Ambitious Vegetables was a first-wave punk band formed at Wellington’s Rongotai College by students Chas Mannell (drums), Gordon Costello (guitar), Gary Curtis (bass), and Andrew Fagan (vocals). They were later joined by Peter Henderson on lead guitar , who, at 21, brought a touch of experience to the young lineup. Drawing inspiration from bands like The Damned, Sex Pistols, and Stiff Little Fingers, the Veges delivered fast, energetic performances centered around talented front man Andrew Fagan. The band described their music as “intelligent punk, new-wave,” aimed at jolting audiences out of their apathy.
Operating out of a basement practice room at Clyde Quay School, shared with fellow punks Condemned Sector, Ambitious Vegetables quickly made their mark on the capital’s mushrooming punk scene. With schoolmate Howard Levarko stepping in as manager under the name HL Promotions, the band landed gigs supporting acts like Steroids, Toy Love, and Flight X-7. Their early shows included lunchtime sets at Rongotai and Wellington East Girls College, also gaining wider attention after teaming up with the Wallsockets for a landmark punk gig at Thistle Hall on September 29, 1979, followed by the inaugural Cuba Mall Sunday Show the next day.
In February 1980, the AV’s recorded a five-track demo at Broadcasting House with engineer Tony Burns, capturing their frenetic sound. However, by March, internal tensions over musical direction led to a lineup shift. Andrew Fagan and Gary Curtis departed to pursue a new wave pop oriented project called The Mockers, leading Gordon Costello to step up as vocalist/ guitarist and recruiting his brother Murray Costello on bass. The new lineup filmed at Avalon Studios for their track “Who Needs It“, which aired on late night TV show Radio With Pictures. Ambitious Vegetables also ventured beyond Wellington, playing Auckland’s Windsor Castle pub for the Rock Quest ‘80 battle of the bands over Easter weekend – though a breakdown of their tour van left them arriving in rough shape for the first night’s show.
Back in Wellington, they performed at the newly christened Billy The Club (Rock Theatre) alongside Flight X-7 in May. However, by August 1980, drummer Chas Mannell left to join The Mockers (later to become a chart topping pop band) leading the Ambitious Vegetables to disband. The remaining members regrouped to form a new outfit, The Red, marking the end of the Veges’ brief but fiery contribution to New Zealand’s punk legacy. An addendum to the AV’s story was added 42 years later with the 7” single release of Who Needs It?/ Prisoner Of Her Majesty – a remastered survivor of the Broadcasting House session and a fertile Wellington punk scene for those with a sprig of ambition.
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| Origin | Rongotai College, Wellington |
| Genre | punk |
| Years Active | 1978-1980 |
| Associated Acts | The Mockers, The Red, Condemned Sector Wallsockets, Skapa |
| Past Members | Gordon Costello (rhythm guitar) Gary Curtis (bass 1st) Murray Costello (bass 2nd) Andrew Fagan (vocals) Peter Henderson (lead guitar) Chas Mannell (drums) |
Releases
| Title | Date | Label | Type | Format |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Who Needs It?/ Prisoner of Her Majesty | 2022 | In Search Of Fuzzz | single | 7″ |
Links
Timeline
1979, September 29, Thistle Hall
1979, September 30+, Cuba Mall
1979, November 2, Thistle Hall
1979, December, Last Resort
Rip It Up, Issue 29, 1 December 1979, Page 6
1980
1980, February 10, Broadcasting House
Ambitious Vegetables record five tracks with Tony Burns.
1980, February, Oriental Bay extravaganza
Somebody done somebody wrong dept Ambitious Vegetables have been complaining long and loud about the scratching of themselves and the Steroids from the Radio Windy Oriental Bay extravaganza. It seems they were replaced by the Kevin O’Brien Band and are accusing Windy’s Phil O’Brien of nepotism. (Mr O’Brien was out of town-and thus unable to comment on the accusations.) The Veges stocks are rising. Negotiations are in progress for out of town gigs at Mainstreet, Hillcrest and Hillsborough and tapes of four songs are being hawked around radio stations.
Rip It Up, Issue 32, 1 March 1980, Page 4
1980, February 21-24, Last Resort
Steroids, Ambitious Vegetables
1980, February 28-29, March 1-2, Last Resort
w/ Flight X7
1980, March, In Touch
1980, March 11, Victoria University Student Union Hall
Steroids, Ambitious Vegetables
1980, April 5/ 7, Windsor Castle
1980, May 1, Rip It Up
The Rock Theatre is indeed, as rumoured last month, under new management. Billy The Club is the new name and opening the club are Newz (May 14 & 15) and Flight X-7 with Ambitious Vegetables (May 16 & 17).
Noteworthy also is that over the last few months, the Thistle Ballroom in Cuba Street has evolved into the Capital’s punk HQ, with the Spies and Shoes This High performing. Ambitious Vegetables also performed there recently after their northern excursion. They have done a clip for Radio With Pictures and still intend to release a single in the near future.
Rip It Up, Issue 34, 1 May 1980, Page 4
1980, May 16-17, Billy The Club
1980, August 1, Rip It Up
Andrew Fagan has left Ambitious Vegetables, now playing in The Mockers. Other members in The Red.
Rip It Up, Issue 37, 1 August 1980, Page 4
1981
1981, November 1, Rip It Up
One of the most inspired band names in recent times must surely have been the Ambitious Vegetables. The Veges were a bunch of young Wellingtonians who because of their age did not get the chance to play and develop the way they deserved. But that was in the good old days. Now, the ex-Veges, Andrew Fagan, Gary Curtis and Charlie Mannell, are with Dale Monaghan, and called the Mockers.
Rip It Up, Issue 52, 1 November 1981, Page 6
2006
2006, Do It To Me
2022
2022, September 15, Who Needs It?/ Prisoner Of Her Majesty
https://www.undertheradar.co.nz/news/20004/Interview-Ambitious-Vegetables—Two-Song-EP-Release
