From their emergence in 1979 through disbanding a scant five years later, Australian Crawl stood as a bizarre anomaly against the largely punk & political scene Down Under. Essentially sculpted as the Melbourne Beach Boys, the Crawl's songs ranged from odes to Errol Flynn and Resort Girls to rousing sing-alongs like "Hootchie Gucci Fiorucci... [+] Read More

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Dave Dobbyn was one of the New Zealand pop scene's most popular and respected figures, enjoying success which spanned several decades. He first surfaced in mid-1976 as a founding member of Th' Dudes, one of the country's biggest bands of the era; Dobbyn was widely tapped as their breakout star, earning notoriety for writing and singing their... [+] Read More

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Formed on a whim by a group of bored art students in search of free drinks, Australia's prankish Mental As Anything went on to forge a career spanning across several decades, their tongues remaining planted firmly in cheek throughout the duration of their existence. Debuting in 1978, the Sydney-based group included singer/guitarist Reg Mombasa... [+] Read More

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As one of the most traditional pop bands of the new wave, Squeeze provided one of the links between classic British guitar pop and post-punk. Inspired heavily by the Beatles and the Kinks, Squeeze was the vehicle for the songwriting of Chris Difford and Glenn Tilbrook, who were hailed as the heirs to Lennon and McCartney's throne during their... [+] Read More

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The New Zealand pop band the Mutton Birds was led by singer/guitarist Don McGlashan, already a highly regarded figure in his native land for his work in the legendary post-punk-era group Blam Blam Blam. Also including ex-Six Volts guitarist David Long and drummer Ross Burge, the group began recording their debut album in late 1991; following its... [+] Read More

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XTC was one of the smartest -- and catchiest -- British pop bands to emerge from the punk and new wave explosion of the late '70s. From the tense, jerky riffs of their early singles to the lushly arranged, meticulous pop of their later albums, XTC's music has always been driven by the hook-laden songwriting of guitarist Andy Partridge and... [+] Read More

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