Phil Dirt - Reverb Central - PO Box 1609, Felton, CA 95018-1609 USA The Hollow Grinders - Live FM
 | This live cassette is badly mixed, but it is a great document of one aggressive and dynamic New Zealand band. The sessions were from a radio broadcast in April, 1997. The band is excellent. Most of the tunes are originals. |
Picks: Hollow Grinder, Cyclone Biff, Surfari, Boom Finder, Ghost In The Surf, Piha Death-Rip, Repo Man
Track by Track Review
Surf (Instrumental)
"Hollow Grinder" is a driven riff rocker with an intense edge and postmodern surf feel. One wonders what might happen if this was cut in a good studio. It's pretty cool, and while not very melodic, it shreds mightily.
Surf (Instrumental)
Here we find a crunchy number with a tasty little progression and a more surfy structure. Solid drive and a small combo feel, with intense guitar. The break is really cool.
Surf (Instrumental)
Original Surfaris' "Surfari" is given the grodie treatment in this performance. The meter is a little off, but the drive and intent are there. Like the others here, a decent recording would make all the difference in the world.
Surf (Instrumental)
This "Peter Gunn"-ish number thunders across the horizon like an outsider. It's very cool delayed double picking gives it a different feel.
Surf (Instrumental)
Moody and slow, with delayed guitar. The melody line is very good, as is arrangement. "Ghost In The Surf" floats just below the surface like a specter of the tube, lying in wait for the next rider to fall. Slightly sad, and most enjoyable.
Surf (Instrumental)
New Zealand's best kept secret, power surge this instro with both surf and garage tones, and an awesome power. Buzzing it's way through the crowd, this rises to the challenge with intense Marshall-like distorto-verb. It sports a melodic progression with a mean attack and dark message. The discordant crashing end is extra swell.
Surf (Instrumental)
New Zealand's only surf instro band at the moment, the Hollow Grinders have an edgie approach to surf. This track shows their chunk twangage just fine. The only other band that has done "Repo Man" that I'm aware of was an Agent Orange clone from Sunnyvale, California alternately called the Thrusters (not the Santa Cruz band) and Public Safety. This version is full and fun.