Here Come The Clean, 1989 - Article | AudioCulture After reforming in the late 80s, The Clean toured the US and UK for the first time, and found word had already spread among underground influencers, half a world away from Dunedin. An excerpt from Ric...

The Clean break into the USA - an extract of the book published on our favourite music site AudioCulture - www.audioculture.co.nz/articles/her...

"I Don't Want You Anyway", by Superchunk from the album “I Don’t Want to Get Over You” b/w "I Don't Want You Anyway"

We covered a classic by NZ / Flying Nun legends Look Blue Go Purple for a tour 7" last Fall and it's out today digitally for the first time, check out "I Don't Want You Anyway" wherever you digitally enjoy music!
superchunk.bandcamp.com/track/i-dont...

Needles and Plastic: Flying Nun Records, 1981–1988 — Third Man Books In this remarkable tale of creativity and chaos, do-it-yourself innovation and extraordinary attempts at world domination, Matthey Goody tells the inside story of one of New Zealand – and the world’s ...

Flying Nun is a mess. @needlesandplastic.bsky.social did a hell of a job with this: www.thirdmanbooks.com/catalog/need...

🧵So in the course of a discussion about Ye Olde Days with some music friends, I dived down a rabbit hole and found something interesting. I've always wondered about the story behind DMA, the dodgy psychedelic amphetamine that inspired the Androidss' 'DMA' and, more notably, The Clean's 'Tally Ho!'.

Pretty every great gig I went to in my years living in London was put on by Chris UTR. So many great bills.

For anyone over in Europe, good news! The Bats are headed your way this summer:

puschen.net/artists/the-...

Includes a review of Craig Robertson’s Chris Knox biography Not Given Lightly by @steelydass.bsky.social so go get it and then order the book. Out this month in North America.

Jim Wilson: an oral biography, part one - Article | AudioCulture There are a million stories in Christchurch City and Jim Wilson’s contribution to their music scene is one of them. By his mid-teens he was running and promoting teenage dances and later booked and pr...

Of course that's just one part of a much richer story.

I'm personally thankful for the work Jim's Phantom Billstickers did promoting Needles and Plastic and my book tour.

I can't wait for @rubbasoul.bsky.social's new book on The Clean, as i'm sure Jim will pop up many times.

It seems Jim Wilson has unfortunately recently passed away. In doing research for my book. Jim was one of those characters that was instrumental to making so much happen with music in '80s NZ, especially Christchurch. From booking the Gladstone to helping bands with tours/marketing. He did so much.

Paging @willsloanesq.bsky.social, possibly ripe for a new Michael & Us episode

Front cover of Chris Knox biography Not Given Lightly by Craig Robertson published by Auckland University Press March 2026

A definitive new biography about Chris Knox is set to be published in North America next month via Auckland University Press. I am stepping up to help with press and promotion in North America. So, if you are a writer, reviewer, podcaster, record/book buyer, whatever, get in touch.

Front cover of Chris Knox biography Not Given Lightly by Craig Robertson published by Auckland University Press March 2026

A definitive new biography about Chris Knox is set to be published in North America next month via Auckland University Press. I am stepping up to help with press and promotion in North America. So, if you are a writer, reviewer, podcaster, record/book buyer, whatever, get in touch.

Tall Dwarfs & Hairybreath Monsters: A Chris Knox Bestiary A one-stop guide to a legend of the New Zealand underground.

Chris Knox discography deep dive on Bandcamp today:

daily.bandcamp.com/lists/chris-...

a man reclines in front of a computer with a mug of something tasty

my annual year-end mix, 103 mp3s i've known & loved, 7 hours of music ready for shuffling & affronting darkness. drive.google.com/file/d/1GyQz...

Oof, this is very sad news indeed about Brent McLachlan. A cornerstone of two knock out groups, Brent’s fingerprints are also over so many important releases as an engineer & producer:The Skeptics, Terminals, Snapper, The Bats on and on it goes. A fantastic drummer and engineer who gifted us so much

Lot of people in the music and screen communities hurting now at the news that Ant Nevison has died. Ant was a member of the Headless Chickens, co-founder of Incubator recording studio and a respected film soundie, and one of the most decent, good-natured and friendly people you could hope to meet.

True to raw feelings: The story of Marie And The Atom The experimental post-punk band were something entirely different in 1980s Auckland.

There's also this excellent chapter by @needlesandplastic.bsky.social which looks at the group's early history

thespinoff.co.nz/books/21-11-...

Cover for the 1985 EP 'Spit it out' by Marie and the Atom, featuring a b&w image of a welding mask.

Marie & the Atom

Pt 2 of my blog on Flying Nun multitrack tapes, analyzing two songs by the amazing MATA, recorded by Terry Moore for their second EP "Spit it out" in 1985. What does the tape tell us? Have a read & listen to samples of the original multitrack audio.

natlib.govt.nz/blog/posts/f...

Woah, amazing deep dive Michael! Bravo.

Duit On Tuesday, by Peter Jefferies 4 track album

Here's a nice surprise - Peter Jefferies has just released a new four song 7" EP called "Duit on Tuesday" that tackles the catalogue of Harry Nilsson.

almosthalloweentimerecords.bandcamp.com/album/duit-o...

I've resisted posting about the Jays, because who cares what I think. But the day after the most devastating loss i've ever witnessed, I feel the need.

No team brought Canada together like the 2025 Blue Jays. Today sucks but this season was all you could ask for from sports.

Baseball is the best.

8 Living Legs - Don't Do That Near Me [New-Zealand 1984] YouTube video by This Moment's Gone

Got word from a friend that Bryn Driver of the band 8 Living Legs passed away recently at the age of 66.

8 Living Legs appeared on the live Flying Nun compilation The Last Rumba and the split EP 'Emigration' paired with fellow Auckland band Flak in 1984.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_pT...

I missed the close, but it was a three record lot and I think the bidding was up to £190 or so

Cover, inserts and vinyl record of The Fall’s Fall In A Hole live album owned by John Peel

Another John Peel estate auction came and went this week. One lot of note was his copy of Fall In A Hole, the legendary live album released on Flying Nun that fundamentally changed the label, both crippling it in the short term and helping to propel it to new ears around the world in the long term.

I was laughing as I listened. To not mention Bo at all was egregious and they clearly had no understanding of the lineup beyond the top guys.

Felt like they wanted to spend more time dumping on the Brewers than preview the World Series.

Wreck Small Speakers on Expensive Stereos front cover 2025 on Flying Acorn

Testing driving the new archival release on Flying Acorn (Flying Nut???)… 🧐

'Cause, when it all comes down to dust Can I say that Craig Robertson's bio of Chris Knox is anticipated? It is, and it's arrived.

I said I'd write a few words about Craig Robertson's much-anticipated Chris Knox bio, which I love.

These are personal reflections on what will likely be the definitive history of a man who changed indie/alt music globally

opdiner.substack.com/p/cause-when...
#aotearoa
@audioculturenz.bsky.social

Found out in the wild: my favorite rock ‘n’ roll book. @peoplesbooktakoma.com
#FlyingNun

Neverlasting, by Bilders 15 track album

A new Bilders record is on the horizon, packed with new material and a couple never-released vintage Bilders tunes with the Stu Page and Greig Bainbridge lineup.

carbon-records.bandcamp.com/album/neverl...

An amazing catalogue of music built over the years and a fantastic contribution to music. A big thanks, and sorry to see it's time to call it a day.