“Under your big fat head you’re still a shithouse cunt“
Police Lineup was a short-lived but much-loved power-violence duo from South Wellington, active between 2009 and 2011. Formed as a tongue-in-cheek side project, the band featured guitarist/ vocalist Sam Thurston and drummer Bosun, both already fixtures in the Wellington underground. Sam was simultaneously involved in d-beat stalwarts Rogernomix and sludge outfit Meth Drinker, while Bosun would later emerge in other grindcore and powerviolence projects.
The duo came together in 2009, quickly bashing out a rough, homemade demo tape titled Horrendous Results, self-released on Sam’s label Always Never Fun Records. The recording captured Police Lineup’s ethos perfectly: ultra-short, no-frills blasts of power-violence paired with song titles that gleefully skewered the hardcore scene. Tracks such as “I Invented Grindcore and All I Got Was This Shitty Munter Bogan Crowd (Ode to Napalm)” and “There’s Not Enough Skulls in Your Album Art” showcased their sense of humour as much as their ferocity.
One of their early shows was at The Adelaide pub in Mount Cook/ Newtown, sharing a bill with Rogernomix, Cult of the Cobra, Adam Smith Assassination and Neon Bastard, an early snapshot of Wellington’s feral crusty punk scene at the time.
In 2010, Police Lineup released a split 7” with Hamilton grindcore legends Aborted Christians. But by 2011 the project had run its course. Their final appearance came on 18 March 2011 at Bodega’s Burgundy Room, playing alongside Meth Drinker, Numbskull, Shock Futuro and Fantails.
After Police Lineup ended, Bosun went on to drum for the powerviolence outfit Stress Ghetto (formed in 2012). Sam and Bosun eventually reunited, this time as members of Piggery (2017–2021) and later Forced Starvation, which debuted in 2022.
| Origin | Turret House, South Wellington |
| Genre | South Wellington Power Violence |
| Years Active | 2009 – 2011 |
| Labels | Always Never Fun |
| Associated Acts | Rogernomix, Piggery, High Risk Maneuver Forced Starvation |
| Past Members | Sam Thurston (guitar, vocals) Bosun (drums, vocals) |
Releases
| Title | Date | Label | Type | Format |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Horrendous Results | 2009 | Always Never Fun Records #5 | EP | tape |
| Aborted Christians/ Police Lineup | 2010 | Always Never Fun Records | split | 7″ |
| Welcome To The Arse-End Of The World | 2011, April 29 | Always Never Fun Records | compilation | 12″ |
Timeline
2009, May 15, The Adelaide
2009, Horrendous Results
2010
2010, February 22, No Backpacks In The Pit
2010, Aborted Christians/ Police Lineup
2011, March 18, Bodega
