animal rights activist had a peculiar taste for caviar which virtually devastated the sturgeon stock of both Belaluga and the South of France.

Ferry's iconic black jag with CPL 593H numberplate - bidding on eBay now up to 90,000 quid

Gig Report – Newtown Panda Battle, Adelaide Hotel, Newtown, Wellington, NZ, May 1 2009

steve mccabe — Sun, 03 May 2009 16:48:59 +0000

By Steve McCabe

Newtown Panda Battle, May 1st & 2nd 2009, Lower North Island, New Zealand

We arrived in Newtown after a 10 hr drive from Auckland through the scenic wasteland that is Godzone North, Maui’s Fish, Te Ika O Maui.

At the Adelaide a live rugby match (Blues vs ‘Canes – ‘Canes shredded the Blues 45-27) was on the big screen at the opposite end of the pub to the stage.

“Nothing happens till after the rugby” we were told cheerfully by more than one person. We went out for a nibble.

When we got back Angel Dust, playing first so as to maximize available drinking time, had started soundchecking and this eventually evolved into their set.

The ‘Dust played a hard-rocking, suitably shambling set without descending into wallowing to an appreciative and diverse audience.

The congregation consisted of various Wellington radical / fringe factions come to support their favourite local bands and take in some of the out-of-town action on offer (Angel Dust, Hairdos and Axemen), punters left over from the rugby, and a few pandas who kept pretty much to themselves.

Angel Dust: Disorder out of Chaos

Panda Battle Battle Panda: Iron Maidens

Panda Battle Battle Panda: They blacken our eyes, they blacken our ears

Next Panda Battle Battle Panda had started setting up their ironing board and roar-checking the mikes.

Their set was a beat laden layercake of subsonic bass and drum beats overlayed with primitive roars screeches and squeals breaking into sloganised snippets of singing – kinda like the Slits and Crass jamming with Cabaret Voltaire in the jungle…

Panda Battle Battle Panda

After ironing out a few technical issues, they pressed on through their set with crowd pleasers like ‘blacken our eyes’ and ‘what is she wearing?’

Auckland’s Hairdos (pronounced Hare – dooz), widely touted as the next big thing in perky kiwi punk-pop, played next.

Their set covered a range of their material and the slightly B-52s reminiscent “Night Creeper” was one of the many highlights of an energetic audience friendly set – lots of dancing

The Hairdos: Perky Punk Prototypes

Newtown: So good they named a town after them

Playing in their eponymous hometown, Newtown were the home team favourites.The 2-piece played their cheerful enthusiastic punky numbers to the delight of their audience contingent and the out of town-ers alike.

Kirsten and Greta (celebrating their second anniversary this very night!) swapped instruments mid-set showing their dexterity and making a nice dynamic change.

The Axemen were next on the agenda. Not having played in the capitol city for years, they were joined by their resident capitol city guitarist, Dragan Stojanovic to complete the classic 4-piece Derry Legend album line-up.

In keeping with the dairy theme promoting the recent ‘Big Cheap Motel’ re-release, they screened ‘Milk’, the new Sean Penn movie on the sports screen at the far end of the bar.

Ernie Abbott, R.I.P.

Time-travelling through a range of material spanning the last 2.5 decades, they finished of with an epic version of the highly suitable and relevant ‘Ernie Abbott‘, a chilling song about the caretaker killed in the trades hall bombing in Wellington in 1984.

Axemen: Old Farts Never Sleep

Review: Big Cheap Motel ‘09 from STILL SINGLE

steve mccabe — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 03:46:04 +0000

Reprinted from: http://still-single.tumblr.com/post/89271183/axemen-big-cheap-motel-lp-siltbreeze

March 24, 2009

Axemen – Big Cheap Motel LP (Siltbreeze)

“…a surplus of defiant attitude…”

“…opening up the world…”

“…this is the sort of action that more artists should fight for…”

Big Cheap Motel '09 LP

First of three reissues by this forgotten New Zealand punk trio out on Siltbreeze this year, opening up the world to their scarcely-heard ‘80s material.

The record of theirs I have, Derry Legend, is just as irreverent, but still sounds far more refined than the cassette release Big Cheap Motel. It’s chaos, pretty much, of the Fall or Country Teasers variety; some guys who’d gotten their way into a big public concert, sponsored by the Big M dairy conglomerate, chomp on the corporate hand with a set of ten songs, all written the day of the show, condemning the company and its use of scantily-clad women to advertise its wares (“Can’t Stand Up For 40-Inch Busts,” “Our Sponsor Today,” “The Pornographic Milk Drink”).

Tinny, handheld recording paints a lack of means, but a surplus of defiant attitude by those who would kick sand in the face of big business looking to increase its profile on the backs of the downtrodden.

In a modern era where several prominent countercultural press outlets have their own fucking record labels, where bands fight for the right to shill for Scion or Pepsi or RJ Reynolds, this is the sort of action that more artists should fight for.

Their reasons could have been purely political, or just done for a laugh; both evoke satisfying reactions. (www.siltbreeze.com)

Post: Doug Mosurock, Still Single

Review: Big Cheap Motel ‘09 from Satan Rulez

steve mccabe — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 02:14:49 +0000

Reprinted from: http://satanrulez.blogspot.com/2009/03/zap.html

“…Built around a thick guitar line that is distorted until it becomes a fluid conveyer belt of sound… ”

“…hermetic tribes… ”

“… The Pornographic Milk Drink contains rotating metal spoke on a ferris wheel guitar… ”

“…Pleasantly skewed junkyard Buddy Holly rhythm lines played atop walls of distorted uber-rock riffs that contain the weight and force of a Flipper-like death dirge and the occasional saxophone blurt frame the basic vehicle for the band’s Brautiganian lyrical worldview... ”

Outside of a few ardent music fans, hipsters and record collectors, how many Americans ever heard of the Axemen before the Siltbreeze reissue campaign? I’m guessing not many of us had the pleasure and, yet, the band steadily released albums throughout the last two-and-a-half decades. At face value, it seems like the band just wishes to entertain themselves and devotees by performing and recording their take on the music they enjoy. These hermetic tribes usually end up being the most effective musical acts because their mission really cannot fail. If the mind’s creation gears continually turn and you possess the unique ability to, at once, channel and transform the music that inspires you, not much could go wrong. Such is the case with the Axemen.

The Big M corporation shamelessly used this appallingly sexist image to promote their range of flavoured milk in the early '80s - the Axemen were not about to let these corporate milk merchants milk mens' mouths with their product lying down

So, TJ Lax provides the public with a vital service and a history lesson by releasing not one but two Axemen reissues in 2009. The first installment, 1984’s Big Cheap Motel, proves why this band deserves the reissue treatment and the attention it will likely receive by bearing the Siltbreeze tag. Like a more cohesive version of their UK brothers from other mothers on the Street Level Records roster, the Axemen kick grimy, postmodern, crooked punk-jazz sermons filtered through a boombox haze and serious subject matter that is littered with in-jokes. Milk, sexism and breasts all factor into a biting take on UK anarcho-punk lyrics soundtracked by a serious defacto homage to the aforementioned Street Level sounds.

In fact, the second tune on the album—billed as a rehash of album-opener “Big Fat ‘M’”— sounds like a looser a Good Missionaries outtake tracked on top of a Danny and the Dressmakers tune. A dense, plodding rhythm line lays the grounds for a strange, possible anti-sexism rant wherein the singer exhibits the same off-kilter, slurred sing-speak vocals as Mark Perry. Interrupted by chatter and greasy guitar-driven sound experimentation, the song detours into a shapeless pile of intersecting ideas before briefly rising back into its initial structure. The results of the expedition on the second rendition of “Big Fat ‘M’” could be disastrous and annoying if its slant on song construction continued for an entire album.

This appallingly sexist image appeared on New Zealand billboards and TV sets for one of Big M's early '80s campaigns

But the Axemen duck this possible pitfall and keep Big Cheap Motel fresh and exciting by providing a home base of sound to which they can return after their journey into a foreign territory commences. Songs like the title track and “The Pornographic Milk Drink” showcase this sound without sacrificing the variety of execution techniques that runs through the album. Pleasantly skewed junkyard Buddy Holly rhythm lines played atop walls of distorted uber-rock riffs that contain the weight and force of a Flipper-like death dirge and the occasional saxophone blurt frame the basic vehicle for the band’s Brautiganian lyrical worldview. “The Pornographic Milk Drink” contains rotating metal spoke on a ferris wheel guitar leading into a sludgy sewage drain of a riff. Lead guitar lays the groundwork for a boogie-infused take on the band’s sound, as big ‘70s hard rock sounds collide with the band’s surrealist take on Crass Records political sloganeering.

Big Cheap Motel - the Axemen's ode to the fight for womens' rights

Built around a thick guitar line that is distorted until it becomes a fluid conveyer belt of sound, the title track reaps the benefits of its relative simplicity. The mantra of “Big cheap motel/ Big Tamla motel” pairs with the lava guitar flow to form a song that would work fine with guitar and vocals. But each time the Axemen run through things, a slight variation on the initial theme seems to arise on the next go-round—an off-rhythm guitar line, extra guitar fractures, a more minimal drum beat. The initial riff melts into small, blurry guitar bridges. A faux-Dick Dale guitar construction spackled in the cracks of “Big Cheap Motel” wanders to whatever rhythmic variation that the guitarist feels best compliments the tune. All the slight variations keep the sense of adventure that Big Cheap Motel showcases intact.

Big Cheap Motel is one of those records where you can imagine the band’s thought process as they delve into any musical alleyway that pleases them. Though the names and age range of the band members are hard to discern from the liner notes (the insert contains poorly Xeroxed photos of the band and each band member’s name printed in black magic marker with an arrow pointed to his place in the photo), Big Cheap Motel contains the wide-eyed looseness of a bunch of kids in a garage trying to mimic the music they enjoy. Let’s do a hardcore tune. Let’s try inserting a drill sound on this one. The refreshing results vary wildly from the artists’ that may or may not have inspired the Axemen but the band’s affinity for the challenge and reward of artistic creation shines through.

Posted by s. kobak

Review: Big Cheap Motel ‘09, Alternative Music Talk

steve mccabe — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 19:31:57 +0000

Reprinted from: Alternative Music Talk

The Axemen: A NZ Protest

Big Cheap Motel '09 LP

It’s understandable that Australia and New Zealand have a contentious relationship. I used to live in Cleveland, don’t anymore, but still cringe whenever I see a Stealers logo anywhere. The fact, though, that the Aussies recently claimed that New Zealanders are hermits, or some such, seems a bit beyond me. Anyway, New Zealand, as much Australia, has a pretty rich and important musical history. The Tall Dwarfs (sic) and Chris Knox have impacted current indie musical trends in a pretty noticeable way. You’d be able to hear it even if Jay Reatard didn’t tell us straight out.

But a less lauded band – the Axemen – in the early ‘80s mined similar territory to Knox. They were a bit more noisey. Ok. A lot more noisey. The trio comprised some scene veterans and when Bob Brannigan, Little Stevie McCabe and Stu Kawowski came together, a more twisted vision of what pop should be was spat from speakers. Perhaps their most enduring – and time specific – document comes in the form of Big Cheap Motel (it’s there, but you gotta look for it).

At a time when British punk bands wrote songs about Maggie being some body part and American punkers criticized Reagan on a daily basis, the Axemen took a more localized view of politics. Being slated to perform at a festival early in 1984 at a public park, the band was prepared to run through a set of their previously written material, but sponsorship of a milk company – Big M – prompted the trio to compose eleven new songs to comment upon the perceived problem.

Supposedly, the band took issue with the sexist imagery displayed at the festival. Although, there aren’t any specifics to be found in the interwebs as to what, exactly, the problem was. Either way, it inspired some stripped down, rock thudding. Most frequently, the Flying Nun label and its stable of acts are in some way checked in relationship to the sound found on this disc. But the Axemen sound way more furious than anything else that I’ve come across on that label.

The occasional inclusion of a sax, as on the anthemic “Stupid Symbol of Woman Hate,” points to the breadth of work that these folks were listening to. It isn’t quite Funhouse from the Stooges, but that track does ratchet up repetitive punk tropes along with the bleated chorus. And for some reason, this track sounds a bit better recorded than a few others.

A few other tracks leap out of the pile, which, for a great deal of the long player suffers from less than desirable sound. But even if you can’t understand the words to “Pornographic Milk Drink,” you can sense the band’s dedication to what they have to say as the disheveled punk track plays out. The inclusion of an extended Stones cover – “We Love You” – is a bit confusing since this performance, in part, was meant to defy corporate shenanigans. But if you’ve heard the Cock Sparrer version, you may have already heard the best rendition of the track.

If the historic and political perspective of this work was removed, I don’t know that we’d still be talking about this disc twenty some years after it was recorded. But it’s an artifact. And it’s one that fits into the linear narrative of rock history.

Post: Came Best Vice

Gig Report – The Ambassador, Pt Chevalier, Auckland, March 20 2009

steve mccabe — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 07:58:38 +0000

March 20, 2009

Axemen, Hairdos, Smokin Daggers at the Ambassador

Ambassador Gig, Auckland, March 20 2009

Following the flames of resurgence in punk music in Auckland being fanned by the wind from beneath the wings and between the buttocks of the recent phenomenally successful and oversubscribed AK87 gigs, Dogs Bollix new years eve gig, North Shore kids parties and others, punk in Auckland is once again rearing its ugly (or is more often the case on the isthmus, cutesy) head.

Axemen – Animals Have Rights Too
(soundcheck version, mp3)

Smokin' Daggers, The Ambassador, Pt Chevalier, Auckland, 2009

Opening proceedings were the Smokin’ Daggers, Mr Tolley and his cohorts providing a typically energetic set; Tolleys guitar slung so low it conjures the image of a cricket player sizing up a yorker, the band knocking out the singles throughout the over and setting off the odd spinner, occasionally pushing out to the boundaries.

Closing off after a respectable innings, the mostly well behaved crowd expressed their approval and the band members melted into the crowd.

Hairdos, The Ambassador, Pt Chevalier, Auckland, 2009

Souvenir Poster

Next up were the Hairdos, Grey Lynn’s next big thing. The vibrant three piece hammered out their trademark edgy punk-pop numbers with their usual irrepressible glee to an appreciative audience.

The movie theatre foyer-themed movie theatre foyer venue suited the hairdos (pronounced hare-doos) music to a tee, you could almost imagine the torches and spilt popcorn as they played and jaffas rolled freely about during their show.

