New Zealand punk ain’t something I hear everyday. We’ve posted Spelling Mistakes and the more New Waveish Split Enz before. Here we have Suburban Reptiles with a bad ass record that I heard for the first time today. A haunting guitar melody and some mysterious synth sounds that fades in here and there makes Saturday a true keeper. Voted as the best song of the 20th century in 2003 on that little Lord Of The Rings iland. Oh yeah that track can also be found on the infamous AK79 compilation.
The flip 45 Single is just as great but more of a traditional punk rock ditty. Produced by Philip Judd from the hated and beloved Split Enz.
Rumored to have a pressing run of 200 copies. Sorry but a New Zealand rat have taken a bite on my sleeve. VERY common among them rats. THANKS AWESOME! SHRED ON!!
Country: New Zealand
Year: 1978
Label: Vertigo
Format: 7″
Songs:
Saturday Night, Stay At Home.mp3
45 Single.mp3
Good one. Excellent imagery to boot. AK79 rules.
First heard it on Hate Your Neighbors CD. Great classic NZ punk. It’s something that sounds cheazy and easy to hate like early Go-Go’s or Barbies (us-ca) but all dressed up punk with safety pins and funny sunglasses. Pogo!
Shut up Tom and go listen to your uk82 bullshit.
Great one. Close to the top of my list.
Don’t worry about the rat bite, that record in the sleeve is headache to find. Nab it, even if it has a dog bite. Their 12″ is great too.
– besides the heavy hitters, another good NZ 45, but more pop is The Swingers: counting the beat. I don’t know if it has been uploaded by anyone yet.
Absolut fantastic!
Thanks a lot!!!
Now some TOY LOVE please…
“saturday night” is a MONSTER!!!!! great sexy singing – hell, i want a grrl who can sing like that.
how come, pjotr, the b-side is so different in sound? and yes – invest some of your hard earned $$ in a new interface and some new cables, i’m sure it would pump quality up a little.
yours in hi-fi
surelyoldfucksucker
LustForDeath and Terry, it’s just music. And with that follows certain opinions about what you like and not. It’s no big deal you know. Peace and love!
You may be interested in taking a look at this.
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Music-instruments/Vinyl/45-RPM/Rock/auction-72231667.htm
This may be nitpicking but the tune “Saturday Night Stay At Home” did not appear on the original AK-79 comp LP from 1980– it appeared on the wonderful CD reissue of AK-79 in 1993 that included a ton of extra single tracks, demos, etc. from different Kiwi bands. The Suburban Reptiles’ great tune “Megaton” was on the original AK-79 LP from 1980, though. So there! About 3 years ago a Suburban Reptiles reissue 7″EP came out, but I forget which label put it out. I have a copy at home, I’ll have to check the track listing too.
I stand corrected! Thanks Tony. Right shall be right.
I’ve found the reissue while googling. Worth picking up?
Pick me up. I’m worth it!
Phil judd did not produce 45 single-all he produced was saturday night stay at home-he was a pig to work with,and used the band to his own ends.Taking me and jimmy out in the process-not a nice man-cheers,ZERO
Zero is right (she sang on the single…). Also Megaton was not on the original AK79 issue either, only on the 12″. Sat Night had a press of 500 I think.
I compiled the reissue of Ak79 (and released it) and was involved with (formed, with a couple of others) the band (it’s all on my website).
You take a little “Rocky Horror”, pump it full of art-punk steroids, wait until the second single and voila. Camp, catchy and archly witty, “Saturday Night” is a top 5 glammy art-punk single in anyone’s book (the video is on Youtube. Zero is totally hot and wears a see-through top). The brief flip “45 Single” is a more abstract (ie less ‘pop’), but fine rifferama all the same. One of those early Kiwi punk bands (like the Enemy) who should have released an album, but stifled in the corporate-based pre-indie climate.
I’ve posted some more tracks from the AK79 comp on my blog, just click on my name to get to the page, then scroll down and click on the songs. I suggest listening to the Primmers (you’re gonna get done) and Scavengers (true love) first as they are killer and I’m sure you’ll love it. The rest is also good/ great. Awesome comp. NZ punk rules.
wheres the download link?
Right where the song titles are.
this is cool, ever heard The Gordons? they are pure brilliance.