For NZ Music Month, we're asking local musicians to tell us about the New Zealand songs they love the most. Today, Austin Cunningham, from Tauranga band Threat.Meet.Protocol, details his five favourites.
Photo: Supplied
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Gordons - Adults and Children
We aren't the most original band, in fact we proudly wear our influences on the sleeves of the official band t-shirts we are ripping off. Few bands local or otherwise have been more pillaged by us than the Gordons. I am unashamed to say that I even stole the bassline to Adults and Children for one of our songs and passed it off as my own. Why? Cause I could and should.
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The 3Ds - Outer Space
The Pixies and Pavement are two of our favourite bands of all time which is why we love The 3Ds so much. They are the beautiful and incredible middle ground between. This song and video is one of the greatest musical moments this country has ever produced. On the back of it one can only wonder how and why they never became the biggest band in the world?
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Straitjacket Fits - She Speeds
I hate calling up Spark. No matter what the inquiry you know you are going to wind up on hold for at least an hour listening to a selection of some of New Zealands most overplayed kitsch 'classics' from the Feelers to the Exponents. But in amongst it one can only hold out hope for something good. Straitjacket Fits' She Speeds is that oasis in a dry sandy desert of Dobbyn. For four all too brief minutes I don't care if Spark never answers.
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Black Science - FDB
Our career as a band has been inextricably linked with Black Science. After immediately hitting it off over shared interests and matching styles they have become the big brother to our annoying little sister. But like all older siblings they got the better, more pure DNA. How they aren't a bigger band locally or internationally is beyond us. Really, it is... This year has to be their year otherwise I'm turning my back on the music industry.
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Flogging a Dead One Horse Town - Man Wearing Cape
The greatest band ever to come out of Tauranga and New Zealand's best kept musical secret. With only bass and drums at their disposal Flogging are the missing link between Slint and Low. They are the kind of special act whereby if every other Tauranga band were to suddenly come down with a virus that prevented them from playing music ever again, and I had only enough vaccine for one band (including mine), then I would give it to FADOHT as they are the only ones that truly matter.
Follow Threat.Meet.Protocol on Facebook and hear their album on Soundcloud.