ISSUE ONE: THE INVASION

FLURO MAG: ISSUE ONE

THE INVASION
Hello again! Can’t believe we got this in on time but here we
are, issue one. For everyone wondering about the colour in
the first issue (huh? Isn’t it called Fluro? I don’t get it?) Yeah
we cocked it up. It wasn’t actually meant to be ‘sepia’ or
CO-EDITOR
‘burnt sienna’ as many called it. Who’d have thought that
Gemma Rasmussen
they wouldn’t teach you colour separation for print at design
CO-EDITOR school?
Courtney Sanders
But it was issue Zero for a reason. Because we knew some-
FASHION EDITOR thing had to go wrong, now everyone will think this is our first
Chris Duncan issue ever and be none the wiser. (Unless they read this?)

FASHION PHOTOGRAPHER So this issue is The Invasion, we’ve got a bunch of Ozzie
Rebecca Ambler bands who’re invading us and some creative NZ kids who
are taking over the rest of the world.
ART DIRECTION & DESIGN
Jay Johnson Enjoy,
Chris, Courtney, Gemma and Jay.
PHOTOGRAPHERS
Jay Johsnon
Courtney Sanders
Gemma Rasmussen
CONTENTS
PRINTER
Lithoprint Ltd.
service@lithoprint.co.nz
0006 Op Shop Finds
CONTACT
fluromag@gmail.com 0010 A Mystical Enquiry
myspace.com/fluromag
www.fluromag.com 0012 Ozzie Invasion
All material Copyright
FLURO Magazine
0024 Fashion: Visitor
2007
0031 Matts Place
Please Recycle
Dont throw me away,
0034 Mixtape
show your friends!

THANKS!
SPECIAL THANKS TO ALL THE FEATURED ARTISTS, BRIDGET FROM RUBY,
JEANE FROM SHOCK RECORDS, HELEN FROM MODERN LOVE,
CLAIRE FROM MADAME FANCY PANTS, BEX FROM FUSION, SIMON
AND ADELINE FROM THE CHURCH, GUY FROM ALC HQ, JACKI FROM
REX ROYALE, SAM FROM MIGHTY MIGHTY, ROD AND KRISTINA FROM
EPIC, RUBEN FROM GOOD AS GOLD, NINA, SACHA, KIRI, BESSY, AND
ALL OUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY FOR PUTTING UP WITH US THROUGH
IT ALL.
 OPSHOP FINDS WITH GEMMA RASMUSSEN

BAMBI & JOSE

If you’re looking at increasing your homes value,
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My advice would be to stay away from Bed, Bath
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evokes a sombrero wearing tequila feel that is
too perfect for words and will have you wearing
ponchos all week long. Bambi is an ex resident

EPIC
of the Marton op shop and is so adorable you’ll
never eat a venison steak again.

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‘crack time’ tells it exactly like it is. An exquisite

SPIDER MONKEYS
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eye candy for any arm. Do NOT wear it to a job
interview. Purchased for a mighty four dollars at a
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time high. CNR WILLIS & GHUZNEE ST OPEN 7 DAYS 3853314

0006
 OPSHOP FINDS WITH GEMMA RASMUSSEN

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0008
A MYSTICAL
and vagueness I believed in it all, spirits and all the
possibilities that came with it. The next morning these
thoughts were scoffed at and I reverted to my former
cynical beliefs. However for many, the belief is real
there under false pretences? After 30 minutes I left
feeling slightly disappointed and a tad more strapped
for cash than before. The conclusion I came to was
for those who sought this with an open mind and

ENQUIERY
and a very important part of their life.
Before encountering my psychic I had wild thoughts
of a slightly offensive crushed velvet dress, a crystal
ball, dream catchers and possibly the odd unicorn
figurine. Fairies also seemed imminent. What I was
WITH GEMMA RASMUSSEN greeted was actually rather different. The room, a
were willing to take advice probably gained a lot from
what was advised as they would do follow instruc-
tions unquestionably. Perhaps I am just too cynical
but I left my appointment feeling ripped off.
After this I went and saw my friend Kate who I would
consider to be a slightly mystic being. She got out

