“Women who play solid hair-shwinging, studded-gauntlet-pumping-in-the-air, pelvic-thrusting, roller-derby-smash-up, nosebleed core. What’s even better is that they manage to pull it off with a sense of humour.” (Kerry Ann-Lee, Captain Howdy zine 2006)

Poodles was a fierce, all-female crust-punk band from Wellington, New Zealand, active in the mid-2000s DIY punk scene. Known for their high-energy, aggressive sound and playful yet unapologetic attitude, they embodied the raw, humorous spirit of crust and hardcore punk.

The band originally formed in 2005 under the name Quatermass, with the lineup consisting of Kallie on vocals, Lisa White on bass, Greta on drums, and Sarsha Leigh-Douglas on guitar. Lisa had previously played in the Carnys, while Sarsha came from Sparkle Motion.

Poodles/ Quatermass made their live debut in early 2005, opening for the Australian band Pure Evil Trio in both Wellington and Auckland. They quickly became fixtures in the local scene, sharing bills with bands like Dead Vicious, First Person Shooter, and Guest Stabs Host. In late 2005, the band embarked on their first international adventure: a November/ December tour of Australia alongside Wellington’s Scab, performing at Maggotville, Sydney, and the Belladonna DIY Festival in Wollongong.

By 2006, lineup changes began. Sarsha left the band and was soon playing in Shortlived and Coexister, the later also featured Kellie on vocals. A series of guitarists (Anita, Sam and James Quick) stepped in to fill the gap. That same year, Kallie expanded her involvement in the Wellington underground by becoming vocalist for the experimental metal/ grindcore act Gomorrah (later renamed Akaname). Both bands appeared at Sharkfest 2006, a two day mid-winter festival held in the Wellington Pipe Band hall.

In October 2006, Poodles released a split 7″ with Australian crust-punk band Scum System Kill. The release coincided with Scum System Kill’s tour of New Zealand, supported by Poodles, culminating in a joint performance at Punkfest 2006. Later that year, in December, Poodles played at Ladyfest, a two-day event held at the San Fran Bath House in Wellington. This show marked the band’s final performance, as bassist Lisa White relocated to Australia shortly afterward. In Melbourne, she joined the crust-punk band Walrora, who later returned to New Zealand for a set at Punkfest in 2008.

Origin	Wellington
Genre	crust, punk
Years Active	2005-2006
AKA	Quatermass Poodle Dead Poodles Of Nukem High Night Of The Living Poodle The Nightmare Before Poodle A Room With A Poodle Big Poodle In Little China
Associated Acts	Carnys, Shortlived, Sparkle Motion
Past Members	Kallie (vocals 2005-2006) Lisa White (bass 2005-2006) Greta Welson (drums 2005-2006) Sarsha Leigh-Douglas (guitar 2005) James Quick (guitar 2005) Anita (guitar 2006) Sam (guitar 2006)