New Zealand Music Month, May 2010
The Nukes May Tour
29 April 2010
The Nukes originally got together to perform a short set at the Titirangi Festival of Music in April 08 and since then have been working hard to create a set of original songs for their unique trio of ukulele and voice.
The line-up includes David Parker who found fame (but not fortune) with a number one hit 'Tears on My Pillow' in 1991. Leaving dreams of pop stardom behind he founded the Titirangi Festival of Music in 2004 and discovered the ukulele. David plays a tenor uke with a dropped down 'G' string for bass lines. He is referred to as 'Fingers of Fire' in the group for reasons (supposedly) apparent in live shows.
Affectionately referred to as 'Snapper,' David Thiele is a Kiwi FM DJ (specialist show 'Voices from the Wilderness'), writer, house re-piler and Laingholm resident. He plays a Banjolele made famous in the early 20th Century by the likes of Roy Smeck and George Formby, lending a distinctive retro feel to THE NUKES sound. Snapper brings a spontaneous, and some might say anarchic humour to the group's performances, keeping the other members on their toes.
Third and arguably the most valuable member of the group is Ben 'Country Boy' Collier from the wild west of Woodhill. When he played drums for the great New Zealand group 'Golden Horse' it is possible no one suspected that a seriously good songwriter was lurking beneath the surface. Ben writes the majority of THE NUKES original repertoire; songs that describe the inner psychology of a 'Lonely Cow,' giving up hard drinking ('Laughing') to memories of times spent growing up in 'Opoutere' on the Coromandel.
THE NUKES were awarded APRA top Uke song for 2008 with 'Peas and Carrots' written by Ben Collier. In 2009 the group began venturing outside of Auckland, playing Dargaville, Raglan, Taupo and headlining a festival in Te Awamutu. They have recently performed at the Hamilton Garden Festival and Splore 2010.
Tour Dates
8 May
Coromandel Area School Hall, Coromandel
12 May
Coleman Theatre at Rotorua Boys high school., Rotorua
13 May
Ohakune
14 May The Ruby Lounge, Wellington
15 May Petone Library- board room, Wellington
16 May
Le Cafe, Picton
17 May
Nelson Library, Nelson
17 May
Fairfield House, Nelson
19 May
Wunderbar, Christchurch
20 May
Penguin Club, Oamaru
21 May
Chick Hotel, Dunedin
22 May
Oyster Festival, Bluff