Welcome to Failsafe Records We specialise in guitar based acts, ranging from swooning pop and driving powered rock to swirling sonic soundscapes.
Please explore our site and enjoy
our stuff. You can purchase
directly from our catalogue via
Paypal or download via and or purchase from our bandcamp site using credit card and paypal on selected items, Bandcamp.
We also maintain a comprehensive and ever-growing New Zealand Musical History section, primarily focused on but not limited to, Christchurch bands.
Failsafe News
May 2023
ORANGEFARM - Inheritance Album.
Following up on 3 singles is the full length album from Orangefarm, the music vehicle for Wellington based ex CHCH songwriter musician Nigel Mitchell. The singles Settle (In Your Eyes), and Inheritiance (Single).
The Album contains 13 slices of diverse melodic alternative indie rock.
May 2023
LIKE ANGELS - YOUR TIME WILL COME.
Double CD in double gatefold cardboard cover with a 24 page full colour booklet, and a complimentary download code.
The solo offshoot of How to Kill songwriter/guitarist Robert McLean. The 88-minute long double-disc album features 8 genre-defying guitar-driven instrumental pieces, continuing on his work creating soundtracks, soundscapes, visages and movements in How To Kill, but defining this collection as separate from the work he does with the 4 piece band, as he has composed and performed this collection solo. Not long after the release of the How to Kill debut album (Like Angels 2010, which is where Robert has culled the name for this project from) the band went on hiatus following the Christchurch earthquakes. McLean, leaving for Wellington, where he concentrated on his writing. Returning to Lyttleton he re-ignited his involvement with music, both with a reconvened How to Kill and on his own.
Whilst keeping the cinematic expansiveness, the unusual rhythmic intensity, and sonic nuance of How to Kill, the developing demos had a wider range of references and broader sonic palette, the tracks on Your Time Will Come unfold organically and gradually, but with purposiveness and drive. The album's pieces unfold in sections, using rhythmic and melodic motifs. Rather than being composed before being recorded and arranged, they developed organically and experimentally as the process unfolded. Your Time Will Come has a cinematic scope and emotional charge, often evoking the feeling of being at sea: the ocean's vastness, depth, and power, and our fragility compared to it.
Your Time Will Come is a double CD in double gatefold cardboard cover with a 24 page full colour booklet, and a complimentary download code.
FAILSAFE COMPILATIONS
'ACCIDENT COMPILATION, BIDING OUR TIME, SOUTH, KEEPIN' SECRETS' - Deluxe double CD editions, New booklets liner notes and artwork. and digital download.
Failsafe release the deluxe editions of 4 of their 6 compilations to date.
ACCIDENT COMPILATION (1980-1984)
Gets a cover rework with new front image courtesy of Haemogoblin's front man Lorenzo Van Der Lingen, a double gatefold cover, and a new 24 page booklet of photos, original release artwork and band details, and a double CD format.
BIDING OUR TIME (1984-86)
gets a similar upgrade with a booklet, liner notes, poster art, double gatefold cover, on a double cd format including restored tracks missing from the 2005 reissue, Dance Exponents if only I could die (and love you still - Nightshift version), Sneaky Feelings-Won't Change, and new versions of Belle Motions - Living, and Crane - Chorale (Studio) from new masters.
SOUTH (1986-1988)
Has linernotes, band photos and info in a new booklet and new versions of Nigel Mitchell's - Who is Dianne, and Skin Darlings - Working the Wind in a double gatefold cover.
KEEPIN' SECRETS (2000 - 2005)
Get the double gatefold cover with linernotes.
MAINLY SPANIARDS - THE ABSOLUTE TRUTH - Deluxe double gatefold with 12 pg booklet and liner notes.
Mainly Spaniards were a core band in the 1981-1983 Gladstone scene mining similar territory to the Scottish Postcard label but with their own spin on it. Centered around the 12 string electric guitar and vocals of Richard James, Mike Jefferis 6 string guitar, Bass from Nick Strong, and Drums from Dave Swift, who also got this project across the finished line with his excellent liner notes (writing is his day job), and also on Drums Tony Green.
The album contains 12 tracks, including lovingly remastered versions of their Iconic debut single 'That's What Friends Are For', Studio outtake track 'All Night', an unreleased second single 'The Absolute Truth' bw 'The Story of an Ordinary Guy' and 6 Live recordings of unreleased songs.
The limited edition cd album comes with a double gatefold cover and 12 page booklet with liner notes and photographs.
