“The world drove them mad, a world like a Padded Cell with a vision of four walls and every channel turned to 13.” (Padded Cell manifesto)

Padded Cell was a four-piece anarcho-punk band from Wellington, New Zealand, active from 2002 to around 2004. Formed by vocalist Blair Jones, bassist Ross Gardiner, guitarist Angela, and drummer Jana Java, the band delivered raw, old-school punk with politically charged lyrics. Blair and Angela previously played together in V.B.F in 2000, while Jana was drumming for the Carnys, and Ross had been a member of Auckland punk band Our Kind in the 1990s.

The band debuted at Punkfest 2001, performing at “The Frying Pan” flat to a hungover Sunday crowd. They shared stages with local acts like the Carnys, Hung Jury, School of Meat, and Bonus Donor. In 2002, Padded Cell played key events, including a fundraiser for the Up The Punks exhibition and Nevermind The Punkfest. Their Auckland appearance at Unityfest that year featured Blair’s dramatic entrance, carried onstage in a coffin, cementing his reputation for theatrical antics.

Padded Cell contributed a live recording of their song “Globalization” to the 2004 Stop The Bypass compilation. By then, the band had disbanded, with Blair moving on to join If I Had A Gun.

Origin	Wellington, Eva St.
Genre	punk
Years Active	2001 – 2003
Associated Acts	Carnys, Deaf Terrorists, If I Had A Gun, VBF
Past Members	Blair Jones (vocals) Ross Gardiner (bass) Angela Kennedy (guitar) Jana Java (drums)

Padded Cell playing at Eva Street flat, Frypan. c.2002 Photo: Lyn Spencer
Padded Cell playing at Car Yard Chaos, Unity Fest Auckland, 2002. Photo: Lyn Spencer