Shoes This High were a New Zealand post-punk band formed in Wellington, New Zealand, in 1979. They disbanded in 1981 and three of the members went on to form the band Fishschool.[1]

Shoes This High
OriginMasterton/Wellington, New Zealand.
Genres
Occupation(s)Musician, singer-songwriter, record producer
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • guitar
  • bass guitar
  • drums
Years active1979–1981
Past members
  • Kevin Hawkins
  • Brent Hayward
  • Jessica Walker
  • Chris Plummer
  • Andrew Strang
  • Don Campbell
  • Wayne Morris

Biography

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History

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The first lineup of Shoes This High included: guitarist Kevin Hawkins; bassist Jessica Walker; vocalist Andrew Strang and drummer Wayne Morris. They played their first gig in the Cuba Mall in Wellington on 18 November 1979. By the time of their next performance on 9 December, Brent Hayward had replaced Strang on vocals. Two weeks later, Morris left the band. Initially only a replacement drummer for a show at Thistle Hall, Don Campbell ended up being a full-time member, replacing Morris.[1]

After befriending the band the Features they moved to Auckland in mid-1980 where they shared a house with members of the Gordons and Unknown Wrecks.[1]

The first EP was released in a limited edition by the band itself through STH Records in 1981. Their sound was built around a mix of Captain Beefheart, Public Image Ltd, and The Fall.[2]

Break Up

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In 1981, the band split with Brent Hayward going on to perform solo as Smelly Feet and then in Kiwi Animal.[3] Kevin Hawkins, Jessica Walker and Chris Plummer formed Fishschool who released tape recordings on New Plymouth's Ima Hitt Records.[4]

In 2014, the posthumous live album Straight to Hell was released by Siltbreeze.[5]

Discography

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  • Shoes This High EP, STH Music, 1981

Live albums

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Compilation appearances

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d Maclennan, David (28 May 2013). "Shoes This High". Audio Culture. Retrieved 3 December 2021.
  2. ^ Steel, Gary (28 February 1981). "Stayers Shoes This High Shine". The Evening Post. Retrieved 1 December 2021 – via Witchdoctor.
  3. ^ Goddard 2013, p. 135.
  4. ^ Shoes This High, Up the Punks, Wellington Rock Scene Archive, accessed 14.04.2019.
  5. ^ "Shoes This High — Straight to Hell". Siltbreeze. Retrieved 1 December 2021.

Bibliography

Goddard, Michael (2013). "Noise from Nowhere: Exploring 'Noisyland's' Dark, Noisy and Experimental Music". In Goddard, Michael; Halligan, Benjamin; Spelman, Nicola (eds.). Resonances: Noise and Contemporary Music. Bloomsbury Academic. pp. 134–149. ISBN 978-1-4411-1054-1.