{"id":559,"date":"2025-11-02T12:02:07","date_gmt":"2025-11-01T23:02:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/upthepunks.co.nz\/?p=559"},"modified":"2026-05-19T13:56:47","modified_gmt":"2026-05-19T01:56:47","slug":"the-spies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/upthepunks.co.nz\/bands\/2025\/11\/the-spies","title":{"rendered":"The Spies"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"has-drop-cap wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-size:17px\">Formed in Wellington in mid-1979, The Spies emerged from the ashes of <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/upthepunks.co.nz\/2022\/06\/the-amps\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"511\">The Amps\/Jellyfish<\/a><\/strong> after that group split in July. Guitarist, organist and vocalist George Henderson teamed up with drummer Chris Plummer, Susan Ellis, Richard Sedger, and Mark Thomas to create a new kind of psychedelic post-punk, far removed from the nihilism of their punk peers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-size:17px\">Henderson, originally from Invercargill, brought a deep love of early Pink Floyd, Syd Barrett, Kevin Ayers and the dub-heavy sounds of Lee Perry to the group. The result was what Uncut magazine later described as \u201cperfectly deformed DIY psychedelia\u201d, drug-laced, eccentric and defiantly experimental.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div data-wp-context=\"{ &quot;autoclose&quot;: false, &quot;accordionItems&quot;: [] }\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/accordion\" role=\"group\" class=\"wp-block-accordion is-layout-flow wp-block-accordion-is-layout-flow\">\n<div data-wp-class--is-open=\"state.isOpen\" data-wp-context=\"{ &quot;id&quot;: &quot;accordion-item-1&quot;, &quot;openByDefault&quot;: false }\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.initAccordionItems\" data-wp-on-window--hashchange=\"callbacks.hashChange\" class=\"wp-block-accordion-item is-layout-flow wp-block-accordion-item-is-layout-flow\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-accordion-heading\"><button aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"accordion-item-1-panel\" data-wp-bind--aria-expanded=\"state.isOpen\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.toggle\" id=\"accordion-item-1\" type=\"button\" class=\"wp-block-accordion-heading__toggle\"><span class=\"wp-block-accordion-heading__toggle-title\">Read more<\/span><span class=\"wp-block-accordion-heading__toggle-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\">+<\/span><\/button><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div aria-labelledby=\"accordion-item-1\" data-wp-bind--hidden=\"state.isHidden\" data-wp-on--beforematch=\"actions.handleBeforeMatch\" id=\"accordion-item-1-panel\" role=\"region\" class=\"wp-block-accordion-panel is-layout-flow wp-block-accordion-panel-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-size:17px\">Their first show took place on September 30, 1979, at a free Sunday session in <a href=\"https:\/\/upthepunks.co.nz\/1979\/09\/1979-september-30-cuba-mall\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"12153\"><strong>Cuba Mall<\/strong><\/a>, part of a grassroots series of public gigs organized by local musicians including Mark Thomas and the <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/upthepunks.co.nz\/2025\/06\/wallsockets\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"605\">Wallsockets<\/a><\/strong>. Later that year, The Spies held a short residency at <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/upthepunks.co.nz\/2022\/08\/willys-wine-bar\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"5101\">Willy\u2019s Wine Bar<\/a><\/strong> and played <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/upthepunks.co.nz\/2024\/02\/thistle-hall\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"12295\">Thistle Hall<\/a><\/strong> on <strong>New Year\u2019s Eve 1979<\/strong> alongside <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/upthepunks.co.nz\/2025\/06\/domestic-blitz\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"221\">Domestic Blitz<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/upthepunks.co.nz\/2025\/06\/wallsockets\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"605\">Wall Sockets<\/a><\/strong>, and <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/upthepunks.co.nz\/2025\/10\/shoes-this-high\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"449\">Shoes This High<\/a><\/strong> (which featured former Amps members Kevin and Jessica).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-size:17px\">By early 1980, The Spies were opening for <strong>Toy Love<\/strong> at <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/upthepunks.co.nz\/2022\/06\/last-resort\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"1049\">The Last Resort<\/a><\/strong> and living communally in a Mount Victoria squat on Bosworth Terrace, which became a hub for disaffected punks, artists, and musicians chasing freedom through drugs and music.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-size:17px\">The band\u2019s notoriety peaked after they stole a Revox reel-to-reel recorder and microphones from a local music store to make home recordings. They were quickly caught, but the tapes survived and decades later became <strong>The Battle of Bosworth Terrace<\/strong>, released by US label <strong>Siltbreeze<\/strong> in 2014.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-size:17px\">When Plummer left to join <strong>Shoes This High<\/strong>, Henderson, Ellis, Sedger, and Thomas relocated to Christchurch, where they evolved into <strong>The And Band<\/strong>, continuing their path of lo-fi psychedelic exploration.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table is-style-stripes\" style=\"font-size:16px\"><table><tbody><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><strong>Origin<\/strong><\/td><td>Wellington<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><strong>Genre<\/strong><\/td><td>psychedelic post-punk <\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><strong>Years Active<\/strong><\/td><td>1979 &#8211; 1980<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><strong>Labels<\/strong><\/td><td>Siltbreeze<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><strong>Associated Acts<\/strong><\/td><td>Shoes This High, The Amps<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><strong>Past Members<\/strong><\/td><td>George Henderson (guitar, organ, vocals)<br>Chris Plummer (drums)<br>Richard Sedger (bass, clarinet)<br>Mark Thomas (drums, guitar)<br>Susan Ellis (organ, piano, vocals, guitar) <\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Links<\/span><\/h1>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li style=\"font-size:16px\">M<a href=\"https:\/\/axemen.org\/2008\/11\/09\/wellingtons-spies-memoirs-of-a-metamusician\/\">emoirs of a Metamusician: The Story of the