Posts Tagged Idiot Sun

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January 29, 2018 by Simon Sweetman

The Ghost of Electricity: War Stories by Jon McLeary # 196 Ska

I think it was the killer basslines that hooked me in and the attitude as much as anything. When I first moved to Wellington in 1980 I guess I was still writing folk songs. Louise and I had found work at the Art Centre and I felt under pressure to write. That first Specials album […]

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September 11, 2017 by Simon Sweetman

The Ghost of Electricity: War Stories by Jon McLeary # 179 On the Radio

It must have been Fishing – either the song itself or maybe Gillian. The first time I heard myself on the radio. Bryan Staff our producer was also a DJ and he played it on a late night slot on commercial radio It was a strange feeling – like hearing your speaking voice back on […]

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August 21, 2017 by Simon Sweetman

The Ghost of Electricity: War Stories by Jon McLeary # 176 The Record Covers

I started buying albums in the 70s and it was a great time for the cover artwork. I have to admit that was part of the attraction for me – those Hipgnosis and Roger Dean images grabbed my imagination. It was an essential aspect to enjoying an album for me. By the time the Spines […]

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August 7, 2016 by Simon Sweetman

The Ghost of Electricity: War Stories by Jon McLeary # 123 Union Hall – Part Two: Violent Femmes

It was packed, with students, music fans and hoons and there was a great atmosphere. The Spines were Ross, Wendy, Neill and me that night and we were up for it. We were like a huge rhythm engine in those days playing in odd funky time signatures with intense and sometimes insane vocals. We had […]

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May 29, 2016 by Simon Sweetman

The Ghost of Electricity: War Stories by Jon McLeary # 113 Flying Nun

There’s been so much written about them already but I thought I’d chime in with my experience with the label and its people. The Spines came to it after being disillusioned at Jayrem. I’d met Roger Shepherd several times over the years at gigs and he’d always expressed interest in the band so it was […]

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April 24, 2016 by Simon Sweetman

The Ghost of Electricity: War Stories by Jon McLeary # 108 Valhalla

It was a house on the Terrace that we found when we learned the big warehouse space that we called home was about to be torn down. Old and stucco, full of earthquake cracks and rundown but with a majestic view of the city. Valhalla was painted in spidery writing on the façade. There was […]

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December 27, 2015 by Simon Sweetman

The Ghost of Electricity: War Stories by Jon McLeary # 91 Minus Woman

He sits alone looking into himself To find the place where the plan went south He tries his beam but the trail’s already stale So he takes the expected lift Brings him back to the reason she left The cut’s clean but the pain’s already pain With some songs you get this prophetic resonance, whether […]

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August 10, 2014 by Simon Sweetman

The Ghost of Electricity: War Stories by Jon McLeary # 20 Idiot Sun/Flying Nun

After years of playing together, the jazz influences of Ross Burge and Neill Duncan were really having a bearing on the Spines and my song writing. Odd but funky time signatures and improvisations were becoming central to our sound. We had parted ways with Jayrem Records after The Moon and were now on Flying Nun. […]