NEEDLES AND PLASTIC: FLYING NUN RECORDS, 1981–1988

by Matthew Goody

In this remarkable tale of creativity and chaos, do-it-yourself innovation and extraordinary attempts at world domination, Needles and Plastic tells the inside story of one of New Zealand – and the world’s – great independent music labels. Hundreds of full color & black and white photos illustrate the story! Founded in 1981 by Roger Shepherd in Christchurch, New Zealand, Flying Nun Records unleashed an extraordinary wave of music that had an impact around the world.Needles and Plastic is the first comprehensive history of the early years of the label and its bands covering the critical period from 1981–1988 when many of the most influential and critically acclaimed artists emerged on Flying Nun, bands like – from The Clean, The Chills, The Verlaines, Straitjacket Fits and Bailter Space. The influence of the obscure label became apparent in the 1990s, when big-time indie acts like Pavement, Cat Power or Yo La Tengo started covering Flying Nun bands. In entries on over 140 records from The Clean’s ‘Tally Ho!’ 7" in 1981 to The Verlaines Bird-Dog LP in 1988, Matthew Goody tells the story through the records themselves. His book draws on years of in-depth research to reveal the stories of the bands, the recordings, the songs, and the audience, with a host of significant characters contributing along the way – Shepherd, Chris Knox, Doug Hood, Hamish Kilgour and many more. In this remarkable tale of creativity and chaos, do-it-yourself innovation and extraordinary attempts at world domination, Needles and Plastic tells the inside story of one the world’s great independent music labels.

Genres: Music, Nonfiction, History

400 pages, Paperback

Published November 22, 2022

Reviews

[Doug Dillaman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having read several label-centric books that drop the ball in various ways, it's an absolute pleasure to read one that absolutely nails its mission. Goody's long-gestating book has clearly benefited from a focus on how to clearly juggle the numerous story arcs that span the history of the seven years here (and deciding when to close them off). Every release merits at least a small explanation, no matter how esoteric, and while release date order is often unmoored from the chronological recording, this potential confusion is handled really well. Plus it's just a fucking beautiful book! Every once in a while I wanted additional images of the actual artifact - often an intriguing piece of album art would be alluded to but unseen - and I think I caught one very minor, already forgotten misspelling. So, no, it's not perfect - but it's near as dammit!

[Keen Reader · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars!

Brought up on a steady diet of Joy Division, Nuggets and The Velvet Underground, a generation of young, alternative, musically inclined people of Aotearoa formed bands and soon found a home in the fledgling Flying Nun label of Christchurch, in spite of its so-called “Dunedin Sound”. The label clearly provided a home for those regarded as being less commercially viable. And over the years the label and many of the bands within it inadvertently became anti-establishment by default and really struggled to get picked up or played by most of the commercial media who were largely closed-minded about the prospect of playing them, with only rare exceptions.

You have to remember that the NZ of the early-mid 1980s was still an incredibly backward and conservative nation, they had only got rid of the six ‘o clock swill in 1967, homosexuality was still illegal (even then the govt only passed the bill by 5 votes in 1986). Abortion although not outlawed, was still made very awkward for most. So the chances of the mainstream and their corporate owned media receiving something like Flying Nun with open arms were slim to say the least and this was clearly reflected in the lack of airplay throughout the country.

Without doubt Flying Nun Records released some great tunes in their heyday, my favourite being Straitjacket Fits “She Speeds”. Though personally speaking I think that FN maybe one of the most over rated and over hyped labels of their era. Yes it was an important force and played an essential part of the burgeoning alternative music scene within NZ, providing vital space and a crucial platform for so many bands and artists who otherwise would have never gotten heard beyond a few pubs and clubs in NZ’s South Island.

But on the other hand, they also produced a phenomenal amount of mediocre and terrible music over the years too, which has retrospectively been oversold and inflated through a combination of snobbery, nostalgia and various commercial interests. I think the biggest issue around it, is that the idea of FN too often eclipsed the reality of FN. So often the output was inconsistent. Most of the better bands and better music coming out of NZ was actually found elsewhere, usually on the major labels, which were better produced, with generally better song writing, stronger promotion and more resources to do quality bands justice.

