New Zealand progressive scene
Printed From: Progarchives.com
Category: Progressive Music Lounges
Forum Name: Prog Bands, Artists and Genres Appreciation
Forum Description: Discuss specific prog bands and their members or a specific sub-genre
URL: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=77452
Printed Date: August 05 2025 at 02:40
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 11.01 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: New Zealand progressive scene
Posted By: loggerhead
Subject: New Zealand progressive scene
Date Posted: April 12 2011 at 01:38
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So I'm a Kiwi and as far as I can tell NZ has a pretty sub-par prog scene. The only three progressive bands that I know of are Jakob, split enz and my favourite "Look To Windward". So I guess this topic is about 3 things: How many New Zealanders are into prog, and/or use progarchives. What are the notable Kiwi progressive/art rock bands. And any comments about the NZ prog scene in general (e.g. prog culture, gigs (international or local acts) etc). so please leave a comment and expand my knowledge.
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Replies:
Posted By: ozzy_tom
Date Posted: April 12 2011 at 01:48
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New Zealand prog-rock bands I know: THE CLEVES : http://www.milesago.com/artists/cleves.htm" rel="nofollow - http://www.milesago.com/artists/cleves.htm , http://www.sergent.com.au/music/clevedonaires.html" rel="nofollow - http://www.sergent.com.au/music/clevedonaires.html THINK: http://www.progarchives.com/artist.asp?id=5979" rel="nofollow - www.progarchives.com/artist.asp?id=5979 DRAGON: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragon_%28band%29" rel="nofollow - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragon_(band) That's all I know. All of them from 70s anyway. -------------  
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Posted By: russellk
Date Posted: April 12 2011 at 01:54
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Airlord and Ragnarok were 70s prog bands. Ragnarok, in particular, were noteworthy. Both are on this site. Omit is a rather good electronic prog artist, though his work is something of an acquired taste! There are lots of kiwis on the site - far more than you'd think given the largely moribund prog scene. |
Posted By: Any Colour You Like
Date Posted: April 12 2011 at 01:56
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Yeah, the prog scene in New Zealand is painfully limited, but there have been some wonderful artists including: Split Enz - the debut Mental Notes is pure art rock with some symphonic touches. Ragnarok a psych/space artist from the 70s, very much alive in the same scene as early Dragon before they moved to Australia and sold out. Think are also pretty neat, although not as accomplished as the aforementioned artists. In a more modern era, Jakob provide some minimalist yet dynamic post rock. Ironically, Jakob are far better known overseas than here. You know Look To Windward, a very young and promising new Auckland based band. Of course there are other artists as well, a number of smaller scenes exist in places like Auckland and Wellington, the latter having a decent underground music base, mostly in indie stuff, but you do get the occaisonal classic prog emulators. I fear however artists with prog ambitions get lost in the system, or remain unknown. |
Posted By: Moogtron III
Date Posted: April 12 2011 at 03:41
| Well, maybe there are not many prog bands in New Zealand, but Split Enz is a band that New Zealand can be proud of. Not that they were very prog (only Mental Notes / Second Thoughts could be listed as prog IMHO) but what an original band they were, with excellent songwriting too of the messieurs Finn, Finn, Judd and Rayner. |
Posted By: valravennz
Date Posted: April 13 2011 at 23:40
Have just noted that An Emerald City, which had it's genesis in Auckland, New Zealand, has been added to PA under Psychedelic/Space Rock. Their new album "The Fourth" is heady stuff and will require more than one listen to reap the rewards. So great to see several Kiwi bands in the archives with more being discovered and added frequently. . ------------- 
"Music is the Wine that fills the cup of Silence" - Robert Fripp |
Posted By: Kosmonaut
Date Posted: April 14 2011 at 05:41
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Only band I can think of is Butler. And they aren't even very proggy. http://rateyourmusic.com/artist/butler |
Posted By: loggerhead
Date Posted: April 17 2011 at 04:54
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Interestingly the majority of the bands named are from before my time in the 70's (Split Enz, Dragon, Ragnarok, Think, Butler and The Cleves). And also a few modern bands (Jakob and Look To Windward) yet nothing in between. Thanks you to all those who have posted. Please keep adding to this thread of NZ prog knowledge .ps Any Colour You Like, your last.fm play count is scarcely similar to mine
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Posted By: reubenpb
Date Posted: April 17 2011 at 13:03
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if anyone is interested in checking out An Emerald City, they have one EP and two albums. All of it can be checked out here http:anemeraldcity.bandcamp.com and here are our music videos Seizuretron http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ac_B2wS1_4E&feature=related Ulica Bolslaw http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2EW6sMfbrNk Qing Song http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qmtbtu-oTIg&feature=related |
Posted By: Prog Geo
Date Posted: April 17 2011 at 13:15
Hi Reuben! Congratulations for your band! ------------- Sonorous Meal show every Sunday at 20:00 (greek time) on http://www.justincaseradio.com |
reubenpb wrote:Posted By: my llama has no ears
Date Posted: July 22 2011 at 06:33
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there dont seem to be many exciting prog rock bands in new zealand jakob are really awesome so are emerald city there seem to be many other post-rock and prog rock styles in the country but they all sort of a little bit boring if anyone knows some good prog rock thats not metal in nz then it would be cool to check out, there is an amazing called anthesiac http://www.reverbnation.com/anthesiac but im not sure of what genre it is just awesome. waiting to see if they will have some material someday. |
Posted By: Catcher10
Date Posted: July 22 2011 at 09:36
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Great thread! Last time I was in New Zealand, on my last day there I went music shopping and a couple of these names I recognize. Problem was I had run out of NZ$ and it was Sunday and I could not find a place to exchange US$...all I had was my corporate credit card....I don't think my company would have approved those purchases!!
