The Bilders

Builders

Builders on tour in Vienna. Photo: Arno Loeffler
Background information
Genres New Zealand Underground
Years active 1980-present

Builders (aka Bilders, Bilderine, Bilderbergers, Six Impossible Things) is a New Zealand music group who produced a string of self-recorded 7-inch vinyl releases between 1980 and 1982 before Beatin Hearts, the first studio-album from fledgling New Zealand independent record label 'Flying Nun Records'.

They have been recently brought out of obscurity by labels Unwucht (Germany) Grapefruit (USA), Siltbreeze (USA) and SmartGuy (USA). Bilder's latest release is Beatin Hearts and the 7 inch EP Measly (Grapefruit Recs, USA).

Bilders' material is known for 'rough' music making (often live in the studio), and a lo-fi recording style that has produced "many genuine classic compositions".[1]

Guests and collaborators

In the 1980s co-workers included Campbell McLay, mastermind of the Onset Offset label (bass, 1980–82), members of The Terminals, Scorched Earth Policy and Victor Dimisich Band, along with other prime movers such as entrepreneur/composer Alastair Galbraith 1994, artist and guitarist Alec Bathgate (recording project, 1984), Chris Knox (recording and production, 1982) of Toy Love and Tall Dwarfs, and poet/performer Alan Brunton (opera project Comrade Savage on the life of Australian-born NZ politician Michael Joseph Savage) (Red Mole) and journalist Steve Braunias. Malcolm Grant was Bilders drummer (1980-82) before moving to The Bats.

Guests and collaborators have remained equally as varied in musical styles and backgrounds. Latest co-musicians are members of The Ghosts (U.S., Dave Nance, Chris Deden, Simon Joyner), Steve Cournane (drums, Dunedin, NZ) and Wellington (NZ) guitarist/curator/founder of Marineville Mark Williams with poet/composer/percussionist Jo Contag, in a group known in 2016 as Ferocious. Pianist Andrew McCully will join Builders in Auckland later this year to revive Songs for Michael Joseph Savage. Steve Cournane (percussion and drums) and Greig Bainbridge (bass), working with Stuart Porter of Primitive Art Group (saxophone) are among musicians essential to a Builders tour of New Zealand in 2016.

Other members include near-legendary Berlin violinist TThomthom G'schrey (Germany, violin, 1997, 2006–present), Stuart Page (of The Axemen drums and artwork, 1983-85, 2010–present), Robbie Yeats (Dunedin, The Dead C, 2014, drums), David Watson (NYC, 2013, bagpipes, 335 semi-acoustic guitar), Miggy Littleton (Brooklyn, 2013, bass), Hamish Kilgour of The Clean (Brooklyn, 1989, 2013-14), David Wukitsevits of Austrian band Der Nino aus Wien (2013, drums), Jess McCann (Melbourne, accordion), Stuart Porter (saxophones, percussion), Louise Johns (Germany/Singapore, bass), Mark Williams (Wellington/Germany, guitar), Jo Contag (Wellington, drums), Barry Stockley (Wellington/Melbourne, bass and instrumentation, 1987, 2013), Tama Stockley (drums, 2013), artist-guitarist Nikola Kapétanovic (2009–11, [France, electric guitar, dumbra, kalimba), dancer and actress France Hervé (France, 2010, chanteuse, actor), Kersten Ginsberg (Germany, drums, 1997), pianist, composer, improvisor, filmmaker Jonathan Crayford (Paris-NZ) - piano (2010–11, a special poetry-piano project), Rick And (2011, vocal), Peter Scott (2012, bass), Andrew McCully (piano, organ 2007-08, 2010, 13, 14) and Andy Maitai (drums, 2008). Further groups have played or collaborated in Europe, USA, Australia and NZ with musicians such as Jon Evans (Berlin, synthesiser, 2008, Berlin) and Parisian DJ Fred Morvan (beatbox, 2008, Berlin).

This list is not complete.

Selected Discography

Since the early 1980s, their music has been released on labels such as South Indies, Unwucht, SmartGuy, Grapefruit Record Club, Onec Records Plymouth UK, South Indies, Siltbreeze, Onset Offset Christchurch NZ, Powertool NZ [CDs only 2006–2010], EMI, and Warner Bros Flying Nun.

References

  1. ↑ Dix, John (1988). Stranded in Paradise: New Zealand Rock 'n' roll 1955-88. Palmerston North, NZ: Paradise Publications. ISBN 0-14-301953-8 ISBN 0-473-00638-3

Sources

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