52 was a four-piece proto-punk / art-rock band from Wellington, New Zealand, active from 1978 to 1979. Named after their practice space at 52 Cuba Street, the band consisted of Andy Drey (bass), Dino Houtos (guitar), Graham Sinclair (vocals), and Malcolm Wardlaw (drums). Drawing inspiration from avant-garde icons like Captain Beefheart, Robert Wyatt, and Soft Machine, their sound, described as “angular, energetic art-rock” with similarities to Talking Heads and XTC, bridged the gap between progressive rock and the raw energy of first-wave punk.
Formed in early 1978, 52 debuted at Ziggy’s nightclub, infusing their performance with theatrical flair, including a vacuum cleaner salesman as part of the stage act. They quickly gained notoriety, supporting Auckland’s Suburban Reptiles at their Cuba Street space on April 9, 1978. That June, they were the sole Wellington act at the “New Wave Special ‘78” at the Town Hall, sharing the stage with punk and new wave bands like the Scavengers and Idle Idols.
Their music, described as “futuristic” and hard to pin down, set them apart from the year zero back to basics of their punk contemporaries. In September 1978, 52 held a Thursday night residency at Ziggy’s with the band splitting up by the end of the year. Some members went on to pursue new paths: Andy Drey formed the punk band the Steroids and later the influential electronic group The Body Electric, while Graham Sinclair ventured further into the realms of experimental noise music.
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Graham Sinclair experimental noise music post-52
| Origin | Wellington |
| Genre | proto-punk, new wave |
| Years Active | 1978 |
| Associated Acts | The Spies, Steroids |
| Past Members | Andy Drey (bass) Dino Houtos (guitar) Graham Sinclair (vocals) Malcolm Wardlaw (drums) |
Timeline
1978, April 9, 52 Cuba St
