Able Tasmans
Encyclopedia
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 EPs on Flying Nun Records
. The band split up in 1996. Ten years later Graeme Humphreys and Peter Keen regrouped to record an album, The Overflow, under the name of Humphreys & Keen.,
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).
. The following is a list of these albums that have featured tracks by the Able Tasmans.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
.
At various times, the band consisted of Leslie Jonkers, Peter Keen, Graeme Humphreys
Graeme Hill
Graeme Hill is a New Zealand broadcaster. He has been a weekend and fill-in host for Radio Live since the station's inception, and currently hosts a 10:00 to 14:00 talk show with a focus on music and science. He was previously an announcer on Radio Sport...
, Craig Mason, Jane Dodd (previously of The Verlaines
The Verlaines
The Verlaines are a rock band from Dunedin, New Zealand. Formed in 1981 by Graeme Downes, Craig Easton, Anita Pillai, Phillip Higham and Greg Kerr, the band went through multiple line-ups before going on an extended hiatus after their 1997 album Over The Moon. In 2003 a career retrospective, You're...
), and Ronald Young. They formed in 1984, and named themselves after the Dutch explorer Abel Tasman
Abel Tasman
Abel Janszoon Tasman was a Dutch seafarer, explorer, and merchant, best known for his voyages of 1642 and 1644 in the service of the VOC . His was the first known European expedition to reach the islands of Van Diemen's Land and New Zealand and to sight the Fiji islands...
. They released four albums and two EPs on Flying Nun Records
Flying Nun Records
Flying Nun Records is an independent record label formed in Christchurch, New Zealand in 1981 by music-store proprietor Roger Shepherd.-History:The label was formed in the flurry of new punk rock-inspired labels forming in the early 1980s...
. The band split up in 1996. Ten years later Graeme Humphreys and Peter Keen regrouped to record an album, The Overflow, under the name of Humphreys & Keen.,
The style of music played by the band could be considered as similar to the prevalent Dunedin Sound
Dunedin Sound
The Dunedin sound was a style of indie pop music created in the southern New Zealand university city of Dunedin in the early 1980s.-Characteristics:...
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).
Discography
| Date of Release | Title | Label | Charted | Certification | Catalog Number | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albums | ||||||
| 1987 1987 in music This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1987.See also:Record labels established in 1987-January-February:*January 3 – Aretha Franklin becomes the first woman inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame... |
A Cuppa Tea and a Lie Down A Cuppa Tea and a Lie Down A Cuppa Tea and a Lie Down is the debut album by New Zealand band Able Tasmans, released by Flying Nun Records in 1987. The CD release of the album contains bonus tracks taken from the Tired Sun EP and a remix of their previous single, "Buffaloes".... |
Flying Nun Records/Flying Nun Europe | - | - | FN075, FNE18 | |
| 1990 1990 in music This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1990.-Events:*January 21 – MTV's Unplugged premieres on cable television with British band Squeeze... |
Hey Spinner Hey Spinner -Track listing:#"Dileen"#"Angry Martyr"#"Hold Me I"#"Michael Fay"#"Hold Me II"#"Wednesday "#"Patience"#"The theory of continual disappointment"#"Grey Lynn"#"Hey, Spinner!"#"Amelia"... |
Flying Nun Records | - | - | FN162 | |
| 1992 1992 in music This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1992.-January–February:*January 11**Nirvana's Nevermind album goes to #1 in the US Billboard 200 chart, establishing the widespread popularity of the Grunge movement of the 1990s.... |
Somebody Ate My Planet Somebody Ate My Planet "Somebody Ate My Planet" is an album released in 1992 by New Zealand band, Able Tasmans.-Track listing:#"Circular"#"Fault in the Frog"#"School is No Good For You"#"Asian Aphrodisiac Solution"#"The Cliff"#"Weight of Love"#"Sweet State"... |
Flying Nun Records; Festival Records | - | - | FNCD233; D30807 | |
| 1995 1995 in music This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1995.- January–February :*January 18 – Jerry Garcia crashes his rented BMW into a guard rail near Mill Valley, California, USA, but is not injured in the accident.... |
Store in a Cool Place Store in a Cool Place Store in a Cool Place is an album by New Zealand group, Able Tasmans released in 1995.-Track listing:#"That's Why"#"Giant"#"Simple"#"The Professional"#"My Name is Peter Keen"#"GG 300"#"The Wind Changed"#"Dog Whelk 2"#"Grenthol's Face"... |
Flying Nun Records; Festival Records | - | - | album: FN312; L31461 CD: FNCD312; D 31461 |
|
| 1998 1998 in music This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1998.-Events:*January 28 – "Weird Al" Yankovic gets LASIK surgery to cure his myopia... |
Songs From the Departure Lounge Songs from the Departure Lounge Songs from the Departure Lounge is an album by New Zealand band, Able Tasmans released in 1998.-Track listing:#"What Was That Thing"#"Sour Queen"#"Buffaloes"#"Michael's"#"Hold Me I"#"Grey Lynn"#"Michael Fay"#"Angry Martyr"#"Dileen"... |
Flying Nun Records | - | - | FNCD404 | |
| EPs | ||||||
| 1985 1985 in music This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1985.-January–March:*January 1 - The newest music video channel, VH-1, debuts on American cable. It is aimed at an older demographic than its sister station, MTV... |
The Tired Sun | Flying Nun Records | - | - | FN043 | |
| 1986 1986 in music This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1986.-January-June:*January 23 – The first induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame takes place... |
Shape Of Dolls | Flying Nun Records; Festival Records | - | - | FNCD280; D17044 | |
| Singles | ||||||
| 1986 1986 in music This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1986.-January-June:*January 23 – The first induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame takes place... |
A: Able Tasmans-Buffalos B: Raucous Laughter-Relapse |
Flying Nun Records; Festival Records | - | - | FN067 | |
Featured appearances
The group have appeared on a few CD & DVD compilations since 1991 in New ZealandNew Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. The following is a list of these albums that have featured tracks by the Able Tasmans.