I’ll admit it. I read my horoscope. I find vague no-

tions of faraway holidays and mysterious romances
wildly amusing. But the question must be asked, is
it all crap? What about the rest, tarot cards, palm
readers, fortune telling and messages from beyond
the grave? Where is John Edwards from ‘Cross-
ing over’ when I need him? If people are devoting
whole lifetimes of study to such theories, planning
weddings, festivals and parties could it possibly be
feasible? I’m pretty sure Stotts correspondence has
a course on this kind of thing but quite frankly I don’t
have the time or money.
In an age when Sunday church going is on the
decline and Sunday brunch is on the up and up,
where do we find spiritual balance? I decided to
investigate various fruity theories and see where I
winded up. But first, let me backtrack for a moment.
Spirits scare the heebie-jeebies out of me but when
I was 13, supposedly hip and kewl and my parents
were away and I secretly invited all my ‘girlfriends’
over for a sneaky sleep over. We played Billie Piper
and Limp Bizkit loudly, got into the liquor cabinet
and had a regular girl fest, sans pillow fighting.
Eventually talk turned to contacting the other side
and we made an Ouija board preparing ourselves
for conversation with Kurt Cobain. Needless to say
it was an exercise in futility but a tad nerve racking
at the same time. That morning at 3am (the devils
hour in case you haven’t watched The Exorcism of
Emily Rose, shudder) a rather forceful earthquake
struck and I awoke, utterly stunned. At that moment
amidst my rattling room I was convinced that this
had something to do with our Ouija contact and I
was being punished from a higher force and pos-
sibly may die. In that moment of extreme drama
Before encountering my psychic I had wild
thoughts of a slightly offensive crushed
velvet dress, a crystal ball, dream catch-
ers and possibly the odd unicorn figurine.
Fairies also seemed imminent.
warm yellow was tastefully decorated with lamps, her tarot cards and gave me a reading. The cards
exotic figurines and even the odd piece of taxidermy. resulted in this information being passed on to me:
My psychic who I will predictably name ‘Hope’ was “Be as a child or have a child”, “I am an earth angel”,
around 30 or 40 and wore her hair in a stylish jet- “Talk to my pets” (I own goldfish), “Listen to music and
black bob. She was relatively easing going and we let my body sway to the rhythm”, “Go hiking” (hah!)
had a bit of a chat before we got down to business. and “Give my worries to my guardian angel”.
So far so good. ‘Hope’ looked like she was concen-
I really think that information speaks for itself in that I
trating, with eyes closed and eyebrows furrowed,
have no plans to have children at the present nor do
there was a bit of muttering but apart from that
I resemble a child, I would not describe myself as an
nothing happened. So I sat and stared. Suddenly she
earth angel, my goldfish are not the most interest-
began talking of all the things she was picking up
ing creatures I know and I doubt they would provide
on, my incessant worrying, my caring nature and my
stimulating conversation. I am not inclined to go
need to put others first. She urged me to really start
hiking as I am likely to roll my ankle and fall down a
living my life, to embrace the inner me and find peace
cliff and swaying my body to music will look creepy,
within myself. She carried on round these themes
awkward and absurd and I would be likely to lose
and promised travel, happiness and success. She
many friends. In saying all of this I applaud anyone
urged me to start meditating and advised the use of
who goes to psychics and take positive action from
crystals. Things sounded questionable and I had to
this however for me this was an investigation that
wonder, was this all acting? Did you really have to
has lead me to believe even less in their power. I do
have psychic powers to know these things? Weighing
not deny that there are genuine people out there but
up the odds in my mind I thought of what I was pre-
I think there are definitely a lot of scams. So for now, I
senting to her; young, female and probably looking
will remain happy to take advice from friends, family
for some answers due to seeking out of a psychic.
and day time television. The choice for each person is
I figured if this lady was truly the real deal wouldn’t
entirely personal.
she sense my scrutiny and tap into the fact that I was

0011
 Damn Arms, Bang! Bang! Aids! Emergency!
Emergency! Three rad bands from Melbourne
and Sydney beginning to invade New Zealand
and the rest of the world. Australia is explod-
ing with fresh, spastically good musical talent
right NOW. We chose the three most unique
and exciting Australian indie exports. Never
thought we’d say this, but get ready for an
Ozzie Music Invasion!
STORY BY COURTNEY SANDERS

