They loomed large over the Auckland live scene and with two key albums coming out through Wildside Records – Hateman In Love and Drinking With Judas – they set to take over the country.
Roland Rorschach - vocals, guitar
Bobbylon - vocals, drums, bass
Johnnie Pain - bass, vocals, samples, keyboards
Peter McLennan - vocals, guitar
Gavin Downie - guitar
Patrick Brunton - bass
Tony de Raad - bass
The B-side of the Rewind single featured a cover of Air by HLAH. This favour was returned when HLAH covered the Picassos' song Hitskin on Spanish Goat Dancer (1994).
From 1989 onward, Roland and Bobbylon also played regular dancehall sets as Riot Riddum Sound System. Not to be outdone, Peter and Johnnie formed their own side-project in 1991, playing experimental loopy electronica dub as Two Thieves And A Liar. What’s more, The Picassos were often supported on tour by Lee Harvey, because Peter (on bass) and Bobbylon (on drums) played for a number of years as his backing band.
John's teenage band The Bellboys, from Taupaki, featured Brett Adams (The Bads) on guitar and vocals. The group had a residency at Russell Crowe's all-ages live club The Venue on Symonds Street. The band fell apart when Andrew Fagan headhunted Brett for the Mockers.
The track Marshall Law Dub was named after the darkly themed superhero comic, Marshal Law. The comic co-incidentally had a character named John Pain.