SUPERTANKER - hey ghost - deluxe collection with 12 pg booklet and double gatefold cover.
Supertanker played from 1992 - 1997 and were exponents of sonic guitar built over a core of catchy melody and powerpop delivery (sharing ground with what would later be titled dreampop/shoegaze) and were one of the core 5 Avalanche scene bands.
They were centered around lead singer guitarist and main songwriter Francis Hunt, and Francis has expanded on the initial premise of presenting a collection of the bands recordings to turning in new compositions and substantially reworking and augmenting many of the songs. Hence it's kind of an album of new music, and sounds pretty current to what's happening in 2021. Dense big guitar textures and melodies.
The album contains the original 4 songs recorded with Failsafe for the Avalanche and Good Things collections, and an additional 9 tracks including the lead single Made of Light which should please the shoegaze fans (me), and next single Guiding Star which will please the Dreampop/powerpop fans (me).
The album comes with a double gatefold cover and 12 page booklet with lyrics, and song art.
THE LILS - 'LODESTONE DELUXE' - Deluxe remastered and expanded CD double gatefold cover with booklet, digital download.
The deluxe remastered and expanded version of the Lils album Lodestone gets a digital and hard copy release. The album contains the original 13 tracks, 2 of which have been remixed and polished, the others remastered from their 1991 shape to modern powerpop compliance. They sound really good and have kept their edgy relevance some 30 years later. Also included are 2 unreleased studio tracks (and early rollicking power pop song 'Busters and introspective 'So Lonely') and 4 unreleased tracks culled from the bands live recordings showing the move in direction the band were taking.
The album comes with a double gatefold cover and 12 page booklet with liner notes and photographs.
Coming Soon
CRASH - One Day
Full length unreleased album by Auckland indie rock band Crash based around the vocals of Natasha Reid and Guitar of Michael Carden. The band produced a string of catchy powered pop songs from 1994 - 1997 releasing Red Velvet Sofa and Day at the Fair in conjunction with Failsafe and continued on to record a full length album for release on a major label. The album was all finished and ready to go for the major label but was pipped at the post by another flavor of the moment band, pushing Crash to the sidelines. The band took the blow hard and the album chock full of beautifully produced guitar driven songs never came out. Till now. Failsafe has done what it does best and grabbed the album from the ether, remastered and packaged it with bonus tracks of the early recordings and it's coming out.
BEAT RHYTHM FASHION - Critical Mass.
The new album from BRF contains 11 new songs recorded over the last 12 months, following up on their 2019 Tenterhook album and live concerts in New Zealand and Japan.
YFC - Yankee Foxtrot Charlie.
4 singles from the forthcoming new album by YFC including the theme song from Feature film Lone Wolf[2022] directed by YFC bass and vocalist Jonathan Ogilvie YFC delivers their long time coming follow up to their 1983 ep and 2005 collection. This album contains a goodcollection of new recordings to show the band are still there maing great post-punk
HAIKU REDO - Haiku Redo.
Debut album from Auckland based drummer songwriter Vocalist guitarist Craig Horne.
SPRINGLOADER - Just Like Yesterday
The long time coming lost album to mid 90s powerpop shoegazer band.
SPRINGLOADER - One More Thing.
While finishing off their unreleased album the band crafted another album of new tracks.
AVALANCHE - Remastered and expanded
30 years since it's original release this ground breaking eps collection exploded the live alternative music scene for Christchurch NZ. in 2023 it gets a remastered rerelease with bonus tracks and liner notes.
GOOD THINGS - Remastered and Expanded.
Following up on the success of the Avalanche Scene, The 'Good Things' collection showcased the wider alternative music scene in New Zealand.
THE WORLD - Collected works.
This Will Kill That - Collected works.
March 2020
After a busy beginning of the year with the BRF Tenterhook album, NZ tour, T-shirts, and the BRF Rarities and unreleased we hunkered down and tried to finish of the mounting wave of releases heading for the finishline.
SAFE110CD MALCHICKS - 'EVERYTHING' - Deluxe double CD and digital download.
Released on 7th December as digital download and very limited edition double CD in double gatefold packaging.
First across the line is the sparklingly remastered Malchicks Everything collection featuring all 16 released studio recordings from their Lotus and Mercury albums and compilation tracks, plus a bonus CD of 7 unreleased studio recordings from the bands formative years. The digital download includes all tracks and digital versions of the artwork.
