Wallace on bFM‘s breakfast show is running a competition to name your top 5 NZ songs ever. As everyone knows, New Zealand music beings and ends with my personal collection of Flying Nun vinyl, but that aside, here’s mine.
5. Scorpio Girls – Supergroove. You can’t hear the opening guitar riff without flinging a jug of Waikato over your mate’s head and heading for the dancefloor. These guys kicked ass at the Riv – bands obviously enjoying themselves onstage ROCK.
4. Victoria – Dance Exponents. They went on to become the best pub rock band ever, but I preferred them **FOGEY ALERT FOGEY ALERT** as the plain ol’ Dance Exponents. I just learned this guitar line, too.
3. Skin – Bailter Space. They are more of an ‘album’ band, but I can’t make a top 5 list without including ‘ver Space. Here’s one off Thermos that you need to hear live for the full effect (which is roughly the same as listening to a plane take off, standing on the runway). I’ve never heard a louder band, but then I was up front checking out Alistair’s pedals.
2. Nerves – Doublehappys. …and you can’t leave out Shane. I love SJF, and Dimmer? Dunno, so I’ve chosen a DoubleHappys number. This one has a chorus featuring a who’s who of that Dunedin Lot, so you’re getting heaps here for the price of one.
1. Slow Sad Love Song – The Verlaines. Graham Downes at his best, from the melodic start to the primal ending. Treads a fine line by having a touching lyric that speaks to all men in their early 20s directly, but also perfect for shouting along to with yer mates. Should have been huge.
Yeah, so there’s no Finns, Rungas, Hip-Hop-ers, and no ‘new’ NZ bands (just how many feckin sub-Blink 182s does the world NEED?), but it’s my list and I get to choose. Nyah.
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