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The Verlaines 1982 — Graeme Downes (Vocals/Guitar), Jane Dodd (Bass) and Greg Kerr (Drums)
Over time the line-up included Alan Haig (Drums), Phillip Higham (Bass), Craig Easton (Guitar/Vocals), Anita Pillai (Keyboards), Caroline Easther (Drums),
Mike Stoodley (Bass), Gregg Cairns (Drums), Paul Winders (Guitar), Darren Stedman (Drums), Russell Fleming (Bass), Stephen Small (Keyboards),
Tom Healy (Guitar), Rob Burns (Bass) and Chris Miller (Bass)
The Verlaines first stirred in late 1980. With the city's young groups, they began organising hall concerts, playing one-offs at the Dunedin Town Hall's concert chamber, and on campus for Otago University Rock Society. From the middle of August 1981, the emerging groups were filling out bills in the newly opened concert venue on the third floor of the Empire Tavern in Princes Street. Most weekends - well into 1982 - that is where you would find The Verlaines' early lines-up with Downes, Phillip Higham (Bass), Craig Easton (Guitar/Vocals), Greg Kerr (Drums) and Anita Pillai (Keyboards). Trips north to Christchurch in October and November 1981 to play the DB Gladstone with The Clean and Sneaky Feelings introduced The Verlaines to new crowds and garnered mixed notices. Hometown fans lucked out and got the full Dunedin sound menu of The Verlaines, The Clean, The Chills, The Stones and Sneaky Feelings at the Captain Cook Tavern for a four-day run in mid-December. The Verlaines were back in Christchurch in March 1982 with Sneaky Feelings at the Star and Garter, pausing long enough to record songs for the Dunedin Double EP. When the landmark Flying Nun compilation was released in July 1982, it shifted the gaze of indie fans to the far south. The Verlaines have three recordings on it, none especially distinguished, although the songs are there. Crisis After Crisis in particular, was promising - it's the song Downes later pointed to as a clear link in the Dunedin Sound chain. |
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