Simon Grigg

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Simon Grigg has, since 1977, been a part of the New Zealand music scene, both behind the scenes and more publicly.

As a teenager Grigg formed The Suburban Reptiles, New Zealand’s first (with The Scavengers) punk band, whom he managed for the first year of their rather brief but influential career. In June 1977 he, with co-promoted New Zealand’s first major Punk concert, which, like similar gigs in the UK, proved to be the impetus behind a large number of so called “second generation” punk bands.

In 1980 he formed Propeller Records, kick-starting the Independent record label boom in NZ in the 1980s. Between 1980 and 1983 Propeller had a string of hit singles and albums, including a number one with The Screaming Meemees, who Grigg also managed.

After a period in London he moved into clubs and in 1986 opened the first House nightclub in Australasia, The Asylum in the Auckland suburb of Mt Eden. His Stimulant label in the mid eighties had enormous success with, initially, UK dance artist, Princess, licensed via the UK's PWL label, and then, the Eight Arms to Hold You collection, co-compiled by Grigg, which introduced NZ to labels like Def Jam and Tabu. His Def Jam collection Its The New Style, was released globally.

In the 1990s Grigg, with partner Tom Sampson, was behind Cause Celebre and The Box. For a decade the two clubs hosted the cream of New Zealnd's live and DJ performers, with extended residencies from Nathan Haines, Rob Salmon and Greg Churchill. In 1994 he launched the record label Huh! releasing debuts by Nathan Haines, and OMC. The latter’s How Bizarre was a worldwide hit over 1996 and 1997 reaching number one in 15 countries. It remains one of the most successful records released from New Zealand, selling several million copies.

Huh then released the Nice’n’Urlich series, a multi-platinum success in New Zealand, co-ordinated and co-complied by Grigg. Also on huh were a series of influential New Zealand DJ mix albums, plus lounge and soul collections compiled by Grigg with Peter Urlich.

Grigg hosted the BPM and Extended Play Radio shows on 95bfm and George FM between 1985 and 2005. The BPM show was Zealand's first dedicated dancefloor aimed radio show and ran for 17 years.

In 2004 his Joy label released the number one single Its On by 3 The Hard Way, giving him a number one NZ single in each of the past three decades. The subsequent album was a Top 10 release.

In 1982 he was awarded the Record Industry Association Award for Outstanding Contribution to the New Zealand Recording Industry.

Propeller Records has, in recent years, released a series of acclaimed albums which have documented much of New Zealand's musical history, including the reissue of the iconic punk collection, AK79, much expanded (a joint release with Flying Nun Records); the NZ post punk collection Bigger Than Both of Us, and the soundtrack to the TVNZ documentary series, Give It A Whirl.