Goody really captures the rawness, the fearless DIY spirit of the scene and you get a feel for the essence of the time, the tingle of possibility at the start of a bold, yet unorthodox odyssey through the early years with varying results. It’s easy to understand the romantic allure and seductive pull of the plucky underdog making a brave stance against the corporate masses. But closer analysis reveals the double edged sword of being so small and parochial, yes it can earn you lots of cool credibility capital, but it doesn’t look so cool when your amateurism or incompetence results in basic mis-prints, songs being missed out, or when you repeatedly cannot keep up with demand for releases, resulting in lost revenue and missed opportunities.

You can see that a lot of love, care and attention has gone into assembling this, it reflects a curator’s devotion, filled with photos, handbills, posters and other ephemera relating to the label and the era. This won’t be for everyone, but this should be a treat for all fans of the label or the music it spawned. This also makes an ideal pairing with Roger “founder of Flying Nun” Shepherd’s memoir “In Love With These Times”.

[Steve Erickson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Matthew Goody's history of the early years of Flying Nun is essential reading for fans of '80s indie rock. While the book follows a rather formulaic structure, running down every single record released by the label from 1981-88 and quoting the same few music critics, it offers a behind-the-scenes look which is less flattering than label founder Roger Shepherd's memoir. Thanks to the fact that only one vinyl pressing plant existed in New Zealand during this period, release delays of a year and problems with mastering and artwork were not uncommon. Goody's acknowledgement of the label's entire discography introduced me to some worthy records that don't neatly fit its jangly guitar pop aesthetic. (Band after band cites the Velvet Underground, Byrds and Syd Barrett's Pink Floyd as their influences.) I'd never heard of the violin-based, extremely experimental Marie and the Atom till I read NEEDLES AND PLASTIC. Goody writes about this scene with great respect while paying attention to its flaws.

[Art · Rating 5 out of 5]

I first became aware of Flying Nun Records in the second half of the Eighties when, as Matthew Goody details, the label negotiated with Homestead and Communion records to release key records (or compilations) from pivotal New Zealand bands such as The Verlaines, The Chills, The Clean, The Bats, Jean-Paul Sartre Experience, Tall Dwarfs and probably more (especially if we extend the period beyond the scope of the book's conclusion in 1988). I saw some of these bands on their US tours back then or caught them later here in Australia in the last decade or two (if they persisted). These bands and records still have a strong pull on my heart and reading about their genesis in the extraordinary amount of detail that Goody provides evokes a warm and all-encompassing feeling of nostalgia. But there is so much I didn't know -- not just bands I'd never heard of, but details of the pubs and clubs they played in, the recording studios in Auckland and Dunedin and Christchurch they recorded in (if it wasn't in someone's flat on 4-track), and a whole network of players who become a sort of Kiwi family that created the vibrant musical culture (not just label head Roger Shepherd but Chris Knox, Hamish Kilgour, and more). With the passing of Chills frontman Martin Phillipps last month and Hamish Kilgour in 2022, it feels as though an era is passing (though both died too young). Even more reason to drink deeply of the extraordinary archival research that Matthew Goody has collected here (the background for every FN release during these years) and, of course, to listen to the records, well loved or new to me, at the same time.

[Doo Rag]

(notes while still reading, i'm up to p100)

been looking fwd to reading this for ages, partly 'cause it's abt significant times/places in my own life (i was 18 when the 1st f/nun recs came out, bought nearly everything from the 1st year or so & more than a few after that, saw most of these bands, know some of these ppl, etc) & so far i gotta say i think the guy has done a swell job. i applaud the decision to stick to contemporaneous accounts & avoid retrospective interviews, consider the cut off point of 1988 to be a sensible one (although personally feel diminishing returns had set in some years before then), & have only detected a handful of mistakes[*]. nice work! lots of pics where i can go "i was at that gig", "i had that poster on my wall" etc too, & my own bands (picnic boys/say yes to apes) get a coupla marginal mentions, what more could i want.