0012 0013
 There’s something about the excla-
mation marks in Bang! Bang! Aids!
that compliment them perfectly.
Assertive, exemplary and comic,
the Melbourne based band are
nothing if not in your face – and
being the Invasion Issue, a more
perfect time exists not for unleash-
ing them upon New Zealand.
www.myspace.com/bangbangaids
0014
New Zealanders were given the opportunity to
see Bang! Bang! Aids! at the beginning of the year
thanks to Blink at Camp a Low Hum. “The country was
dynamite slaying all expectations. We had such a
tubular time and Wellington certainly had some class.
The camp was the best part of the whole trip by far
and the vibe was pretty lucid with people hammering
around as they pleased, non stop music and games
to drill the shit out of you.”
If the camp left a lasting impression on the band,
Bang! Bang! Aids! certainly did the same to many
who saw either of their performances. Two members,
Rhys O’Loughlin and Marcus Hobbs (the band now
has four including Steve Masterson and Peter Scott)
contorting onstage by continuously swapping drums
and guitar, all the while maintaining an impressive
wall of punk infused indie rock.
Furthermore, the two interrupted each other mid-
song to talk some of the funniest shit I have ever
heard – a rant about Scribe being overweight during
his Australian tour turned into a perverted rock cover
of ‘Not Many, If Any’, a discussion about sleeping
arrangements became an assault on New Zealand
slang (“it’s a doona, not a fucking duvet!”) and one
word interjections turned into a game of Marco Polo.
“We’re basically morons and when it comes down
to it we’ve been playing the same songs for the last
9 months with changes here or there or swapping
instruments for them just to mix it up a bit. The bullshit
on stage is more or less to just keep us entertained
regardless of whether anyone thinks it’s amusing or
not. It would get rather bland if we were just getting
on stage and playing the same songs the same way
for the same fucks in the same jerk ass fashion.”
0015
OZZIE INVASION: BANG! BANG! AIDS!

Bang! Bang! Aids! have played 60 shows throughout

Australia since late 2006 with acts such as My Disco,
Gerling, Architecture in Helsinki and Magic Dirt. They
have been invited to perform live and record tracks
for various compilation CD’s and DVD’s, including
Super8 with New Zealands Die! Die! Die! It would be
safe to assume that Kiwi’s aren’t the only ones they’re
impressing with their unique live performances.

The bands future plans are “attempting to write as we

haven’t really added anything new to our tunes for
a fairly long period of time. So we are looking to get
that all done before mid year so we can record in the
next few months. After that, presuming it’s not as bad
as we’re expecting we’ll do the old East Coast again
and go visit our brothers in Sydney and Brisbane and
possibly do the South Coast. Should Blink invite us
back to Camp a Low Hum I’d say we’d be there in a
fucking second.”

AD
Bang! Bang! Aids! fit the theme of this issue, Invasion,
perfectly; a group of foreign characters, playing music
that refuses to be pigeonholed, in a progressive and
almost holocaustic fashion. And if they were to be in-
As for the rest of their time in New Zealand, “there
vaded? “To be invaded tomorrow by a series of Shaky
were too many ridiculous stories to tell and I will prob-
Fadersens would be the most appropriate mythical
ably finish the tour diary one day. There are the first
chaps to dual with, but as you have no idea who this
three days up on the website somewhere but I am
rat bastard is there is not much point venturing into
vaguely aware you Southern Northerners are at war
the details. So perhaps a series of Oompa Loompa’s
with Auckland so those three days may not mean
to wait on me hand and foot would not be such a
much. I am under the impression that those two
bad thing as I am incredibly lazy, you have no idea.
weeks I spent in NZ were the best few weeks I had
I mean it took me six weeks to answer these ques-
had in a looooong time, possibly the best two weeks
tions and I didn’t even answer them. These Oompa
of my life. I’m still yet to fall pregnant so it supercede’s
Loompa’s would be from a planet where blankets are
Immaculate Conception in the list of my memories.
mandatory and there is no Pepsi Max.” Bang! Bang!
My mother told me I was an accident and that she
Aids! Alien? Not for much longer.
was on some form of the pill when she fell pregnant
with me, remember that one ladies.”

If the last couple of sentences seem fairly random, it’s

because this interview was effectively a print transla-
tion of their live performance – talented and serious
musicianship hidden beneath a hilarious blend of
cynical ramblings and comedic performance. Oh,
and Marcus was “answering the questions at work
while putting someone on hold claiming I am calling
an electricity company.”

