Wild Young Ways

If you're a serious music fan but not a native Kiwi, your first awareness of New Zealand's fab music scene may have come from the debut of The Chills' mesmerising Kaleidoscope World collectionn. Within a few years, a great number of NZ acts saw music released by various UK and US labels... generally to great praise and enthusiasm. That this occurred without any of these acts having to move abroad to further their chances was nearly as delightful a feat as the music itself.The exception was Dead Famous People, who, after a five-song 12" for Flying Nun, Lost Persons Area, decided to make a go for it in London. It started well. Three London recordings were added to three from their Flying Nun EP and put out by Billy Bragg's Utility label - about as perfect a mini-album as there's ever been. Response was positive, more songs recorded, the group did a Peel session and played out often, but began to fall apart. Singer/writer Dons Savage - determined to make it - had a near-miss at becoming Saint Etienne's singer on an early take of their 'Kiss And Make Up' cover, and there was a fine performance from her on The Chills' 'Heavenly Pop Hit'... but dismay had set in. Upon learning of her mum's passing back home, Dons returned to NZ and was quiet for decades.Most of their London recordings were later released later in minuscule quantities by very small labels, but these saw scant press attention and enjoyed next-to-no sales. Their moment had passed, and the band has suffered the strange fate of being the least-known of the truly brilliant acts associated with Flying Nun. Listening to these 'lost' songs, it seems unfathomable.