- (19901990 in musicThis is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1990.-Events:*January 21 – MTV's Unplugged premieres on cable television with British band Squeeze...
) - In Love With These TimesIn Love with These TimesIn Love With These Times is a compilation of previously released songs by artists on New Zealand based Flying Nun Records. It was released by Flying Nun in 1990 and re-released in a 2CD package with the 1991 compilation Pink Flying Saucers Over the Southern Alps...
(Flying Nun RecordsFlying Nun RecordsFlying Nun Records is an independent record label formed in Christchurch, New Zealand in 1981 by music-store proprietor Roger Shepherd.-History:The label was formed in the flurry of new punk rock-inspired labels forming in the early 1980s...
) - "What Was That Thing?" - (19911991 in musicSee also:* 1991 in music Record labels established in 1991-Summary:The year 1991 is the year that grunge music made its popular breakthrough. Nirvana's Nevermind, led by the surprise hit single "Smells Like Teen Spirit", becomes the most popular U.S. album of the year...
) - Getting Older (Flying Nun RecordsFlying Nun RecordsFlying Nun Records is an independent record label formed in Christchurch, New Zealand in 1981 by music-store proprietor Roger Shepherd.-History:The label was formed in the flurry of new punk rock-inspired labels forming in the early 1980s...
) - "Sour Queen" - (19951995 in musicThis is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1995.- January–February :*January 18 – Jerry Garcia crashes his rented BMW into a guard rail near Mill Valley, California, USA, but is not injured in the accident....
) - AbbasalutelyAbbasalutelyAbbasalutely is a compilation album released in 1995 by New Zealand recording label Flying Nun Records as a tribute album to ABBA.-Track listing:-External links:*...
(Flying Nun RecordsFlying Nun RecordsFlying Nun Records is an independent record label formed in Christchurch, New Zealand in 1981 by music-store proprietor Roger Shepherd.-History:The label was formed in the flurry of new punk rock-inspired labels forming in the early 1980s...
) - "S.O.S.SOS (ABBA song)Agnetha Fältskog's version was the second single from her fifth Swedish solo-album Elva kvinnor i ett hus . It was the only song from this album not to have been composed by Fältskog herself....
" (ABBAABBAABBA was a Swedish pop group formed in Stockholm in 1970 which consisted of Anni-Frid Lyngstad, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson and Agnetha Fältskog...
cover) - (20042004 in musicSee also:* 2004 in music Record labels established in 2004-January:*January 1**The Vienna New Year's Concert is conducted by Riccardo Muti.**Kurt Nilsen wins World Idol....
) - Second Season Flying Nun DVD II (Flying Nun RecordsFlying Nun RecordsFlying Nun Records is an independent record label formed in Christchurch, New Zealand in 1981 by music-store proprietor Roger Shepherd.-History:The label was formed in the flurry of new punk rock-inspired labels forming in the early 1980s...
) - "Big Bang Theory" - (20042004 in musicSee also:* 2004 in music Record labels established in 2004-January:*January 1**The Vienna New Year's Concert is conducted by Riccardo Muti.**Kurt Nilsen wins World Idol....
) - Very Short Films (Flying Nun RecordsFlying Nun RecordsFlying Nun Records is an independent record label formed in Christchurch, New Zealand in 1981 by music-store proprietor Roger Shepherd.-History:The label was formed in the flurry of new punk rock-inspired labels forming in the early 1980s...
) - "Hold Me 1"
Singles/EPs
| Year | Single | Album | Charted | Certification |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | The Tired Sun EP | #42 (NZ) | - | |
| 1986 | "Buffalos" 7" single | - | - | |
| 1993 | The Shape of Dolls The Shape of Dolls The Shape of Dolls is an EP by New Zealand band Able Tasmans, released on Flying Nun Records in 1993.-Track listing:#"Dog-Whelk" – 3:43#"The Big Bang Theory" – 3:59#"Coming Up For Air" – 3:39#"Mayfly May" – 4:19#"The Shape of Dolls" – 3:47... EP |
#39 (NZ) | - |