Mo Money Mo Money Mo Money

“That has to be one of the whackiest Axemen gigs we’ve ever played!” Stu Kawowski was heard to pronounce at the end of the Axemen’s set.
“Snailclamps closing was pretty whacky…” chimed in Steve.
“One of the whackiest gigs I remember” qualified Stu.

Songs by Axemen - Steve's Hair by Birdstock

The Axemen, dormant for 15 years but exploding back on the scene in Auckland like an eighth volcano in a training run for their upcoming US tour with indie rockers Times New Viking came along tonight to see if they could out-punk all the young punks, all the young dudes, the brothers and sisters young enough to be their sons and daughters, the movers, the shakers, the young ones.

The Axemen - Stu, Steve, Bob

Airing out some of the more ascerbic and acrid tracks from their bulging back-catalog (‘Animals have rights too’ [from the soon-to-be-re-released on Vinyl 'Scary!' LP], ‘Big Cheap Motel’, ‘J.O.R.J’, ‘Money’ to name a few), the Axemen’s tiny overdriven amps were swamped by the booming drums and vocals for the most part giving the show an almost acapella feel, with Bobs keyboards and Steve’s guitar squeaking out in the (infrequent) drum breaks from pentarion beatmaster Stu Kawowski, still pounding the skins like he was 25.

“We really gotta get some bigger amps” commented Bob after the show.

“Its the thought that counts” Steve muttered cryptically.

Post: Mecca Be Vest

Review: Big Cheap Motel ‘09, Volcanic Tongue

steve mccabe — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 03:54:24 +0000

Reprinted from: Volcanic Tongue

TIP OF THE TONGUE 08 MARCH 2009

“…free jazz skronk…radical prole violence…”

“…punk primitive avant garde smarts…”

Axemen
Big Cheap Motel
Siltbreeze
LP
£13.99

Fantastic vinyl issue of what was originally a cassette from a group that were an anomaly even within the relatively eclectic environs of the original Flying Nun catalogue. This New Zealand group released a bunch of vinyl and cassettes, all of which took the basic Kiwi-pop blueprint and exploded it with classic UK art/damage moves, crude free jazz skronk, radical prole violence and punk primitive avant garde smarts. Big Cheap Motel was recorded live at Hagley Park Ritual and Peterboro Studios and was conceived as an anti-corporate/sexist action aimed at the sponsorship of a Christchurch Summer Rock festival by a milk company: “Stoopid Symbol Of Women Hate/The Pornographic Milk Drink”. Still, the sonics are nowhere near the kinda ‘worthy’ protest music that have sunk so many student duds, this kinda rallying owes more to the blunt, subversive style of the early Fall or the art-punk aggression of the Swell Maps/Steve Treatment cultus, referencing classic rock/roll yucks like Steve Mackay’s signature saxophone sound or the tantrums of Half Japanese while maintaining the kinda dazed topographical haze that defines alla the best NZ/FN action. This sits perfectly on the Siltbreeze label, joining the dots between early avant garage moves and the label’s own deeply-embedded crude-fi aesthetic and if you’re into classic outsider modes in the hands of musical Neanderthals but dig ’songs’ more than ‘noise’ then this is the white stuff: highly recommended.

Axemen “Hey Alice” in Tom Lax mix, THE WIRE magazine online

kawowski — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 05:03:57 +0000

A passing search for “Axemen” at THE WIRE today discovered The Axemen’s ditty “Hey Alice” within a special guest mix from Tom Lax, that was itself within a 90 min downloadable set called Adventures In Modern Music 06 November 2008 by Derek Walmsley. (who is one dry-arse nigga, but he plays some frikkin wack shit !!!)

Here’s the entire tracklist:

James Brown
Funky President (People It’s Bad)
from Reality
(Polygram CD)

Joel Stern
Stradbroke Verse
from Objects Masks Props
(Naturestrip CD)

Anders Dahl
Untitled
from Doorbells
(Bombax Bombax CD)

Valerio Cosi
Making Love In Lhasa
from Collected Works
(Porter CD)

Harry Pussy
Showroom Dummies
from You’ll Never Play This Town Again: Live, Etc 1997
(Load CD)

George Coleman
Innocent Little Doggy
from Bongo Joe
(Mississippi LP)

** mix from Thomas Lax of Siltbreeze **

1. The Manatees, No Good
2. Tone Deaf And The Idiots, Why Do Politics Turn Men Into Toads?
3. What, Cynical Blitz
4. Saccharine Trust, Disillusion Fool
5.Kosmonautentraum, Werkzeugmacher
6. Slight Seconds, New Me
7. If Only, if Only
8. Axemen, Hey Alice
9. Second Layer, Zero
10. Iceplants, Hanoi Jane

***

Black Uhuru
Going To Zion
from Randy’s 50th Anniversary
(North Parade CD)

Impact All-Stars
Ordinary Version 3
from Randy’s 50th Anniversary
(North Parade CD)

Eleh
Eleh 009: Phase One – Sleeps Golden Drones Again
from Floating Frequencies/Intuitive Synthesis III
(Important LP)

THU20
Untitled
from Tilburg
(Korm Plastics LP)

T++
Audio1995 8_2
(Apple Pips 12″)

THE WIRE magazine online

Times New Viking ♥ the Velvets  with Psychedelic Horseshit

kawowski — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 00:47:43 +0000

(reprinted from the website of Wexner Center for the Arts, Columbus Ohio – home of Times New Viking)

Times New Viking

9PM Sat 14 Feb ‘09

For our closing party for the exhibition Andy Warhol: Other Voices, Other Rooms—and to celebrate Valentine’s Day—local breakout band Times New Viking play their own versions of the eternally lovable tunes of the Velvet Underground, the art rock icons launched with the help of Warhol himself.

TNV, like the Velvets, know the addictive lure of twisted pop riding on buzzing droning riffs, and they’re keen to rev up the Velvets songbook with fresh interpretations.

Psychedelic Horseshit, also from Columbus, kick things off.

Click below to listen to the entire 69 minute Velvets set by TNV (95MB MP3)

TNV-velvets

Set list:

01. Run Run Run
02. I’ll Be Your Mirror
03. I’m Waiting For My Man
04. All Tomorrow’s Parties
05. Sunday Morning
06. Venus in Furs
07. Can’t Stand It Anymore
08. Heroin
09. Pale Blue Eyes
10. Here She Comes Now
11. Femme Fatale
12. After Hours

Big Cheap Motel LP Ready For Order!

steve mccabe — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 03:50:59 +0000

Reprinted with permission of the author

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Axemen’s ‘Big Cheap Motel’ LP Ready For Order!

So the 1st of the Axemen reissue lp series is now available. ‘Big Cheap Motel’ was originally released as a cassette in 1983 & documents the band’s assault on a free concert sponsored by the Big M milk congolmerate. On here one finds the Axemen to be the living embodiment of early ‘don’t man hate, man educate’ Riot Grrrl doctrine, caterwauling a set of on-the-spot original protests (+ a Rolling Stones cover) aimed at local city council & Big M’s salacious advertising that falls somewhere between ATV’s ‘What You See Is What You Are’ & Half Japanese live in DuPont Circle (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTuA_FGKzWk). Would Alan Alda approve? Hard to say, but hopefully it’s a formidable enough aural action to keep Germaine Greer’s piehole shut. It’s no Crass, but then, what is?

This lp is an edition of 700.

All copies include an insert & most come w/stickers suitable for bodily application.

Step right up & order.

15$ ppd US

17$ ppd Canada

25$ ppd elsewhere

Paypal to; sltrx@pil.net

posted by: Germaine Greer’s Piehole

This is WWIV – LSM confronts the Iron Eagle

steve mccabe — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 12:25:43 +0000

07 Rock-n-Roll_Neanderthal

08 Black_Snake

09 Heavy_Water

10 Iron_Eagle

In 1999, Marty Sauce and the Source’s principal songwriter and G.I.C.S.N. conceptual guru Davey G approached Little Stevie McCabe about doing the soundtrack arrangements for his visionary (but alas unreleased – until now!) apocalytic concept album and rock opera, tentatively entitled “This is WWIV!”*

The libretto for this ethereal and ungodly masterpiece revolves around the epic journey of a young shepherd boy ‘Hombreo’ (to be played by a clean-shaven Marty Sauce) to the city after he sees a nuclear missile launch from the hills of his homeland, where he is tending his sheep.

In the still of the clear Afghani night Hombreo can see its trajectory for miles with crystal clarity, and follows it with his keen shepherds night vision [his eyes being locally referred to as so-called 'sheep seeking missiles'] to its destination, where he sees an awe-inspiring and terrible sight; a huge white-orange flash followed by a billowing mushroom-shaped pillar of smoke rising in slow motion over the horizon like a startled king cobra emerging from its basket, shimmering against the rhinestoned velvet wallhanging which is the desert sky.

“Red Sky at night, shepherds delight” he murmers to the assembled throng of sheep, now huddled, shivering, at the base of his rough-hewn towelling and sackcloth candlewick bedspread.

Hombreo takes off for the city and has his shepherd-boy eyes opened clockwork-orange style, real horrorshow like, by the myriad bestial and despicable sights he sees along the way, culminating in the grand finale, which takes plays in the lair of the bald, beclawed and bewildered Iron Eagle. Afight ensues ansd the inevitable happens.

Hombreo at first tries to behead, then is bemused by, then finally befriends the metallic bird, and together they rule the land forever from 1000 feet below the scorched earth at ground level.

* Other names shortlisted: “Apocalypse Soon”; “Nagasaki 2000″; “Boom!!!”; “Miss Afghanistan”; “Where Eagles Iron”; “It Aint Half Hot, Omam!”

Post: Talc Betel Vices Emit

You’re in the army, now, lad!

Despatches from Dr Chad’s gig in Wellington 23.01.09

kawowski — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 04:09:58 +0000

Rakin' it in in Wellington - pic by Norbert Haley - Click for Norb's gallery

Thanks to our wandering AV recordist Norbert Haley, we have a 33 minute set of Eugene in full swing at the Happy Bar in Wellington last week (23/01/09), and a few snaps too.

Dr Chad live at Happy Bar Wellington (32MB mp3)

Check out 2 tracks from ‘Election’ [2008]:

Eugene Chadbourne – Your USA My Face

Eugene Chadbourne – I hate the man who runs this bar

Radio NZ interview with Chadmeister:

Radio NZ Interview 2 Feb 09 – Eva Radich / Eugene Chadbourne

Gig Report – Eugene Chadbourne support gig, the Whammy Bar, Auckland, 29 Jan 2009

steve mccabe — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 01:05:39 +0000

Axemen, Dr Chad clowning at the Whammy Bar - L-R Stu Kawowski, Steve McCabe, Emeritus Professor the honourable and distinguished Dr Eugene Chadbourne, Bob Brannigan - Bob Brannigan: "You guys should know - where can I get some food around here?"

Photo: Axemen International

On 29 Jan 2009, the Axemen fulfilled one of their lifelong dreams, meeting and playing as humble support to legendary musicologist, Shockabilly geezer, generally dexterous solo artist and fellow mayhem cohort Dr Eugene Chadbourne. The Axemen played a short sharp set as a 3 piece, the first time in 16 years Stu Kawowski, Bob Brannigan and Steve McCabe had publicly aired their particular brand of rock’n'roll as a cohesive unit, and sounded as if they had never put down their instruments.

On the verge of the worldwide re-release on new vinyl of their legendary 1984 protest album “Big Cheap Motel”, the lads whisked through a timewarp of tracks covering many crucial aspects of their long, speckled and bespectacled career - the Dunedin years, the Christchurch years, the Frisbee sessions, the Auckland wilderness years – all encapsulated in their electrifying 20 minute set.

View Video [Big Cheap Motel, Live]

After complimenting the boys, (“Wild set guys!”), Dr Chad proceeded to perform a chilling fingerpopping solo banjo set before taking a quick break, during which time McCabe stumbled across the stage to pick up his guitar and inadvertantly stepped on Eugene’s infamous electric rake, inflicting horrifying facial injuries which doctors say will likely scar him forever (“that’s rock’n'roll!” McCabe shrugged to the waiting papparazi).

Steve McCabe puts on a brave face after standing on Eugene's rake - Dr Chad tries to make amends for tying his shoelaces together by playing him a song on one of them.

After playing a blistering set with the Vitamin-S guys on bass, drums/percussion, stratocaster-slide and vibraphone the Chad-meister, obviously fired up and hepped out on steroids, pushed his way across the bar to Bob Brannigan and proceeded to arbitrarily pick a fight with him, deliriously warbling about being the best pummeler in the land of the long white cloud… Brannigan, in a foul mood after missing his evening insulin shot, stepped up to the plate, accepted the challenge and proceeded to take the pounding of his life.

"I'm a Bully!".....EC: Repeat after me - "Eugene is the best pummeler in the land of the long white cloud!"

Story: Electable Vice Mitts

Vosburgh on AXEMEN

kawowski — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 04:30:10 +0000

Vosburgh playing Shustak's Segovia 12-string 05/01/09

At the recent MONSTER GIG at Christchurch’s glamorous crumbling Media Club, Bill Vosburgh handed Kawowski a single A4 sheet with a few paragraphs written on it all in capitals, relating to his earliest recollections of THE AXEMEN days in Christchurch (1983-1987).

Phosby Still, with tash - Dec 2008

Luckily he stuck around and performed an incendiary blues rock set that night, as well as jamming with Steve, Stu & Helm at 4am New Year’s Day out at South Brighton, and also playing a few songs on various acoustic guitars on subsequent visits to Kawowski’s seaside hideaway.

Vosburgh's perfectly spelled memories all in caps

I REMEMBER WATCHING THE AXEMEN PLAY AT THE GLADSTONE AND THE FIRST 45 MINS CONSISTED OF STEVE FIDDLING AD INFINITUM WITH HIS ‘PAUL BUNYAN MACHINE’. AN ENTHUSIASTIC AMATEUR ELECTRICIAN, STEVE HAD SOMEHOW ATTACHED A FUZZ-BOX AND IT TOOK HIM THAT LONG TO FIX IT WHILE BOB AND STU MANFULLY IMPROVISED IN THE BACKGROUND.

AFTER A WHILE, THEY TRANSCENDED THE COMICAL AND THE PIECE BECAME A SURREAL EPISODE OF PERFORMANCE ART.

**********************************

AS I RECALL, THE AXEMEN WERE INCREDIBLY PROLIFIC, AND THEIR RECORDINGS, WHICH WERE PRIMITIVE TECHNICALLY IN THE EARLY STAGES, CAME THICK AND FAST. THEY GOT SOME LIMITED SUPPORT FROM RADIO U.

