The Plague (New Zealand band)
This article is about the New Zealand band. For the American hardcore punk band, see The Plague (American band).
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The Plague was a New Zealand art/rock band that existed 1977-1979, featuring Richard von Sturmer. In 1977 Von Sturmer returned from England, according to The Mechanics Of Popular Music "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." They used material from Inside Information; songs such as Frank Gill's An Idiot and Private Property.
History
The Plague, and ex-Westlake Boys High School pupils too, were 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).
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."
Band member
Performances
The Plague first gig was with The Scavengers at the State Theatre, Symonds Street, Auckland, due to Tim Mahon's persistence in hassling the promoter, Derek King. Again, as a result of Tim Mahon's efforts, The Plague were given an afternoon slot at the Nambassa Festival at Waihi, (North Island, NZ) in January 1979. They created a sensation[citation needed] when Von Sturmer and his backing vocalists, The Snoids appeared naked (apart from a covering of blue paint).
Nambassa Performance Personnel
- Richard von Sturmer (vocals)
- The Snoids (backing vocals)
- Paul Moss (foldback sound engineer)
- Graham Morris (film, location sound)
- Mike Westgate (film, location sound)
- Doug Jane (film, stage sound)
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 |