It’s been over three decades since Christchurch record shop employee and music fan, Roger Shepherd was inspired to start a record label as an outlet for South Island bands. And it was the city of Dunedin that quickly became most strongly associated with Flying Nun. In 1982 four bands from that southern outpost – The Chills, Sneaky Feelings, The Stones, and The Verlaines– each recorded a side for a double 12” EP pack, which actually untitled, referred to as the ‘Dunedin Double.’

Now for Record Story Day (April 19), Flying Nun is set to re-issue this 4EP set that launched a thousand bands and went on to kick start the label. Not only was it ‘untitled,’ it was an unusual format, with no set order and containing two 45rpm 12” discs. Now re-mastered, the Dunedin Double is being re-issued in its original format and limited to 2,000 copies.

Recorded over two weekends in damp South Island flats (on portable 4-track by Chris Knox and Doug Hood), it was distinctly lo-fi and in tune with the ‘do it yourself’ ethic at the heart of the label. Furthermore it brought the worlds attention to The Chills, The Verlaines, The Stones and Sneaky Feelings and established the notion of the “Dunedin Sound,” a phrase coined for the young bands that followed in the wake of The Clean and an influence which carries on to indie-pop bands around the world today.

DUNEDIN DOUBLE  – VARIOUS ARTISTS
The Chills, Sneaky Feelings, The Stones, The Verlaines
(FNLP540 / FNCT017)

EP 1
Side A: The Chills
1. Kaleidoscope World
2. Satin Doll
3. (Frantic) Drift
Side B: Sneaky Feelings
1. Pity’s Sake
2. There’s a Chance
3. Backroom

EP 2
Side A: The Stones
1. Down and Around
2. See Red
3. Something New
4. Surf’s Up

Side B: The Verlaines
1. Angela
2. Crisis After Crisis
3. You Cheat Yourself Of Everything That Moves

The Dunedin EP theme also continues with Flying Nun’s other Record Store Day release, Bored Games ‘Who Killed Colonel Mustard.’  Released the same year as Dunedin Double (1982) it introduced the music of a 17-year-old Shayne Carter, who would later go on to form The DoubleHappys and Straightjacket Fits. In the tradition of many great bands they formed while attending high school, debuting at the school’s talent contest in 1979 they went on to play a show supporting Toy Love.

Featuring Carter as the vocalist of the band included the likes of Wayne Elsey (The Stones, DoubleHappys), Terry Moore (The Chills) as well as Fraser Batts, Jonathan Moore and Jeff Harford. The band broke up in 1981 before ‘Who Killed Colonel Mustard’ was released, however, they left behind 4 catchy tracks, packed with teenage angst manifested in early punk stylings.

As part of the Record Store Day release. the EP was re-mastered and includes and insert of previously unseen photos. Limited to 1,000 copies.

BORED GAMES – ‘WHO KILLED COLONEL MUSTARD
(FNLP539 / FNCT-016)

Side A:
1. Happy Endings
2. I Don’t Get It

Side B:
1. Joe 90
2. Bridesmaid

 http://www.flyingnun.co.nz/