Malchicks pioneered swirling, dynamic guitar sounds in New Zealand, mining similar territory associated with bands like My Bloody Valentine, Slowdive and Swervedriver, with the band taking it in their own direction, adding a focused punch behind the sonic guitars and a literary flourish to their lyrics and vocals.
The band were ahead of their time, and in a class of their own in their hometown of Auckland New Zealand, a globe away from their stylistic contemporaries in the UK, but delivering songs and sounds easily on par with the best. The remastered 'Everything' collection captures and
accentuates the power and beauty of their original work, bringing it up to sonic spec for the present day. The collection writes the band back into local music history as a reminder of the exceptional wealth of music found at the bottom of the world.
The album will come in as very limited edition double Hand made double gatefold sleeve, liner notes, and insert cards.
Shop
or Bandcamp
Released on 21st March 2020 as digital download, and limited edition CD.
Another long overdue and extensive remastering package, Lils Lodestone collection featuring the 13 tracks from their 1991 Lodestone album plus 5 unreleased tracks to expand on where the band were heading, all extensively remastered to bring out the detail and punch of their music. The digital download includes all tracks and digital versions of the artwork.
Lils were essentially a power pop band with touches of post punk, steming from origins in Christchurch New Zealand the band formed in Auckland and made themselveves a home in the old condemned TV3 building near simond street, where they built a studio and practice room and had a floor each to live on.
Their music was riff based alternative rock/powerpop with a curled lip and attitude and they managed to leave one well regarded album before they went their seperate ways. This is that album, and more, remastered.
Shop
or Bandcamp
Coming up in 2020
Throw - Honeyblonde - Collected remastered.
Collected and remasted of the bands 2 albums and possible bonus tracks.
Springloader - One More Thing
6 New tracks completed this year with the bands Just Like Falling Album in one collection.
Mainly Spaniards - That's What Friends Are For.
The bands single, unreleased single and 8 live tracks to expand on the legacy of their original 80s single.
Supertanker - Hey Ghost
Their Avalanche and Good Things recordings plus another 10 tracks culled from their origins, remastered and polished up for a 2020 release. Sonic guitar and melody.
Newtones- New Way
Their ep, single, 2 compilation tracks and a wealth of live material from Tony Peake's collection to paint a definitive picture of this fine post punk/New Wave band from Christchurch New Zealand.
Failsafe Compilations
Already up for the first time as a digital download these versions of this iconic compilations have expanded liner notes and artwork in an included booklet.
Coming soon
Avalanche
Good Things
Plus additional collections for the time periods, 1 each.
Feb 2019
Failsafe Records is proud to announce the release of the New Beat Rhythm Fashion Album Tenterhook and a March 2019 tour.
SAFE108CD BEAT RHYTHM FASHION - TENTERHOOK.
Legendary Wellington post punk Proto-Shoegazer/Dreampop pioneers Beat Rhythm Fashion return from a 35 year hiatus to pick up exactly where they left off, with their timeless ground breaking atmospheric alternative rock pieces like 'Turn of the Century' & 'Beings Rest Finally' with a new album of material. Nino Birch(guitar & vocals) & Caroline Easther (ex Chills drums & vocals) team up with Rob Mayes (ex Throw, dolphin, Kimo - bass) to deliver a new album - Tenterhook, and back it up with a nationwide tour.
There are a lot of things you'd be reasonably expected not to hold your breath for in 2019, but you can cross a BRF tour and album off that list and catch them live and on record.
Shop
or Bandcamp
Beat Rhythm Fashion - NZ tour March 2019
The Band will also be performing 4 special concerts in New Zealand's Main centers, starting with Christchurch on the Saturday 9th March @
Bluesmoke (Tickets) Dunedin - Sunday 10th March @ The Cook (Tickets) Auckland - Thursday 14th March @ WhammyBar (Tickets) Wellington - Saturday 16th March Meow (Tickets)
July 2018
We went and did it again. Neglected to update the Failsafe Records Front page for 18 months, while keeping all the discussion on the Failsafe FB Group.
Again, it's not that nothing's been happening. infact quite a bit has but it's all behind the scenes mastering, collating, communicating, tracking down tapes, and mastering. Let me tell you about it. But first we've had 2 releases crossing the finish line.
SAFE107CD THIS SPORTING LIFE - Alms For Children Collection.
