Not OK are a punk rock band based on the Gold Coast, Australia. The band is originally from Nelson, New Zealand. They moved to Auckland in 2005 and then on to Australia in 2007. They play a brand of punk rock influenced by the likes of Face to Face, The Bouncing Souls and Snuff.
Crowded House is a rock group formed in 1985 in Melbourne, Australia and led by New Zealand musician and singer-songwriter Neil Finn. The band were originally active from 1986 to 1996 before deciding to split up. In 2007, the band reunited to record and tour again.
Neil Finn and Paul Hester decided to form a new band during the Split Enz farewell tour 'Enz with a Bang'. Nick Seymour approached Finn during the after party for the Melbourne show and asked if he could try out for this new band. The first incarnation of the band, The Mullanes, formed in Melbourne in 1985 and also included guitarist Craig Hooper, formerly of The Reels. They secured a record contract with Capitol Records and moved to Los Angeles, at which time Hooper left the band. At the label's behest, the band changed its name to "Crowded House," which alluded to the cramped quarters the three members shared at an apartment in North Sycamore Street in West Hollywood during the recording of the album. They also invited former Split Enz keyboard player Eddie Rayner to join, and he produced the track "Can't Carry On" for the debut self-titled album. He initially joined them on tour in 1988 on keyboards, but had to leave for family reasons before he could be made a full member.
Bursting onto the international scene in 1987 with Don't Dream It's Over from the album Crowded House, the band seemed destined for greatness. However, despite eking out one more hit from the album, Something So Strong, the follow up Temple of Low Men failed to repeat its commercial success, despite critical acclaim. Radio had a hard time categorizing them, but within the industry they quickly gained a stellar reputation as "musicians' musicians", and outside the industry as one of the best live acts, featuring mixed setlists and improvisations. A set of three shows at one venue would often feature less than half the the songs being played more than once.
It wasn't until 1991's Woodface that the band hit international success again, specifically with the jointly written Finn brothers track Weather With You.
In fact, the album that emerged wasn't the one originally proposed. Neil had been working on a side project with his brother Tim Finn, a solo artist in his own right and former Split Enz frontman (in fact, several members had a history in Split Enz - Tim formed the band and Neil was responsible for their biggest hit I Got You, while Paul Hester was the drummer during their final days). When the record company rejected the material he'd composed for the third Crowded House album Neil asked his brother if he could use some of their songs in their place. Tim agreed, allegedly joking he would only do so if he could join the band. Whether or not Neil took this literally, Tim did indeed become the fourth member of Crowded House during the Woodface phase.
Whilst Weather With You became an international hit, particularly in the UK (where it was followed by smaller chart successes for Four Seasons in One Day and It's Only Natural), in the US, at least, history didn't repeat - a situation some put down to the choice of Chocolate Cake - a scathing attack on the American lifestyle - as the first single.
During touring in the UK, Tim was asked to leave the band. Mark Hart joined the band for their next album. Together Alone was a similar international success and the band even managed to score a minor hit in the US with Locked Out after it featured on the soundtrack for the Winona Ryder flick Reality Bites.
Shortly after, Paul Hester decided to leave, although he did return to record three new tracks for a Best Of... compilation, Recurring Dream. By 1996, however, Neil decided to fold the band, choosing instead to focus on a solo career. The band's final concert, on the steps of the Sydney Opera House, was an emotional and memorable event, and has been captured on the DVD / CD Farewell to the World.
A B-sides compilation, entitled Afterglow, was released in 1999.
Paul Hester died tragically in 2005 when he committed suicide in Melbourne, Australia.
January 2007 brought a surprise announcement that Crowded House would be re-forming. Frontman Neil Finn once again linked up with Nick Seymour and Mark Hart and, after picking up Beck's drummer Matt Sherrod to replace Paul Hester, produced a new album entitled Time on Earth.
Members of the band include frontman and guitarist Neil Finn, bassist Nick Seymour (brother of Hunters and Collectors frontman Mark Seymour), drummer Paul Hester (1986-1994), Tim Finn (1990-91), multi-instrumentalist and Supertramp recruit Mark Hart (1993-), session drummer Peter Jones (1994-1996) and new drummer Matt Sherrod (2007-).
The Frenz web site launched a new Crowded House portal in 2007 where old and new fans of the band can keep up to date with news of new releases and tour plans. Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.
Nomadic, hard to describe rock 'n' roll band originally from New Zealand, that moved to Melbourne, Australia, and then on to bigger and better things in London, England, now claim to live in Radelaide. Their music is a quasi-grunge, at times droning, atonal mess of heavily distorted guitars with the occasional tender, almost fragile, near-acoustic sound making it through the turbulence. Contender for the least pretentious band on earth and a powerhouse live.
Alex date: 2077 A futuristic world; where humans colinise the moon and spend their summer vacations future boarding on near by ice planets. Their children’s best friend is an artificial robot named Omnibot 2000, while daily meals come from a thin toothpaste like tube.
Humankind is destined to fall into the same darkness that has befallen their ancestors before them. Having dealt with all human bigotry and discrimination (even after the first wave of phy-borns), humanity is now stricken with a new challenge.
Anika Moa (born 21st May 1980) is a singer-songwriter from Christchurch, New Zealand. While still at school in Christchurch, Moa entered the 'Smokefree Rockquest'.
She received a record deal with Warner Music in New Zealand and Atlantic Records in New York. The record company had big commercialized plans for her - which conflicted with her brash down-to-earth personality. Overall Moa did not enjoy her time in America and returned to base herself in New Zealand. Her first album was released in 2001.
Jakob is a New Zealand post-rock band, based in Napier, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand. The band consists of guitarist Jeff Boyle; bassist Maurice Beckett; and drummer Jason Johnston. They have been compared to such bands as Mogwai, Sonic Youth, and HDU, though they largely eschew any vocals or samples in their songs. The band formed in July 1998, and began by opening for New Zealand bands Salmonella Dub and Pitch Black at the local pub O'Flaherty's. They toured extensively throughout 1999, releasing that same year a self-titled EP recorded with David Holmes at Napier's Venn Production Studios.
Surf City first came in to existence when bored friends Davin Stoddard and Josh Kennedy met at a party in Mt Roskill in 2004. Tired of the heavy avant-garde music that was prolific at the time Stoddard and Kennedy teamed up with Josh’s brother Jamie and Logan Collins to form the band. Originally called The Fibs and then Kill Surf City their fascination with fast guitar pop and the early '80s sound of Dunedin soon saw them develop their own unique and catchy sound.
There are at least seven known bands called the Strangers. a) an intense metallic hardcore act from Wellington, New Zealand. their music is released by AMR (http://www.myspace.com/strangersandfuckers) b) space(psych)rock from Orlando, Florida (USA)
www.myspace.com/strangestrangers c) A Brit pop/rock Band from Indonesia, visit http://www.last.fm/music/Strangers+Indonesia or
http://www.myspace.com/sregnarts d) A metalcore/mathcore band located in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Canada.
http://www.myspace.com/strangerthanmusic
Full Fucking Moon is a cosmic rock/noise band from Wellington, New Zealand. <a href="http://www.myspace.com/fullfckngmoon" rel="nofollow">MySpace.</a>
Formed during the mid 1990's, Subtract have gone on to become one of the premier acts in New Zealand metal and true forefathers of the local heavy scene. Combining elements of metal old and new, with a penchant for punishing grooves and pummelling rhythms with charismatically aggressive vocals and passionate, meaningful lyricism, Subtract are an act that have gone from strength to strength throughout their years; never relinquishing an iota of the intensity and sheer heaviness that have become their sonic trademarks.