The Clean


The Clean were the first South Island-based post-punk group to gain a national following, on the back of a brace of instantly memorable songs including ‘Tally Ho’, ‘Anything Could Happen’, ‘Beatnik’ and ‘Getting Older’.

Through 1981 and 1982 they placed a string of vibrant indie EPs and singles in the New Zealand Top 20. The keyboard-driven classic ‘Beatnik’ from their second EP Great Sounds Great... rose as high as No.4, aided by heavy touring and a witty video set in a bohemian coffee bar.

Anything Could Happen
The Clean in June 1990: Hamish Kilgour, David Kilgour and Robert Scott
May 1982
Filming an unreleased Clean promo video for Happy Birthday John in Chris Knox and Doug Hood's backyard in Jessel Street, Grey Lynn, 1982.
From the Boodle Boodle Boodle booklet - came with first copies, 1981
From the Boodle Boodle Boodle booklet - came with first copies, 1981
The 1981 publicity shot used by Chris Knox when he drew the Boodle Boodle Boodle cover
Photo credit: Photo by Carol Tippet
Peter Gutteridge guests with The Clean at Chicks, Dunedin, 1 February 2014.
Photo credit: Photo by Bob Sutton
From the Boodle Boodle Boodle booklet - came with first copies, 1981
Boodle Boodle Boodle on 95bFM's Extended Play
nterview with Hamish Kilgour, David Kilgour and Bob Scott of The Clean, after the release of their album Modern Rock. Directed by Ross Cunningham.
The Clean, 1981: Hamish Kilgour, Robert Scott and David Kilgour. This was one of the very first Flying Nun publicity shots.
Photo credit: Photo by Carol Tippet
From the Boodle Boodle Boodle booklet - came with first copies, 1981
Robert Scott, David Kilgour, Hamish Kilgour
Interview 1989 - Bob Sutton Collection
From the Boodle Boodle Boodle booklet - came with first copies, 1981
The Clean - Boodle Boodle Boodle, side 1 label (Flying Nun, 1981)
From the Boodle Boodle Boodle booklet - came with first copies, 1981
From the Boodle Boodle Boodle booklet - came with first copies, 1981
The Clean - live at Vera, Groningen, Netherlands, 1989
The Clean at Chicks, 1 February 2014. L to r: Hamish Kilgour, Robert Scott, David Kilgour
Photo credit: Photo by Bob Sutton
A very early Clean at Logan Park High School, Dunedin 1979 - Peter Gutteridge, Hamish Kilgour, Lindsay Hooke and David Kilgour
Photo credit: Photo by Jeff Batts
Drawing To A Whole
From the Boodle Boodle Boodle booklet - came with first copies, 1981
Chris Knox filming Hamish Kilgour and Robert Scott during the 1981 Boodle Boodle Boodle cover photo shoot
Photo credit: Photo by Carol Tippet
Robert Scott, Hamish Kilgour, David Kilgour
Photo credit: Photo by Tim Soter
From the Boodle Boodle Boodle booklet - came with first copies, 1981
Robert Scott and Hamish Kilgour at Chicks, Dunedin, 1 February 2014
Photo credit: Photo by Bob Sutton
The Clean, a Flying Nun promo shot from the late 1980s
Tally Ho (Union Hall at Otago University, Dunedin, 22 March 1996 part of the Flying Nun 15th Anniversary concerts) Bob Sutton Collection
Yesterday Was (Live from the Gladstone in Christchurch, 4 July 1981) Bob Sutton Collection
The Clean at the Rumba Bar, Auckland, May 1982
Photo credit: Courtesy of Flying Nun
From the Boodle Boodle Boodle booklet - came with first copies, 1981
The third release from The Clean, and their second 12-inch EP from June 1982. Great Sounds Great, Good Sounds Good, So-So Sounds So-So, Bad Sounds Bad, Rotten Sounds Rotten!! was not only an extended play release but its title was made to match.
Getting Older
From the Boodle Boodle Boodle booklet - came with first copies, 1981
The Clean - Boodle Boodle Boodle, side 2 label (Flying Nun, 1981)
The Clean in Dunedin, circa Septmber 1981: Robert Scott, David and Hamish Kilgour
Photo credit: Photo by Craig McNab
Hamish Kilgour at Chicks, Dunedin, 1 February 2014
Photo credit: Photo by Bob Sutton
Letter to Rip It Up 1981
Photo credit: Murray Cammick Collection
The Clean and The Furys at Auckland's Windsor Castle, September 1979
Photo credit: Simon Grigg collection
Oddity (live at the Rumba Bar, Auckland, 15 May 1982)
Hamish Kilgour, David Kilgour and Robert Scott, 1982
Photo credit: Photo by Craig McNab
Interview with David Kilgour, 7 July 1994. Directed by Ross Cunningham.
Chris Knox filming The Clean during the 1981 Boodle Boodle Boodle shoot as Doug Hood watches
Photo credit: Photo by Carol Tippet
Tally Ho
Letter to Rip It Up 1981 
Photo credit: Murray Cammick Collection
Diamond Shine, live at Chicks Hotel, Port Chalmers, Dunedin 31 Jan 2014 - filmed and edited by Andy Ellis
From the Boodle Boodle Boodle booklet - came with first copies, 1981
A still from the 1981 Boodle Boodle Boodle shoot
Photo credit: Photo by Carol Tippet
Filling A Hole (live at the Fulham Greyhound in London on 13 July 1988) Bob Sutton Collection
The Clean's Bangers and Mash Tour, 2007
Beatnik
A Rough Trade publicity shot from June 1990. L to r: David Kilgour, Robert Scott and Hamish Kilgour.
From the Boodle Boodle Boodle booklet - came with first copies, 1981
Diamond Shine
Shivering (Live at The Gluepot, Auckland, 12 October 1990) Bob Sutton Collection
The Clean - Boodle Boodle Boodle (Flying Nun, 1981)
The Clean in Auckland Star, 20 Sept 1979.
Dunes - featuring Super 8 footage from The Clean's first trip to New York City, 1989
From the Boodle Boodle Boodle booklet - came with first copies, 1981
Quickstep (live at the Rumba Bar, Auckland, 15 May 1982)
Getting Older, the 1982 single touted as their last release and thus the Flying Nun catalogue number LAST 1
Labels:

Flying Nun


Merge Records


Rough Trade


Arch Hill Recordings

Members:

David Kilgour - guitar

Hamish Kilgour - drums

Peter Gutteridge - bass

Lyndsay Hooke - drums

Debbie Shadbolt

Jessica Walker

Martin Phillipps

Doug Hood - vocals

Robert Scott - bass

The Clean was inducted into the New Zealand Music Hall of Fame in 2017. The Hall of Fame is an initiative of Recorded Music NZ and the Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA), whose support of AudioCulture enables the site to stream music content.
Trivia:

Hamish Kilgour has a group called The Mad Scene with his wife Lisa Seigel in New York. They have released several albums.

Robert Scott is a key member and songwriter for the long-lived South Island folk rock group The Bats.

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