Nocturnal Projections
Encyclopedia
Nocturnal Projections were a post-punk
band from Stratford
, near New Plymouth
, New Zealand
that began recording in 1981 and split up in 1983. Often compared to British bands, especially Joy Division
, with whom they shared a moody, bass-driven sound, although the Projections’ guitar was less metallic and more ebullient than Joy Division’s. They also never underwent the exacting production of many such British bands.
(vocals), his brother Graeme Jefferies
(guitar), Brett Jones (bass), and Gordon Rutherford (drums). Peter and Graeme subsequently formed This Kind Of Punishment
, which played together through the late 1980s. Graeme would then launch Cakekitchen, while Peter would go on to release several solo albums.
The brothers played in a series of punk bands (such as the Plastic Bags) before forming Nocturnal Projections; though none of those early efforts have been released, some of the songs (including "Walk in a Straight Line") would be recorded by Nocturnal Projections.
The band’s first release was the 1981 Things That Go Bunt In The Night tape, which was recorded direct to cassette and released in extremely limited quantities, perhaps as few as 100 copies. Within the year they followed up with a second cassette, November 1981, which seems to have been recorded on at least a four-track deck.
The band released its first records in 1982, a 7" ("Nerve Ends in Power Lines", backed with "In Purgatory") and the Another Year 12" EP.
Nocturnal Projections’ final record was a three-song 12" in 1983 (Understanding, Another Year, In Darkness). Peter Jefferies later despaired of the over-produced sound the band achieved in its only work with a proper studio. Two live tracks from this time would also make it to record: the expansive "Words Fail Me" (eventually reworked into a This Kind of Punishment song) on the 1986 Biding Our Time compilation, and the anthemic “Walk in a Straight Line” on the 1990 Xpressway Pile=Up compilation.
In 1995 Raffmond, a European label, released the Nerve Ends in Powerlines CD of eleven Nocturnal Projections tracks, some of which had been unreleased. Buried at the end of the CD were four unlisted songs taken from the two cassettes.
Songs from the first tape have appeared on the Hate Your Neighbours CD (1997), the Worldview 7" (1998), and the Move to Riot CD compilation (2002).
Post-punk
Post-punk is a rock music movement with its roots in the late 1970s, following on the heels of the initial punk rock explosion of the mid-1970s. The genre retains its roots in the punk movement but is more introverted, complex and experimental...
band from Stratford
Stratford, New Zealand
Stratford is the only town in the central Taranaki district of Stratford District, New Zealand. It lies beneath the eastern slopes of Mount Taranaki/Egmont, approximately half-way between New Plymouth and Hawera, near the geographic centre of the Taranaki region. The town has a population of...
, near New Plymouth
New Plymouth
New Plymouth is the major city of the Taranaki Region on the west coast of the North Island of New Zealand. It is named after Plymouth, Devon, England, from where the first English settlers migrated....
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
that began recording in 1981 and split up in 1983. Often compared to British bands, especially Joy Division
Joy Division
Joy Division were an English rock band formed in 1976 in Salford, Greater Manchester. Originally named Warsaw, the band primarily consisted of Ian Curtis , Bernard Sumner , Peter Hook and Stephen Morris .Joy Division rapidly evolved from their initial punk rock influences...
, with whom they shared a moody, bass-driven sound, although the Projections’ guitar was less metallic and more ebullient than Joy Division’s. They also never underwent the exacting production of many such British bands.
History
Nocturnal Projections were Peter JefferiesPeter Jefferies
Peter Jefferies is a musician from New Zealand.In 1981 Peter and his brother Graeme Jefferies formed the post-punk band Nocturnal Projections. The band released a few records, and played around their hometown of New Plymouth, as well as Auckland....
(vocals), his brother Graeme Jefferies
Graeme Jefferies
Graeme Jefferies is a musician from New Zealand.In 1981 Graeme and his brother Peter Jefferies formed the post-punk band Nocturnal Projections...
