Number Nine based themselves out of a Pirie Street flat in Wellington’s Mount Victoria that served as a hub for artists and musicians: “There was a big ‘alternative’ contingent and lots of people looking to express themselves through music and other art forms… things just happened spontaneously” (Kermack). Immersed in this creative milieu Number Nine drew on a range of musical influences from The Stooges, MC5 and The Doors to Can, Neu, Husker Du and Sun Ra. 

The new band played their first gigs in April 1986 at The Clyde Quay Tavern with Skank Attack. After this the lineup reset with Stu Brown replaced on bass by Cynthia Buckingham and the band next appeared in October playing DIY venues the Amrita Vegetarian Restaurant and the Wakefield Markets in December.   

In April 1987, Number Nine contributed the track “Touch and Go” to the Wellington underground compilation When The Wind Blows, put out by Skank Attack’s label Skank Records. Their debut album, Nowhere Fast, was recorded later that year at Frontier Studio with engineer Malcolm Wellsford. Captured live with minimal overdubs, the album showcased the band’s chaotic energy and was released in September 1987 by Jayrem Records. A North Island tour followed, with new member Cliff Bateman added on second guitar adding sharper solos and a more focused sound.

Beyond performing, Number Nine organized gigs through their “Nine Productions” initiative, hosting shows at venues like Railway Hall, Cricketers Arms, and The Clarendon. The band underwent changes when McFarlane moved to Auckland, continuing briefly as a four-piece. Buckingham left in June 1988, replaced by Mike from NRA on bass. After Bateman’s departure in mid-1989, Number Nine regathered to play a two show finale at The Clarendon on December 8-9. Kermack relocated to the UK in 1991, while McFarlane became a successful visual artist based in Kerikeri. In 2015, the two reunited for The Raw Materialists, an experimental electro-acoustic project, releasing the album Fun Dots in 2016.

Labelling Number Nine is a no no, they might go as far as saying ‘rock and roll’ – I’d describe it as a fusion of 60s (Stooges, Hendrix, drugs, wah-wah pedal) and punk (Ruts, Husker Du, alcohol, Aftershock). But that doesn’t even cover the full on ska-ish ‘Back Beat’, or my favourite of the twelve songs ‘Certain Death’, which is more metal-ish (in the traditional sense). I’m surprised (but glad) Jayrem released this, as they wouldn’t do anything with Kevin’s earlier band The Glass, as it couldn’t be easily pigeon-holed’ and the same applies for Number Nine.

Ania, Submission zine