The Enemy (New Zealand band)

Last updated

The Enemy
Origin Dunedin, New Zealand
Genres Punk rock
Years active1977-1978
Past members Chris Knox
Alec Bathgate
Mick Dawson
Mike Dooley
Phil Judd

The Enemy were a punk rock band from Dunedin, New Zealand, that are often seen as the starting point of the Dunedin sound rock movement.

Contents

Formed early 1977 and fronted by vocalist Chris Knox with bassist Mick Dawson, drummer Mike Dooley, and guitarist Alec Bathgate, the band were strongly influenced by artists similar to those cited by the then-ascendant international punk rock music scene. Elements of Glam rock, hard rock and the catchy chart-pop music of the 1960s were fused with definitive proto-punk acts like Lou Reed and Iggy Pop (who is referred to in the song "Iggy Told Me", during the performance of which Knox would often intentionally cut himself, drawing blood). During the last months of 1978, bassist Mick Dawson left to return to Dunedin and former Split Enz member Phil Judd joined the band, but the lineup proved incompatible. Due to these and other tensions (the 'punk' label was becoming something of a burden), the Enemy ceased soon after.

Though the band did not release any official recordings, some of their performances and their few-but-extensive studio recordings (their entire 20-song repertoire was recorded in Auckland, October 1978 just before their November split) are available in bootleg form. [1] With a solid 'originals-only' performance regime, the Enemy are seen as hugely influential on the development of New Zealand's indigenous rock music culture. Though the band only existed from 1977 to 1978, they created a distinct, idiosyncratic style and popularised an 'original music is crucial' attitude which helped facilitate the development of several local music scenes in both Dunedin and New Zealand in general.

Upon the demise of the Enemy, Bathgate, Dooley and Knox went on to form Toy Love. Toy Love played a number of songs that the Enemy had originally performed, though usually with some musical rearrangement or alteration of the sometimes-pungent lyrics. Songs that began with the Enemy but were subsequently utilised by Toy Love include "Swimming Pool", "I Don't Mind", "1978", "Squeeze", "Cold Meat", "I'm Not Bored" (which The Enemy introduced as "I'm Not Bored, I'm Dead"), and "Don't Catch Fire". After Toy Love broke up in October 1980, Bathgate and Knox remained together as Tall Dwarfs.

Early supporters of the Enemy included Dunedin brothers Hamish and David Kilgour, founders of The Clean. Legend has it that Hamish Kilgour named The Enemy for their music style, and in response or retaliation, Knox commented that the Kilgour's own sound was "squeaky clean", hence that band's name.

Further reading

Churton, W. R. (1999, 2001). Have You Checked the Children? Punk and postpunk music in New Zealand, 1977-1981. Christchurch, NZ: Put Your Foot Down Publishing. ISBN   0-47306-196-1

Eggleton, D. (2003). Ready to Fly. Nelson, NZ: Craig Potton. ISBN   1-877333-06-9

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Iggy Pop</span> American rock musician (born 1947)

James Newell Osterberg Jr., known professionally as Iggy Pop, is an American singer, musician, songwriter, actor, and radio broadcaster. He was the vocalist and lyricist of proto-punk band The Stooges, who were formed in 1967 and have disbanded and reunited many times since. Often called the "Godfather of Punk", he was named one of the 50 Great Voices by NPR. In 2010, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, as a member of the Stooges. Pop also received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2020, for his solo work.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flying Nun Records</span> New Zealand independent record label

Flying Nun Records is a New Zealand independent record label formed in Christchurch in 1981 by music store manager Roger Shepherd. Described by The Guardian as "one of the world's great independent labels", Flying Nun is notable for bringing global attention to the Dunedin sound, a cultural and musical movement in early 1980s Dunedin.

The Dunedin sound was a musical and cultural movement in Dunedin, Otago, in the early 1980s. It helped found indie rock as a genre. The scene is associated with Flying Nun Records an independent label.

Chris Knox is a New Zealand rock and roll musician, cartoonist and movie reviewer who emerged during the punk rock era with his bands The Enemy and Toy Love. After Toy Love disbanded in the early 1980s, he formed the group Tall Dwarfs with guitarist Alec Bathgate. The Tall Dwarfs were noted for their unpolished sound and intense live shows. His 4-track machine was used to record most of the early Flying Nun singles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Toy Love</span> New Zealand new wave/punk rock band

Toy Love were a New Zealand new wave and punk rock band that originated in Dunedin and was active from 1978 to 1980. Members included Chris Knox, Alec Bathgate and Paul Kean.

