Natural Glow was a short-lived but electrifying hardcore punk band that emerged from the ashes of Cult Of The Cobra in early 2010. After the departure of Sammy Sting, the remaining four members: Kim, Steph, Sarsha, and Dorian, rebranded themselves as Natural Glow, carrying forward the raw energy and rebellious spirit of their predecessors, Punchbowl and Cult Of The Cobra. The band was known for its fast, aggressive sound, driven by Sarsha’s fastcore riffs and Kim’s biting, sardonic lyrics delivered with unbridled intensity and 1000’s of luminous spheres.
Formed in 2010, Natural Glow hit the ground running with their debut performance in June at San Fran Bathhouse, a Wednesday night gig that introduced their fiery sound to the local scene. Guitarist Sarsha juggled commitments with Natural Glow alongside her roles in the d-beat outfit Rogernomix (since 2009) and the newly formed Fantails, a project she started in 2010 with ex-Punchbowl drummer Charlie Camp. Natural Glow often shared the stage with Teen Hygiene, a garage punk duo featuring Ben Knight (also of Rogernomix) on drums, showcasing the tight-knit nature of the local punk network.
In October 2010, Natural Glow entered studio Smoko with producer Vanya Vitali to record their sole EP, Young, Gifted & Fat. The six-track release, self-distributed on cassette, dropped just in time for Punkfest 2010, cementing their reputation for gritty, no-frills punk. The band played a few additional shows in November before their abrupt dissolution when vocalist Kim relocated overseas, bringing Natural Glow’s chapter to a close.
Though their time was short, Natural Glow left a mark on the punk underground. Two of their standout tracks, “RTDs” and the title track “Young, Gifted & Fat,” were later featured on the 2011 compilation Welcome To The Arse-End Of The World.
| Origin | Wellington |
| Genre | punk, metal |
| Years Active | 2010 – 2011 |
| Associated Acts | Punchbowl Cult Of The Cobra Fantails |
| Past Members | Kim Gruschow (vocals) Steph Stutely (bass) Sarsha Leigh-Douglas (guitar) Dorian Denny (drums) |
Releases
| Title | Date | Label | Type | Format |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Young, Gifted and Fat | 2010, October 22 | album | tape, CD, DL | |
| Welcome To The Arse End Of The World | 2011, April 29 | Always Never Fun | compilation |

Timeline
2010, June 23, SFBH

2010, July 17, Aro Valley Hall

2010, July 23, Garrett St.

2010, August 5, Happy

2010, September 23, Medusa

2010, October 2 & 11, Smoko
Recorded “Young, Gifted & Fat” with Vanya at Smoko.
2010, October 22, Young, Gifted, & Fat
2010, October 23, Punkfest
*Photo: Alex Meagher
2010, November 20, Watusi

2010, November 21, Kilbirnie
Photo: Alex Meagher
2011
2011, April 29, Welcome To The Arse-End Of The World