STU KAWOWSKI WAS AND IS A MARKETING GENIUS AND PRODUCED NOT JUST T-SHIRTS, BUT TROUSERS, STICKERS ETC, AND PRODUCED A MURAL THAT STOOD PROUDLY IN CHRISTCHURCH FOR OVER 10 YEARS, AS WELL AS MANY OTHERS THAT DIDN’T LAST SO LONG.

ALL IN ALL I WOULD HAVE TO SAY THAT THE AXEMEN ARE ONE OF THE LOOPIEST AND MOST ORIGINAL BANDS I’VE EVER SEEN AND I’M GLAD THEY’RE BACK ON THE ROAD.

A NOTE ABOUT STEVE’S COFFEE WINE: STEVE MADE THIS COFFEE WINE AND THEN DISTILLED IT – STRANGEST ALCOHOL I EVER TRIED. IT WAS MORE LIKE A BARB, AND I RECALL WALKING ACROSS THE SQUARE AFTER A COUPLE OF SHOTS AND HAVING TUNNEL VISION!

-Bill Vosburgh Dec 2008

Christchurch Monster Gig – Media Club, 29 December 2008

steve mccabe — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 00:52:14 +0000

The AXMIN minus one plus many come together as fate brings Steve McCabe, Stu Kawowski and Dragan Stojanovic to Christchurch at the same time, in the same place; it takes 6 additional players to substitue for Bob.
After inviting Dragan home for coffee, grilling, debriefing and a spot of waterboarding for old times sake, Stu reported the happy news that Dragan was not only alive but very musically (if not sexually) active, AND had recently purchased a Hard Disk recorder which he was using to record Vas Deferens and Doodlebugs songs to send to Steve in the Coromandel. During the discussion they realized they were both (Stu and Steve) heading down to Christchurch at Xmas to visit their respective family elders, and a plot was deftly hatched to get Dragan and Bob to come down too and organize a gig or two in the garden city, C-town, the city that never sleeps but seemingly has ‘Sleeping Beauty’ – type lapses where upon waking everything is as it was 20 years ago, apart from the ridiculous chalice in the square, the Wizard being retired, no radio guy strutting about, Costa’s not being the only great souvlaki place in town (we chomped down on dmitris in colombo street – mama mia that was good souvlaki), band-members having cellphones and not being able to put up posters anywhere except record shops. Phantom Bill Stickers: Monopolising the poster market in ChCh Unfortunately for the others, Bob had prior gig arrangements over the traditionally busy and lucrative holiday period (as usual his schedule was filled months in advance, to such an extent that Kiri Te Kanawa was known to be trying to poach his agent) and pronounced himself out of the running. Eventually they ground Dragan down and goose-stepped him down to the travel agent to ensure tickets were purchased and he didn’t end up simply charming the pants off the travel agent and forgetting about the trip.Then there were three. Deniro: unavailable to step in for Bob on this occasion; sent his apologies Realizing what a monumental task it would be to provide a Bob substitute for the evening, the lads immediately began formulating a list of potential stand-ins, from which they thought they may be able to boil down to a shortlist of two or three worthy candidates. Within a short time however, they realized this would be no easy task, and they resigned themselves to the fact that it would require multiple personalities to fill the wooly-mammoth-sized hole in the lineup, but thankfully many such specimens resided, and were currently active, in Christchurch. After much debate, many txts, Facebook scrawlings, phonecalls and sleepless nites, a shortlist was nailed down and the full candidate band lineup for the nite was posted to all prospective participants. The list read as follows: Steve McCabe (vox, guitar, computer) Stu Kawowski (primary drums) Dragan Stojanovic (lead guitar) Mick Elborado (bass) Lisa Prestoni (SK1 keyboards) Alan Wright (sax) Joanne Billesdon (bass) Sharon Billesdon (bass) Rustle (auxilliary drums) Stu Kawowski, Steve McCabe, Dragan Stojanovic	Dragan Stojanovic sleeps like a log, after working like a dog Dragan snorts a lolly wrapper, his shortsightedness convincing him it is a rolled up US$100 note Insensitive local wags take advantage of Dragans deep sleep proclivity to play a cruel prank
Gig Planning: From Whoa to Go – Concept and Execution
Joanne Sharon Planning for this event was a textbook study in collaborative working and the use of modern communications, Back in 1983 it would have taken weeks if not months of telegrams and overpriced tollcalls to plan such an event; in 2008 a few deft txts, a couple of pointed Skype conference calls, som Facebook Wall action and the game was on – Joanne and Sharon picked up the ball and ran with it in what would be, to continue the rugby analogy, a success of epic proportions, the equivalent of the Crusaders beating Australia 100-0 at Jade Stadium. Using these newfangled communication media it was swiftly agreed the old Clockwork Orange motif could be leveraged in gig promotion and the twins set about lining up suitable symbiotic acts to complement the Axemen while Stu and Steve set about producing poster sketches. Ultimately the lineup used on the posters was as follows: Lo-liners Axemen Shadow of the Valley Ritchie Venus Minus Two (the Terminals less 2 members) Stephen Cogel Bill Phosby; Joanne and Sharon Billesdon (Loliners, Axmin) On the gig nite Mr Cogel yielded the floor to Bill Phosby who used his Freddy Mercury moustache for good rather than evil and, rather than breaking into “I want to break free” (as some feared he may), invoked the spirit of his haunted fuzzbox to channel Jimi Hendrix in an electrifying low-slung whammy-bar intensive performance of epic proportions, and the lineup was further enhanced by the Hi-Tones (coincidentally in town for a few days) and a rare live appearance by the Doodlebugs – a stellar lineup if ever there was one. Honorable mention is due to Mick who played in 4 of the bands consecutively…	Media Club Christchurch Monster Gig - NZ December 29 2008 A Christchurch Gig - Media Club, Dec 29 2008
Practices
Dragan Stojanovic - Hired Gun Pre-arrival of the out-of-towners, practices and organization were managed thru Facebook and various other internet connections – on arrival of Stu, Dragan and Steve the first face-to-face practices were possible, after the first of many group hugs for the well-oiled team who hadn’t seen each other for about 20 years in some cases. Loliners / AXMIN Rhythm Section - Sharon/Lisa/Rustle/Joanne/Stu Rehearsals were held in the Loliners garage-band lockup in Waltham on a fantastic Christchurch day, the first of many which continued till New Years Eve.	Loliners - Joanne Billesdon, Lisa Prestoni
Volcano Radio : Lyttelton Ros Dixon - Sam Swan Show - Volcano Radio Blue Smoke (Ruru Karaitiana, 1940) – axemen – Volcano Radio Dec 2008 Where R U? – axemen Volcano Radio Dec 2008 Droopy Drawers – Axemen – Volcano Radio Dec 2008 Steve McCabe, Al Right, giant mic - Volcano Radio Rustle Covini, Stu Kawowski - Volcano Radio Steve McCabe, Ros Dixon - Volcano Radio	Volcano Radio - Lyttelton
ShowTime
Ritchie Venus My Precious Thing (live) Axemen/Axmin Where R U ? (live) Droopy_Drawers (live) Be My Slave (live)	Ritchie Venus

LAST CALL FOR PANTHER dub versions in stereo 1984-2008

steve mccabe — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 05:56:46 +0000

1. Burn (Hello)

2. Cold Beer

3. God & His Warpth

4. Love & Devotion

5. The Evil Dub Sound

6. Holes In My Curtain

7. Last Call For Panther

Same credits as original recording session: HERE to get to PANTHER OF THE SUBURBS.

Dubbydubs by axemen King Dub Come

BONUS TRACK!
The Panther Of The Suburbs — live at the Star & Garter, late 1984 or maybe even 1985—anyway, that gig with Children’s Hour, anyone remember that one ?

EUGENE CHADBOURNE gigs in NEW ZEALAND

kawowski — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 03:42:12 +0000

Source: http://www.musicianguide.com/biographies/1608002702/Eugene-Chadbourne.html

JANUARY 22 – 30, 2009

Jan 22 – Wellington – Happy, with Sign of the Hag, Manimanima and Basketcase

Jan 23 – Wellington – Happy, with the Bad Blues Band and others

Jan 24 – Christchurch – the Wunderbar

Jan 25 – Dunedin, Chicks Hotel Port Chalmers, with Greg Malcolm

Jan 29 – Auckland – the Whammy Bar [BREAKING NEWS: AXEMEN TO SUPPORT]

Jan 30 – Auckland – the Wine Cellar

An innovative guitarist and a true maverick of modern American music, Eugene Chadbourne has spent his career both undermining and energizing the contemporary rock scene, ignoring all of the barriers traditionally placed between folk, blues, country, jazz, and rock. In addition to working within these Western formats, he feels just as comfortable exploring the sounds of various other cultures, often incorporating Asian and Middle Eastern styles and instrumentation into his creations. Likewise, his trademark electric rake–a lawn rake fitted with a pickup–further demonstrates the musician’s knack for discovering new sound possibilities. “One of the things I liked about the music in the ’60s was how weird it got and how many sound effects were on the records,” Chadbourne told Los Angeles Times writer Josef Woodard. “I really missed that when we started weeding that out of rock.”

Because of his penchant for combining various forms, as well as inventing his own sound devices, critics find it difficult to place Chadbourne and his growing discography neatly within the scheme of American music. “He is many things at once: a hillbilly improviser, a self-made raconteur, a pop gemologist and a new music eclectic who mixes up jazz, folk, noise and neo-vaudeville,” noted Woodard. Nonetheless, the frizzy-haired Chadbourne has remained one of the underground community’s most famous and well-regarded eccentrics since the mid-1970s. In the 1990s, he found a wider audience surprisingly more receptive to his music than in the past, and enjoyed growing success. A man of self-reliance, Chadbourne regularly performs in odd places, such as record and book stores, as well as in smaller clubs and fringe music festivals. With no set lists, anything is liable to happen at a Eugene Chadbourne gig.

Chadbourne, born on January 4, 1954, in Mount Vernon, New York, grew up in the cultural hotbed of Boulder, Colorado. As an adult, he made his home base in the community of Greensboro, North Carolina, where he lives with his family. Raised by his mother, a refugee from the Nazis, Chadbourne took up the guitar at age 11 after watching the Beatles perform on the Ed Sullivan Show. In high school, Chadbourne played covers of Bob Dylan and Jimi Hendrix with various bands. Hendrix, in particular, became an important influence, prompting him to begin experimenting with distortion pedals and fuzzboxes, as did protest singer Phil Ochs, an early rival to Dylan. However, Chadbourne soon grew tired of the conventions of rock and pop. Thus, he traded in his electric guitar for a Harmony six-string acoustic and learned to play bottleneck blues.

Jazz, too, served as an important formative discovery. First came exposure to John Coltrane and Roland Kirk, whose music puzzled him initially. Before long, however, Chadbourne found himself hooked on the whole catalog of the 1960s black jazz revolution. Some of his favorites included Charles Mingus, Eric Dolphy, Pharoah Sanders, and Ornette Coleman, as well as England’s free improviser, Derek Bailey.

After recording his debut, Chadbourne delved further into more experimental music, building connections in New York’s “loft scene” of avant-garde artists throughout the 1970s. In 1977, he played on Frank Lowe’s Lowe & Behold alongside Billy Bang. Also during these years, John Zorn and Chadbourne, along with cellist Tom Cora, made notorious ventures into the Midwest with improvised country and western implosions.

Although Chadbourne became a leading figure on the improv scene, he returned to his initial interest in the folk tradition as well, taking a stand against corporate America and worldwide militarization and industrialization. He would often forsake his instrumental abilities in favor of a hard-hitting approach, living up to his personal vision of rock as a revolutionary form of expression. Through his myriad influences, Chadbourne soon carved out his own unique style, one comprised of protest music, free jazz, and noise experiments.

Throughout the following decade, he continued to collaborate with a variety of artists and explore various musical genres, releasing countless records with other musicians and a lengthy string of solo albums, most on his own Parachute label. One of his most recognized genre-bending projects included 1980’s There’ll Be No More Tears Tonight, a reunion with Zorn, which was an album Chadbourne self-styled as “Free Improvised Country and Western Be-Bop,” as quoted by Robert Murray in Rock: The Rough Guide. During the early part of the decade, Chadbourne also garnered some mainstream attention for his work as the frontman of Shockabilly, a rockabilly/revisionist outfit that also featured well-known producer and power grunge guru Mark Kramer. With Shockabilly, the East Coast reply to the Residents, Chadbourne tapped into the energy of rock music’s folk roots and made rock covers into noise rides.

After the group disbanded, Chadbourne released the folk/country album LSD C&W in 1987. That same year, he joined the band Camper Van Beethoven for a cover project. He has also recorded with musicians ranging from Fred Firth and Elliott Sharp to Evan Johns and ex-Mothers of Invention drummer Jimmy Carl Black, with whom he virtually rewrote the songs of Frank Zappa and Captain Beefheart. Additionally, the guitarist is credited with giving greater musical validity to 1960s psychedelic bands through his deconstructed covers of songs by Tim Buckley, Love, Pink Floyd, and others.

While Chadbourne himself says he would like to be remembered as the inventor of the electric rake and the dogskull harmonica, his noisy guitar, intelligent songwriting, and left-wing political stance have made him a somewhat unexpected cult hero. However, as Murray pointed out, “Chadbourne is most compelling as a live performer, switching at ease from electric guitar to banjo, zipping through a tune that sounds totally improvised and yet recalls something buried in the collective folk memory, like a punk Burl Ives, whipping off his spectacles to scrape them down the fretboard, adding another dimension to his wonderfully pixilated sound.”

Steve McCabe reviews Dragan Stojanovic’s newfound wonderland of fantastic songs

steve mccabe — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 23:12:04 +0000

Dragan Stojanovic, THE Dragan Stojanovic, is and will always be one of my very best friends but, as is the case with Bob Brannigan, I will always hate him for being a greater songwriter, in quality rather than quantity, and with the emphasis being on the songs polishedness and finishedness rather than the raw performancednedness which i try to embue into gigs and performances/recordings, to greater or lesser effect.

that is my gift, they have their own we are all our own magii and will face our own consequences come the time…

no matter, let us on with the show.
Jelly Roll (video)

This song made me weep when i first saw it, cry when i saw it for the second time, laugh on the third playing and hit out on the fourth – all for the same reason – jealousy that my buddy could write and record such a great song…!!!!

Grrr

well as it happens i can accept that and is truly such a great song there’s nothing i ca do to diss itt!

Dragan’s screeching guitar solo in the lower third is page-esque in its extrvagence, vai-anesque in its pitchetudisness (a plentitude of perhaps but not necessarilyy dissonant notes) , king-ish in its subtlety of tone where required, yet still screamingly hendrix-ish where it really matters.

