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The Plague was a New Zealander art/rock band that existed 1977-1979, featuring Richard von Sturmer. In 1977 Von Sturmer returned from England, according to The Mechanics Of Popular Music "charged with the new punk movement that flourished there. He assembled a troupe of 'actors' and they rehearsed a series of theatre/music pieces revolving around his poetry and showmanship. The called themselves The Plague." They used material from Inside Information; songs such as Frank Gill's An Idiot and Private Property.
The Plague
Members:
History
Also in The Plague, and ex-Westlake Boys High School pupils too, were Tim Mahon (The Whizz Kids, Blam Blam Blam), Mark Bell (Whizz Kids, Blam Blam Blam, Coconut Rough, Scribble), Ian Gilroy (Whizz Kids, Crocodiles, Swingers) and Andrew McLennan aka Andrew Snoid (Whizz Kids, Coconut Rough, Swingers, NZ Pop, The Zoo).
Don McGlashan described the music in an interview for Radio New Zealand's Musical Chairs in April 1998, "It was a really vicious noise, but it was really fun, fun to be part of." He played with The Plague a few times, coming straight from playing French horn in the Auckland Symphonia, (now the Auckland Philharmonia), dressed in a 'penguin suit' and to stand on stage while people wearing only a coat of paint (assorted colours) would jump around him. Don McGlashan said of Von Sturmer, "Richard was a really prolific writer - and still is."
Peformances
The Plague first gig was with The Scavengers at the State Theatre, Symonds Street, Auckland, due to Tim Mahon's persistence in hassling the promoter, Derek King. Again, as a result of Tim Mahon's efforts, The Plague were given an afternoon slot at the Nambassa Festival at Waihi, (North Island, NZ) in January 1979. They created a sensation when Von Sturmer and his backing vocalists, The Snoids appeared naked (apart from a covering of blue paint).
Nambassa Performance Personnel:
- Vocal - Richard von Sturmer
- Backing Vocals - The Snoids
- Guitar -
- Bass -
- Drummer -
- Front of House Sound Engineer -
- Foldback Sound Engineer - Paul Moss
- Recording Sound Engineer -
- Film, Location sound: Graham Morris, Mike Westgate
- Film, Stage sound: Doug Jane
Radio
Fiona Rae: 'It wasn’t all hippies and grimy motorcycle gang members, though – wearing nothing but a lot of paint, art-punk outfit the Plague performed to a confused crowd.' FRIDAY March 18 2006. The Nambassa Festival 1979, National Radio, 1.06pm. Listener Radio Show
Film
Appearance - Nambassa Festival, New Zealand, 1980, Director/editor: Philip Howe Production co: Nambassa Festival Trust with Dale Farnsworth Film Archive
Television
Radio With Pictures: Sweetwaters Special, Television New Zealand, 1980. Video DV, 26 minutes, originally transmitted on TV2, 11 March 1980
The late, great Dylan Taite fronts this Radio With Pictures documentary report on the 1980 Sweetwaters rock festival. Film Archive
Related Publications
Books.
- We Xerox Your Zebras, Richard Von Sturmer, Modern House, 1988. ISBN 1-86942-101-9
- A Network Of Dissolving Threads, Richard Von Sturmer, Auckland University Press, 1991. ISBN 1-86940-054- 2
- Images from the Center - Daily Life at an American Zen Center, Joseph Sorrentino and Richard Von Sturmer, Rochester Zen Center Publications, 1998. ISBN 0-940306-49-2
Discography
Nambassa Festival by Various Artists, Disc 2, track 7. Panthers of Sound - Plague CD
See also
External references
"The Plague (band)"