RECOMMENDED REISSUE: Various Artists: Accident Compilation (Failsafe/bandcamp)

 |   |  1 min read

All Over the World by the Newtones
RECOMMENDED REISSUE: Various Artists: Accident Compilation (Failsafe/bandcamp)

Subtitled “Alternative Music from Christchurch New Zealand 1980-1984”, this excellent double CD collection – remastered from the original cassette by Rob Mayes of Failsafe – is very timely in the year Flying Nun celebrates its 40thanniversary.

During the Eighties the indie sound and approach of Flying Nun was widely embraced by critics, student radio and audiences. But its success did marginalise other indie labels – like Failsafe – whose catalogues were just as interesting in their own way, and arguably even more diverse during the period covered here.

The decade didn't belong to Nun exclusively so this collection – which includes early tracks by Nun bands like the Bats and Pin Group (their cover of War's Low Rider) – brings the noise of Christchurch (where Nun founder Roger Shepherd lived, ironic given Nun's association with “the Dunedin sound”) during this exciting period.

In a cover with an essay by Mayes giving the background to the clubs, bars and bands -- and why the scene imploded – this 27-song collection delivers some real thrills.

The Triffids (not the Australian band) come across with their furious Hide Out, the ska influence is here (the Venetians' Suspect) as is melodic post-punk thrash (the Playthings' Monastic), hints of emerging New Wave behind the noisecore (the Newtones exciting All Over the World), raggedy pop (Channel 4's You Were the One, Clients' 20thCentury Allergy), punk fury (Unauthorised's Militant Takeover), early Goth monochrome (Alien's Charades) . . .

There are also Big Name Bands here, albeit many in their earliest days: the short-lived Gordons (the throb'n'twang of Machine Song), Androidss (Mr Fish), Shaft (Imagination), Dance Exponents (the poppy Social Life), NRA (Glow) and Ballon D'Essai (the urgent rumble of Modern Days).

If your definition of Big Name Bands is inclusive or coloured by fond memories you could add the Johnnies (Govt Don't Care), Youth for Christ (Anthem), They Were Expendable and the idiosyncratic Haemogoblins to that list.

Rob Mayes' Failsafe was an enormously productive, if sometimes overlooked, label in the Eighties and in recent years he has been re-presenting the catalogue through bandcamp from his home in Japan.

There's a lot of care given also – this double-gatefold also comes with an insert booklet which includes brief band bios, photos, posters, cartoons and so on.

A reminder that a lot of music from this period was unconstrained, enthusiastic and beholden to no particular school of thought.

A collection which will also answer the grandchildren's question: “What did you listen to during the post-punk wars?”

.

You can hear and buy this album at Failsafe's comprehensive bandcamp page

.

There is more on Failsafe albms at Elsewhere starting here.


Share It

Your Comments

post a comment

More from this section   Music at Elsewhere articles index

The Shins: Oh, Inverted World; 20th Anniversary Reissue (Sub Pop/digital outlets)

The Shins: Oh, Inverted World; 20th Anniversary Reissue (Sub Pop/digital outlets)

Within three months of the release of this sometimes but only occasionally delightful, joyful, retro-referencing and slightly skewiff debut album by Albuquerque's four-piece the Shins, the world... > Read more

Gecko Turner: Guapapasea! (Rhythmethod)

Gecko Turner: Guapapasea! (Rhythmethod)

The absurdly named Gecko Turner is actually a Spanish producer and composer who has fronted bands, won awards, and effected a pleasantly lazy meltdown of global pop and dance styles into something... > Read more

Elsewhere at Elsewhere

Brian Smith: Taupo (Manu/Ode)

Brian Smith: Taupo (Manu/Ode)

Most New Zealand jazz is like the Kiwi: endangered, pokes around in the dark away from public gaze and doesn't take flight. This year however is shaping up to be a good one: albums by... > Read more

BIRDMAN, a film by ALEJANDRO G INNARITU

BIRDMAN, a film by ALEJANDRO G INNARITU

When films deal with filmmaking, actors or the theatre, they can often be insufferably coded, loaded and playing to the gallery. Asides and references –... > Read more