Raging d-beat punk that sounds like Cocaine Bear on a rampage through your picnic and taking a shit in your hamper.
Bordger was a three-piece d-beat crust band hailing from Te Whanganui-a-Tara/ Wellington, formed in 2018 by Sam Thurston (guitar/vocals), Jessy McNamara (drums), and CJ (bass). The band originated at the Newtown punk flat known as Turret House, with Sam and Jessy both previously playing in Piggery and The Johos, and CJ joining after a stint with Sam in Corpse Rat. The name Bordger is taken from an Ursula Le Guin novel about a wizard with the power to shape-shift into a bear who then loses his humanity, or something. Pretty trippy.
Bordger played their first shows in late 2018, though their early years (2019–2021) were marked by sporadic gigs due to Covid lockdowns and other commitments. A first recording, “Intended To Murder,” appeared in August 2019 on the Rungus Among Us Wellington punk compilation. This was followed in late 2020 by their War Of Extinction EP released at Neil Roberts Day in December.
After a gig at Aro Hall in August 2021, Bordger went on hiatus as members pursued other projects. A split 7” with Australian punks Extinct Exist was released in April 2022 and the band roared back to life in August 2023 with a gig at the Berhampore Warehouse. This was followed by a Greek odyssey two months later where Sam and Jessy recruited Betty, formerly of The Methadonnas, to play bass for a couple of explosive shows, repping Aotearoa in the birthplace of souvlaki, pillars and biffing bricks at police.
CJ rejoined the fold on bass for their final outing, a show at Valhalla on February 28, 2025 to celebrate the release of the Always Never Fun’s book, a compendium of Sam’s zine output over 17+ years.
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| Origin | Turret House |
| Genre | D-beat, punk, hardcore |
| Years Active | 2018 – now |
| Labels | Always Never Fun, Limbless Music |
| Associated Acts | Rogernomix, The Johos, Corpse Rat, Piggery |
| Past Members | CJ (bass) Jessy (drums) Sam (guitar, vocals) |
Releases
| Title | Date | Label | Type | Format |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rungus Among Us | 2019, Aug 19 | Razored Raw | compilation | tape/ DL |
| War Of Extinction | 2020, Dec 5 | ANF, Limbless Music | EP | 7″/ DL |
| Bordger/ ExtinctExist | 2022, April 15 | Bitter Loss Records | split EP | 7″/ DL |
Timeline
2018, December 31, Long Gully Station
2019
2019, August 19, Rungus Among Us
2019, September 21, Pyramid Club
2019, October 26, Valhalla
2019, November 30, Aro Hall
2020
2020, January 19/ March, Lyall Bay/ Turret House
Recording War Of Extinction, with Vanya.
2020, June 20, Valhalla
2020, December 5, War Of Extinction
2020, December 5, Neil Roberts Day
2021
2021, January 15, The Vault
2021, January 16, Yot Club
