The Normals, Wellington’s pioneering punk band, formed in 1978 with Graham Hood on bass, Dazee Day on vocals, Mike Lawry on guitar, and Andy on drums. Based out of Graham’s Oriental Bay flat, that he shared with Paul Champion and Kevin Hawkins, the band embodied the raw, rebellious spirit of early punk. Initially known as The Stainz or The Same, they solidified their lineup when Dazee took over vocals, crafting original lyrics with Graham. Dazee’s punk stall, Not Nice New Wave Gear, at Vic Markets became a hub for Wellington’s growing punk community, attracting like-minded youth and leading to Michael Lawry (later of Headless Chickens) joining after a drunken jam session in the Hutt.
The Normals debuted at Chez Paree, a bohemian cafe rebranded as The Mind Shaft to embrace the punk wave, in November 1978. As a resident band, they mixed covers with originals, fermenting a nascent punk scene in a venue typically hosting folk acts. After The Mind Shaft closed that year, the band went on hiatus while Graham and Dazee traveled overseas. Reforming in mid-1979 with Karl Scutt on drums, they recorded four songs at Broadcasting House in July, including “Suburbanite,” a raw take on suburban alienation, “Bananas,” a deliberately simplistic punk anthem, and “Anorexia Nervosa,” reflecting Dazee’s socially conscious lyricism.
The Normals shared stages with touring bands like The Vauxhalls, Sheerlux, The Swingers, and Toy Love, as well as local act The Steroids. By late 1979, they relocated to Auckland, where the punk scene was overshadowed by violence between boots, punks and gangs like the King Cobras. This hostile environment, coupled with internal dynamics, led to their breakup soon after.
Graham Hood relocated to Australia and where he joined Sydney ska band the Allniters. Their single “She Made A Monkey Out Of Me” has its basis in The Normals song “Bananas”. Hoody later went on to play in cowpunk band The Johnnys and pub rock band Beasts of Bourbon.
| Origin | Wellington |
| Genre | punk |
| Years Active | 1978 – 1979 |
| Associated Acts | The Amps, The Spies, Domestic Blitz |
| Past Members | Dazee Day (vocals) Graham Hood (bass) Michael Lawry (guitar) Karl Scutt (drums 1979) Andy (drums 1978) |
Timeline
1978, November 8, Chez Paree
1979
1979, July 4, RNZ Studios
The Normals record three tracks (Bananas, Anorexia Nervosa, Suburbanite) with Tony Burns as engineer.
1979, July 13-14, Rock Theatre
w/ The Swingers
