Headless Chickens

aka International Headless Chickens


From the radical edge to the top of the singles chart: Few bands here or anywhere have quite the span of the Headless Chickens.

Their story begins in Auckland in late 1982, when Johnny Pierce (bass), Grant Fell (guitar) and Bevan Sweeney (drums) hooked up with a Westie kid called Chris Matthews (vocals, guitar) to form the dark, roaring Children's Hour.

Fiona McDonald and Grant Fell at the Big Day Out, Auckland, 1995.
Photo credit: Photo by Becky Nunes
Simon Grigg collection
Headless Chickens with Salmonella Dub and Projector Mix at the University Of Canterbury, 1993
Chris Matthews at the Big Day Out, Auckland, 1995.
Photo credit: Photo by Becky Nunes
Simon Grigg collection
Chris Matthews, HMV store, Auckland 1990
Photo credit: Photo by Jonathan Ganley
Rheineck Rock Awards press release
Photo credit: Murray Cammick Collection
Headless Chickens live at 2JJJ, Sydney
Photo credit: Photo by Stuart Page
Headless Chickens - Donde Esta La Pollo (1992)
Railway Surfing (live) Bob Sutton Collection
Fiona McDonald and Grant Fell (hidden) at the Big Day Out, Auckland, 1995.
Photo credit: Photo by Becky Nunes
Simon Grigg collection
The Headless Chickens at Wellington's Shed Eleven, 1992, with Australia's Caligula, local heroes Gifted & Brown, and DJ Roger Perry
The cover for the Headless Chickens' 1988 Stunt Clown album, designed from a model made by Jacqueline Dwyer
Micheal Lawry, Windsor Castle, 1986
Photo credit: Photo by Jonathan Ganley
George
Michael Lawry, Grant Fell, Fiona McDonald, Chris Matthews, Anthony Nevison
Headless Chickens performing at the 1987 Rheineck Rock Award at Auckland's Le Bom, 1987: Michael Lawry, Chris Matthews, Rupert E. Taylor and Grant Fell
Photo credit: Simon Grigg collection
Headless Chickens.
Photo credit: Stuart Page
Gaskrankinstation
Headless Chickens: Bevan Sweeney, Grant Fell, Rupert E. Taylor, Chris Matthews, Michael Lawry, in a shot taken in 1988, before Fiona and Anthony joined. It was used on the cover of Rip It Up when the Stunt Clown album was released.
Supertrouper
Healess Chickens - photograph by Stuart Page
Photo credit: Stuart Page
Headless Chickens recording Stunt Clown at Mandrill Studios, Parnell, Auckland, early 1988: Chris Matthews, Michael Lawry, producer Rex Visible, Rupert E. Taylor, Bevan Sweeney and Grant Fell
Photo credit: Simon Grigg collection
Chris Matthews, Grant Fell, Bevan Sweeney, Michael Lawry, Anthony Nevison
Bevan Sweeney, Michael Lawry, Chris Matthews, Grant Fell and Fiona McDonald
Rupert E. Taylor, HMV store, Auckland 1990
Photo credit: Photo by Jonathan Ganley
Chris Matthews, Bevan Larsen, Gerald Presland, Flex
Photo credit: Photo by Becky Nunes
Headless Chickens, Powerstation, 4 December 1992
Photo credit: Mark Roach collection
Poultry In Motion interview - Chris Matthews, Grant fell and Michael Lawry interviewed by Rod Bent aka Rupert E Taylor
The poster for the first Headless Chickens EP on Flying Nun, 1986
Gascrankinstation (live at The Gluepot, October, 1990) Bob Sutton Collection
Headless Chickens, The Powerstation, 14 March 1993
Photo credit: Mark Roach collection
1980s Radio With Pictures interview
Headless Chickens Australian reunion shows, December 2008
Photo credit: Mark Roach collection
Headless Chickens, 1990 - Michael Lawry, Grant Fell, Chris Matthews, Rupert E Taylor, Anthony Nevison, Bevan Sweeney
Chris Matthews at the Big Day Out, Auckland, 1995.
Photo credit: Photo by Becky Nunes
Simon Grigg collection
Secondtime Virgin
Headless Chickens reunion, The Powerstation, November 2008
Photo credit: Mark Roach collection
Cruise Control
1989 - Anthony Nevison, Chris Matthews, Michael Lawry, Grant Fell, Bevan Sweeney
A poster for Headless Chickens' Gluepot shows, October 1992
1987 - Chris Matthews, Michael Lawry, Grant Fell, Bevan Sweeney, Rupert E Taylor
Photo credit: Photo by Stuart Page
Chris Matthews, Gluepot 1987
Photo credit: Photo by Jonathan Ganley
Juice interview with Grant Fell 2008
1993 - back: Bevan Sweeney, Chris Matthews, Grant Fell. Front: Michael Lawry, Fiona McDonald
Headless Chickens - Juice (1994)
The Gluepot, 1990
Early Headless Chickens: Michael Lawry, Rupert E. Taylor, Grant Fell and Chris Matthews
Anthony Nevison, HMV store 1990
Photo credit: Jonathan Ganley
Chris Matthews
Photo credit: Murray Cammick Collection
The Auckland launch for Chris Knox's Jesus On A Stick comic - Tall Dwarfs, Headless Chickens and Goblin Mix, June 19, 1986
Photo credit: Graeme Hill collection
Headless Chickens: Chris Matthews, Michael Lawry, Fiona McDonald, Bevan Sweeney, Grant Fell, Anthony Nevison
Headless Chickens - Magnet (1997)
Labels:

Flying Nun


Mushroom Records

Trivia:

Cruise Control includes vocal samples from The Crocodiles' Tears and Shona Laing's 1905.

The stilt walkers who loom in the video for Gaskrankinstation are Bevan Sweeney and his colleagues from a stilt ensemble formed as part of a summer arts work scheme.

The sounds sampled at the beginning of Expecting to Fly are the cry of a psychiatric patient called Willie the Whoop and the squeak of an old playground swing.

Members:

Chris Matthews - vocals, guitar, keyboards

Michael Lawry - keyboards, effects

Grant Fell - bass, guitar

Bevan Sweeney - drums

Fiona McDonald - vocals

Rupert E. Taylor - vocals

Rex Visable - effects

Johnny Pierce - bass

Anthony Nevison - guitar

Angus McNaughton - programming

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