0016

Emergency! Emergency! are a two-piece creating
insane electro rave mash ups in Sydney. The recently
formed design-slash-musical duo have an aesthetic
akin to the fluro clad monsters currently engulfing
the Northern Hemisphere and are about to take over
electronic music down-under.
As an outsider, it seems like Melbourne’s where it’s
at for music at the moment in Australia? You guys
are from Sydney – how do you find the scene there
comparatively?
Sydney has been very kind to us and we’ve been
super lucky having never had to go in search of
shows to play. There’s a big DIY movement happen-
ing in Sydney, lots of bands and artists starting out as
bedroom projects and eventually making it to stages,
it’s great. As for Melbourne and how it compares, lots
of great bands are coming outta there, but as for us
we are heading there for the first time this month so
we’ll let you know when we get back – we’re expect-
ing good things!
So there’s an obvious rave revival happening in-
ternationally at the moment. Do you guys identify
with that?
Well to be honest we aren’t really aware of what
we’re making. Being such a young band I think we’re
still finding a sound by playing around with ideas and
adding and subtracting instruments from the line up.
For some reason we’ve kinda just fallen into an ‘of the
www.myspace.com/
emergencyemergencymusic
moment sound’. I’m not sure that’s where we belong,
but if people are enjoying what we do then great!
Movements are all good but I think bands that
purposely try to identify with them are limiting
themselves. When Emergency! Emergency! gets
together to write we aren’t thinking ‘okay we want to
write a new wave song or a no wave song or a new
rave song’ or anything! We just find a way to make
something that we enjoy, and if we enjoy it hopefully
other people will too!
You extend your creative vision with a strong visual
aesthetic. How did this come about?
We both see it as something that is kind of synony-
mous. Music and design/art. Both of us had design
degrees and an individual collection of visual ideas
before we started the band late last year. So as we
create music, we are creating images – it’s a lifestyle.
They just kind of intertwine and come about as the
sound of the band takes shape.
So, future plans, final words?
After Melbourne we are back in Sydney and straight
into the EP. We plan to keep it all very DIY for our first
release, just because it seems to correlate better with
our work ethic and how we write songs. Hopefully
that will be out by August/September. Other than that,
we’re keen to get around Australia a bit more, and
hey, why not NZ! The world! Make us a deal we can’t
refuse and we’ll go anywhere!
 Longevity is an intimidating concept in the music
industry; achieve it and a band faces a career of
best-ofs and lead-singer focused promotional
photographs with an exotic desert location in the
background (U2’s Vertigo anyone?). On the flipside,
fit a certain look, sound, or influence too readily and
a band, while garnering fame in the short term will
always be subject to the fluid nature of international
trends. Transcending genre boundaries while retain-
ing relevance and credibility to a culturally aware
audience is certainly an enviable feat. Damn Arms
- Melbourne’s Tim Sullivan, Yama Indra, Simon Parker
and Ian Jackson – may have achieved just that.
“I don’t think we try to achieve anything besides
something original. From the first day we practiced till
now is a completely different band. Of course I hear
music that makes me want to try a style or vibe in a
new song. But we’ve always tried to make the end
0020
product sound like Damn Arms.” Seriously difficult to
categorize, the band sound like what would happen
if you made Bloc Party cooler, Klaxons more diverse
and The Blood Brothers more accessible. They are
relevant, progressive and marketable.
Having formed only 18 months ago, Damn Arms have
racked up 110 shows across seven countries with the
likes of The Kills, The (International) Noise Conspiracy,
The Roger Sisters, Klaxons, FORWARD RUSSIA!, Help
She Can’t Swim, Test Icicles and Whirlwind Heat.
“We did the UK/EIRE tour with FORWARD RUSSIA! We
got to go on in their 14 bed tour bus. We got sooo
excited about going on the bus…we got on in Edin-
burgh and partied so hard on the bus on the way to
Belfast, pretty much thinking we were Motley Crue.”
Gifts from Japanese fans, Paris shows and lavish
food and alcohol riders also rank as incredible
experiences for such a young band, but Tim Sullivan,
0021
OZZIE INVASION: DAMN ARMS

