Login Required

This content is restricted to University of Auckland staff and students. Log in with your username to view.

Log in

More about logging in

It all began when a small recording studio opened in an old bus depot in the seaside town of Devonport. Producer Rikki Morris blames a teenaged Finn Andrews who wandered in off the street and asked to record a demo. As soon as he heard that voice, Rikki says he knew that Finn Andrews was going to be a star. Before long, Finn was signed in the UK with his band, The Veils - but that was just the beginning! News travels fast in small towns they say, and in Devonport, the possibility of becoming a rock star suddenly became an 'achievable dream' in the minds of the young locals. At the nearby high schools, lunchtimes were taken up with jamming with whoever was around, and absorbing the lessons of 60s and 70s rock history from mum and dad's dusty collection. Bands were formed, The Bus studio became the place to be, and the 'achievable dreams' started to happen. Filmed over 18 months, the film takes up the stories of three of these bands - The Checks, the Electric Confectionaires, and White Birds & Lemons, who each have their own take on the lessons of 'the old masters' of their parents era. The documentary features recording sessions, impromptu jams, and indoor and outdoor gigs on the journey toward every guitar band's dream. Amidst the music and impromptu comedy, Rikki Morris and the band members share insights on the inner workings of bands, and the prospects and process of 'making it'. While there are currently over 40 bands who now use the old bus depot as their practice/recording space, the three featured bands are at the core of the 'Devonport band phenomenon' - two of them have been signed to international labels, and all three bands have played at The Big Day Out.

Primary Title
  • Guitars From The Leafy Suburbs
Date Broadcast
  • Sunday 9 May 2010
Start Time
  • 09 : 30
Finish Time
  • 10 : 30
Duration
  • 60:00
Channel
  • Documentary Channel
Broadcaster
  • Sky Network Television
Programme Description
  • It all began when a small recording studio opened in an old bus depot in the seaside town of Devonport. Producer Rikki Morris blames a teenaged Finn Andrews who wandered in off the street and asked to record a demo. As soon as he heard that voice, Rikki says he knew that Finn Andrews was going to be a star. Before long, Finn was signed in the UK with his band, The Veils - but that was just the beginning! News travels fast in small towns they say, and in Devonport, the possibility of becoming a rock star suddenly became an 'achievable dream' in the minds of the young locals. At the nearby high schools, lunchtimes were taken up with jamming with whoever was around, and absorbing the lessons of 60s and 70s rock history from mum and dad's dusty collection. Bands were formed, The Bus studio became the place to be, and the 'achievable dreams' started to happen. Filmed over 18 months, the film takes up the stories of three of these bands - The Checks, the Electric Confectionaires, and White Birds & Lemons, who each have their own take on the lessons of 'the old masters' of their parents era. The documentary features recording sessions, impromptu jams, and indoor and outdoor gigs on the journey toward every guitar band's dream. Amidst the music and impromptu comedy, Rikki Morris and the band members share insights on the inner workings of bands, and the prospects and process of 'making it'. While there are currently over 40 bands who now use the old bus depot as their practice/recording space, the three featured bands are at the core of the 'Devonport band phenomenon' - two of them have been signed to international labels, and all three bands have played at The Big Day Out.
Classification
  • Unknown
Owning Collection
  • Television Vault
Broadcast Platform
  • Television
Languages
  • English
Captions
Live Broadcast
  • No
Rights Statement
  • Made for the University of Auckland's educational use as permitted by the Screenrights Licensing Agreement.
Subjects
  • Rock music--New Zealand--2001-2010
  • Popular music--New Zealand--2001-2010
Contributors
  • Julian McCarthy (Director/Editor)
  • Mairi Gunn (Camera)
  • Mike McCree (Sound)
  • Rikki Morris (Interviewee)
  • Mosquito Films (Production Unit)
  • The Electric Confectionaires (Performing Group)
  • The Checks (Performing Group)
  • White Birds & Lemons (Performing Group)
Subjects
  • Rock music--New Zealand--2001-2010
  • Popular music--New Zealand--2001-2010