Wow i can’t believe pitchetudisness made it thru the spellcheck ….

the video version is superior to the audio track though if u ask me..l.

bastard

SHOCKING, REF!

Its not me
this is the epitomy of 70’s – nostalgic 80’s progressive playing, Mr Stojanovic fullfiiling the roles effortlessly of Carlos Alomar , Mic Ronson and Carlos Santana on the one song, seemingly without breaking a sweat. the voice , although suitably strained and therefore expressive, is passionate but could be improved a little with some projection (sonja please quit smoking and work your magic!) , but hey what would I know?
These Days

“You must know by now, we have nothing in common”

obviously written by a female, in fact by Dragans delectable sister Sonja, currently residing in an iron lung and not able to sing anything higher than a low ‘F’ because of her riddled smoke-infested (but still somehow ‘perky’) lungs

This song exhibits the jugoslavian gypsy themes of the stojanovics youth, before the cruel war which tore apart their villages and pitted brother against sister in an unjust war which brought about a great drought in songs, which had to be smuggled out in the heads or scraps of paper which allah could provide.

Smoking would indeed become an unavoidable theme in the Stojanovic’s life, with Sonja’s job at the cigarillo factory providing the staple income for the family (and de riguer entertainment for the troops and smugglers), but the price paid on her voice meaning she could not possibly sing the high parts of this song are a little sad when we consider what might have been…. but what could also be!!!

c’m on now sonja shake that whale!

Dyke Parties

This could be a great song simply for having the line “Memberess Members” in it even if it weren’t refrained proliferously in the chorus… simply magic, effaces the dyke sensitivity-ness of the time and the staunch wellington feeling, that sympathetic yet hard-assed male immigrant attitude to a smallish but seemingly openly unprotected group of people in similar circumstances as regards protection under the law of the land.

Dyke Parties sums up the times and the world is the better for it, it probably played a large part in getting Helen Clark elected in NZ too.

THE AMERICAN EXPERIENCE by RITCHIE VENUS

kawowski — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 03:28:42 +0000

Ritchie Venus c. 2000 AD (timeless)

In 1988, Little Stevie McCabe and I spent most of May and part of June in the United States. The purpose of our trip was partly to perform, and partly to make and renew contacts on behalf of the record companies we represented (Sleek Bott and Onset Offset). We were both trying to get albums released by American companies, partly to overcome the problem of getting New Zealand records pressed, and also because the records of both of us attracted more interest in the U.S. than they did in New Zealand. Indeed, it always amazed me that I could get things reviewed in New York and Boston without difficulty, but not in New Zealand!

Stevie McCabe + bird, the Coromandel

Before the trip, I had a number of expectations. For a start, I was under the impression that New Zealand music was currently sought after in a manner somewhat akin to the British Beat boom of the Sixties, although on a much smaller scale. I was surprised to find how much smaller a scale the interest was: most shops were as reluctant as the New Zealand ones to stock records released by small independent companies. The fact that New Zealand pressings were not sealed in cellophane didn’t help. One New Orleans, shop that had in the past exhibited enthusiasm for New Zealand music, had become disillusioned because it had not sold.

guns of mt roskill

Few, however, gave the impression of having ever been remotely interested in any of it. The stock excuses were that the records had to be released through an American company, or that a shop could not buy records from anyone who did not have a vendor’s licence.

The latter had no apparent basis in law, as there were some shops that would buy stock from us, although sometimes they would take it only on a sale-or-return basis (“on consignment”) as in New Zealand. Onset Offset never received any money from such deals!

"One Slide to rule them all " - Ritchie's Slide guitar rule

Onset Offset having received requests from American critics for records and tapes to review, I expected a greater interest from critics than one found in New Zealand, where a review copy sent to a publication occasionally resulted in a review, but was more likely to end up in the nearest second-hand shop. In this, I was not disappointed: my experience of American critics of independent records was that they generally turned out to be enthusiasts keen to build up their own collections in return for constructive and encouraging reviews in the magazines for which they wrote. Of particular note in this respect were Byron Coley of “Forced Exposure” and Fred Mills of “The Bob”.

Looks like a million bucks

As a performer, I expected the remuneration to be better than in New Zealand. While I was aware that New Zealand audiences were well known for their lack of response, I had no particular expectation of American audiences. As it happened, I was pleasantly surprised by the enthusiasm with which our performances were received. Americans, it seemed, understood what New Zealanders do not, i.e. that if a performer receives no encouragement in the early stages of a performance, it is almost impossible to build up any momentum, with the result that when the audience fails to indicate its approval or disapproval, the performance is likely to become more and more mechanical as it proceeds, leaving both the audience and the performer dissatisfied.

Zombies, New Orleans

Whereas New Zealanders will sit like zombies waiting for the performer to win them over, Americans give one the benefit of the doubt and display enthusiasm from the start, which greatly affects the quality of the performance they get. As far as the money was concerned, however, it proved to be no better than in New Zealand. In San Francisco, where we performed and also worked for a promoter putting up posters, we were promised more for both than we actually received. Everyone in the music business there seemed to be perpetually insolvent, especially when it was time to pay performers.

VenuVenus and McCabe - Tour Poster designed and printed by Steve McCabe

My final expectation was that while there was likely to be more competition in America, there would also be more opportunities. What I found was that there was indeed infinitely more competition in the form of an unbelievable number of bands, most of which seemed incredibly well-rehearsed and displayed an energy that would probably have been frowned upon in New Zealand alternative music circles in those days. At the same time, however, each city seemed to have the same number of venues as a typical New Zealand city. While almost every band I encountered had a record out, there existed a similar situation to that in New Zealand where one could be revered by many who would do anything for you except buy your records.

Neither of us eventually found American companies to release our records, but we made valuable distribution deals, which at least ensured that our records would continue to be available in the United States.

"...one had to try to look intimidating..."

As a performer, I am bound to say I would prefer to be in America than New Zealand. Nevertheless, in other ways I came to feel it was a nice place to visit, but an undesirable place to live. The ever-present beggars and hustlers were a nuisance, especially in New York, where one had to try to look intimidating to discourage as many of them as possible, and where any attempt at friendliness to a stranger was likely to be perceived as an attempt to get money from him/her. Also, despite being well armed at all times, I seldom felt very safe in the city centres, which seemed full of suspicious-looking characters.

"I was frequently impressed by the friendliness of people of all races"

On the credit side, I was frequently impressed by the friendliness of people of all races. Indeed, the racial problems we heard about were not as apparent as I expected. While I was there, I never wished I was back home, and my experience with Customs upon my return made me wish I had not bothered coming back: overzealous Customs officers seemed to think that anyone carrying a guitar case was a drug smuggler, and in a (fruitless) search for drugs they dismantled my guitar, went through my baggage and clothes, and took my souvenirs.

- Post by Ritchie Venus, Rock’n'Roll Idol, ruthless businessman, artefact collector, rnr analyst, film and popular culture historian, writer, singer, songwriter

Christchurch 2008 xmas / NY gig

steve mccabe — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 14:19:55 +0000

Joanne Billesdon, Droog

Media Club Poster 2

Media Club Poster 2 (pdf for print)

Joanne Droog (w/- lashes)

CHCH GIG STU POSTER 2

CHCH GIG STU POSTER 2 .PDF for Print download

EAT SKULL

steve mccabe — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 07:16:09 +0000

Eat Skull – 9.15.08, Excerpt I, Sneaky Dee’s, Toronto

camera: ayal senior

EAT SKULL ~ SICK TO DEATH

~ lp (siltbreeze) $14.00

eat skull are a quartet hailing from portland, oregon, co-masterminded by rob enbom (former bushwacker in the ranks of hospitals and hole class) and another original hospital, rod meyer (the greatest living genius of punk). previous eat skull efforts include a cassette-only ep and a pair of 7-inches, all of which might be out of print. like their brethren and forebears, eat skull runs a post pattern deep beyond pop and punk. they bring to the game an extrasensory appreciation of new zealand’s south island sound (great unwashed, axemen), cleveland art-damage skronk (modern art studio, x-x), and the wretched excess of forgotten midwest hardcore (stiff legged sheep, chemotherapy). vinyl-only edition of 800 copies.

Dragan Stojanovic – Music and Stuff

steve mccabe — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 08:53:10 +0000

Some Bullshit Podcast: Episode One features Axemen “Pacific Ocean”

steve mccabe — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 22:41:10 +0000

Nestled amongst fellow Kiwis Chris Heazlewood, The Gordons- (live at Taita pub, 1982) and illuminaries Jad Fair and The Raincoats sits a somewhat abruptly truncated ”Pacific Ocean” by The Axemen on this nearly 60 min sHit-Fi podcast…

Some Bullshit Podcast: Episode One

sunday, december 30, 2007
Listen: HERE
Subscribe: HERE

Time: 57 Minutes, 11 Seconds
Tracks: 19
Genres: Lo-Fi, Post-Punk, Punk, Noise-Rock, Dicking Around In The Bedroom With A Tape Recorder, Vomit, Proto-Twee, Gay/Homosexual

1- Baby Bird (US)- Track Six (2007 Demo)
2- The Mad- “I Hate Music” (“We Love Noize” EP, 1978)
3- Ex-Humans- “Ex-Humans” (“Anofeli Epiviosi” LP, 1984)
4- Astronauts- “Survivors” (“The Survivor” EP, 1979)
5- The Pix- “Speed On The Toilet” (“Even Iets Rechtzetten” 6-Track Cassette, 1983)
6- The Freeze- “Psychodalek Nightmares (“In Colour” EP, 1979)
7- Gordons- “Machine Song (Live)” (“Live At Taita Pub”, 1982)
8- Chris Heazlewood- “Something Here” (“Rat Fink A Boo Boo” LP, 1990)
9- Car Commercials- “Growing Up” (“A Young Victoriaville” Cassette, 2007)
10- Icky Boyfriends- “” (“Talking To You Is Like Being Dead” Compilation, 2003)
11- Dexter- “Alike Deer” (“Snackhouse” LP, 1999)
12- Bunny Brains- “Meal Ticket” (CD*1993)
13- File Under Pop- “Corrugate” (“Corrugate”, 1979)
14- The 49 Americans- “Don’t Sing The Blues” (“E Pluribus Unum” LP, 1980)
15- People In Control- “Pail Fail” (“When It’s War” Single, 1981)
16- Fabulous Diamonds- “1.49″ (“Fabulous Diamonds” EP, 2007)
17- The Raincoats- “No One’s Little Girl” (“Kitchen Tapes” LP, 1983)
18- Axemen- “Pacific Ocean” (“Three Virgins, Three Visions, Three Versions”, 1984)
19- Jad Fair- “Starry Eyes” (“Monarchs” LP, 1982)

“Peter Wang Pud” used CD £74.84 (NZ$206.00) Amazon UK

steve mccabe — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 22:08:21 +0000

Saw this listing on Amazon UK 07/12/08 ~ hefty price for an old Axer CD!

Also in the Discogs Marketplace some Axe offerings including Derry legend on vinyl US$100.00 (NZ$187.41)

Caffeine Madness – Vas Deferens’ tribute to Dragan’s Neon Picnic Tribulations | mouse fukkas!!!!

steve mccabe — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 06:33:04 +0000

Vas Deferens 20th Anniversary Gig

Caffeine Madness

three-duddle-bugs-c-dragan-stojanovic

jelly-roll-mota-c-dragan-stojanovic

dyke-parties-duddle-bugs-c-dragan-stojanovic

angel-of-harem-duddle-bugs-c-dragan-stojanovic

20000-miles-by-duddle-bugs-c-dragan-stojanovic

today-duddle-bugs-c-dragan-stojanovic

I'm Bob Geldof - Welcome to the Neon Picnic

The Axemen were supposed to play the Neon Picnic, back in ‘88.

I was realy looking forward to playing at the legendary Sweet-waters site. I was not lucky enough to have been at any of those fore mentioned events.

The headline act was supposed to be The Big O (Roy Orbison) so you can imagine how much I was Looking forward to seeing him in person and perhaps even meeting him, but alas it was not to be.

I have no idea of how it failed nor do I care. It did fail and these peace loving hippies who clapped at this other peace loving hippy who chased me and beat me up must have thought that it was my fault it failed. All I did was in my hung over state, the following morning, walk in on them peace loving house-truking(mouse-f**king) dirty hippies and asked where the coffie was.

Author Stojanovic participates in drumkit therapy session at Cherry Farm following the disastrous Neon Shitcake incident

How was I to know they were having a meeting about their miserable failure, I mean they were not even saying anything, they were all just sitting around in silence.

Perhaps if I had ESP I could have figured it out. After the asshole beat me up it cheer up those horrible hippies and they all clapped as if they actualy achieved something. All they achived that morning was my eternal disgust at supposed ” live in harmony hippies?’

I guess everyone needs a scape-goat. What they needed was a bath and then perhaps people would have taken them seriously and not just hurried them on pretending to say yes just to get them out of sight (and smell). So the Neon Picnic will always be known as the Non Picnic.

Caffeine madness, dragan chased by hippies in tank

Axemen – Three Virgins, Three Versions, Three Visions (1986) on lost-in-tyme blog

steve mccabe — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 06:32:26 +0000

PLEASE NOTE: Read comments below

for an update on the lost in tyme AXEMEN article

and news of their removal of the “Three Virgins” download.

The administrator RainyDaySponge is a thoroughly cool guy

who has a very interesting site (full of muchas oscuridades)

that is always getting better.

Check it out.

The lost in tyme site specialises in offering unavailable music to appreciative fans.

Here’s the manifesto:

Site Info & Archives

This is Lost-In-Tyme’s new site.

As it is a site and not just a blog, you can now enjoy our forum discussions, read lengthy articles about Lost In Tyme (but not forgotten) bands and artists, and of course visit our blog for a trip back in Time with some of the best (and rarest) music you can listen.

Once again we want to make clear that we post only records that are out of print and you can’t buy them at the record stores (physical or digital). The only way to find some of them is to pay a good deal of money for a used copy, and several you can’t find them at all. In the 21 months of Lost In Tyme first circle we received over 50 e-mails or comments from the artists themselves, saying thanks for posting their music. Someday we will post these comments (at least what we could rescued – because several were deleted along with Lost In Tyme).

So, if an artist/band don’t want his/her music posted here, or a label has re-released a record (and we’re not aware of this) or if someone of our visitors knows that something we’ve posted is still in print (and provide the link to prove it) just send an e-mail or make a comment about it. We will remove the link and we will replace it with the link pointing to the site where one can buy the record or the artist’s site. It’s that simple. We don’t want to harm anybody, especially the artists we love.