vocalist/bassist for the group insists the international Members of loads of bands are working together
touring has opened their eyes to the brevity of suc- with new projects too. It’s awesome.”
cess a lot of new bands endure as victims of trends,
“I think the indie scene is stronger than ever. There
particularly in the U.K. “They have ‘the best new band’
are loads of bands releasing amazing records and
every week over there. Longevity is unheard of for all
making enough money from releases and touring.
these bands…which is really horrible. They start to
Being underground isn’t really underground anymore
play what’s in at the time and it creates something
either. The street press and radio is a lot more open
really awful.”
to writing about and playing bands that aren’t as
“There are some really amazing bands over in the mainstream as they did in the past.”
UK. But you never hear about them because the UK
Their myspace page says it all. Beside postings of
is still obsessed with drunken yob sing-a-long indie/
beautiful cover artwork and provocative, forward-
rock bands. A lot of the crowds overseas talk about
thinking video-clips is their profile photo; a promotion-
Australian bands. It’s really nice that the bands get-
al shot of the band, singer in foreground, against an
ting recognized overseas from Australia are not fitting
exotic desert location. And they look cool. Damn Arms
the mould of Australian bands. It’s funny when they
are challenging categorization and pre-conceptions
seriously don’t believe that Damn Arms are Australian
about Australian music, and they plan to be doing it
– they’re used to hearing standard rock bands.”
for a long time.
And home is where the heart is for this breed of
Damn Arms have a full length album, The Live Artex,
Australian musicians challenging the AC/DC arena
finished and waiting for release mid-year, to ac-
rock perspective. “Melbourne is really great like that.
company two singles Homewrecker and Test Pattern
Everyone gets into whatever anyone is doing. We’ve
which are currently available for New Zealander’s on

AD
always tried to play with bands/artists of different
their website.
genres. I think that’s why Melbourne bands are close
knit. It’s not about the style of music at all. We played
our first birthday show with Macromantics and Dance www.damnarms.com
With Voices last year. All three acts are quite different. www.myspace.com/damnarms

0022
 STYLIST: CHRIS DUNCAN
PHOTOS: REBECCA AMBLER
MODEL: NINA SYMONS-RUSBATCH
Lela Jacobs available at Raven vs Pony and Artikel.
Raven vs Pony: 74 Wellington Rd, Paekakariki
Artikel: 126 Wakefield st, 04 499 7787
Ultra Shoes: Manners Mall, 04 473 3740
Ziggurat: 144 Cuba st, 04 385 1077
Madame Fany Pants: 217 Cuba st, 04 385 0830

LEFT: Warrior Silk Cape, Victorian Neck Ruff, Momu Ruff Dress RIGHT: Black Hole dress and Space Tights by Lela Jacobs.
0024 and Space Tights all by Lela Jacobs. Vintage leather gloves Silver gloves and headphones at Ziggurat. Tanya Michelle
at Ziggurat. Boots models own. ankle boots at Ultra.
FASHION: VISITOR

Space Minx (Collar/Jacket) by Lela Jacobs. Keuke Sci Fi

Frock at Artikel. A.Tesmilan Victory boots at Ultra Shoes.
Warrior Silk Cape, Victorian Neck Ruff, Momu Ruff Dress and Space
Tights all by Lela Jacobs. Vintage leather gloves at Ziggurat.
0027
FASHION: VISITOR

Doris was a good strong woman necklace by Madame Fancy Pants. V-Mesh top by Lela
Jacobs. Peggy Skirt by Deborah Sweeney at Artikel.Vintage leather gloves at Ziggurat.
 MATTS
PLACE
STORY BY GEMMA RASMUSSEN

Formally a place of P distribution the warehouse/flat

on the corner of Heretaunga and Patrick St in Petone
has taken on a rather different direction to the previ-
ous tenants. Now home to Twig Records, a pet cat,
various buskers and the odd Richard Branson book
there seems to be a lot going on to keep the tenants
occupied. And not just the tenants, on Monday and
Wednesday nights big dinners are held for any visi-
tors dropping by, and when Fridays roll around there
is an open mic night for friends and acquaintances to
play music and socialise.
0031 0032
MATTS PLACE