The definitive collection of edgy post punk from this New Zelanad 4 piece band who started life as Alms For children in 1981 releasing a stone cold classic 3 song ep on vinyl (Alms Nor Arms on REM records) before morphing intact into This Sporting Life sometime around the end of 1982 and releasing an album (Show Me To The Bell Rope), and an EP (in Limbo) before the members went n different directions. They never broke up so are availabble to play parties and weddings if you cover the airfares. Grab the pressed CD Album in limited edition gatfold booklet now from the Failsafe Shop
or Bandcamp
SAFE023CD THE PERFECT GARDEN - A Place Not Far Drom Here.
Dunedin indie/shoegazer band that existed from 1989 - 1990 recorded the 4 songs on this EP in a spurt of perfect timing at the makshift Failsafe studios that spawned the dolphin out of hand album and the Holy Toledos Forget and Forgive albumm. This ep contains 4 slices of exuberant late 80s indie pop, part Mary Chain, early Primal Scream, Primatives, and C86 scene. Read an interview with central member Kieron Flaherty Here
Grab the EP from a link at the Failsafe
Shop or directly from our Bandcamp page
Other things on the quickly approaching release schedule are
The Malchicks 'everything' collection
The Lils - Lodestone expanded and remastered
Holy Toledos - Forget and Forgive expanded and remastered
Accident Compliation - Expanded and remastered
Biding oUr Time - Expanded and remastered
South - Expanded and remastered
Avalanche - Expanded and remastered
Good Things - Expanded and remastered
Gladstone Tapes - Live gladstone scene recordings
Mainly Spaniards - Collected works and live
147Swordfish - Into Silence collection
Beat Rhythm Fashion - Tenterhook (Newly recorded material and tour)
Newtones - Newway collection
Corners - Collection
Kimo - Three (New Album)
Songs in the Key - Songs in the Key of Slow (Album)
Throw - Collected remastered works
Springloader - Just Like Falling collection.
Pop Mechanix - Lost Tapes
And maybe some more.
January 2017
That really was a long time between chats. We must apologise for the unseemly long time it has been between updates, and not having kept the Failsafe website flush with new and interesting material for you to read.
For a more ongoing stream of info please do visit either the Failsafe Facebook Group or Page. With html code it's a lot harder to get around to doing or remembering how it works, but here goes.
Welcome back!!!. Failsafe Records has been reasonably quiet for almost 3 years but we've not been doing nothing.
Earthquakes, parenthood, and a relocation to Japan along with the need to find rent paying work in the face of an increasingly difficult industry (indie boutique labels) has meant it's been hard to find the time to complete the wealth of worthy projects we want to. Lame excuses we know but as said above, we haven't been doing nothing.
One of the things we've been doing is transferring our recorded archive to digital as the master tapes they were stored on reach the end of their playable life. We love tape, but these things weren't built to last (apart from the mighty compact cassette which has shown true bravery in the face of advancing years. We salute you). There was an archive of over 300 live and demo recordings on cassette from 1982 - 1995, a DAT tape archive of rare studio and live recordings from 1991 - 2005, and the multi-track masters to a number of our studio albums (that we're going to get around to remixing and rescuing unreleased tracks off - honest!!) all of which made it across to the digital domain, the tapes and dat painstakingly one at a time at Failsafe home base and the 16 track 1 inch masters thanks to the diligent work of Arnie at Nightshift studios and his still functioning 1 inch machine and home built tape restoration oven which bakes the tapes so they'll give just one last play before they disintegrate.
The Multitrack tapes did yield some unreleased material which we'd forgotten about and are quite excited to see again.
The cassettes are a fantastic insight to the Christchurch music scene of the 80s and we'll be seeing a lot from that as we get a grasp on what's there, so too with the DAT tapes which threw out some fantastic master mixes of sessions long since lost.
Here's a few things reaching completion.
1) Alms For Children and This Sporting Life - Collection.
Many of us remember the startlingly good Alms For Children - 'Alms Not Arms' 7 inch from 1980 and then the subsequent morphing of the band into This Sporting Life who released an album and ep on Flying Nun. Edgy Punk and Post Punk at it's finest. Failsafe has been working directly with the group to compile the definitive collection of this groups work. We've got over 20 tracks together for you, and a great collection of band photos and clippings. It will be available in a very limited edition CD as well as download copy with booklet from Bandcamp.
Fun fact - Failsafe Records took its name from the song 'Failsafe' off the Alms not Arms single. It seems somewhat full circle to be able to bring their music back into the public forum.