Remember that this site was made with just this in mind: the gathering of music lovers, the exchange of any knowledge we may have about this kind of music and the discovering of Lost In Tyme music.

We are waiting for your comments, suggestions etc. about this site, in the Guestbook page. You are very welcome to contribute if you like and of course to participate in Lost In Tyme’s forum, where we hope that out friends will find interesting threads.

Well it so happens they have been offering a download of Three Virgins, but they’ve been asked to cease and desist. According to their manifesto above that shouldn’t be a problem.

Anyway, here is their somewhat charming post on lost in tyme:

Axemen – Three Virgins, Three Versions, Three Visions (1986)

Early Swell Maps blues sessions? The Fall playing Kinks’ songs but they don’t know the lyrics?
There’s no other album in the entire New Zealand music so chaotic, so brilliantly cacophonous and so totally denying any label, music style or genre, like this double album from the Axemen, released by Flying Nun, in this great label’s absolute peak, in 1986.

Flying Nun was so great because, for several years, would release music by any, and I mean any, band that Roger Shepherd, Chris Knox andDoug Hood thought that had something interesting, no matter what musical style it had. This concept produced some of the best music of the 80s, not only because the three mentioned above have an excellent taste, but also because, 20 years before that period, there was something in New Zealand’s water, that caused the appearance of a continuous series of very talented artists – the more obscure of them can be heard in the 3 volumes of Rarer Than Radium compilations here, here and here.

But even for Flying Nun “Three Virgins…” was extreme and something that couldn’t get under the “Flying Nun sound” no matter how we expand the term – and here is the proof: There’s not a track from the Axemen in any of the several compilations that the label released though the years. Even in the non-exclusively Flying Nun based Rarer Than Radium series, I couldn’t fit them in.

So what is this all about?
“Three Virgins, Three Versions, Three Visions“ is a double album, made by three 20-years old Kiwis (Bob Brannigan, Steve McCabe, Stu Kawowski) with the help of their friends. In the 22 tracks of this album they managed to include every musical style under the sun – from Mark Stewart’s mumblings to good-time tunes, from blues played with “big, huge pipe organ” to Krishna chants and from post-punk saxophone-based tracks to muddy guitar noise. The recording and production is totally (and deliberately) DIY and although the mixing was made in two different studios, the singer’s voice often seems to come from a different room that the rest of the band.

I’d say that the Axemen did a Kinks-style, ironic comment on music and life, passed it through Frank Zappa & Mothers lunacy and they paint it with the punk/DIY colours of the early 80s. Sharp, brilliant and full of references songs like “Chant Number Nine”, “The Yeasty Mayor” “Talk With God”, the full-of-ideas playing and the nerve to put out a 2LP set as their first release, prove once again that the hormones of youth are magical things.

If you search for the Axemen in the web, you’d be surprised from the many videos of them you’ll find – several of them in Stu Kawowski’s Axemen page on myspace (and his YouTube site -ed)

Here is the first part of Axemen’s story, as written by Steve McCabe (you can find the rest here – along with many releases (as a band or solo from the members) – I don’t know if these have been ever actually released or are simply existing in Steve’s archives.

Axemen say– “Yes indeed, all of these albums are available here on CD“

A Brief History of The Axemen – The Early Years.
In The Beginning (by Steve McCabe)

The Axemen began life as a seething mass of algae in a cess-pool located at the back of a disused factory somewhere in North Dunedin, New Zealand.

The exact location of the cess-pool has unfortunately been lost to the ravages of time, but the factory still stands – a disused, vacant shell with little hope of being restored to its former majesty.

Following a sudden meteor storm in 1983, the Axemen rapidly evolved, developed fully functional hands and ears (where before there had only been useless stumps) and metamorphosed rapidly into one of the most radical, chaotic and inspired rock bands of all time.

The exact details are hazy now as I pen this tome from my Hotel room in Auckland, New Zealand, June 1997, but as I recall…

Bob [Brannigan] and myself were happily punting along the River Avon in Christchurch, New Zealand in January, 1983 – I distinctly remember the occasion as Bob was, for once, holding the punt-oar. The day was dreary – grey, overcast and drizzling with a fine mist which settled gently before condensing and trickling off the seven plastic beer flagons placed [for ballast] in the centre of the bright red punt.

From which direction the football came I do not directly recall, but come it did – striking Bob squarely on the forehead and causing him to swagger, try and get his balance back, then topple over backwards (I often wonder how much worse it could have been had he been standing at the time). Next thing you know, who should pop around the corner hollering “Can I have my ball back, please?” but Mr Stu Kawowski. I had not encountered this man before, but I can still vividly recall the moment; the cheeky grin, the Joe 90 “milk bottle” glasses (later to be replaced with the trademark John Lennon style spectacles), the wind rustling through the shaggy tresses of his russet-red hair.

Mopping the beads of sweat from his furrowed brow, Bob lurched up, hoarsely shrieked “I’ll give you your ****ing ball back allright and fair clocked him one with the aforementioned orb. The tense situation now somewhat diffused, Kawowski piped up, “Gizza ride in your punt, mate!”. I can’t quite recall whether it was Bob or myself who replied “Step aboard, Matey!” but next thing you know, there we were, the three of us, in the bright red punt, cruising at a rate of knots that particular punt had not previously thought itself capable of.

There was something about the rhythm of Kawowski’s deft strokes wit the punt-oar; something vital and overwhelming about the way he pushed that punt to its very limits. There was an unspoken, unfathomable feeling that this was perfection, this was bliss, this was the way of the future – Brannigan, Kawowski & McCabe – an untouchable, dynamic unit not to be messed with.

After formally voicing what we all knew we were feeling, that we should immediately form the most invincible and solid rock combo ever known to man, the pact was sealed with a flagon of beer apiece. The day ended with a solemn blood oath and a resolution that we would have our first rehearsal the very next day, but in order to maximise our potential, to ‘potentise the blend’, a pilgimage would be required to the famous “Seedy Dive” boondocks area of Dunedin. This area was well-known in the early eighties to have the highest ratio of musicians and artists to the square mile of any region in the country. Of course, the remnants of the thriving mime and clown scene from the seventies still lived in the area, but we had the feeling that in the searing Dunedin summer of ‘83, the Dive was going to be the place to be. That year, Dunedin had the longest, hottest heatwave in recorded history.

Ready To Roll? 100 Classic Kiwi clips online at NZ Film Archive

steve mccabe — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 00:34:53 +0000

Our man Kawowski has some clips on there, check them out:

AFFCO by The Skeptics (Director)

Buddy by Snapper (Director)

Jerusalem by Andrew Fagan (Director of Photography)

The website says,

The Film Archive houses thousands of music videos in its collection. We’ve had fun selecting a representative 100 videos for you to watch right here. We’d like to find out which video is the most popular so please vote for your favourite(s). Just remember, you’re voting for your fave music video, not your favourite song.

We will announce the Peoples’ Choice during Music Month in May 2009. Every month until voting closes at the end of April 2009 one lucky voter will receive a mystery prize for their efforts so tell your friends.

Voting closes at the end of April 2009.

Rules:

There is no limit to the amount of times you can vote, or the number of songs you can vote for. You can only vote for a particular video once per session and you must push play to be able to cast your vote. You are free to return and vote for the same video again if you wish.
To vote, simply select the number of stars out of 5 you think the video deserves.

1 star: Ka pai = Not bad

2 stars: Tino pai = Pretty choice

3 stars: Rawe! = Sweet as

4 stars: Tau Kē! = Totally awesome

5 stars: Tūmeke! = Out of it!

Contact us:

Please contact us if you can fill in any missing details. If you have a story to share, or if you have NZ music videos to deposit into the Archive we’d love to hear from you. Find out more about depositing at the Film Archive

[Mysterex] Smelly Feet – live and on record – 1981 – 1982

steve mccabe — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 23:49:09 +0000

Reprinted with kind permission of Andrew Schmidt, http://mysterex.blogspot.com/
Originally posted on Mysterex Friday, 25 January 2008
Original Article: http://mysterex.blogspot.com/2008/09/song-for-world.html

Smelly Feet – A Song For The World – Real Records 7” EP – September 1981.

Smelly Feet – Masterpieces/ You’re A Person – Real Records 7” – February 1982.
When Shoes This High’s Jessica and Kevin were away – which was frequently – singer Brent Hayward passed the time learning to play guitar and writing the songs he’d perform as Smelly Feet when STH split. As he travelled the country he’d sell the newly recorded songs by turning up at shows and asking to play between sets, relying on contacts such as The Chills’ Martyn Bull, who was a childhood friend from Masterton. Nine out of ten said yes. Smelly Feet played on The Fall’s last night in Auckland in August 1982. The 3Ds had the sense (and obscure taste) to cover Smelly Feet’s learn-and-record-as-you-go solo folk classic, A Song For The World, while follow-up Masterpieces shows just how fast Hayward was developing as a songwriter and recording artist.

Dates (Smelly Feet plays all shows): June ’81 – The Clean. Reverb Room. 18. 19. 20. September ’81 – Naked Spots Dance. Second Nose. Knives of West Eleven. Beware House. The Clean. Alms For Children. Rumba Bar. 18. 19. Alms For Children. A Second Nose. Auckland University Cafe. 25. October ’81 – Gladstone. 29. 30. 31. November ’81 – Second Nose. Station. December ’81 – Rumba Bar. 4. 5. January ’82 – Old Synagogue. March ’82 – Zombies of the Stratosphere. Rumba Bar. 24. 25. April ’82 – Youth Resource Centre. 20. June ’82 – Star and Garter. 23. 24. Empire. 25. 26. August ’82 – Real Theatre. Globe 31.

[Mysterex] – Shoes This High

steve mccabe — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 23:39:47 +0000

The need to unsettle rock’s steady, but predicable beats, and the DIY independence of Ralph and Recommended Records, and small indies like Pere Ubu’s Hearthan Records were pre-punk lessons that flowed freely into the space punk created. The Wellington post-punk scene of 1979, 1980, and 1981 was New Zealand’s most concentrated outbreak of this art-punk coupling. Pioneering quartet Shoes This High were one of the finest acts to emerge from that scene. Brent Hayward, one of the most distinctive voices in New Zealand music was the frontman. He talks. Andrew Schmidt listens.

the wellington pre-punk freak scene – 52
“52 were quirky dudes. I met all of them, and later lived with a couple. Malcolm Wardlaw – he was the keyboardist for 52 – was almost like my father figure. He was older than me and Kevin Hawkins. He was from the same town as us – Masterton – a real sicko town.

“He used to come up on weekends and stay with Kevin. Kevin had a massive collection of records and books. He was my favourite candy store. Malcolm used to come up, and be with us, and hallucinate. He was a crazy dude. He had a big square head. He played the keyboards with his head; with any part of his body. He got right into it. He was really accomplished as a musician. He was really bright, and I thought here’s a guy who is interesting.

“52 were my mates. No one really remembers them as far as New Zealand music goes. It was more about a local thing, and being into the experimental English rock like Robert Wyatt, Fred Frith, Robert Fripp, Eno, Roxy, the drug way, not the Brian Ferry way, the Eno/ Manzanera – that kind of experimental rock, quirky rhythms. “There was an Italian guy Dino (Houtos) on guitar. Andy Drey on bass (later Steroids / Body Electric).

ziggy’s
“Ziggy’s was a Wellington rock club/ cabaret which was firebombed in its original spot on Jervois Quay in 1976, and moved to Vivian Street, where it eventually became Rock Theatre then Billy ‘d Club. It was out there, and interesting/ burlesque. It was transient people. It was a big deal for the kids in the city. They dug it. 52 were resident band in September 1978.

shoes this high
“Jessica (Walker – bassist) heard some trans-sexual people getting on a big red bus and they were gossiping. “And how high did you say her shoes were?” “Those shoes were this high.” The name. Jessica and Kevin went out together, and I don’t think there’s ever been a relationship that’s as intricately woven. Even though he’s bi. He really loves her, and she really loves him, and they’re crazy fucks these two cats, crazy as, and they were like cats, real lovable.

“I wasn’t in the band at the start. There was another guy from Dunedin (Andrew Strang) in it for a short time. He was a mate of Terry Moore (The Chills) who used to stay with us in Wellington.

“I hadn’t done any music with Kevin since The Amps. I was living out in Wellington’s suburbs. I was psycho. I was going off my tree. I just had the most violent thoughts about stuff. You’ve got no idea. Real homicidal stuff. “Kevin says; “Come and play with us.” The drummer then was a gardener at the Botanic Gardens in Wellington. (He was replaced by Chris Plummer). We played in his house. I just unleashed all this blood and guts. I thought this is cool.”

toy love – the last resort – 27th to 30th of September 1979
“When Toy Love came they played at The Last Resort on a Thursday night. I thought what’s this about, and Bob Sutton (local character) said; “These guys used to The Enemy. You should check them out tonight. Toy Love sounded a bit kinky, so I thought, ah yeah. They played there for four nights. They brought them out. All a certain audience.

“Jane, Toy Love keyboard player, and Jessica were sisters. Jane and Paul (Kean – Toy Love bass player) used to crash at our place.

“Toy Love had their own PA, and when passing through they’d always want to play on Sunday in Cuba Mall. Someone had figured out how to rig up the power free.”

opening billy ‘d club with the newz on 1 may 1980
“We were trying to make money to buy musical equipment; amps, speakers. The big news was that we blew the PA up, and they were pissed off. We had a soundcheck and the soundcheck sounded great. We played exceptionally loud at the soundcheck like everyone liked to. We were just gonna blow whoever The Newz were off the stage.

“Our sound guy who was right into Robert Fripp was quite a strange guy, Richard Sedger. He’s a Victoria University professor now. George Henderson was his best mate. George and Lyndsey Maitland. Those guys were interesting. They had The Spies, and Chris Plummer was the drummer. They played some good gigs in the Speakeasy (Willy’s Wine Bar). I used to go down there for drugs in 1973 and 1974.

“Richard was in a Kevin Ayres frame of mind that night. He took too much of something, and he couldn’t get the sound loud enough, (that was fine by us), and blew up the PA.

“It was big shindig, lots of hairdressers there, lots of new wavers, bullshit artists. They wanted to confiscate the gear, and there was a big argument.