* mistakes incl.: at least one miscaptioned photo (big deal it's only the verlaines), some things mentioned in the index that don't seem to be where they are claimed to be, a few people's names i think might be spelled wrong (bill vosburgh may he rest in peace) - no obvious factual errors i can be sure of tho. A-OK, 2 thumbs up!


(addendum - oh yeah ok i got 1 criticism - probably TOO OBJECTIVE. i mean he sez nuthin but positive things about every record he describes! come on you musta hated at least some of em! i certainly did!)
(netherworld dancing toys lol lmao rofl)
(headless chickens - VERY BAD HOMBRES)

[Jon Zellweger · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m part of a generation of music nerds who learned to find new stuff by trusting record labels. Go shopping, a cover catches your eye, flip it over and check the label…SOLD! 4AD, Mute, Beggars Banquet, Warp, Creation, Factory all come to mind. And Flying Nun out of New Zealand. This is a narrative catalog of all their releases in their ‘first phase’ prior to the relocation of the home office from Christchurch to Auckland. Goody has crafted a succinct yet detailed compendium for all of the output from the legendary label. It’s a blend of liner notes, reviews, legend and lore for anyone interested in how the Clean wielded titanic early influence, how Martin Phillipps was cursed with an ever-changing cast of bandmates or how many bands Chris Knox produced or illustrated for. I’m not a music completist, otherwise I would have already read founder Roger Shepherd’s autobiography. These 350 pages have been instrumental in expanding my already immense appreciation for the DIY, lo-fi spirit of these acts. It also diversified my palette beyond the biggest names that managed to make it over all the various hurdles in the music’s migration to east coast USA in the late ‘80s. Sit down, read it all at once like I did, or an easy thing to simply pick slowly away at. Either way, a lovely contribution to a label and bands who were, per capita, punching way above their weight.

[Eric Hinkle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful discographic history of my favorite record label in the world, Christchurch's Flying Nun! It covers every single record up until the label's move to the North Island in 1988. A lot had changed in those 7 years, and a lot of incredible music was released. Such an iconic label.

It took awhile to read because I naturally had to listen to every record being discussed, while reading or while doing chores, etc. It's lovely that so many releases are available to stream but there are quite a few that are not, some of which aren't even on YouTube. I've been a fantastic for about ten years and there were even a handful of records I'd never heard of.

It's full of pictures, gig posters, ads, and other memorabilia. Full color delight. The only sad part is that the record covers are not included...must be licensing issues.

It's interesting that so much 80s NZ indie music sounds like so much 90s US indie music.

Essential for all fans.

[Chris Browning · Rating 5 out of 5]

It would take some book to do justice to my favourite ever record label and, thank god, this is indeed that book. For me it also beautifully positions the late and much missed Hamish Kilgour - proudly on the cover next to Roger Shepherd - as the creative glue for so much of the earlier, thrillingly weird era of Flying Nun. A masterpiece

[Andy Haddon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Superlative account of one of my favourite record labels.
Discovering and rediscovering an overabundance of awesome post punk new wave lo fi DIY pop gems.
The archive photos, posters and flyers are amazing.
A genuine labour of love. Pure class.

[Jaz · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book that provides wonderful insight into the establishment and running of one of the world's great indie record labels, Flying Nun. Rather than concentrating on FN's big hitters, the author delves into the stories of some of the label's lesser-known alumni, which benefits the book greatly.

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Swell look at the early flying nunnery. Recommended listening to various albums while reading. V/a Tuatara for example.

[Joe · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thorough and overall excellent history of Flying Nun Records and Aotearoa's music generally.

[MM · Rating 5 out of 5]

Massive tome. Deep dive in to one of the most exciting music scenes. Now I wanna jam.

[Mikael · Rating 5 out of 5]

the only coffee table book you need for all the hollowness in you

[Paula · Rating 5 out of 5]

A meticulously researched hefty tome covering the first seven years of Flying Nun Records’ history. The book spins its narative through a discography of every single record released by the label in that time. Thanks to this book I’ve discovered numerous osbscure/lesser known acts that were essentially one-hit EP or album wonders that I hadn’t heard of before (despite being born and raised in New Zealand).