A different view of Kiwi icon Flying Nun from afar
Needles and Plastic: Flying Nun Records, 1981-1988. by Matthew Goody, Auckland University Press, $69.99 .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
This is not the definitive history of Flying Nun, with label founder Roger Shepherd's In Love With These Times autobiography doing a pretty good job at that.
But what this is, is even more exciting — a look at the key period in the label's history and the bands that made the magic happen. It's in effect a very well written and well researched illustrated discography of all that was produced by the label and its bands, between 1981 and 1988 — from The Clean's Tally Ho! single to The Verlaines' Bird-dog LP. They are the critical early years when the label was based in Christchurch.
But what's probably most remarkable about this excellent book is that Goody is not a Kiwi
Flying Nun tragic, who's reliving his youth through this tome.
No, he's a Canadian, living in Vancouver, who didn't even get into the label until more than 20 years after his book starts in 1981.
Which I suppose just goes to show how much of an international reach Flying Nun and its bands had and how much influence they had on those listening across the globe.
However, for me, that means he's looking at this through a real researcher's eye and this is a thorough look at every release from that period. He's giving some in-depth analysis, that is unencumbered by nostalgia or parochialism that a Kiwi writer might have added to the mix.
And while Goody has taken a very methodical and structured approach to his work, it doesn't come across as verbose or boring. In fact, it's a good read that even the most ardent Flying Nun fan will read and be amazed at how much they have learned.
This is a fully illustrated account of the label, the bands, the band members and the songs from that early period. Goody tells the engaging stories through the records themselves, with more than 140 of them featured here.
It draws on his years of research to uncover new aspects of each record and band and band members, with some very colourful characters on the label over the years.
He doesn't shy away from the shambolic and chaotic aspects of the label — at times it's a wonder they managed to produce any music at all, let alone the wonderful works that came out from amazing bands like The Clean, Verlaines, Look Blue Go Purple, JPSE, Tall Dwarfs, Able Tasmans, Bird Nest Roys, and so many more.
There are more than 500 photos included, many of them never seen before, and this will be ideal for any Kiwi alternative music fan.
— Mike Dinsdale