“No one would give us a gig after that. They didn’t want to lend us amps. We’d have to get Jenny Lealand and little Billy Labortski to get PAs. So we eventully moved up to Auckland to get away from that sort of bullshit. No, that’s not true. Billy the Club let us use their PA.”

toy love – the last resort – may 1980
“When we first played we were lucky to play with Toy Love. People used to come along and they had all the gear. We really just threw ourselves into our gigs with them. We made these little dinky A4 photocopied posters that were real cool. Little cuts from other magazines. The idea was anything and everything was up for grabs.”

rockfest – billy d’club – queen’s birthday weekend – june 1980
“We played the Rockfest in Billy D’ Club. Kevin had a good sound live. He could make his guitar sound chook. An electronic chook. Schreaking. In Wellington a lot of the stuff was public stuff. There were no rehearsals.”We had a real healthy music scene in Wellington. It made things interesting, and there were quite a few women/girls that were into it, and wanted to play music. They had a real energy for it. It’s not that feminist shit, this was interesting real creative rhythms, and patterns with melody, particularly Naked Spots Dance that Jenny was in.

“The bassist (Kate Walker) she was interesting, and she wrote a lot of their stuff. I was really proud coz when bands were passing through they got to see what a great music scene was going on in Wellington. “We had a lot of bands, and lots of those bands were related with other bands. A real community of people and of bands. And everyone who came was into the music, and they had their personalities, their fixes, and their vices.”

punk
“I’ll give you an idea about the antagonism we had towards music and bands. I was a smart little cunt, cheeky as, probably the cheekiest person on stage. I didn’t have respect for too many people, and I just thought our band was the best, and if any band was going to get in the way, well, I’ve got mates over the hill. We’ll sort them out.

“I learnt a lot about scenes in Wellington; how they ostracize people. Rhys Bassett was the first one because he burnt the sheep. Everyone said he was a prick. I liked him. He was a good dude. I liked those kids. Sure they imported a bit of the English argy bargyiness, but…”

leaving
“Shoes This High got this tag: “Something’s bad is gonna happen.” We couldn’t do anything more in Wellington, and it was getting so small. Everybody knew everybody at the parties. After a while it became a bit passe.

“Chris Orange, The Features’ bass player said; “Come up to Auckland. You guys are good. It’ll be a good injection for here. The bootboys will really like you.”

We’d made fast friends with Chris, Karl Van Bergen (Features singer), and James Pinker (Features drummer). They were nice guys, and we liked them so we came up.”

auckland debut at cafe xs on 27 july 1980
“Before we got a gig. I got to hear more and more about this bootboy thing. Bootboy. Bootboy. Bootboy. Fight. Fight. Fight. Never actually heard anybody talking about any music. Like: “See that guy over there? He’s part of the bootboys … blah blah blah.”

“Our first gig was on a Sunday night and lots of people came. Two guys turned up on the Sunday night that were looking like: “Is he gonna be on our side?” I could sense them thinking; ‘Nah I don’t think he is.’”One hundred and fifty came The Auckland Star said. They checked us out and didn’t fuckin’ like it. There was a review in the paper about it by Louise Chunn. A god awful review that was so down and depressing. She didn’t have any idea about music. All she knew was what was going on locally. But it got us some interest.”

anti-violence dance with the features – cafe xs – 31st july 1980 to 3rd august 1980

I rang up the Auckland Star and said; “Can I come to your photographic library?” I asked to see all the photos of violence. When they turned their back I nicked a photo of this black punching another black by a telegraph pole to use for a poster.

“The next gig we got I decided to call it the Anti-Violence Dance, and used the photo. I said fuck it; enough is enough with this violence number. The Features went along with it.

“The show was at Cafe XS. Thursday night this guy called Billy Bullshit comes up and sez (in dumb tones). “Who put the name on the Anti-Violence Dance. That’s not a good look fellas.”

“He said that to The Features, and it trickles back to me. I said I did. He said that’s a bad mistake, mate.

“Then on Friday night there were like bootboys and punks, and I noticed in the audience some long haired people had turned up for our show, and were beaten up. Some had bare feet, and they were beaten up for it. It seemed like the only people who weren’t beaten up were blue jean, drainpipe wearing normal boys who hadn’t experienced anything in life other than hanging out in a mob trying to act like the National Front without knowing what goes on behind that.

“These people with long hair were wearing flowers and stuff. I thought good on them for coming to see some music. We were about music, not violence. It was so different from the Wellington music scene. Even though you had that element there. There was too many interesting people, too many beautiful people for it to dominate.

“So there was more and more antagonism from moi. In fact, I was so cheeky to everyone, I was just rarcking them up.

“By Saturday night they were like: “Somebody’s gotta do something about that guy.” So this bootboy gets up, drunk as, swaying, wobbling. He takes a swing at me and misses. He doesn’t even get close. My best mate Jessica Walker, with a big Rickenbacker bass, just puts it up as a block. She was one crazy girl. She had heaps of energy. She would have ate that guy for breakfast. He wouldn’t take it any further. A bottle was thrown quite fast that just missed her. It was meant for me.

“It bought the violence to a head. Exactly what I wanted. They were dictating who played. The subtext was: “We like bootboy music. We like music that’s gonna continue playing while we beat up people that look different from us.

“I outsmarted them. Anybody did that had any sort of brain. I stood up to them, and because I did others did as well. We became very unpopular overnight. The Auckland Star wanted a photo after that. They weren’t there, but they heard something had happened.”

famous fans – barry jenkin and neil roberts
“There were people in the audience who were very into the music. Seminal characters like Neil Roberts. The serious anarchist dude who blew himself up. There’s another transformation. He came to the first Shoes This High gig on Sunday. He was kinda straight, a chef, and after he came to our gig he just changed. He came back to our place that evening. I asked him where he was from. He said Mataikona. I said that’s where we’re from, me and Kev – the Wairarapa. I said Mataikona’s a sheep station. He said yeah. Real desolate, mate.

“Doctor Rock in his leather coat. He really liked Shoes This High. He used to give us quite a lot of airplay on his show when the EP came out. But being young bucks at the time who didn’t have the respect for anything. We didn’t appreciate it.”

18 bath street, parnell
“He had about three bands living in Bath St – us, The Gordons, and Nervous Wrecks. Fifteen people in a three bedroom house. We used to do a food run with The Gordons. They used to have this van – a Commer van. We never had any money, and there was always this food delivered at the back doors of shops, so we used to go round in Brent’s van and steal it, chock up the van with food, and come back to Bath St. People used to appear out of nowhere grabbing it.”

all over town
“When we got to Auckland, we started asking Livesound for big rigs, loud as. We started playing at parties, in some ways, paying our dues. When fighting broke out again, we stopped the music.

“We played at the University a few times in the cafe and the quad. We played a lot of places with Toy Love when they came back from Australia. We played in Devonport at some big pub. We played Mainstreet. We played the Windsor Castle. We always had a support band like The Newmatics at Cafe XS.

“We’d play an hour and a half. We had long tracks. We had one called Monodrone. That was trance-like. It was hypnotic. It put people in a state so they didn’t really know how long time was. That’s a very Can/ German thing. We were into them. We used to listen to a lot of Can. A lot of Neu! and Faust. We also had some fast stuff, real fast. We had rhythm and intricate patterns.

“We used to busk as well. We did lots in Wellington as well. It was encouraged there.”

the gordons
“When The Gordons came up to live with us, we played quite a lot of gigs with them at Cafe XS. By then, bootboys were almost non-existent. They’d had a gutsful and found religion; found salesmanship in insurance. Most turned back to regular Joes, which is what they always were. More interesting people started coming. University people would come to our gigs. They’d want music and the scene started picking up again. Got a bit healthy again.

“We also played unconventional gigs with The Gordons. We used to go out to Carrington Mental Hospital. You can hear Kevin and Jessica were screaming away on The Gordons’ first EP track Future Shock.

“There was a race over who was going to get a record out first.”the nose one ep recorded – december 1980″It was recorded in Mascot Studios, which was run by Hugh Lynn in Eden Terrace. Gerard Carr recorded us. We did it in one session on a Sunday. Gerard was unhappy because I said: “Bro, we haven’t actually got the money.” He said: “Don’t you know this is Hugh Lynn’s place? He’ll wanna bust someone’s legs.”

“The last track we did was Not Weighting. Even though it was kinda rigid it had piano (with a bottle smashing after falling from piano). The songs were just the ones we chose that day, but there were other songs which really did stand out as being good compositions. They were really intricate and Beefheartish. They had a definite thing that was only really touched on as far as the recordings go. There’s a Cafe XS tape that’s really good that Chris Orange was helping us mix.

“On that walk back from Mascot, the night we recorded it, we were four happy people. We’d been into a recording studio proper, got down something that we felt was good. I said to Kevin: “I just want to do more.” We had an insight into what it could be like going into a recording studio.

“For us it wasn’t about being popular. It was about recording some interesting scenes and sounds in the studio.”drugs”I had a real hate towards anyone into drugs. I ostracized myself from Kevin because he was into drugs. I said: “Mate, you don’t fuckin’ need it,” but that was where he was getting his confidence. He had doubts about his creativity. I thought it was fucking up the music.”

wellington – december 1980
“When we went back and played, to me, it seemed like Wellington was dead. I was really angry at the band for going off. The music seemed more and more harder to make. On one hand, some interesting stuff was coming about, but we really had to make a go of it.

“We played in this place called the Red Cross Hall in Vivian Street on the Saturday night (with The Gordons.) We were going to play twice in Brooklyn Community Centre, and they did some weird thing on us, and we could only play there on Friday night. What an out of the way place it was. A strange place to play.”

the nose one EP – january 1981
“When the record came out Polygram Records had put them in this sheath saying Polygram as if it was their record. We were the wrong people to do that to. We defaced the sleeve, had all these characters saying piss off Polygram. All of a sudden another five hundred sleeves turned up. They found out we’d defaced them.

“Kevin did the face drawing for the cover. On the back, we had cut up quotes of the Louise Chunn review from the first Auckland show. We had people knocking on the door to buy it. We sold it mainly at gigs.”

the beginning of the end
“A lot of the times Kevin and Jessica, and even Chris, started fucking off. They’d just go walkabout. Chris would go up to Wonderland or Wilderness up Coromandel. Kevin and Jessica would go to her mother’s place. She was a Doctor in Lower Hutt. They weren’t around. That used to fuck me off. I was left to design the posters. Take the photo of the shoes stacked on top of each other. And go to the printers.

“We practiced at the Legions Hall by the bridge in Bond Street. Blam Blam Blam also used to let us practice in their room in Hobson Street, near the City Mission. But the practices were so full of anger everything got really twisted. We really enjoyed it at the start, but going through the bootboy stuff, and the junkie stuff just made it harder. I was alright. I was being productive. When we did click we started making real interesting stuff.”

over
“The sign was when we practiced one time, they were just playing Gordons songs, the two of them (Jessica and Kevin). They got really infatuated with The Gordons. They didn’t really want to do it themselves, so what was I to do? I wasn’t part of that scene.

“We had a gig to play in a big marquee in Orakei Bay. This punk girl, her mother was on the committee of the Orakei Fair day. We were going to play there in the afternoon in the marquee, and it was going to be good. I was really looking forward to it. I was telling everybody. You got to turn up to this. Barry Jenkin was going to turn up.

“The night before we split. Jessica and Kevin – they had so much energy those two, but Kevin got tempted by drugs and alcohol and boys, and Jessica got tempted by Alister from The Gordons. She slept with Alister. Kevin found out. I came back to 18 Bath Street. Kevin was in a ball of tears. Jessica was in tears, and the band split.”

3 comments:

anonymous said…

Kevin Hawkins sigh. Of all the casualties along the way Kevin is one of the ones I miss the most. He was simultaneously one of the most talented and caring people and one of the most emotionally up and down.

There was a tape that circulated of Kevin Hawkins and his Walking Brothers doing his magnum opus “I’m a queer” with lyrics like “I’m a happysexual, I’m a goddamed raving queer”, an absolutely over the top version of Walk on the Wild Side and ending the tape with “Just remember not all faggots are cowboys, but ALL cowboys are faggots” – 15 years before Brokeback mountain too

Jesse did some great stuff with Sparky’s Magic Baton and the Electrick Church – there was a tape going round with those as well.

Last I heard from Jane, Jess’s sis, Jesse and hubbie Ian are well and happy and raising a happy crop of kids.

raz

5 April 2008 21:36

anonymous said…

Cool – great blog post! Thankyou to Brent. I’d just like to make a correction and a small addition. The gardener at the botanical gardens was Don Campbell. He was Shoes This High drummer for pretty much all of STH beginning period on Wellington, during which time Chris Plummer was the Spies drummer. But when we (The Spies) moved to Christchurch, having met Bill Vosburgh, Chris decided he’d rather go to Auckland with STH. When we got to Christchurch we became The And Band (It’s been 30 years and I get the feeling I may be compressing several months into a much shorter time and thereby making a complex set of relationship changes fit a simpler story – grain of salt required).

As for me, I never got past an MA at VUW but did do some tutoring in the last couple of years I was there (early 90s). I guess this is how Brent got the idea that I was teaching at VUW.

Richard Sedger

6 April 2008 13:01

[Mysterex] – Kevin Hawkins after Shoes This High

steve mccabe — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 23:33:00 +0000

Reprinted with kind permission of Andrew Schmidt, http://mysterex.blogspot.com/
Originally posted on Mysterex Wednesday, 20 August 2008
Original article: http://mysterex.blogspot.com/2008/08/kevin-hawkins-after-shoes-this-high.html

November ‘82

Fishschool. CBC. Kiwi Animal. Green Eggs and Ham. Sick Dogs. Maori Mission Hall. Auckland. 20.

Fetus Productions. Nocturnal Projections. Fishschool. This Sporting Life. Windsor Castle. 26.

June ‘83
Flying Nun Recording Party. Children’s Hour. This Sporting Life. Phantom Forth. Exploding Budgies. Eight Living Legs. Flak. Heptocrats. Lesser Specked Gottliebs. The Gramme. Kevin Hawkins. Rumba Bar. 6.

July ‘83
Fishschool. Freedom For Sheep. Coalition BC. 134 Symonds St. 29. 30.

August ‘83
RIU interview.

Fishschool. Freedom For Sheep. Coalition BC. Wellington. 12. 13.

Fishschool. Freedom For Sheep. Ngamotu.

April ‘84
Off The Deep End improv. fest including Kevin Hawkins, Phantom Forth, and Stridulators.

December ‘85
Say Yes To Apes. Kevin Hawkins. Performance Cafe. 12. 13.

April ‘86
Kevin Hawkins records an album as Screaming Kevin Hawkins and his Walkin’ Brothers.

January ‘88
Kevin Hawkins dies in Masterton.