2) The Perfect Garden - A Place Not Far From Here
Back in 1990 Failsafe Records built a studio in the old Christchurch Horticultural Hall to record material for an album by dolphin. We rounded up a few other bands to do sessions in the space while it was there. Some really good music was recorded there but that was often half the battle, having it see the light of day of release was the other. That was the case with The Perfect Garden, a Dunedin shoegazer indie band that split up around the globe shortly after completing the recordings. Some rough mixes were made by Kevin Stokes but the band did little with them past a few cassette copies for the band. Having a spare night at the studio Rob Mayes remixed the tracks and filed the mixes away on a DAT tape till just recently when he sent them to the band and everyone rediscovered some really quite charming and striking musical gems. Make them into a deluxe ep? Why not?
3) Newtones - New Way
This one's been far too long in the 'to do' line but a recent spurt of work has seen it approach the finish line. We've managed to get a dub of the original master tape to the Paint the Town Red ep (thank you Arnie!!) as well as a lot of live recordings and some studio unreleased tracks. It paints a vibrant picture of an important unheralded Christchurch Band. We're personally looking forward to seeing this one coming through as in 1981 an 18 year old Rob Mayes saw the band play live at a afternoon town hall concert and was so impressed by a blistering effects laden instrumental called '4 ships' that he immediately went down to his local shop to buy it, only to find it didn't exist in recorded form. The band split up before having a chance to record it and this incident spurred the young me to record as much of the music that was inspiring me as possible, which is why we have the Failsafe Record label..
Fun fact - Live recordings of excellent quality do exist of the Four Ships track, so it is Failsafe Records honor to be able to present the music that started the label some 35 years after it was created and almost lost.
4) Corners - Collection
Auckland band Corners made an impression with the inclusion of their track 'Ward' on the 'Goats Milk Soap' compilation (1982 -Ripper Records) but outside of their home city not much was heard from them. They were a dark alternative band with dramatic arrangements influenced by the post punk scene of Joy Division and Gang of Four. They did a handful of recordings and gigged solidly locally before members split and the original non chart tickling incarnation of Peking Man emerged. History tells us that Pat Urlich's Sister Margaret later joined them and the band leapt full on into pop chart history but well before that their was post punk leanings and this is a collection of their almost long lost material.
5) Creeley - Creeley Good
Creeley appeared on 2004s Good Things compilation and self released a number of cassette eps. They were chiming indie pop in a sea of 90s grunge, and quite prolific with the twin writing powers of co frontmen Blair Parkes (All Fall Down, LEDS) and John Kelcher (Sneaky Feelings).
Our digital transfers found a multi-track master of 11 songs and 2 live concerts on DAT and then there's the fish street recordings and some demos. Quite a few songs to collate there so we're working on that one.
Further down the track
6) Beat Rhythm Fashion - Property
Some of you may have caught BRF's track Beings Rest Finally being played on the South Pacific Pictures TV drama Westside recently. That little bit of TV time has given the band some money to play with and now there's a new Beat Rhythm Fashion album in progress. Singer/Guitarist/Songwriter Nino Birch is carrying on the bands material after the 2011 Death of Brother Dan, and is writing new material as well as guiding some of the bands later compositions to completion. BRF Drummer Caroline Easther rejoins Nino as well. We're really looking forward to this project getting to our ears.
7) Other Projects
There's quite a bit of other stuff in progress, New material from dolphin, Songs in the Key, Kimo, Pop Mechanix , and some remastered and extended compilations (Accident Compilation, Biding Our Time, South, Avalanche, Good Things, Keepin' Secrets.....) All with bonus material, a new collection of Christchurch Millennial Pop featuring the chiming pop that was in the garden city around the turn of the millennium.
There's a few other possibilities too with Ballon d'Essai, Playthings, Androidss, YFC, Instigators, and a some others we've been talking to and thinking about, plus we delve into the archives and dig out some rescued cassette treats. So, plenty to look forward to.
8) Failsafe Records Soundcloud Channel
A new addition to check out is the Failsafe Records Soundcloud page where we're uploading sample tracks from forthcoming releases and a bunch of other material we can't find a place for that will tickle your eardrums. Up there atthe moment we've got unreleased Solatudes, Naked Lunch, Newtones and Springloader. Nore added all the time.
