Able Tasmans
AMG AllMusic Guide: Pop Artists:
Top
Able Tasmans
- Genres: Rock
Biography
One of the many bright lights of the New Zealand pop scene of the 1980s, Able Tasmans formed in Auckland in 1984. Originally a trio comprised of keyboardist Graeme Humphreys, bassist Dave Beniston and drummer Craig Baxter, they initially offered a tongue-in-cheek, '60s-influenced aesthetic typified by songs like "Nelson the Cat?!!"; however, upon signing to the legendary Flying Nun label a year later to release their debut EP The Tired Sun, the Tasmans moved to a noisier and more colorful sound with the addition of singer Peter Keen and guitarist Anthony Nevison. A single, the eccentric "Buffalos," followed in 1986, and a year later the band -- now consisting of Keen, Humphreys, Beniston, organist Leslie Jonkers and drummer Stuart Greenway -- issued their full-length debut A Cuppa Tea and a Lie Down. A three-year hiatus followed as Able Tasmans' lineup continued to fluctuate; finally, in 1990, they resurfaced with Hey Spinner!, a lovely chamber pop effort recorded by the nucleus of Humphreys, Jonkers and Keen with assistance from ex-Verlaines Jane Dodd on bass, keyboardist Ron Young and drummer Craig Mason. Though cut with the same roster, 1992's Somebody Ate My Planet offered a dramatically different, denser sound with a thematic emphasis on the environment. ~ Jason Ankeny, RoviWikipedia on Answers.com:
Top
Able Tasmans
| Able Tasmans | |
|---|---|
| Origin | New Zealand |
| Genres | Indie rock Lo-fi |
| Years active | 1984–1996 |
| Labels | Flying Nun |
| Past members | |
| Leslie Jonkers Peter Keen Graeme Humphreys Craig Mason Jane Dodd Ronald Young David Beniston |
|
The Able Tasmans were an indie band from Auckland, New Zealand.
At various times, the band consisted of Leslie Jonkers, Peter Keen, Graeme Humphreys, Craig Mason, David Beniston, Jane Dodd (previously of The Verlaines), and Ronald Young. They formed in 1984, and named themselves after the Dutch explorer Abel Tasman. They released four albums and two EPs on Flying Nun Records. The band split up in 1996.[1] Ten years later Graeme Humphreys and Peter Keen regrouped to record an album, The Overflow, under the name of Humphreys & Keen.,[2][3]
The style of music played by the band could be considered as similar to the prevalent Dunedin Sound favoured by Flying Nun during the 1980s and 1990s, and most effective when keyboards (not normally prominent in the Dunedin Sound) were to the fore, as on their early student radio hit Snow White Chook.
Graeme Humphreys is now better known in New Zealand for his role as a radio talkback host (under the name Graeme Hill).
|
Contents
|
Discography
| Date of Release | Title | Label | Charted | Certification | Catalog Number | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albums | ||||||
| 1987 | A Cuppa Tea and a Lie Down[4] | Flying Nun Records/Flying Nun Europe | - | - | FN075, FNE18 | |
| 1990 | Hey Spinner | Flying Nun Records | - | - | FN162 | |
| 1992 | Somebody Ate My Planet | Flying Nun Records; Festival Records | - | - | FNCD233; D30807 | |
| 1995 | Store in a Cool Place | Flying Nun Records; Festival Records | - | - | album: FN312; L31461 CD: FNCD312; D 31461 |
|
| 1998 | Songs From the Departure Lounge[5] | Flying Nun Records | - | - | FNCD404 | |
| EPs | ||||||
| 1985 | The Tired Sun | Flying Nun Records | - | - | FN043 | |
| 1986 | Shape Of Dolls | Flying Nun Records; Festival Records | - | - | FNCD280; D17044 | |
| Singles | ||||||
| 1986 | A: Able Tasmans-Buffalos B: Raucous Laughter-Relapse |
Flying Nun Records; Festival Records | - | - | FN067 | |
Featured appearances
The group have appeared on a few CD & DVD compilations since 1991 in New Zealand. The following is a list of these albums that have featured tracks by the Able Tasmans.
- (1990) - In Love With These Times (Flying Nun Records) - "What Was That Thing?"
- (1991) - Getting Older (Flying Nun Records) - "Sour Queen"
- (1995) - Abbasalutely (Flying Nun Records) - "S.O.S." (ABBA cover)
- (2004) - Second Season Flying Nun DVD II (Flying Nun Records) - "Big Bang Theory"
- (2004) - Very Short Films (Flying Nun Records) - "Hold Me 1"
Singles/EPs
| Year | Single | Album | Charted | Certification |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | The Tired Sun EP | #42 (NZ) | - | |
| 1986 | "Buffalos" 7" single | - | - | |
| 1993 | The Shape of Dolls EP | #39 (NZ) | - |
References
- ^ Flying Nun band history
- ^ New Zealand Listener: "Baroque Dreams" by Nick Bollinger, March 25–31, 2006.
- ^ Radio New Zealand: National Radio, Sept 15, 2006.
- ^ CD includes Buffaloes and most of Tired Sun
- ^ Posthumous "best-of" compilation
This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)
Post a question - any question - to the WikiAnswers community:
Copyrights:
AMG AllMusic Guide: Pop Artists
Copyright © 2012 All Media Guide, LLC. Content provided by All Music Guide ®, a trademark of All Media Guide, LLC. All rights reserved.
Read more
Mentioned in
The Shape of Dolls
(1993 Album by Able Tasmans)
Somebody Ate My Planet
(1992 Album by Able Tasmans)
A Cuppa Tea and a Lie Down
(1987 Album by Able Tasmans)
Songs from the Departure Lounge
(2000 Album by The Able Tasmans)
» More