This Sporting Life

aka Alms For Children


This Sporting Life was a souped up extension of Alms For Children, Auckland city boys with a cut down amped up sound who left their mark with a landmark indie single and minor chart hit on the truly independent REM Records in August 1981.

Paul Fogarty (guitar), Ben Hayman (bass), Daron Johns (drums) and Gary “Rodent” Charlton (vocals) had been at the innovative edge of the early 1980s New Zealand indie boom for nearly two years by then.

This Sporting Life setting up at the Bowl Of Brooklands, New Plymouth, 2 January 1983
Photo credit: Photo by Glen Tucker
Smelly Feet and Alms For Children at the Auckland University Cafe, September 1981
The Alms For Children business card
This Sporting Life
Paul Fogerty, Gary 'Rodent' Charlton and Ben Hayman (with Daron Johns hidden)
This Sporting Life: Paul Fogarty, Daron Johns, Gary 'Rodent' Charlton and Ben Hayman
Show Me To The Bellrope was This Sporting Life's only long player. It was recorded at The Lab by Doug Hood and released in November 1982. The sleeve was designed by The Herco Pilots' Chris Williams.
This Sporting Life and Flak at Auckland's Rumba Bar
Alms For Children and friends, 1981
Gary Charlton and soundman Simon Shanahan, Christchurch, before The Fall support
A May 1981 poster for so called "North Shore Invasion" bands in Kohimarama, Auckland, with The Screaming Meemees, Blam Blam Blam, Alms For Children and The Ainsworths
Photo credit: Simon Grigg Collection
The Alms For Children EP Alms Not Arms, released on Harry Russell's Rem Records label in 1981
This Sporting Life's In Limbo EP, recorded by Doug Hood and Simon Shanahan at Progressive Studios in Auckland. Recorded in 1983, it was not released until early 1984.
The Rip It Up advert for Alms For Children's 1981 Alms Not Arms EP
This Sporting Life, Bowl of Brooklands New Plymouth, 2 January 1983
Photo credit: Photo by Glen Tucker
This Sporting Life - Point To Point (live at the Rumba bar, Auckland, 1982)
This Sporting Life - Total Loss (from 1981's Show Me To the Bellrope)
This Sporting Life: Paul Fogarty, Gary 'Rodent' Charlton, Daron Johns and Ben Hayman
This Sporting Life
This Sporting Life as band of the week at the Rumba Bar in Auckland, 1982
The Herco Pilots and Alms For Children at a Rem Records gig, the Rumba Bar, 18 July 1981
Photo credit: Graeme Hill collection
This Sporting Life with Peter Jefferies, Army Hall, New Plymouth, New Years Eve, 1982/3
Photo credit: Photo by Glen Tucker
Daron Johns with This Sporting Life in New Plymouth, 2 January 1983
The Clean and This Sporting Life support The Fall in Christchurch
This Sporting Life
This Sporting Life with Peter Jefferies, Army Hall, New Plymouth, New Years Eve, 1982/3
Photo credit: Photo by Glen Tucker
Paul Fogarty, Gary Rodent and Ben Hayman
Paul Fogarty, Daron Johns, Gary 'Rodent' Charlton and Ben Hayman
The Flying Nun advert for the 1982 Show Me To The Bellrope album, drawn by Chris Knox
Members:

Paul Fogarty - guitar

Ben Hayman - bass

Daron Johns - drums

Gary Charlton - vocals

Phil Jackson - drums

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