Twig Records consists of Ed Baker, Timothy Armstrong

and Matt Holleman. They think of Twig as less of
a business and more of a community. With major
distribution in Australia and the States looming things
are looking good. Currently they have five artists
working under the label producing music that could
be considered ‘alternative folk’. Completing a South
Island tour recently they are finding people slowly but
surely receptive to the work they are creating. Twigs
intentions are to expand into artwork distribution
through Twig Studios next year with Matt and Timothy
already producing work for the label. Their motivation
behind this is their many clever friends who they wish
to expose

And with a place as charming as Matts it is little

wonder there are so many visitors. The ground level is
large with a comfortable lounge and book collection
as well as a pyramid built by a friend condemning the
televisions. There is a built in room set up specifically
CHECK OUT TWIG RECORDS AT for jamming and there are plans to soon set up a
WWW.TWIGRECORDS.COM café/bar area. Upstairs is a cosy kitchen and lounge
MYSPACE.COM/TWIGRECORDS complete with painted walls by various artists and a
functioning television. It seems there is best of both
worlds with a large social area, as well as some-
where smaller to relax by yourself. And living only two
minutes from the beach and 10 minutes drive from
the city it seems like a great place to be.

0033

REVIEWS BY COURTNEY SANDERS
SHOCK’s got way more Bloc Party after party tickets to give away. Check them out at myspace.com/shockrecordsnz
ART BRUT
ITS A BIT COMPLICATED
I was always going to
like this album. Ever
since 2004’s Bang Bang
Rock and Roll swag-
gered its way across
my path, with singles
such as Emily Kane and
Good Weekend, Eddie
Argos and his troupe
of tell-it-like-it-is indie popster’s entered my ‘most
played’ list and I never looked back. Like Brit pop of
the ‘90’s, although admittedly more art school than
pub crawl, Art Brut’s first full length effort presented
modern life in a ridiculously simple and honest, yet
intelligent and catchy format, and their latest effort, It’s
a Bit Complicated, is no different.
Tracks such as People in Love (‘lie around and get fat,
I didn’t want us to end up like that) or Jealous Guy (‘I
can’t sleep because I’ve started to question whether
your ex-boyfriend let you get this much rest in’) con-
tinue to demonstrate the ironic wit with which Argos
delivers his world perspective, one hilarious three
and a half minute single after another.
If no more mature thematically than their debut, Art
Brut have certainly upped their game in other areas –
slick production, charming backing vocals, thumping
guitar solos, and even catchier choruses - making
the question of whether It’s a Bit Complicated is a
successful second record, well, not that complicated
at all.
0034
We’ve got two copies of each of these CD’s to give
away thanks to SHOCK records, just tell us how much
you want them. Most hilarious two answers win. Send
entries to: fluromag@gmail.com They also gave us a
double pass to the Bloc Party after party to give away!
Its in Auckland on the 8th of August at The Bluestone
Room so to win this one just take an awesome picture
of yourself with your copy of FLURO
and post it up at: myspace.com/
fluromag Comps close August 1st.
SIMIAN MOBILE DISCO
ATTACK DECAY SUSTAIN RELEASE
Simian Mobile Disco
are no strangers to the
current revival of ‘90’s
rave and ‘80’s aesthet-
ics devouring popular
music at the moment –
they produced Klaxons
full length album
and garnered instant
notoriety when French duo Justice covered ‘Never
Be Alone’ (‘We Are Your Friends!’). SMD’s full length
album, however, proves they are more than capable
of standing on their own two feet, and Attack Decay
Sustain Release joins both Myths of the Near Future
and † as one of the best albums of its kind so far.
The album, all ten tracks in under 40 minutes of it,
combines vast electronic soundscapes and diverse
vocals with more-pop friendly tools – melodic key-
boards and steady drum-machine beats - to produce
a clean, catchy and covetable album. The tracks
are diverse; ‘Hotdog’ sounds like a weird mash-up
of childrens song ‘do the hokey tokey’ (‘let’s get the
rhythm of the beat, let’s get the rhythm of the feet, put
them all together and what do you get, HOTDOG!’).
Hip hop lyricism underpinned by the bleep-bleeping
of a psychotic synthesizer make ‘It’s the Beat’ and
‘Hustler’ standout tracks while ‘Love’ is an obvious
indie anthem-in-waiting.
All in all, Attack Decay Sustain Release is 40 minutes
of the best dance-pop to be had in 2007’s (ahem)
‘rave’ new world.