In 1986, the small Wellington punk scene surged with new bands, delivering an uptick in gigs, zines, and independent releases. This burst of activity unfolded against the backdrop of New Zealand’s rapid neoliberal transformation under the fourth Labour government’s Rogernomics policies – deregulation, privatisation, and corporate-friendly reforms that many viewed as eroding community and heritage. Public frustration boiled over in central Wellington, where historic buildings were bulldozed to make way for glossy office towers, most notoriously the controversial BNZ headquarters on Willis Street. Punk responded directly: the December “Rock Against Concrete” show at Railway Hall (featuring Compos Mentis, Number Nine, Harry Death, Five Year Mission, One Less Customer, The Axemen, and Screaming K Hawkins) protested this destruction, while Compos Mentis’ song “Chase Corporation” distilled the same anti-corporate rage into lyrics.
The year opened with fresh blood. Wazzo Ghoti played their debut at the Cricketers Arms in January. The Glass bowed out with a final show at Café Pacifique on 1 February; from their ashes, Kevin Kermack (ex-The Glass and Aftershock) and Dean Reilly formed Number Nine, who hit the stage in April. The Brothers Gorgonzola kept the chaos coming – with a drunken Botanical Gardens set that ended when the PA was pulled – while also releasing a split 7” with Toerag and gigging steadily.
Compos Mentis were the scene’s powerhouse. They dropped two 7” EPs: “From Behind The Wall” in March and the split “Pictures from the Colonies” with Australian band G.A.S.H in September; published two issues of their zine Communicade, and had their label Sound Mind Tapes release the trans-Tasman compilation Blast Away Vol. 1 in October. In September they announced their split but soldiered on as a three-piece, still recording new material that would surface the following year.
Hardcore and political edges sharpened elsewhere. Newcomers Manson Family formed in Plimmerton and shared early bills with Flesh D-Vice in June. Flesh D-Vice themselves stayed low-key but released a Joy Division “Transmission” cover in April and finished the year gigging in New Plymouth with Sticky Filth and The Warners.
Skank Attack were among the busiest, logging shows around town, cutting tracks at Frontier Studios in June, and touring both islands in November–December. The Ressurrectionists even reformed for one night only in August, curating the multimedia “Closer To The Source” event at the Electric Ballroom – video, live music, and “vision” all in one anarchic package.
Parallel to the music ran explicit activism. Anti-System zine went into overdrive with six issues in 1986. Creator Simon Cottle used the pages (and the gigs) to pull punks into the animal-liberation movement, linking them with the NZ Anti-Vivisection Society and helping stage protests such as the World Day for Laboratory Animals in April. In November, the first Neil Roberts Day commemoration was held in Whanganui’s Motoua Gardens, honouring the anarchist punk whose death had become a rallying point for the wider scene’s anti-authoritarian streak.
January
- Jan: Anti-System #2
- Jan 20, The Dell: Brothers Gorgonzola
- Jan 25, The Cricketers Arms: Wazzo Ghoti (1st gig, recorded)
February
- Feb 1, Cafe Pacifique: The Glass (last gig)
- Feb 7-8, Cafe Pacifique: Compos Mentis
- Feb 14-15, Victoria University: Flesh D-Vice, No Idea, Brothers Gorgonzola, Axemen, Skeptics +
- Feb 15, Cafe Pacifique: Wazzo Ghoti
March
- Compos Mentis: From Behind The Wall
- Communicade #2
- March 20, Flying Kiwi: Flesh D-Vice, No Idea
April
- April: Anti-System #3
- April, Flesh D-Vice: Transmission/ Strange TV
- April 1-2, The Cricketers Arms: The Johnnys
- April 22, Clyde Quay Tavern (?): Number Nine
- April 24, The Cenotaph: World Day for Laboratory Animals
- April 24, Clyde Quay Tavern: Number Nine, Skank Attack
May
- May: Anti-System #4
- May 1, Brothers Gorgonzola/ Toerag: You Are
- May 2-3, Lion Tavern (NP): Casualty, Compos Mentis
- May 10, Clyde Quay Tavern: Brothers Gorgonzola, Crawbelly Creeps
- May 31, Clyde Quay Tavern: ?Fog, Brothers Gorgonzola, Crawbelly Creeps
June
- June 13-14, The Cricketers Arms: Flesh D-Vice, Manson Family
- June 26, Frontier Studios: Skank Attack recording
July
- July: Anti-System #5
- July 26, Cafe Pacifique: Skank Attack, Brothers Gorgonzola, Going To Waste
August
- Aug 1, CIT Heretaunga: Skank Attack recording
- Aug 8-9, Clyde Quay Tavern: Skank Attack, The Jonahs, Fire-Eater
- Aug 29, Electric Ballroom: Resurrectionists, Urban Dwellers
September
- Compos Mentis/ G.A.S.H: Pictures From The Colonies
- Sept 17, Clyde Quay Tavern: Skank Attack, Murder Inc.
- Sept 19-20, Windsor Castle: Skank Attack, Murder Inc.
October
- Oct: Anti-System #6
- Oct: Divided We Fall #1
- Oct: Acid Reign: Rain Fall
- Oct: Blast Away V1 compilation
- Oct 9, Amrita Restaurant: Number Nine
- Oct 31, Clyde Quay Tavern: Flesh D-Vice, Morning Horn
November
- Nov: Anti-System #7
- Nov 5, venue: Screaming Blue Messiahs (UK), Flesh D-Vice
- Nov 18, Whanganui, Neil Roberts Day
- Nov 19-20, Cricketers Arms: Brothers Gorgonzola, Onaweta
- Nov 20, Chippendale House (DUN): Skank Attack
- Nov 21-22, The Gladstone (CHCH): Skank Attack
- Nov 29, Wakefield Markets: Skank Attack
December
- Dec: Divided We Fall #2
- Dec 5, Railway Hall, Rock Against Concrete: Compos Mentis, Harry Death, 5YM, One Less Customer, The Mudmen, Number Nine, Screaming K Hawkins, The Axemen
- Dec 5-6, Windsor Castle: Skank Attack
- Dec 7, Performance Cafe (AKL): Skank Attack
- Dec 13, Wakefield Markets: Number Nine, Skank Attack
- Dec 20, Wakefield Markets: Flesh D-Vice, Manson Family
- Dec 21, Wakefield Markets: Flesh D-Vice, Manson Family, Wazzo Ghoti
- Dec 31, Auckland: Acid Reign, Service 42
- Dec 31, Bell Block Hotel (NP): Short Stop & Rapid Fire Tour: Flesh D-Vice, Sticky Filth, The Warners, Blessed Foad
