Bruno Lawrence's Electric Revelation and Traveling Apparition (BLERTA), a collusion of musicians, actors, script writers and movie makers, delivered a unique blend of theatrical rock and children’s shows that helped reshape New Zealand’s film, television and music industries.
“Lead trumpet for NZ film” – tributes to Geoff Murphy at NZ On Screen
Bruno Lawrence - drums, vocals
Geoff Murphy - trumpet, visual effects
Chris Seresin - keyboards
Bill Stalker - actor
Bill Gruar - actor
Alan Moon - organ
Eric Foley - saxophone
Don Burke - guitar
Chaz Burke-Kennedy - guitar
George Barris - bass
Billy Williams - bass
Dick Wyeth - saxophone
Greg Taylor - saxophone
Ian Watkin - actor
Patrick Bleakley - bass
EMI
Geoff Murphy went on to direct NZ film classics like Goodbye Pork Pie, Utu and The Quiet Earth before Hollywood called, resulting in blockbusters like Young Guns II. He died on 3 December 2018, aged 80.
Stories of the group’s NZ bus tour around provincial NZ in 1972 are legion, and the stuff of mythology. Roger Booth’s book Bruno recounts the details of their encounters – many of them involving drugs – with the guardians of small town morality.
Bruno Lawrence had previously served time in Quincy Conserve and Max Merritt & The Meteors, and was later to perform in The Crocodiles, before his acting career took off.
Blerta member Fane Flaws also performed in The Crocodiles. He became well-known as a director of music videos, including The Crocodiles' Tears, Parihaka for Tim Finn and a slew of videos for The Mutton Birds, including Nature, Dominion Road and The Heater.