Formed in late 1978 by Mike Lawry (drums), Chris Plummer (bass), Kevin Hawkins (guitar), and Brent Hayward (vocals), The Amps were part of Wellington’s first wave of punk and served as a short-lived stepping-stone for one of Wellington’s defining bands of this era, the volatile and infectious Shoes This High.
Going back a few months Lawry had started playing drums in Wellington punk vanguards, The Normals, shacking up at The Mind Shaft cafe out the back of The Embassy theatre in central Wellington for a residency. When The Normals went into a brief recess The Amps took over playing a mix of Iggy Pop and Lou Reed covers alongside their own material before the Shaft shut for good at the end of the year.
Kevin Hawkins had moved to Wellington from Masterton and was recognized early on as a prodigious guitar talent able to create an endless supply of catchy hooks which Brent Hayward latched a volatile level of drug induced hallucinations onto as vocalist.
In early 1979, Lawry left to rejoin The Normals, and the lineup evolved to include George Henderson (The Spies, The Puddle) on keyboards and Andy Drey (Steroids) on bass. Henderson’s experimental leanings shifted The Amps’ sound in a freer, more exploratory direction, which led to creative tensions.
On May 5 1979, The Amps supported Dunedin punk pioneers Toy Love at Wellington’s Last Resort. Shortly after this they recruited Jessica Walker (sister of Toy Love bassist Jane Walker) and rebranded as Jellyfish with Chris Plummer now sitting behind the cans. Jellyfish played their last show on July 3 1979. Having cut their teeth during The Amps brief spell Kevin, Chris, Brent and Jessica would soon go on to form one of Wellington’s most outstanding bands of the first punk wave, the mighty Shoes This High.
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Links
Audioculture: The Amps/ Jellyfish Story
| Origin | Wellington |
| Genre | punk |
| Years Active | 1978 – 1979 |
| Associated Acts | 52 The Normals Steroids The Spies Shoes This High |
| Past Members | Brent Hayward (vocals 1978-79) George Henderson (keyboards, bass 1979) Jessica Walker (bass) Kevin Hawkins (lead guitar 1978-79) Michael Lawry (rhythm guitar 1978) Chris Plummer (bass, drums 1978-79) Andy Drey (bass 1979) Robbie Holmes (drums 1979) |
Timeline
1978, December 13 – 16, Mind Shaft
The Amps played their first gigs.
1978, December 20 – 23, Mind Shaft
1979
1979, March ?, Victoria University
1979, March 25, Wellington Town Hall
1979, May 5, Last Resort
Toy Love, The Plague, The Amps
1979, June 23, Brooklyn Community Centre
The Amps renamed as Jellyfish.
1979, July 3, Wellington Artists’ Co-Op
Jellyfish played their last gig.