9)Youtube Video Archive
Many of you know about the youtube archive of all the failsafe videos we could locate and digitse, plus a second channel of other great NZ music videos we've managed to salvage from obscurity. We've got a bunch of new material to add to that lot some time in the new year as we managed to capture a few more decaying VHS tapes to the digital domain for you. Failsafe Records Youtube Channel
And The NZ Indie Scene.
Failsafe News Nov 2013
Ok,.... that took a little longer than I thought. A year later and the Southern Front album is made up and on sale in a limited edition run.
SOUTHERN FRONT - Politics and Cemeteries Deluxe Edition Mini album
Post punk from a strong chch punk scene lineage. Southern Front formed from the ashes of Evasive Action, and before them 2 seminal local punk bands Desperate Measures and Unauthorised. The band comprise 3/4 of Unauthorised with Erik Van Den Hoven from Desperate Measures filling in on Bass duties while Mark Gibson shifts to Drums. Phil Johnston handles guitars and Harry Hepworth holds down the Vocals. This is the extended remastered and restored 1984 album from Southern Front expanded with 7 unreleased tracks culled from liver performances and the rare as punk rock tears lost UNAUTHORISED ep as a bonus, which was initially the other side of the long deleted split Wasted Again album with Desperate Measures, but since most of the band is present here we felt it appropriate to add it as a bonus. 22 tracks in total. This disc is available now. Order SOUTHERN FRONT - Politics and Cemetaries - NZ$20.00 Here
Failsafe News March 2013 SONGS IN THE KEY - Space and Place (download single)
First single from this collaboration of Failsafe Records artists and Friends from the forthcoming Songs in the Key of Slow Album. Space and place is a love letter to hometowns, in this case the pre earthquake Christchurch, NZ, and features a beautiful video of the town at it's finest.
The song and its lyrics are even more potent, poignant, and unexpectedly prescient post quake, as the song becomes a love letter to something we all lost.
Space and Place features Leigh Franklin (Guitar and Vocals) Mark Roberts (Guitar and Vocals), Rob Mayes (Bass Strings, Brass, production) And Steve Birss, (Drums).
Order SONGS IN THE KEY - Space and Place (download single) SAFE111CD NZ$1.50
Failsafe Records - Japan Edition
2013 sees Failsafe launching 4 discs onto the Japanese landscape 3 in two packaging options, Deluxe gatefold and Standard editions.If you're visiting from Nihon then please support these releases locally and ask your store to stock them. They're being distributed by Vivid Sound Corp of Tokyo.
There's also a write up in the Japanese English language magazine Metropolis
Failsafe News - Nov 2012
Ok, that was a long time between updates, far far too long but we do have an excuse, or 2. An earthquake took out or home base of Christchurch city, smashing Failsafe HQ in 3 and making it kind of difficult to focus on the all important task of creating recordings and releasing them. Add to that we also spend large parts of the year in Tokyo, and managed to catch that large earthquake also,....., What a ride, but we survived even if some of our stock didn't
So where does that leave us in late 2012?
SUBSTANDARD - Elite (Limited Edition Deluxe package Mini album)
The Christchurch based Post Rock sonic instrumentalists return with a four song mini album in double gatefold hand screen printed with postcards limited edition disc. This one really is quite special as the band played their last show together in 2004 before members moved to different cities, then countries making music creation somewhat difficult. Difficult but not impossible as this mini album demonstraites.
Time flies, and then sometimes it reconverges. If you're a fan of sonic textural rock then you'll be pleased to hear this collection of tracks. Order SUBSTANDARD - Elite Mini album SAFE104CD NZ$15.00Here
SOUTHERN FRONT - Politics and Cemeteries Deluxe Edition Mini album
Post punk from a strong chch punk scene lineage. Southern Front formed from the ashes of Evasive Action, and before them 2 seminal local punk bands Desperate Measures and Unauthorised. The band comprise 3/4 of Unauthorised with Erik Van Den Hoven from Desperate Measures filling in on Bass duties while Mark Gibson shifts to Drums. Phil Johnston handles guitars and Harry Hepworth holds down the Vocals. This is the extended remastered and restored 1984 album from Southern Front expanded with 7 unreleased tracks culled from liver performances and the rare as punk rock tears lost UNAUTHORISED ep as a bonus, which was initially the other side of the long deleted split Wasted Again album with Desperate Measures, but since most of the band is present here we felt it appropriate to add it as a bonus. 22 tracks in total. This disc will be available early November. Pre Order SOUTHERN FRONT - Politics and Cemetaries - NZ$20.00 Here
Failsafe Records on Facebook. Get your news links and discussion fresh on the Failsafe Records Facebook page. You don't have to be a member to read it even, but we'd love you to join up and give us feedback support and suggestions.