Discography
Fishschool – Detective Song – Ima Cassette Thing – Ima Hitt Records tape – 1983

Fishschool – Present Pastimes – Ima Hitt Records tape – 1983

Kevin Hawkins – Song With No Future – Live At The Rumba – Flying Nun Records LP – 1984

Kevin Hawkins and his Walkin’ Brothers – album – unreleased – 1986

[Mysterex] – Jon Segovia on Vacuum, The Volkswagons, Ritchie Venus and The Blue Bluebeetles, and The Axel Grinders

steve mccabe — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 23:28:09 +0000

John Markie is todays freshest catch

Jon Segovia, country picker, family man, Anarchist, session player for hire, onetime Axel Grinders and Shaft guitarist and Vacuum bassist talks to Andrew Schmidt.

He’s the man responsible for The Axel Grinders’ hardest moments, Don’t Hurry, Be Sappy, and, I Don’t Wanna Know, and some of the finest records of the 1990s via The Axel Grinders, Shaft, and session work for the under-rated Greg Fleming.

He’s Jon Segovia, in the beginning plain John Markie, just another teen-punk, who after playing in a Gisborne punk outfit called Leprosy lit out for Auckland before moving to Christchurch to attend art school.

There he saw a brilliant by-product of punk, the Vacuum, an eerie guitar band which spawned Bill Direen, Allen Meek, and The Terminals axis, Steven Cogle and Buck Stapleton, and seemed to plug right into that crusty southern cities mystical underbelly.

Segovia: “The songs stood out, but the thing was, they weren’t like anybody else. Most of the other bands were trying to be like an overseas bands. These guys were totally original. Their recordings don’t sound like the Velvets to me. They didn’t think – ‘how do we get a Velvets guitar sound ?’ They were definitely aware of pre-punk punk. These guys imported records themselves. Buck Stapleton did. He was a watersider. His father was one.

“I’d been in Christchurch less than a year the first time I saw them. I was blown away. I thought they were fucking amazing. Heard the bass player was leaving and…”

Markie played bass in The Vacuum from 1979 to the very early 1980s, when Direen, organist Alan Meek and drummer Malcolm Grant split to form Kaza Portico. The only recorded evidence of this era turned up on Split Seconds, Direen’s 1984 collection which included Vacuum-era recordings. Markie played bass on Inside and Remember Breaking Up, recorded at the converted-garage studio of Robbins Recordings.

Segovia took two of Direen’s best compositions, Girl At Night and Bedrock Bay to his next band, The Volkswagons, who’d been running at the same time as the latter-day Vacuum.

Segovia; “We started it to back this guy we’d met. John Throufull from the Hawkes Bay. He was older, eccentric. I don’t think he’d played in bands before. His nick name was Johnny Devo, given to him by Johnny the Slasher, a Christchurch identity who used to slash himself on the dancefloor – which I fortunately never saw – he used to pin badges to his chest – a total utter punk.

“We did some of John’s originals and a whole bunch of 1960s covers. An Italian guy played bass. I played drums for them originally. Then we got Norman Dufty on drums. “We played the Victorian Coffee Gallery, the only late night joint in Christchurch. Everybody would go there and get really gone. The Volkswagons would play there quite regularly. When Norman came in on drums, we were going to make it a regular rock band and do pubs. We ended up having this big argument because Johnny Devo wouldn’t tell us how many times he did things in a song. He thought we should just be able to peel it. He walked out.

“Stefano left the country and Blitz (Martin Ellis) played bass. He was from Gisborne. Never played before. No one took it seriously. I wouldn’t do it now. But we’d do things like go tripping all night and stay up all the next day and do a gig.”

They played the Gladstone on May 13, 1982 with The Pin Group and 25 Cents. A reviewer noting the “three piece who did Louie Louie, Gloria and assorted originals in a quiet Velvets sort of way.

“With the addition of vocalist Liz Wyllie, the V’dubs stared to write originals, and recorded a song for the fated Gladstone compilation, intended to highlight the strong Christchurch original music of the early 1980s.

Segovia; “The two women who booked the Gladstone at the time, Rose and Laura, were going to put out a compilation album and got everyone to record. We were one of the first to go into Nightshift studios and start recording a song. The album got canned. Arnold Von Bussell (Nightshift engineer) later erased the mastertapes.

” Segovia, Blitz, and Dufty meanwhile were busy backing Christchurch rock n roller Ritchie Venus (real name – Michael J Braithwaite) as the Blue Beetles with Roy Montgomery on occasional backing vocals:

Segovia: “Roy told us about this guy, said, he’s got all the licks down, does all these 1950s songs, but he plays with this really lame backing band. You guys would be good with him. Ritchie and Roy used to play the Solo Parents club in City Lights.”

Cue a strange marriage of two eras. Retro rocker Ritchie Venus backed by the offspring of punk. Having a singer up front and singled out in the Punk era, let alone a 1950’s style rocker like Venus was rare and decidedly uncool. They seemed more like a throwback to the cute end of the mid-1960s garage era, than the latest wave of the punk assault on the music industry.

Segovia: “The act was based on 1950 and 1960s covers with own stuff thrown in. We did a couple of really good shows at the Gladstone. When Blitz went overseas, we kind of dropped it, but we got offered a Troggs support in the South Island. Mick Elborado (Scorched Earth Policy/Terminals) joined on bass for the tour. We carried on playing with him over the years.” With Segovia on bass and a drummer, Venus would also play pubs.

Ritchie Venus and The Blue Beetles would release two singles, Bleeding Heart (1981) and Candy, and two albums, Rebel Blood (1987), a collection of originals, and You Can’t Fight It (1989), a collection of 1950s and 1960s covers. ‘Bleeding Heart’ is the pick of the singles, a snide putdown of the liberal mentality (again out of sync with the times) armed with a rebel sneer and minimal backing from the Blue Beetles. It was one of the first singles released on the Flying Nun Records label.

It would be six more years before the best realisation of Ritchie Venue and the Blue Beetles’ creative partnership hit the record shelves. Rebel Blood, their 1987 debut effort for Campbell McLay’s Onset/Offset Records, mops up many of the group’s originals onto what is overall a patchy record plagued by thin sound and under-realised songs. Persevere. Amongst the Venus/Blue Beetles/Desmond Brice originals are two Christchurch classics.

The Legend isn’t as you’d suspect a tribute to some rock n roll legend (or a Venus self tribute) but a spooky Velvets chorder close kin to the Victor Dimisich/Pin Group/Bill Direen strummers. Desmond Brice has obviously had a big hand in this. Segovia likewise dips back into his Builders riff bag.

It’s as though Venus, Elvis/Devlin fixated retro 1950s rocker that he is, has suddenly woken up in early 1980s Christchurch, looked around and seen the factory streets of Addington instead of the lush Kentucky fields of his idol.

He stumbles across the railway tracks, his silver and gold lame jumpsuit and silver glitter boots in stark contrast to the greasy track grave, pushes open a factory door as an eerie guitar and heatbeat bass edges along a long factory corridor, finally coming level with an open door.

Inside is a huge factory floor crammed with weaving looms and defeated workers. The strumming builds and the idol sings, not a Memphis drawl, but a sound from the deep determined heart of this English city on the South Island of New Zealand. And the words – how Brice got the acid sceptic of Bleeding Heart to sing this heart tugging Marxist lament is probaby a story in itself, but he does, and it’s a sound straight outta the soul of Christchurch.

Me, I stand alone,
in the heart of this factory,
I swear uneasy tuce,
with the captains of Industry.

But this solider is a pilgrimto the stations of the cross,
Is this life any kind of life for people like us,
Is this life,
any kind of life at all…

In contrast, the chorus is pure Elvis.

I am the legend,
and the legend never dies,
but if you listen to closely,
sometimes a legend cries.

I suspect the hard drinking Blue Beetles were more comfortable in the cheesy early afternoon lounge bar atmosphere of Rebel Blood, an arrogant strutting ode to a dissident spirit which is all seedy 1970s lead and churchy organ shimmering straight outta 1967.

Through Ritchie Venus, Segovia hooked up (as bassist) with New Zealand’s most famous veteran rocker, Johnny Devlin, New Zealand’s Elvis, for a South Island tour.

Segovia: “I thought it would be cool to meet this guy who was the big Kiwi rock n roll star of the 1950s, and that he’d tell us all kinds of cool stories and shit, but he was a pretty glum kinda guy, at the time anyway.

“We played Oamaru to hardly anybody and Devlin got up and said “it’s really good to be here in Timaru.” He was pretty down. It seemed like he didn’t give a shit about music at all, certainly what he was doing. He didn’t seem into it at all. He’d been a big star in his time and here we were playing these little country pubs where we went over quite well, but for him it was a come down.”

Fade to 1983 where Segovia is playing out with a new outfit powered by the songwriting partnership he’d developed in the V’dubs’ later days with early Pin Group bassist, Exploding Telephone Booth, and Hard Sum, Desmond Brice, who as L R Chamberlain had contributed lyrics to the MacGoohans and Ritchie Venus songs. In The Chance he played bass and Jeff Carey drummed.

Segovia: “In those days I was either on the dole or on a PEP scheme. Desmond Brice was in Hard Sums, and The Pin Group before they gigged. He still wrote lyrics. He was a Uni student.”

The trio recorded five Segovia/Brice compositions – Love Lies Bleeding/This Evil Dirge/The Scream of Engines/House of Secrets/Planes Over Thailand – for a Flying Nun Records EP release, which never eventuated. Segovia; “I told them not to release it. The band had split up, but Roger said he’d have no trouble selling it. In hindsight, I’m not happy with the songs.”

Love Lies Bleeding later appeared on a Krypton Hits compilation tape. The Chance lasted just over a year, and played only in Christchurch. Garden City music scribe, Michael Higgins, caught them at the Star and Garter and noted: “A constant stream of fast infectious metal pop songs.”

Next up was Swamp Beat, a covers band (who did Strychnine by The Sonics) and played a handful of gigs, including a weekend in Dunedin.

Elsewhere, Segovia’s ears and fingers had tuned to another genre – country music. He’d checked out Merle Haggard when he was in Gisborne, and thought it was good, but never really pursued it.

Segovia: “When I met Phil Ascott (upright bass), Simon Kearns (snare), and Simon, the other Conn, we had no deep knowledge of Country. But it went down a treat. We got on a PEP scheme and anywhere from played rest homes to big pubs and went over in all circumstances. Simon wrote us a lot of songs and Steve McCabe wrote us some.

“They hosted their own Cooking with The Connoisseurs cooking show on student radio for a year, where they would pretend to cook, then play one song live on the air. Lawrence Lens, later of Nux Vomica and The Portage, made a doco film of The Connoisseurs that was never finished.

Come 1987 and Segovia got a call from a mate asking him to play a party. Skate punk was big, so having not heard the genre, The Axel Grinders – Segovia (guitar), Graphite Lubejob (Kearns), Phil Ascott, Dwayne Zarakov, and later, Celia Patel – spiced up some Beach Boys songs with skateboarding references and began a notorious turn of the decade reign as one of Christchurch’s top groups. But that is (was) a story better told elsewhere, notably in The Jewish Beatle, Dwayne Zarkov’s fanzine.

The portrait of Johnny Segovia

steve mccabe — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 23:45:00 +0000

This eery Portrait of Johnny Segovia which still remains at 1000 and such and such Colombo Street, ageing daily at twice the normal rate, has kept the real mr segovia alive and kicking (and gigging) for years - hell may have no fury as to whether his weatherbeaten and leathery friends who are no more leathery and weatherbeaten than him have any resentment about the deal, he made the deal and is still the most fantastical guitarist there is, i weep when i hear him every time

In the bathroom of the Clifford flats in Colombo Street Christchurch, tiny but complete with actual bath, number 1000 and something and housing some of the most dynamic musicians and artists in the city at this time (around 1984) lies still to this day a faded and weary print, the last remaining remnant of the way Johnny Segovia would have looked had he not stopped looking his age when he turned 25.

In photo after photo since this time Segovia’s appearance in real life is virtually and spookily unchanged, an uncanny throwback to his 60s roots, still looking the same today as when he graced the stage with legends such as the new zealand elvis, Johnny Devlin, and the master himself, Ritchie Venus. The haunting print itself reveals a greyed, withered image, frail as a mountain goat on an alp pass, weak at the knees and trembling like a forty-year-older version of himself. This is the price to be paid for doing a deal with the devil and becoming the legend that is johnny segovia.

The print itself is now faded almost beyond recognition, each day the hair gets a little greyer, the wrinkles a little deeper, the horror of the image reflecting what might have been had the great one not pledged his troth to the king demon, diablos himself, the great wanderer, the king of the mix, monsieur el demono, il diablo, the five headed monster, the sulky beast, the kidder of all kidders, the goat with no head, the fleeceless lamb, the white nigger, the bleached blackman, the go with the flow te aro flow know what you know but take what you have to go to and fro, to and fro, hey ho let’s go!

Tables turned, as scary as it may be, no matter his fame and prowess in the bedroom, all the fame and adulation, it all comes down to the Markie spirit and the legend which will live on forever, the little kiwi battler who thinks he’s an Aussie, the nigger who thinks he’s white, the rocker who effortlessly plays country, the trailer trash who can’t pull a trailer… the guy we wish we all could be but most of us are too scared to try.

The Scapegoat - recently sacrificed for those about to rock

For those about to rock, we salute you.

Johnny Segovia, the scapegoat for which there is no equal except for the umbilical scapegoat of Mephistopheles (depicted at right) – Holy Saints I can’t believe that’s not yak’s butter!

post: Tab Emetic Tics Level

LIVE AT CITY MALL Volumes 1 & 2

steve mccabe — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 10:48:14 +0000

AXEMEN
Stu K-drums/Steve M & Bob B-gtrs/Al Rite-sax/Gary Scott-clarinet/Pete Hall Jones-trumpet

The Message (E. Fletcher-M. Glover-S. Robinson-C. Chase)

Untitled By Unknown

Axemen, Dogs, Cops

City Mall #4

The CONNOISSEURS
Rent Hamilton-gtr, vocals/Shorty Hamilton-bass, vcls/Doug Hamilton-snare, vcls
with Al/Gary/Pete as The Horned Hornet Horns

Divorce Me COD /Just Because (Carl Smith/Bob Shelton-Joe Shelton-Sid Robin)

Setting The Woods On Fire (Hank Williams)

Long Tall Texan/When The Saints (Henry Strzelecki/Trad. arr. Connoisseurs)

Your Cheatin’ Heart (Hank Williams)

<*>

AXEMEN/The CONNOISSEURS/The Horned Hornet Horns
recorded the same night as Vol.1, same people ALL play

There You Go (Johnny Cash)

City Mall #10

City Mall #11

Turn Around (Carl Perkins)

Roadhouse Blues (Morrison-Krieger-Manzarek-Densmore)

City Mall #14

The Untouchables, Fred & Barney

City Mall #16

Bonnie Parker Clyde Barrow monsters on the loose, Axemen heroes

LIVE AT CITY MALL notes
These songs were definitely recorded on a Friday night, the 19th, before the Saturday of the Band Rotunda Free Festival, whenever that was (May? June? July?), at City Mall in Cashel St, Christchurch, 1984 (that information unavailable at the times of THIS & that previous post). On Volume 1, the first four songs are the Axemen busking at one end of the Mall. Note that the version of “The Message” included here is about 6 minutes longer than that one posted previously, and “Untitled By Unknown” is a new mix. Notice Gary Scott noticing cops at the end of “Axemen, Dogs, Cops.” I noticed that – nice of you to notice – steve Hear Stu Kawowski briefly note the date & introduce The Connoisseurs (having discovered them after marching up the other end of the Mall) who play the next four songs accompanied by the Al Right-Gary Scott-Pete Hall Jones Horned Hornet Horns horn section. By the time the songs on Volume 2 were recorded, literally moments after those on Volume 1, the non-horn-toting members of the Axemen had “changed” their “minds” about rumbling with the country and western Connoisseurs for poaching their blowers, and instead passed around the coffee wine & joined in for 8 more fine examples of City Mall-style busking magic. ALL SONGS IN STEREO. The cover photo, almost certainly by Stu, shows Doug & Rent Hamilton playing pentatonic scales in a brave attempt to shield their sensitive nether regions from McCabe’s out-thrust disaster-finger.

