DEAD PAN RANGERS
Originally known as ‘Mystery Machine’ the band
was formed by Mike and Darran in 1997 (after meeting
at Uni) and performed spasmodically around the Waikato area until
midway through 1998. Recording at home using a combination of four-track
and computer they began what was initially planned to be an E.P., however
five months and a name change later they emerged from the ‘studio’ with
an entire album. Since its release in early ’99, their debut CD has enjoyed
favourable reviews and various songs have received airplay on a number
of B-Net stations throughout New Zealand. Over the next couple
of years the band played live occasionally including gigs with Chicane
and Regurgitator but primarily laid pretty low as they struggled
to find a drummer (going through about 8 and even resorting to using a
drum machine) until Amy joined the band in 2000. Playing
their first gig together this new lineup entered and surprisingly won
the "Hamilton Band Experiments"competition...the prize being the
production of 500CDs and four days of recording at Clicksound.
After using their prize to remaster and rerelease their debut CD the band
headed into the studio in 2001 to begin work on their next album,
and continued to do so for the next 2 years, thus earning their reputation
as being the laziest band in Hamilton. Live performances during
this period were pretty rare, the highlights being a 95-BFM live to air
and supporting The Subliminals at Ward Lane Tavern. Continuing
in the Dead Pan Rangers tradition Amy left to pursue studies in
Wellington, leaving the band drummerless until the current incarnation
was formed when Bevan joined in '03. So far this lineup has been
on a couple of NZ tours and released their second album "we've done so
much good for so many people". Offering a somewhat distinctive variation
on the indie guitar genre the music has been described as melodic guitar
lines contrasting with (sometimes) sinister vocals and the odd analogue
synthesizer moment. Influences are varied and include Flying Nun
greats, early Mercury Rev, and Pavement. When it comes to
labeling themselves, they have only got as far as "experimentally skewed
indie pop".