Spies<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li style=\"font-size:16px\"><a href=\"https:\/\/boredout305.tumblr.com\/post\/162180664463\/george-d-henderson-the-puddle-interview-part\">George D. Henderson (The Puddle) Interview, Part One<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li style=\"font-size:16px\"><a href=\"https:\/\/fishriderrecords.wordpress.com\/2014\/04\/12\/the-spies-the-battle-of-bosworth-terrace-lp-on-siltbreeze\/\">The Spies &#8216;The Battle of Bosworth Terrace&#8217; LP on Siltbreeze<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li style=\"font-size:16px\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.rnz.co.nz\/national\/programmes\/nat-music\/audio\/2592335\/the-spies\">RNZ Music: The Spies<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Releases<\/span><\/h1>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table is-style-stripes\" style=\"font-size:15px\"><table><thead><tr><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Title<\/th><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Date<\/th><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Label<\/th><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Type<\/th><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Format<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>The Battle Of Bosworth Terrace<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">2014, April 1<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Siltbreeze<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">album<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">12&#8243;<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/4FMP8oG7WSc?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading has-x-large-font-size\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Timeline<\/span><\/h1>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1979, September 30, Cuba Mall<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"586\" height=\"900\" src=\"https:\/\/upthepunks.co.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/1979_09_30_cubamall_06.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-9286\" style=\"object-fit:cover\" srcset=\"https:\/\/upthepunks.co.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/1979_09_30_cubamall_06.jpg 586w, https:\/\/upthepunks.co.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/1979_09_30_cubamall_06-195x300.jpg 195w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 586px) 100vw, 586px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\"> 1979, December 17-20, Willy&#8217;s Wine Bar<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"647\" height=\"900\" src=\"https:\/\/upthepunks.co.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/1979_12_17_willyswinebar.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3201\" style=\"object-fit:cover\" srcset=\"https:\/\/upthepunks.co.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/1979_12_17_willyswinebar.jpg 647w, https:\/\/upthepunks.co.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/1979_12_17_willyswinebar-216x300.jpg 216w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 647px) 100vw, 647px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1979, December 31, Thistle Hall<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"649\" height=\"1000\" src=\"http:\/\/upthepunks.co.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/1979_12_31_thistlehall.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-732\" style=\"object-fit:cover\" srcset=\"https:\/\/upthepunks.co.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/1979_12_31_thistlehall.jpg 649w, https:\/\/upthepunks.co.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/1979_12_31_thistlehall-195x300.jpg 195w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 649px) 100vw, 649px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">1980<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1980, February 8, Last Resort<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"498\" height=\"900\" src=\"https:\/\/upthepunks.co.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/1980_02_08_lastresort.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3198\" style=\"object-fit:cover\" srcset=\"https:\/\/upthepunks.co.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/1980_02_08_lastresort.jpg 498w, https:\/\/upthepunks.co.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/1980_02_08_lastresort-166x300.jpg 166w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 498px) 100vw, 498px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">2014<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading has-luminous-vivid-amber-background-color has-background\">2014, April 1, <em>The Battle Of Bosworth Terra<\/em>ce<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/4FMP8oG7WSc?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Formed in Wellington in mid-1979, The Spies emerged from the ashes of The Amps\/Jellyfish after that group split in July. Guitarist, organist and vocalist George<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":560,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[4],"tags":[219,215,227,226,225],"class_list":["post-559","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bands","tag-chris-plummer","tag-george-henderson","tag-mark-thomas","tag-richard-sedger","tag-susan-ellis","two-columns"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pe2JUk-91","jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/upthepunks.co.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/thespies_01.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/upthepunks.co.nz\/bands\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/559","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/upthepunks.co.nz\/bands\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/upthepunks.co.nz\/bands\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/upthepunks.co.nz\/bands\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/upthepunks.co.nz\/bands\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=559"}],"version-history":[{"count":14,"href":"https:\/\/upthepunks.co.nz\/bands\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/559\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":24097,"href":"https:\/\/upthepunks.co.nz\/bands\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/559\/revisions\/24097"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/upthepunks.co.nz\/bands\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/560"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/upthepunks.co.nz\/bands\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=559"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/upthepunks.co.nz\/bands\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=559"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/upthepunks.co.nz\/bands\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=559"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}