Soundtrack to your studies - 1985

Orientation had an interesting mix of music in 1985. The Hunters and Collectors visited from Australia to headline there with support from This Kind of Punishment (early band of Graeme and Peter Jefferies, along with Chris Matthews from Headless Chickens).  There was also the “Sliding and Flying Dance” with The Pelicans and the Economic Wizards. Albert Park had gone in-and-out of fashion as a spot for bands to perform, but this year saw a great orientation line-up take to the rotunda - The Chills, Car Crash Set, and Terra Firma.

The oddest musical orientation event was undoubtably the Kestrel Ball, which took place on a boat in the harbour with music provided by joke band The Eric Glandy Memorial Big Band and The Able Tasmans. The latter returned to play Shadows later in the year. 

Student radio on campus was beginning to come into its own. It received a loan to bring its premises up to a workable standard and to petition for an FM frequency (though it would take three years for this to happen). The station’s Top 10 was very influential in reflecting what was popular among students at the time, though it wasn’t as alternative or local-leaning as it is now.

Herbs are an interesting inclusion on this list and showed how popular politically-motivated music was at the time. This was also the year that Don McGlashan, Chris Knox, Rick Bryant, and others came together to protest an All Blacks tour to South Africa with ‘Don’t Go.’ McGlashan’s theatrical/musical duo The Front Lawn also played at the university that year.

Meanwhile overseas there was a far bigger conglomeration of US musical stars coming together for ‘We Are The World.’ Amongst them was Bruce Springsteen, whose album Born In The USA was the most popular of the year down here in New Zealand.

What was on the turntable while you were on campus? Suggest songs to add to our 1970s playlist, and you could win $100 Flying Out voucher.