1980s
Classic Eighties Kiwiana from Split Enz, Patea Māori Club and more.
Toy Love, “Bride of Frankenstein”
This song and video combine in a flurry of saturated animated fury. The iconic video was made by animator and cartoonist Joe Wylie, who was also involved with classic short films Te Rerenga Wairua and The Nightwatchman. 'Three minutes doesn’t sound very long but with hand-made animation it’s a lot of work,' he said. Burning brightly for just over a year, Toy Love released a handful of singles.
Read more about Toy Love on the Audioculture website.
Collection reference F46503
Year 1980
Credits Director and Animator: Joe Wylie
Split Enz, “I Got You”
The first No. 1 from one of New Zealand's most storied bands. Neil Finn reflects on the band performing before being taken aback by his double appearing onscreen. Legend has it Neil’s wisdom teeth were giving him grief on the day of the filming, which may explain some of his grimaces. The giant eyes watching him certainly wouldn't help, either.
Read more about Split Enz on the Audioculture website.
Collection reference F53172
Year 1980
Screaming Meemees, “Till I Die”
With colour bleed and a non-stop beat, this video from the just-out-of-high school Screaming Meemees is a short-lived blast. The track was the B-side to “See Me Go” – the first New Zealand track to enter the charts at No. 1. Directed by Simon Morris at Avalon Studios, the Meemees parted ways the following year.
Read more about The Screaming Meemees on the Audioculture website.
Collection reference F46498
Year 1982
Credits Director: Simon Morris
The Clean, "Getting Older”
This no-budget video was directed by artist Ronnie van Hout. It follows Robert Scott through the laneways of Christchurch and references Samuel Beckett and Buster Keaton's existential Film. “Getting Older” was a single released after a string of early Clean EPs.
Read more about The Clean on the Audioculture website.
Collection reference F105598
Year 1982
Credits Director: Ronnie van Hout
The Verlaines, “Death and the Maiden”
Many folks from the 'Dunedin Sound' appear in this video. Indeed, as director Peter Janes notes, 'A whole lot of Flying Nun folk turned up and we shot in that beautiful old house on Stuart Street, then took off to Cargill Castle and made it up as we went along.' It slips easily into the 'film the band and some stuff' style of video.
Read more about The Verlaines on the Audioculture website.
Collection reference F32794
Year 1983
Credits Director: Peter Janes
Patea Māori Club, “Poi E”
Pop meets poi in ‘New Zealand’s unofficial national anthem’. “Poi E” by Patea Māori Club is a taonga and was filmed in and around Patea. It features the Club performing the song with members of the community joining in. The video and song were explored in the 2016 documentary Poi E: The Story of Our Song.
Read more about the Patea Māori Club on the Audioculture website.
Collection reference F110227
Year 1983
Credits Director: Paul Carvell
Look Blue Go Purple, “Cactus Cat”
Cacti, cats and scratched film. It all makes sense. This video features band members having fun and employs film running backwards and colour tinted prints. There's also an intro from the band advertising their new EP and it ends with musings on what it means to be an all-women band. The titular cat is songwriter Denise Roughan’s black cat named Yosser.
Read more about Look Blue Go Purple on the Audioculture website.
Collection reference F55661
Year 1986
Credits Director: Pat O'Neil
Ardijah, “Time Makes the Wine”
Ardijah singer Betty-Anne Monga is an effortless performer – both on film and animated. This video features cross fade shots, dynamic lighting, a harp and standup bass. Guitarist Ryan Monga also sports a pretty impressive 80s hairdo in this Paul Middleditch-directed clip.
Read more about Ardijah on the Audioculture website.
Collection reference F25305
Year 1987
Credits Director: Paul Middleditch
Chris Knox, “Face of Fashion”
‘We fly in the face of fashion'. So sings Knox as frame by frame his hair acts like a transforming Medusa. Different head and facial hairstyles come and go in this no-budget video filmed in his kitchen. Knox used a cable release to record a few frames after each snip. Read more about how he created this video.
Read more about Chris Knox on the Audioculture website.
Collection reference F32783
Year 1989
Credits Director: Chris Knox
Headless Chickens, “Gaskrankinstation”
Actor Peter Tait performs as an attendant at a petrol station where things take a turn for the strange. The year before Tait had played ‘the Man’ in Alison Maclean's classic Kitchen Sink. This video uses wide angle lenses and blends the fictional narrative with footage of the band performing. “Gaskrankinstation” was the first charting single from the Chickens.
Read more about the Headless Chickens on the Audioculture website.
Collection reference F46477
Year 1989
Credits Director: Grant Fell