Known for their flamboyant style and self-described as “Wagnerian rock music to invade Poland by”, Vas Deferens revelled in the bad-taste humour of a degenerate punk rock that kept its tongue planted firmly in cheek. During 1989 they became a somewhat of a resident band at The Clarendon tavern belting out a setlist of punk and metal covers and a growing catalogue of original songs. Steve Andrews’ stage persona as Luger Douche got a kick out of rarking up the Wellington audience, often dispensing eggs and rotten fruit to the crowd to encourage audience “feedback”. Anti-System describes the VD’s “attempt to put some theatrics and stupidity back into punk, makes them the band everyone loves to hate!” 

I had this idiotic idea to provide the audience with a dozen eggs to hurl at me, but man raw eggs hurt at close range! However the gimmick worked because the stunt got the VDs a mention in Rip It Up magazine. Everyone seemed to have a good night and it being Vas Defs first gig I think people were quite surprised we played so well.

Steve Andrews

Vas Deferens released their debut album, Original Hits, in June 1991, a six-track record featuring quirky and provocative songs about harems, incest, and Microwave Pies (the later written by Darryl Ward of Goatrider) . They followed this with the EP Luger Douche and the Rolli Hei Hei Experience in October 1992. Vas Deferens shared the stage with Wellington mates Flesh D-Vice,TAB and out of town bands such as Sticky Filth.

In 1997, Steve Andrews relocated to London, putting Vas Deferens on hiatus. During this period, Andrews occasionally returned to New Zealand and performed with Flesh D-Vice as their vocalist, stepping in after the death of their singer, Gerald Dwyer, in 1996. A notable 2002 performance at Valve saw Andrews fronting Flesh D-Vice while Vas Deferens also played, joined by another 1980s Wellington band, Wazzo Ghoti.

Vas Deferens reunited in 2008 for a series of 20th-anniversary shows in Wellington and Auckland, reigniting their legacy. What may have been their final gig with Andrews on vocals occurred on November 29, 2008, at The Adelaide. Tragically, Andrews’ life was cut short in December 2012 when he was fatally assaulted outside a pub in Putney, South West London. Friends rallied to raise $13,000 through a benefit gig in January 2013 to repatriate his body to Wellington. At this event, Vas Deferens performed with Gerry Moran taking over vocals and Simon Gotlieb joining as a second guitarist.

This new lineup continued the band’s legacy, playing sporadic shows around Wellington and releasing the EP Mad Mothers, Man in 2015 and the album Only Got Yourself To Blame in 2016. However, Vas Deferens officially disbanded in December 2016, closing the chapter on a nearly three-decade run of degenerate fun times.