The Plague (New Zealand band): Difference between revisions
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|past_members = [[Richard von Sturmer]]<br>[[Don McGlashan]]<br>[[Tim Mahon]]<br>[[Mark Bell (New Zealand musician)|Mark Bell]]<br>[[Ian Gilroy]]<br>[[Andrew Snoid]] |
|past_members = [[Richard von Sturmer]]<br>[[Don McGlashan]]<br>[[Tim Mahon]]<br>[[Mark Bell (New Zealand musician)|Mark Bell]]<br>[[Ian Gilroy]]<br>[[Andrew Snoid]] |
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'''The Plague''' was a [[New Zealand]] theatrical punk/art rock band that existed 1977-1979, featuring [[Richard von Sturmer]]. In 1977 Von Sturmer returned from England, "charged with the new punk movement that flourished there. He assembled a troupe of 'actors' and they rehearsed a series of theatre/music pieces revolving around his poetry and showmanship. The called themselves The Plague."<ref>{{cite book |last1=Chunn |first=Mike |last2=Chunn |first2=Jeremy |date=1995 |title=The mechanics of popular music : a New Zealand perspective |location=Wellington |publisher=GP Publications |page= |isbn=1869561309}}</ref> They used material from Inside Information; songs such as Frank Gill's An Idiot and Private Property. |
'''The Plague''' was a [[New Zealand]] theatrical punk/art rock band that existed 1977-1979, featuring [[Richard von Sturmer]]. In 1977 Von Sturmer returned from England, "charged with the new punk movement that flourished there. He assembled a troupe of 'actors' and they rehearsed a series of theatre/music pieces revolving around his poetry and showmanship. The called themselves The Plague."<ref>{{cite book |last1=Chunn |first=Mike |author-link1=Mike Chunn |last2=Chunn |first2=Jeremy |date=1995 |title=The mechanics of popular music : a New Zealand perspective |location=Wellington |publisher=GP Publications |page= |isbn=1869561309}}</ref> They used material from Inside Information; songs such as Frank Gill's An Idiot and Private Property. |
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== History== |
== History== |
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Revision as of 05:55, 31 October 2015
An editor has nominated this article for deletion. You are welcome to participate in the deletion discussion, which will decide whether or not to retain it. |
This article is about the New Zealand band. For the American hardcore punk band, see The Plague (American band).
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (October 2015) |
The Plague | |
|---|---|
| Origin | New Zealand |
| Genres | Rock |
| Years active | 1977–1979 |
| Past members | Richard von Sturmer Don McGlashan Tim Mahon Mark Bell Ian Gilroy Andrew Snoid |
The Plague was a New Zealand theatrical punk/art rock band that existed 1977-1979, featuring Richard von Sturmer. In 1977 Von Sturmer returned from England, "charged with the new punk movement that flourished there. He assembled a troupe of 'actors' and they rehearsed a series of theatre/music pieces revolving around his poetry and showmanship. The called themselves The Plague."[1] They used material from Inside Information; songs such as Frank Gill's An Idiot and Private Property.
History
Von Sturmer recruited a band from Westlake Boys High School, consisting of Tim Mahon (The Whizz Kids, Blam Blam Blam), Mark Bell (Whizz Kids, Blam Blam Blam, Coconut Rough, Scribble), Ian Gilroy (Whizz Kids, Crocodiles, The Swingers) and Andrew McLennan aka Andrew Snoid (Whizz Kids, Coconut Rough, The Swingers, NZ Pop, The Zoo).[2]
The Plague first gig was with The Scavengers at the State Theatre, Symonds Street, Auckland. Von Sturmer and his backing vocalists, the Snoids, appeared naked apart from a covering of paint. Their most famous performance was in front of an audience of 30,000 at Nambassa Music Festival in January 1979,[2][3] again in body paint; as related in the novel The Predictions, the lead singer in cobalt blue, the guitarist red, and the backing singers yellow.[4]
Don McGlashan described the music in an interview for Radio New Zealand's Musical Chairs in April 1998, "It was a really vicious noise, but it was really fun, fun to be part of." He played with The Plague a few times, coming straight from playing French horn in the Symphonia of Auckland, (now the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra), dressed in a 'penguin suit' and to stand on stage while people wearing only a coat of paint (assorted colours) would jump around him. Don McGlashan said of Von Sturmer, "Richard was a really prolific writer - and still is."
By late 1979 the line-up became the Whizz Kids. Ian Gilroy then left to play with The Crocodiles, and then The Swingers. Andrew Snoid left to front The Pop Mechanics. Mark Bell and Tim Mahon, with Don McGlashan who had being playing with the Whizz Kids, formed Blam Blam Blam.[5]
Band members
- Richard von Sturmer
- Don McGlashan
- Tim Mahon
- Mark Bell
- Ian Gilroy
- Andrew McLennan aka Andrew Snoid
Other media
Film
- (1980) - Nambassa Festival (New Zealand) Nambassa Festival Trust with Dale Farnsworth
- Director/editor: Philip HoweFilm Archive
Television
- (1980) - Radio With Pictures: Sweetwaters Special Television New Zealand
- (11 March 1980) - Video DV TV2
- Dylan Taite fronts this documentary report on the 1980 Sweetwaters rock festivalFilm Archive
Related publications
| Von Sturmer, Richard | We Xerox Your Zebras | Modern House | (ISBN 1-86942-101-9) | 1988 |
| Von Sturmer, Richard | A Network Of Dissolving Threads | Auckland University Press | (ISBN 1-86940-054-2) | 1991 |
| Sorrentino, Joseph & Von Sturmer, Richard | Images from the Center - Daily Life at an American Zen Center | Rochester Zen Center Publications | (ISBN 0-940306-49-2) | 1991 |
References
- ^ Chunn, Mike; Chunn, Jeremy (1995). The mechanics of popular music : a New Zealand perspective. Wellington: GP Publications. ISBN 1869561309.
- ^ a b "Ian Gilroy". The Swingers: Counting The Beat. Retrieved 30 October 2015.
- ^ Grigg, Simon. "Blam Blam Blam". simongriggdotinfo. Propeller Lamont. Retrieved 30 October 2015.
- ^ Zander, Bianca (2015). The Predictions. London: Blackfriars. ISBN 9780349134369.
- ^ "The Plague". Amplifier. Retrieved 30 October 2015.