Come and join in at The Facebook Group.
Or like the Failsafe Records page Here
Failsafe on YouTube We've been mastering up and uploading all the Failsafe videos to our YouTube site so come on by and have a look and listen to 25 years of video history as we manage to locate and restore the Failsafe video record. There's also some great NZ music documentaries on there and check out our favorites too as we've bookmarked a number of cool NZ clips for you to check out too. Stop in and leave a message Failsafe's Youtube Channel
Don't forget some of Failsafe's recent Releases.
POP MECHANIX - Now : Then (One Hit Windows)
Deluxe Edition SAFE091CD $25.00, Standard Edition SAFE091CDJ $20.00
The Legendary Mechanix of Pop present 13 tracks tracks of Timeless New Zealand pop history.
Mastered and selected by Paul Scott in Australia this is a shiny collection of the prime cut singles from the bands career.
The album comes in two packaging options: the Standard jewel case edition for those who just want to get the songs, cover art and liner notes, and the Deluxe edition which is a double gatefold edition with 12 cover art insert postcards with the original singles covers and band photos. Limited edition handmade so grab it while you can.
Also of note - this is a pressed CD, not a CDR. The first 5 albums are CDR because they are very short run discs (100). This one we went the extra mile on so please support our effort by grabbing a copy or 2 for you and a friend.
Tracks are: Now, Radio Song, The Ritz, Jumping out a Window, Holidays, Cowboys, Keep it Up, Brains Are Dumb, Art School Bop, Spanish, Texas, Land of Broken Dreams, Celebration of the Skin. Order Here
POP MECHANIX - Splash Alley - Lets Get Started SAFE092CD $20.00
Pop Mechanix in their earliest form with Dick Driver out front, energy to burn and 5 unreleased post punk tracks to tear up the stage, alongside amped up versions of their classics. Recorded live at Mainstreet this is an edgy welcome glimpse into this bands full charge start.
Tracks are:- Kamikazi Man, Artschool Bop, Sick of Waiting for Tomorrow, Steve Gilpin, Too Cool for Words, Talking, Spanish, Mr Smooth, Cliche, City Girl - Observation, Brains are Dumb, Money, White Girls, Disco Fever, Now. Order Here
HOW TO KILL - Like Angels SAFE100CD $20
Failsafe welcomes Christchurch / Lyttelton band How To Kill to the Failsafe fold.
How To Kill play rhythmically propulsive sonic soundscapes of dark beauty, light & shade, space & texture. It's modern neo-rock, hued in orchestral structures, punctuated by power & grit. These are songs, but songs without words, unsung, vocal. Unscripted - the stories speak volumes. A soundtrack, a picture made from verse of missing words. To call this instrumental music does not convey the stories within. Eight pieces of mood & meaning. Order Here
New Releases - IN THE WORKS
We've got a few things that are getting really close to completion.
Beat Rhythm Fashion - Beings Rest Finally - early recordings and live rarities 1979-82 Companion piece to the highly successful Bring Real Freedom disc. This is all the earlier material from the Four Stars disc. a lot more dark and post punk. We've got a lot closer to finishing this.
Pop Mechanix - Lost Tapes - Parallel Universe The Rare Zoo album with the original Andrew Snoid Vocals including 3 unreleased tracks that didn't make the original Zoo album. 1982
Songs in the Key (SITK) - Songs in The Key of Slow
An artists collaboration project with friends of Failsafe. This is almost completed. We have a couple of videos in the can and have a few more tracks to complete. We expect to have the first single out around the end of the year. Its a fantastic contemplative record of beautiful melodic pop and we can't wait to show it to you.
Listen
Before You Buy
Check out the releases on Bandcamp where you can listen to previews of the tracks.
Interviews and Profiles
Rob Mayes, Eskimo, Pop Mechanix and YFC, interviewed
and profiled by Radio New Zealand. MP3s
available now
Press
Coverage / Reviews
Childrens' Hour, Pop Mechanix, and Retrogenic features,
plus re-released compilations reviewed.
Read more on the
Press page.
Poster
Downloads Promo
posters - 16 different A3 posters
including Children's Hour, YFC,
Dolphin, Springloader, and Throw.
Click here for Artwork
Downloads.
