The Mockers

aka Ambitious Vegetables


The Mockers and their very entertaining front man Andrew Fagan were high on the NZ pop music charts in the 1980s and were one of the few local bands to be embraced by commercial radio.

First known as Ambitious Vegetables, the band got together at Rongotai College in 1979. The songwriting core was lyricist Andrew Fagan and melody writer Gary Curtis. They recorded their first single, a double A-side 'Murder On Manners Street' c/w ‘The Good Old Days’ in May 1980 when the band were 17 years of age and sold 400 copies, mostly by mail order. 'Murder On Manners Street', written about an actual incident, was an instant student radio hit and established the band.

The original 'Murder in Manners Street'
Photo credit: Courtesy of The Ambitious Vegetables
The Mockers' 3rd single Trendy Lefties was released on Mike Alexander's Bunk label and was the last before the band moved to Auckland in 1982. Recorded at Radio NZ, the B-side had 3 songs and played at 33rpm.
Brett Adams
The Dabs and The Mockers head out on tour, 1982. The two bands shared a manager, Ian Kingsford, and when The Dabs split in 1983, Steve Thorpe and Geoff Hayden joined The Mockers after Kingsford and Fagan effectively fired the rest of the original band.
Andrew Fagan, Rip It Up cover photo Dec 1993
The handwritten lyrics to The Mockers' 'Good Old Days'
Photo credit: Courtesy of The Ambitious Vegetables
Andrew Fagan
The Mockers backstage at The Last Resort
Photo credit: Courtesy of The Ambitious Vegetables
Andrew Fagan
Photo credit: Photo by Kerry Brown
Watch: Shazam! Mockers live TV special, 1984
Geoff Hayden
Andrew Fagan, Rip It Up cover photo, August 1984
Photo credit: Photo by Kerry Brown
Recording awards for The Mockers in the mid 1980s: Tim Wedde, Andrew Fagan, Geoff Hayden, Steve Thorpe and Brett Adams
Recorded in Sydney at Glebe Studios, One Black Friday was a No.8 hit for The Mockers in June 1985
The Mockers first publicity shot sent out after moving to Auckland in 1982
Andrew Fagan
'Good Old Days' / 'Murder In Manners Street' second pressing 1981
Photo credit: Rone Kane Collection
Rip It Up cover photo Sept 1985
Photo credit: Photo by Kerry Brown
The Mockers in early 1981. This shot would be used on the cover of the Trendy Lefties sleeve
Photo credit: Photo by Peter Dinnan
Steve Thorpe (aka Steve Dab)
Screentalk Interview with Karyn Hay and Andrew Fagan
Woke Up Today was released in mid-1982 on The Mockers own Morocat label and was recorded by Tony Burns at Radio NZ
The Ambitious Vegetables - Who Needs It (1979)
Andrew Fagan 1982
Photo credit: Photo by Murray Cammick
Forever Tuesday Morning was The Mockers' biggest hit, reaching No.2 in December 1984 and spending almost five months in the charts. It was also the last single on Glyn Tucker's Reaction label as he sold the contract to RCA shortly afterwards. Vocal arrangements were done by Dave McArtney.
Andrew Fagan, Nov 1993
One Black Friday
The Mockers with The Idles, June 1984
Forever Tuesday Morning
Andrew Fagan has a message at the NZ Music Awards, early 1990s
Photo credit: Murray Cammick Collection
An early shot of The Mockers, circa 1980
The Mockers at The Last Resort, 1980/81
Photo credit: Courtesy of The Ambitious Vegetables
Seven Years Not Wasted
Interview with Andrew Fagan, 22 September 1994. Directed by Ross Cunningham.
Members:

Andrew Fagan - vocals

Geoff Hayden - bass

Steve Thorpe - drums

Brett Adams - guitar

Tim Wedde - keyboards

Dean Heazlewood - guitar

Gary Curtis - bass

Gordon Costello - keyboards, guitar

Steve Bush - drums

Barry Caitcheon - guitar

Brendan Fitzgerald - drums

Trivia:

Andrew Fagan and his partner Karyn Hay host an evening radio show on Radio Live.

Labels:

RCA


Bunk Records


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