Blam Blam Blam


1981 was the year indie music broke in New Zealand. In an era of musical and creative adventure, Blam Blam Blam stood out amongst their peers, taking their cracked post-punk art rock into the pop charts and capturing the zeitgeist.

Blam Blam Blam made two videos for their 1981 hit, ‘There is No Depression in New Zealand’. Their best-known clip draws on the underlying disquiet of the political climate of the time, with mimed beatings and phone surveillance amid rural scenes and a weather report predicting calm, calm, calm.

Blam Blam Blam late 1981, back: Mark Bell, Tim Mahon, Don McGlashan. Seated: Dick Driver
Photo credit: Photo by Jenny Pullar
Blams on the roof of their practice rooms, Hobson Street, Auckland, 1981
Photo credit: Photo by Jenny Pullar
Tim Mahon
Photo credit: Photo by Jenny Pullar
1981 poster
Blam Blam Blam - There Is No Depression in New Zealand (RNZ, live at The Others' Way 2019)
Blam Blam Blam in the 1982 Call For Help video
Tim Mahon and Richard Von Sturmer, likely 1980
Photo credit: Photo by Jenny Pullar
1981 poster
Poster for Blam Blam Blam's reunion tour, 2019
Don't Fight It Marsha, It's Bigger Than Both Of Us
1981 Blams bio from Propeller Records
Photo credit: Simon Grigg Collection
Blam Blam Blam at Sweetwaters
Photo credit: Photo by Jenny Pullar
On the road again....
Photo credit: Photo by Jenny Pullar
Blam Blam Blam - 'Don't Fight It Marsha, It's Bigger than Both Of Us' b/w 'Dr Who', 'Cachunga Cachunga' (Propeller, 1981). Sleeve art by John Reynolds.
Mark Bell, Tim Mahon, Don McGlashan during the No Depression video shoot. The rooftop TVNZ Shortland Street.
Photo credit: Photo by Murray Cammick
Mark and Tim, Sweetwaters 1982
Photo credit: Photo by Jenny Pullar
Andrew Snoid and Ian Gilroy with the Whizz Kids, Wellington 1980
Blam Blam Blam - Talkback King (RNZ, live at The Others' Way 2019)
Don McGlashan, Tim Mahon, Mark Bell
Photo credit: Photo by John Reynolds
Mark Bell and Tim Mahon, 1980/81
Photo credit: Photo by Jenny Pullar
The Blam's Commer van, known as The Milk Wagon, on the Screaming Blam-matic Roadshow
Photo credit: Photo by Jenny Pullar
Blam Blam Blam - Live at Mainstreet 1984
Stuart Page's poster for the 1982 Canterbury Orientation show
Photo credit: Design: Stuart Page. Simon Grigg Collection
Blams late 1981: Dick Driver, Don McGlashan, Mark Bell, Tim Mahon and soundman David Rudolph
Photo credit: Photo by Jenny Pullar
1982 Blam's publicity shot with Dick Driver
Photo credit: Andrew Schmidt Collection. Photi by John Reynolds
Tim Mahon steps up for Businessman. Blam Blam Blam reunion, 1984.
Photo credit: Photo by Glen Jowitt
Canterbury University, 1981, probably a lunchtime gig on the Screaming Blam-matics tour
Photo credit: Photo by Jenny Pullar
The Blams rework the nation's billboards
Photo credit: Photo by Jenny Pullar
Mark Bell, Sweetwaters 1981
Photo credit: Photo by Jenny Pullar
1981 poster for Marsha
Photo credit: Design: John Reynolds
Don McGlashan
Photo credit: Photo by Jenny Pullar
Luxury Length
Mark Bell
Photo credit: Jenny Pullar
Don McGlashan, 1981
Photo credit: Photo by Jenny Pullar
Don McGlashan
Photo credit: Jenny Pullar
A photo taken as a get-well card to Tim Mahon when Blam Blam Blam had their almost-tragic van crash in mid-1982. L to R: in the back - Bryan Staff (Ripper Records), Kevin Howlett (The Prime Movers), Simon Clark (ex-Newmatics), Paul Rose (Propeller Records); mid row - Nick Crowther (The Prime Movers), John Quigly (The Bongos) and Neil Hayden (The Dabs crew); front - Sandy Fielding (The Dabs road crew) and Benny Staples (ex-Newmatics and now The Prime Movers).
Photo credit: Photo by Bryan Staff
Outdoors, venue unknown
Photo credit: Photo by Jenny Pullar
Mark Bell at the 1984 Blam Blam Blam reunion, Mainstreet, Auckland, January 1984
Photo credit: Photo by Glenn Jowitt. Simon Grigg collection
Mark Bell and Tim Mahon
Photo credit: Simon Grigg Collection
There Is No Depression In New Zealand
Labels:

Propeller

Trivia:

Don McGlashan produced records for The Instigators, Newmatics, and Otis Mace & Rex Reason.

Mark Bell, Tim Mahon, Andrew Snoid (McLennan), Ian Gilroy and Richard Von Sturmer attended Westlake Boys High School on Auckland’s North Shore.

Ian Gilroy drummed with The Crocodiles and The Swingers.

Andrew Snoid replaced Dick Driver in Pop Mechanix then joined The Swingers. He reconnected with Mark Bell in Coconut Rough for the surprise hit, Sierra Leone.

Sara Fort partnered with Jed Town in Fetus Productions.

After time spent in America, Richard Von Sturmer is an Auckland-based poet, performer and filmmaker.

The Whizz Kids reformed in August 1982 for shows in Christchurch and Auckland (in September at The Gluepot). The new line-up was Bones Hillman (bass), Ian Gilroy, Mark Bell, Tim Mahon and Andrew Snoid.

Members:

Don McGlashan - drums, vocals, euphonium

Tim Mahon - bass, vocals

Mark Bell - guitar, vocals

Dick Driver - vocals

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