In the early 1980s Zaine Griff had it all. He had the kind of chic cred and looks other aspiring pop stars would have killed for. He worked with big names in music, including Kate Bush and David Bowie. An excellent musician, songwriter and performer, his two solo albums from this period still maintain a loyal fan base.
Born in Auckland in 1957, Griff’s early creative education came from his family who encouraged him to paint and write poetry. His wider family introduced him to music while at primary school. “Around this time my cousin John Staines showed me chords on his guitar,” says Griff, “and Saturday nights I would sit and watch my older cousin Max Thompson play drums on television with a band called The Pleasers. I learnt so many songs on guitar that every day after school I would spend hours playing and not doing any kind of school homework."
Warner Music