Rock music in New Zealand, also known as Kiwi rock music and New Zealand rock music, rose to prominence first in 1955 with Johnny Cooper's cover version of Bill Haley's hit song "Rock Around the Clock". This was followed by Johnny Devlin, sometimes nicknamed New Zealand's Elvis Presley, and his cover of "Lawdy Miss Clawdy". The 1960s saw Max Merritt and the Meteors and Ray Columbus & the Invaders achieve success. In the 1970s and early 1980s the innovative Split Enz had success internationally as well as nationally, with member Neil Finn later continuing with Crowded House. Other influential bands in the 1970s were Th' Dudes, Dragon and Hello Sailor. The early 1980s saw the development of the indie rock "Dunedin sound", typified by Dunedin bands such as The Clean, Straitjacket Fits and The Chills, recorded by the Flying Nun record label of Christchurch. New Zealand's foremost hard rock band Shihad started their long career in 1988. Since 2018 this title is now undoubtedly held by New Zealand Māori metal band Alien Weaponry who have achieved huge success in Europe and the USA.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Clean</span> New Zealand indie rock band

The Clean was a New Zealand indie rock band formed in Dunedin in 1978. They have been described as the most influential band to come from the Flying Nun label, which recorded many artists associated with the "Dunedin sound", and one of the first bands to be described as "indie rock".

Shayne P. Carter is a New Zealand musician best known for leading Straitjacket Fits from 1986 to 1994, and as the only permanent member of Dimmer (1995–2012).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Chills</span> New Zealand rock band

The Chills are a New Zealand rock band that formed in Dunedin in 1980. The band are fronted by founding mainstay singer-songwriter, guitarist Martin Phillipps. During the mid-1990s they were billed as Martin Phillipps & the Chills. Their top ten studio albums in their homeland are Submarine Bells (1990), Soft Bomb (1992), Snow Bound (2018) and Scatterbrain (2021). The Chills were a cult band in other parts of the world as one of the earliest proponents of the Dunedin sound. Their top 20 singles are "Pink Frost", "Doledrums", "I Love My Leather Jacket" (1986), "Heavenly Pop Hit" (1990) and "Male Monster from the Id" (1992).

David Auld Kilgour is a New Zealand songwriter, musician and recording artist from Dunedin. He first started playing guitar as a teenager in the late 1970s. With brother Hamish he formed The Clean, a group that went on to become one of the principal acts of the Dunedin Sound.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alastair Galbraith</span> New Zealand musician

Alastair Galbraith is a New Zealand musician and sound artist from Dunedin.

Netherworld Dancing Toys, often simply known as The NDTs, was a New Zealand band from Dunedin formed in 1982. In 1985, their single "For Today" reached number 3 in the New Zealand singles chart.

Alec Bathgate is a New Zealand musician who was a key member of The Enemy and Toy Love, as well as being one half of the Flying Nun Records act Tall Dwarfs, alongside Chris Knox. In addition to playing guitar in these bands, he also released three solo albums.

<i>Boodle Boodle Boodle</i> 1981 EP by The Clean

Boodle Boodle Boodle is a 12" EP by New Zealand band The Clean. Released by Flying Nun Records in 1981, it is one of the more important releases in the Dunedin sound genre. The EP reached number five in the New Zealand music charts, despite being listed in the singles chart, and stayed in the top 20 for nearly six months.

Julian Temple Band is an Indie band from Dunedin, New Zealand, fronted by Californian/New Zealand singer-songwriter Julian Temple. They formed in February 2004 as a surf-rock inspired project after post-graduate work at the University of Otago. The band has independently recorded and released seven albums; In Sea (2006), Quiet Earth (2009), Balance Escapes (2010), Upsidedownbackwards (2012), Ceiling in the Sky (2015), Antarctica (2018), and Tunnels (2023).

Bilders is a New Zealand music group of varying lineups that produced a string of self-recorded 7-inch vinyl releases between 1980 and 1982 leading to Beatin Hearts, the first studio-album from fledgling New Zealand independent record label 'Flying Nun Records'.

<i>Vehicle</i> (The Clean album) 1990 studio album by the Clean

Vehicle is the first studio album by New Zealand rock group the Clean. It was released in 1990 by Flying Nun and Rough Trade Records. Much of the material was written for the band's reunion tour in the late 1980s. Rough Trade founder Geoff Travis offered to record The Clean after seeing them play in London, after which Vehicle was produced during a three-day session. The album was engineered by Ken Kennedy and notable producer Alan Moulder, who was suggested by Travis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hamish Kilgour</span> New Zealand musician (1957–2022)

Hamish Kilgour was a New Zealand musician who co-founded the indie rock band The Clean with his brother David in 1978. Kilgour also co-founded the band Bailter Space in 1987 and later recorded as a solo artist.

Peter Gutteridge was a New Zealand musician, credited with pioneering the Dunedin sound with The Clean and The Chills.

Terrorways, not to be confused with Punk bands The Tearaways from Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, or from Hertfordshire, England, were a New Zealand punk rock band from Auckland, who were big on the local punk scene. They are also remembered for their songs "She's a Mod" and "Never Been to Borstal".

References