(guitar), Brett Jones (bass), and Gordon Rutherford (drums). Peter and Graeme subsequently formed This Kind Of Punishment
This Kind Of Punishment
This Kind Of Punishment were a band from New Zealand.The band was formed by brothers Peter and Graeme Jefferies, after the breakup of their post-punk outfit Nocturnal Projections. Their first self-titled album was recorded on 4-track recorder borrowed from Chris Knox, and released in an edition of...
, which played together through the late 1980s. Graeme would then launch Cakekitchen, while Peter would go on to release several solo albums.
The brothers played in a series of punk bands (such as the Plastic Bags) before forming Nocturnal Projections; though none of those early efforts have been released, some of the songs (including "Walk in a Straight Line") would be recorded by Nocturnal Projections.
The band’s first release was the 1981 Things That Go Bunt In The Night tape, which was recorded direct to cassette and released in extremely limited quantities, perhaps as few as 100 copies. Within the year they followed up with a second cassette, November 1981, which seems to have been recorded on at least a four-track deck.
The band released its first records in 1982, a 7" ("Nerve Ends in Power Lines", backed with "In Purgatory") and the Another Year 12" EP.
Nocturnal Projections’ final record was a three-song 12" in 1983 (Understanding, Another Year, In Darkness). Peter Jefferies later despaired of the over-produced sound the band achieved in its only work with a proper studio. Two live tracks from this time would also make it to record: the expansive "Words Fail Me" (eventually reworked into a This Kind of Punishment song) on the 1986 Biding Our Time compilation, and the anthemic “Walk in a Straight Line” on the 1990 Xpressway Pile=Up compilation.
In 1995 Raffmond, a European label, released the Nerve Ends in Powerlines CD of eleven Nocturnal Projections tracks, some of which had been unreleased. Buried at the end of the CD were four unlisted songs taken from the two cassettes.
Songs from the first tape have appeared on the Hate Your Neighbours CD (1997), the Worldview 7" (1998), and the Move to Riot CD compilation (2002).
Discography
| Date of Release | Title | Label | Charted | Country | Catalog Number |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albums | |||||
| 1981 | Things That Go Bunt in the Night § | - | - | ||
| 1982 | November 1981 | - | - | ||
| 1995 | Nerve Ends in Power Lines (CD rerelease) |
Raffmond | - | - | |
| EPs | |||||
| 1982 | Another Year Another Year (Nocturnal Projections album) Another Year is an EP by New Zealand band Nocturnal Projections in 1982. -Track listing:*"You'll Never Know"*"Isn't that Strange"*"Could It Be Increased"*"Difficult Days"*"Out of My Hands"... |
- | 44 | NZ | |
| 1983 | Understanding, Another Year, In Darkness | - | - | ||
| Singles | |||||
| 1982 | Nerve Ends in Power Lines/In Purgatory | - | - | ||
| 1998 | Worldview | Raw Power Records | - | - | |
- § recorded direct to cassette and released in extremely limited quantities.
Featured appearances
The group have appeared on a few compilations since the 1980s. The following is a list of these albums that have featured tracks by the Nocturnal Projections.- (1986) - Biding Our Time (Failsafe RecordsFailsafe RecordsFailsafe Records is a record label that was founded in 1984 in Christchurch, New Zealand. It started a long line of releases, including a chain of compilations that featured many artists who later appeared on Flying Nun Records, major labels, or other larger indies.- History :The label has...
) - Words Fail Me - (1990) - Xpressway Pile-Up (XpresswayXpresswayXpressway was a record label founded by New Zealand musician Bruce Russell in Dunedin in 1988. Until it ceased in 1993, Xpressway released a variety of New Zealand musicians, primarily on cassette, but its catalogue included several 7" singles and one 12" EP....
) - Walk in a Straight Line - (1997) - Hate Your Neighbours (Zerox Records)
- (1997) - Move to Riot (Raw Power Records) -