The Politicians
Encyclopedia
The Politicians were a rock
/new wave
/reggae
band formed in Tokoroa
, New Zealand
in March 1981. Originally writing and performing their own songs with such titles as Shift worker,Teacher Teacher, Can't write a love song, Arabian girl, 5 Years time...
Two of their singles were played on various NZ television shows, including Shazam and Radio with Pictures
. They toured New Zealand for 5 years playing the hotel circuit. When Tim Armstrong left the band in May 1986 he went on to form The Kiwi Bandits.
And The Tim Armstrong band. Which played at Zaks nitepub in Hamilton
New Zealand. The Politicians continued for almost another 10 years
playing resident at Shakes niteclub in Hamilton now known as the Altitude.
After their resident gig finished they carried on as a working band
and recorded a highly polished album entitled Test Pattern.
Wa Kupa lives in Wairoa and Doug Pepperell is now in Perth Australia. Paul Alderton is still performing with the Paul/ Simon Duo. Campbell Hapi is playing gigs around South east Asia. Paul VanWering is teaching music and Guitar in Hamilton.
Ian Jefferies has moved to Perth Australia , while Jeff Downey runs his own company, Downey Construction.
Adrian Ellis continues his Music career and is working on a video company in Tokoroa.Paul Krippner has his own sound company. Warren Williams is still playing music in Sydney and has his own finance broking business.
Tim Armstrong's band is still performing and has released several albums and singles. The singles Photograph and Christmas day were released in 1986. Grantham street/Elenore (single) was released in 1993.Tim recorded three albums in the nineties. Relationships 1992/
Breaking hearts 1993 and Wondering why which was released on Hark records in 1995. Also a cover version of the Beatles song Here comes the sun came out as a single in 1994. Tim Armstrongs latest album's just released Listen to your Heart(2007) Old kid on the block (2009) 2010 (2010)
Tim Armstrong band (1997–Present)
Album Test Pattern released 1993
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
/new wave
New Wave music
New Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...
/reggae
Reggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
band formed in Tokoroa
Tokoroa
Tokoroa is the third-largest town in the Waikato region of the North Island of New Zealand and largest settlement in the South Waikato district. Located 30 km southwest of Rotorua, close to the foot of the Mamaku Ranges, it is mid-way between Taupo and Hamilton on State Highway One...
, 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...
in March 1981. Originally writing and performing their own songs with such titles as Shift worker,Teacher Teacher, Can't write a love song, Arabian girl, 5 Years time...
Two of their singles were played on various NZ television shows, including Shazam and Radio with Pictures
Radio with Pictures
Radio with Pictures was an early music video program, airing on New Zealand broadcaster TV2 from 1976 to 1986...
. They toured New Zealand for 5 years playing the hotel circuit. When Tim Armstrong left the band in May 1986 he went on to form The Kiwi Bandits.
And The Tim Armstrong band. Which played at Zaks nitepub in Hamilton
New Zealand. The Politicians continued for almost another 10 years
playing resident at Shakes niteclub in Hamilton now known as the Altitude.
After their resident gig finished they carried on as a working band
and recorded a highly polished album entitled Test Pattern.
Wa Kupa lives in Wairoa and Doug Pepperell is now in Perth Australia. Paul Alderton is still performing with the Paul/ Simon Duo. Campbell Hapi is playing gigs around South east Asia. Paul VanWering is teaching music and Guitar in Hamilton.
Ian Jefferies has moved to Perth Australia , while Jeff Downey runs his own company, Downey Construction.
Adrian Ellis continues his Music career and is working on a video company in Tokoroa.Paul Krippner has his own sound company. Warren Williams is still playing music in Sydney and has his own finance broking business.
Tim Armstrong's band is still performing and has released several albums and singles. The singles Photograph and Christmas day were released in 1986. Grantham street/Elenore (single) was released in 1993.Tim recorded three albums in the nineties. Relationships 1992/
Breaking hearts 1993 and Wondering why which was released on Hark records in 1995. Also a cover version of the Beatles song Here comes the sun came out as a single in 1994. Tim Armstrongs latest album's just released Listen to your Heart(2007) Old kid on the block (2009) 2010 (2010)
Band members
- Tim Armstrong (guitarElectric guitarAn electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
/vocals) - Wa Kupa (bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
)(1981–1984) - Doug Pepperell (drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
)(1981–1982) - Paul Van Wering (guitar/keyboard)(1983-1990s)
- Campbell Hapi (bass) (1984–1986)
- Jeff Downey (drums) (1985-1990s)
- Paul Alderton (drums) (1982–1985)
- Donna Armstrong (keyboards) (1984–1986)
- Adrian Ellis(Bass) (1986–1990)
- Lance Healey(Bass) (1990)
- Paul Krippner (sound) (1985-1990s)
- Simon Elton (Bass) (1990s)
- Laurence Arps (guitar) (1990s)
- Corilin Steel (vocals) (1990s) *Corilin Steel is now resident solo singer aboard The Waipa Delta".
- Kevin Smith (Drums)(1990s)
- Liam Ryan (keyboards) various times
- Ian Jeffries (guitar) (1986–1990)
- Warren Williams (Bass) (1986–1988)
- Kevin Popperwell (Lighting) (1983–1985)
- Derek McGrath (sound) (1981–1982)
- Howard Bright (lighting) (1982–1983)
- Steve Parker(Lighting) (1981)
Tim Armstrong band (1997–Present)
- Tim Armstrong (guitarElectric guitarAn electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
/vocals) - Don McClumpha([Backing vocals/bass guitar])
- Nigel Sanderson (joined 2008) ([Backing vocals/drums])
Singles
| Year | Single | Album | NZ Singles Chart | Certification |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | Down In Baghdad/Looking for you | - | - | |
| 1985 | Energy/Polar bear | - | - | |
Album Test Pattern released 1993