Able Tasmans

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Able Tasmans
Image:AbleTasmansHeySpinner.jpg
Hey Spinner! by the Able Tasmans
Background information
Origin New Zealand
Genre(s) Indie rock
Lo-fi
Years active 19841996
Label(s) Flying Nun
Former members
Leslie Jonkers
Peter Keen
Graeme Humphreys
Craig Mason
Jane Dodd
Ronald Young

The Able Tasmans were an indie band from Auckland, New Zealand.

At various times, the band consisted of Leslie Jonkers, Peter Keen, Graeme Humphreys, Craig Mason, Jane Dodd (previously of The Verlaines), and Ronald Young. They formed in 1984, and named themselves after the Dutch explorer Abel Tasman. They released four albums and two EP's on Flying Nun Records. The band split up in 1996.[1] Ten years later Graeme Humphreys and Peter Keen regrouped to record an album, The Overflow, under the name of Humphreys & Keen.[2]

The style of music played by the band could be considered as similar to the prevalent Dunedin Sound favoured by Flying Nun during the 1980s and 1990s, and most effective when keyboards (not normally prominent in the Dunedin Sound) were to the fore, as on their early student radio hit Snow White Chook.

Graeme Humphreys is now better known in New Zealand for his role as a radio talkback host (under the name Graeme Hill).

Contents

[edit] Discography

Cover Date of Release Title Label Charted Certification Catalog Number
Albums
1987 A Cuppa Tea and a Lie Down[3] Flying Nun - -
1990 Hey Spinner Flying Nun - -
1992 Somebody Ate My Planet Flying Nun - -
1995 Store in a Cool Place Flying Nun - -
1995 Songs From the Departure Lounge[4] Flying Nun - -
EPs
1985 Tired Sun Flying Nun Records - - FN043
1986 Shape Of Dolls Flying Nun Records - -

[edit] Featured appearances

The group have appeared on a few CD & DVD compilations since 1991 in New Zealand. The following is a list of these albums that have featured tracks by the Able Tasmans.

[edit] Singles/EP's

Year Single Album Charted Certification
1985 The Tired Sun EP #42 (NZ) -
1986 "Buffaloes" 7" single - -
1993 The Shape of Dolls EP #39 (NZ) -

[edit] References

  1. ^ Flying Nun band history
  2. ^ New Zealand Listener: "Baroque Dreams" by Nick Bollinger, March 25–31, 2006.
  3. ^ CD includes Buffaloes and most of Tired Sun
  4. ^ Posthumous "best-of" compilation