TIMES NEW VIKING ~ hot trio on Siltbreeze/Matador rock out at SxSW in Austin, Texas

steve mccabe — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 13:10:50 +0000

Times New Viking is a lo-fi indie rock band from Columbus, Ohio. The line up consists of guitarist Jared Phillips, drummer Adam Elliott, and Beth Murphy on keyboards. Murphy and Elliott share vocal duties. They are currently signed to Matador Records and were formerly signed to Siltbreeze Records. They have released three records: 2005’s Dig Yourself, 2007’s Present the Paisley Reich, and 2008’s Rip It Off, which NME gave an 8/10. Rip it Off reached #17 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart.

SXSW ‘Siltbreeze’ Showcase 13 Mar 2008

TIMES NEW VIKING outside Sound on Sound Records SXSW ‘07

Saturday, 3/17/07. Bleached out, sounds amazing. Penultimate song of the set, “Let Your Hair Grow Long.” We got sunburned.

Times New Viking on MySpace

Sounds like: Breath in: snuff a line speed, a half hour jump on your cheap amplifiers, salad yet once a half hour with you yet cheaper guitar against the wall. Write eleven popliedjes, lay the emphasis on cryptic and forget everything your song teacher you ever learned has. Seek your neighbor girl on and tell her that your musics will make. Lay her emphatically from that she must not try to sing. Stick, now that you it really are, also just your tongue between her lips till you certainly are that they that rather has not. Give her then you eleven popliedjes and (optioneel) a guitar. Question her these eleven popliedjes with you together to not to sing, expect of it surplus. Mess what with the buttons on the amplifier, let the hamster of your neighbor girl also once over the strings run, sign the head of the father of your neighbor girl on the skins of a Bears Smit drumstel, call her feather ten-year-old little brother and lay from that its father him really real hatred. Breath out: and voila, Yourself Summoned. Sounds good? Sounds in it really yet better. Blessed with a delicious dose ADHD-spontaneity and a fine nose for popmelodieën know Tim New Viking on Summoned Yourself a particular charming pot borrow-fi garagepop down to dump. A kind of contemporary version of The Shaggs, but then without the implicit family tie. More a neighbor boy-neighbor girl tie thus.

Times New Viking – Dig Yourself

Available Formats: CD / Vinyl LP / iTunes
Price: Vinyl LP $15.00 (U.S. Postpaid) / $9.99 iTunes

Times New Viking – Present the Paisley Reich

Available Formats: Vinyl LP / iTunes
Price: Vinyl LP $15.00 (U.S. Postpaid) / $9.99 iTunes LP

The Spiderwebs in Beijing (you are not a hero until you have visited the great wall)

steve mccabe — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 07:33:32 +0000

Jeff and Steve McCabe, photo-shoot, Tianenman Square

In 2007 Jeff and Steve McCabe decided to reform their family two-piece and do a tour of the hotspots of Beijing, long a stronghold of their Asia-Pacific fan-base.

At the same time Steve, a long time poster aficionado, wanted to study and practice the art of the communist propaganda poster, the better for indoctrinating the uninitiated back home in Godzone.

Peking Ducks Wings Welcomes The Spiderwebs

Spiderwebs Beijing Dragons Arms Poster

We were met at the airport (pre-Olympics, a barn-style affair populated mainly by peasants with their hopeful blackboards “Mr Smith” , “Ms Jones” etc., the more ambitious of them adding “China world tours” or “Trans Europe Express” to add credibility to their cause) by Mao’s former mistress Mao Gon Get Sum (her by-line: “Oh yeh another thing, I just luv klaftwerk, can you get me on the next tlain to eulopa?”)

Spiderwebs - Shanghai Workingmens Club Poster

Hearing her voice reminded me of my failures in the past, especially the way they accented themselves whenever an emotional/important bit came up – i dunno how it does it but it do. now thats just getting tacky, fool.

Anyway, Mao Gon took us the very next day to the aaaaal right honky tonk women market in downtown beijing (simply ’southside’ to locals)

To be continued…

Mick Agro (slight return)

steve mccabe — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 22:45:40 +0000

The (definitive article) Axemen (an mnemoir), or the slight return of M S Agro.

'Otters have died'

I remember the Axemen, the Axemen, the name (anag) passed over in the monumental and indefinitive Shute tome apart from a hemi-semi-demi-paragraph on page 340
noting in part that they were a notorious 90’s group, as well as that Bob was a leaden songwriter, and omitting the hard-won honorific ‘Little’ from McCabe’s name.

Like Calling Sir Cumference, Cumference [that would be an editorial cumference call - ed] but that’s the trouble with harry) — as the title of the book is (if the spine is to be trusted) ‘NZ Rock 1987-2007′ a group supposedly from the 90’s (I’ve added an apostrophe to allow fair use of Shute quotes) would seem to fall into the slightly left of middle of that bi-decade, and as the Axemen were both the beginning and the NZ, the
hardplace and the rock, the a-fore 1987 and the a-hind 2007, we need to examine all that’s left to find out if he’s right in leaving them somewhere out. There.

The Psychotic; Reactions; Hand-carburettors; Dung: The psychotic is almost certainly the, equal parts psychic dance-’all, Stu, my first meeting with him when I was being psychically screened for what was euphemistically termed ’session-work’ was one of the most terrifying experiences I’ve yet, or in the
future, had.

Stu screamed at me, blue neck veins standing out like drumsticks in Gracelands, ‘Just play the fucking E, string, nothing else, don’t fucking watch the others, if you do you’re dead. Otters have died’ As I was
auditioning for drums the instructions were difficult to follow. He threw me off the kit, and started drumming ‘in constipated fashion’ to show me what he envisag’d that the otters would want.

A fuzztoned whale

‘Hey!’ said one voice, that I would later find out was Bob, ‘that’s it, the missing link’. I thought he was referring to my admittedly simian visage, but looking up I percieved that he was looking up and looking up also, the quiet one, McCabe.

They stopped playing their guitars, but the noise from the amplifiers sounded exactly the same. Like fuzztoned whales. Being chased by Japanese scientists for their own good. Through a wah-wah.

Can you play bass. can. you. Play. bass? McCabe asked Bob. Brannigan said to Steve ‘Stuart can’ McCabe walked over to Page who hinted to Cardy that Kowawski was unable toplay.

How many of them were there. I pulled out my fingers and counted.
Still three, but the fastest moving three that I ever saw. A pre-blur blur.

Micks fingers - part of the reason he is such a legendary bass player and cant count like others

‘We need an unthinking person to play ploddy lines and not ask questions about structural niceties’ McCabe mused. I put up my hand, actually for persimmon to leave the room, but they garbed the wrong end of the schtick. ‘You’ll do’ said
the psychotic, psychotically. ‘I will?’ said I. ‘It’s I do. Do it’ said Bob and thus I was initiated. The last two words being the mot secret tattooed on me. A fact later regretted when I served time. It could have been worse, I
might have been trying to join the scouts, or the salvation army.

Reactions: I was never a catalyst, accelerant, oxidiser, or agent of reduction, purely the litmus paper that turned bluish if there was enough bass. The notes
didn’t come easily. ‘0 – 0 – 5 – 7 – 0 – 3′ yelled McCabe over Brannigan’s bagpipes. I played ‘0 – 0 0 – 0 – 0 – 0′. ‘Stay away from the A string, it’s dangerous, McCabe mentored. ‘And D and whatever the little one is’ Bob added.
I was gradually twomentored into submission. Rather than learn to avoid strings I sellotaped everything but the big one to the neck of my double-bass. Then I found it was easier just to ‘break’ them before, or immediately during, playing. Soon I was ‘0 – 12 – 0 – 12 – 23 – 2 – 5”ing with the others. But far less erotically, far more eratically.

We played, people left, we stopped, they came back, we played the second set, they left again but when we stopped they didn’t come back. Bob started incorporating sudden stops into songs, hoping that if there was a pause the not-quite-audience would get whether they were coming or going confused and

head the wrong way and hear us when they were trying not to. This became a nightmare. ‘You’re quite a good reggae bass player’ Roger Sheppard said once. ‘I like the way that you never actually play with the drums or guitars but are always a step ahead of, or behind them, and the way the bass carries on when all else is silent’ I hung my head, a good luck charm given to me by McCabe.

If the head is swingin dont bother ringin

‘Watch the head, if it’s swinging we’re playing’ he wrote down for me. He was right. not Al Right, but the advice helped. Some. But not me.

We played on a balcony at a party at someone’s parent’s house with Scab Union in the middle of the afternoon, a small suburb within a suburb. One of the people listening offered me a cup of warm lemon juice. Success at last. In earlier days there’d have been a quick shout of Gardy-Loo, rather than this kind of
shout. I felt we were progressing. ‘We’re not progressive’ Stu muttered [to be fair, he'd spent the morning listening to Emerson, Lake and Palmer and was in a particularly bad mood - ed].

* Stu does it telepathically* - bumper sticker, 1987

I’d forgotten International Stu’s telepathic powers and the fact that his deafness carried over to them. ‘You’re thinking you’ve forgotten my telepathic towels’ he taunted. There was no escape. The neighbouring residents, still anonymous, but probably influenced by the sonic vibes reverberating their unknown bones,
agreed.

When I was plunking the E I thought back to my first encounter with McCabe, sneaking into EMI on Colombo Street, to put his cassettes into the album bins.
“You’ll really like the Gorillas’ Robyn assured me, as McCabe sneakily sneaked around in his sneakers, squeakily shreiking, and sheepishly bleating.
‘Grillers?’ I asked. Robyne pulled the recording tape out of the album racks, Little Stevie had finally worked it out, put the tapes in covers too big for anything but the record bins, and because the integrity of the other records required they be kept flat the tape had to be at the front. ‘Boy eats girl’ I read. There was a beautifully and simply draw diagram of a boy and girl together, the girl however had been covered in dotted lines of the type used in cookbooks to indicate cuts of meat. ‘The music’s a bit like that’ Robyne said.
I looked dubiously at the cover and the other Gorilla releases in the shop, a rare Pete and the Pigeons tape nestled up to SPC Eh?, and I guess in Dunedin similar scenes were taking place with regard to Glyph Richard. Where similar beauteous shop assistants assisted prospective record purchasers.

Bertie Germ, Dick Weir on 3ZB

‘Can I hear a bit of this here Gorilla band’ I asked. McCabe, still in sneakers, winced, many a sale had been lost at this point. ” ‘Bertie Germ can’t die’ is probably the best introduction” said McCabe’s confederate and so I heard McCabe for the first time.

‘It’s not much like the Stranglers’ I commented. ‘Sssshhhh!’ they both said. I haven’t spoken since. I left penniless, but Penny never really liked me anyway. I ws clutching a limited release extra cassette by Salli Rog and the Tokin’Blacks. Shrubbery Dub. This as well as anything Robyne had been passed by Steve in the last month. McCabe left rubbing his hands, off to buy coffee beans, and climb the winestalk.

In the same omniverse…

A flock of seagulls

Brannigan, now there’s a name to conjure with, half braggart, half harridan, half Finnegan, but always awake. An astronomer to the stars by trade. As most do I first encountered him playing guitar. ‘Can you nae put a small token of your appreciation into my well worn hat?’ he asked as he played everything Van Morrison had written to that date in a rapid unmuddled medley.

I nodded dumbly and dropped a duplicate copy of Shrubbery dub into his hat. ‘Money, none of that damned plastic, and I don’t take EFTPos or play chess’ he said sternly. I ran, as a flock of seagulls descended on the white haired fellow in the square. He ran after me, breaking windows as he struggled to catch up. There was to be no gain without breaking panes. Suddenly The Police rescued me. It was a Sting operation. I never saw Brannigan after that until the initiation. He was led off in cuffs, a collar, and the top hat. Otherwise naked, but stylish.

All this time Kowawski was in his own underground band, Above-Ground, determinedly subteranean in their refusal to sink to the level of most other bands in Christchurch. (notabene: A quick glance at Youtube will show you that the other important bands in this period in Christchurch were Maiden China and the White Boys, both of whom went on to be household names). The Above-Ground story and the’Gone Aiwa’ cassette are freely available on ebay, although freely in this case means you’ll be parting with $100 or so. That’s enough to get you into 20 Axemin gigs at 1980 prices. And at 2008 prices.

Then there was the second gig, but that’s another story, as was my sudden expulsion from the band because I had no sense of humour and started playing the A string rather than the ever increasing 24’s, the subsequent formations, the inclusion of women in the front line, the Peace Aotearoa gig which resulted
in riots and war, but always the same number of people in the audience, the faces constantly changing, although those of us who returned again and again to watch swore we could never let anything like this happen again.

Damn, no matter what I took I could nae work hand-carburettors or dung into this, although both feature prominently in other Axemen History which never repeats, only ripples. That must be the required 250 words, which are worth at least a quart or a pitcher. Can I stop now? Is anyone there? Is this the
real life or just fantasy? I can’t go on, I’ll go on Ill, The Horror, The Horror. Ice cream in cones across this guy. A way a lone a last a love a long A xemin.

M. S. ‘Mick’ Aggro

Stojanovic A~OK @ AK79 :-)

steve mccabe — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 16:21:36 +0000

Dragan Stojanovic AK79 Auckland 22/11/2008

Jelly Roll