Soundtrack to your studies - 1995

This was a great era for AUSA bringing over the coolest new indie bands to play Orientation, along with some local favourites in support. What’s more, the events were totally free for students. The main show this year was Throwing Muses playing at the Rec Centre - the band of singer/guitarist Kristen Hersh who has continued touring in the years since (playing Auckland in 2023).

The support acts for the gig were local grunge-sters The Nixons (soon to rename themselves Eye TV) and long-running Flying Nun legends, The Able Tasmans. The lead singer of the latter was Graeme Humphries, who also hosted bFM breakfast, though he decided to keep his music career separate from his broadcasting so eventually became known as a TV host and radio DJ under the name Graeme Hill.

The big music event of the year was the Big Day Out, headlined by Ministry, Primal Scream, Hole, The Cult, and The Offspring.

The highest selling single was ‘Gangsta’s Paradise’ by Coolio and the highest-selling album was No Need To Argue by The Cranberries. The latter lives on through the ever-presence of the single ‘Zombie’ which is still taught to kids learning guitar, featured on the Netflix show Derry Girls, and was boisterously sung en masse by the Irish fans at the 2023 Rugby World Cup.

What was pumping on your stereo while you were on campus? Suggest songs to add to our 1990s playlist, and you could win $100 Flying Out voucher.