I would move to NZ in a heartbeat!! Great country..... -------------   
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Posted By: Andy Webb
Date Posted: July 22 2011 at 09:42
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Awesome free album, one of the best freebies out there: http://looktowindward.bandcamp.com/" rel="nofollow - http://looktowindward.bandcamp.com/ ------------- http://ow.ly/8ymqg" rel="nofollow">  
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Posted By: uduwudu
Date Posted: August 08 2011 at 19:42
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http://soundcloud.com/dashboard Here's a couple of new numbers if anyone fancies a listen. |
Posted By: Todd
Date Posted: August 09 2011 at 08:37
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I'm partial to Ragnarok, in particular their album Nooks. One of the best. ------------- "I have seen the broken sky turn blue." http://gnosis2000.net/ratertodd.shtml" rel="nofollow - My Gnosis Ratings |
Posted By: Gallifrey
Date Posted: February 27 2012 at 02:55
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Restarting up this thread. Because I joined. And people need to notice that fact. Since this Decortica have been added to PA, not much else though.
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Posted By: uduwudu
Date Posted: February 27 2012 at 03:36
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Odd things do creep along though, unbeknownst like... http://www.amplifier.co.nz/release/82740/simulacra.html |
Posted By: Sagichim
Date Posted: February 27 2012 at 04:16
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of course split enz are a good example. i can include like others ragnarok which are a good band. |
Posted By: Pio
Date Posted: December 14 2012 at 16:59
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BEST CURRENT NZ PROG BAND (in my opinion) http://adistantcity.bandcamp.com/album/alpaca-suitcase Also Mother Goose from the 70s (Started in NZ) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Snts4gnkkzk Also also Lutha also from the 70s http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qAuosSzCHY Yeh, all from Dunedin! |
Posted By: BarryGlibb
Date Posted: December 15 2012 at 00:30
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Just a bit of trivia on Dragon. They are listed in PA for their early stuff in the 70s. They then move to Oz in mid 70s to become one of the most commercially successful bands in Oz/NZ rock/pop history. Many top 10 singles. They try to break into the US...change their name to Hunter (after the brothers Hunter; Todd and Marc). They don't break into the US. A little known fact is that in the mid 80s Jethro Tull's drummer Doane Perry was a member of both Dragon/Hunter and Tull AT THE SAME TIME! He must have accumulated a heap of frequent flyer points...that's if they had them back then! |
Posted By: Aquiring the Taste
Date Posted: December 16 2012 at 02:54
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[QUOTE=ozzy_tom]
New Zealand prog-rock bands I know: THE CLEVES : http://www.milesago.com/artists/cleves.htm" rel="nofollow - http://www.milesago.com/artists/cleves.htm , http://www.sergent.com.au/music/clevedonaires.html" rel="nofollow - http://www.sergent.com.au/music/clevedonaires.html THINK: http://www.progarchives.com/artist.asp?id=5979" rel="nofollow - www.progarchives.com/artist.asp?id=5979 DRAGON: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragon_%28band%29" rel="nofollow - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragon_(band) That's all I know. All of them from 70s anyway. [/QUOTE The Human Instict Hampster Headband Power House Ragnarok Space Farm Ticket and many more ------------- Most people are other people. Their thoughts are someone else's opinions, their lives a mimicry, their passions a quotation. Oscar Wilde, De Profundis, 1905 |
Posted By: Pio
Date Posted: December 18 2012 at 03:10
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Also don't know what I'd call this but I rekon it could be prog. Electronic, avant prog? They're awesome live. Very theatrical with lights and animations and costumes and stuff. http://the-all-seeing-hand.bandcamp.com/ From Auckland.
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Posted By: binocularbath
Date Posted: October 25 2015 at 20:07
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Hi guys Thought id so some shameless self promotion if anyone is still looking for kiwi prog. I play in a group called Mice on Stilts. Its been a wee while since we have put anything out but a full lenght coming out next year. If this helps I am also one half of Look to Windward on the Fortunes Haze album. Not the genius half though, haha Our EP 'An Ocean Held Me' is here though - https://miceonstilts.bandcamp.com/album/an-ocean-held-me And you can find reviews and ratings of it here in progarchives - http://www.progarchives.com/artist.asp?id=8706 Hope you like it Ben
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Posted By: binocularbath
Date Posted: October 25 2015 at 20:12
Your the guitar player right? Im a huge fan and miss you guys alot. Really amazing band. I was actually in your Seizuretron video, haha. I play in a band called Mice on Stilts if you want to give that a go. Different vibe but still mildly relevant to prog i hope
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