Aussie/NZ bands/releases

[DonGately]

Hi. Business has taken me to Wellington NZ. One of the (many) cool things about being here is walking down the street and hearing bands like The Sleepy Jackson being played in the bars.

While walking around town tonight I spotted three or four cd stores. I'm going to check them out sometime tomorrow or Tues. I'm going to try to hunt down "Farewell to the World" by Crowded House. Anyone have any music recommendations -- either Aussie/NZ bands or Aussie releases of favorite CDs (these often have bonus tracks or discs) that might be worth hunting down? I'll throw this topic into NNNW to include non-New Wave recommendations.

Thanks in advance.

Had I been here two weeks later, I could have seen Tim Finn solo. I missed PSB in SF at the start of this business trip and will miss an opportunity to see a Finn brother. Sigh. But, I get to see New Zealand, so I don't really have anything to gripe about.

[SomebodySomewhere]

Wellington was (is?) home to Jayrem Records, which was a predominantly new wave label when they started in the early '80s. Among their best acts at that time were The Idles, The Neighbours, The Jive Bombers, Precious, The Actors, The Pelicans, Car Crash Set, Tin Syndrome and Freudian Slips. (Spines were highly regarded, but I think they're awful.) I'm listening to The Neighbours' "I Only Wanted Fun" right now, as a matter of fact.

So pick up a turntable and go discover some of these undiscovered gems that have yet to make their way to CD.

[Otters Walk Among Us]

I am jealous. I wish business would take me to New Zealand.
Take this chance to listen to some of the greats on the Flying Nun roster:

Able Tasmans
The Bats
The Chills
The Clean
David Kilgour
etc.

[DonGately]

Thanks for recommendations. Wellington is a pretty cool town, though it's supposed to be summer and it's windy and rainy. Apparently, it's like that much of the year. Off to Auckland tomorrow.