Legendary New Zealand band Head Like A Hole will embark on a 13 date national tour in May to mark the 25th anniversary and the re-release of their debut album 13. The tour will see the band playing this landmark kiwi rock album in it’s entirety across the country throughout NZ Music Month.
The band share “with a bit of perspective 25 years on it’s easier to break history up into chunks but narcotics, noise and nakedness pretty much sums up Head Like A Hole when that album was released, it’s a fairly accurate description. The bands been through a lot and what hasn’t killed us has made us stronger – a cliché I know, but it’s true. We are going out on the road again on the back of the 25th anniversary and we’re going to play the entire 13 album for the first time ever. These songs reflect a very specific era for Head Like A Hole and we’re looking forward to a bit of the old time travel.”
Head Like A Hole
’13’ 25th Anniversary Tour
May 4 – TAURANGA, 11 Totara Street
May 5 – GISBORNE, Smash Palace
May 6 – NAPIER, The Cabana
May 11 – AUCKLAND, Galatos
May 12 – RAGLAN, The Yot Club
May 13 – NEW PLYMOUTH, The Mayfair
May 18 – LOWER HUTT, Station Village
May 19 – PALMERSTON NORTH, The Royal
May 20 – WELLINGTON, Valhalla
May 25 – DUNEDIN, Refuel
May 26 – TIMARU, RE Music Lounge
May 27 – CHRISTCHURCH, The Bedford
Tickets available at Eventfinda from 9am Friday March 17th. http://www.eventfinda.co.nz/
Press Release:
Head Like A Hole tumbled loose and loud out of Wellington in 1990. Soon after pumping out their Shitnoise cassette-only debut, word was spreading about their outrageous live shows and ‘fire-aim-ready’ approach to life. They were quickly signed by Wildside Records and just like that, the country’s most exciting rock n roll band had arrived, blown out your ear drums, taken a dump on the front porch, stolen the milk money, kissed your little sister and bunked off with your push-bike.
Over the next decade they travelled at pace, releasing the albums 13 (1992), Flick Y’Self off Y’Self(1994), Double Your Strength, Improve Your Health and Lengthen Your Life(1996) and Are ya Gonna Kiss It or Shoot It? (1998). Constant airplay on commercial and student radio, a slew of stench-ridden “classic” videos and relentless touring saw them build a loyal fan-base across New Zealand, Australia and Europe. Their shows were epic, unpredictable and swinging. This wasn’t rehashed pub-rock or limp wristed pop schmaltz – it felt like some new rock frontier where Judas Priest met Doctor Seuss and shared a joint.
If it could happen to a band, it happened to Head Like A Hole; breakdowns, shakedowns, arrests, demon worship, drugs, psychotic implosions, more drugs, in-fighting, death, financial ruin – select all. By 2000 it was all over, the fat lady had sung. A two disk ‘Best Of’ album was released entitled Blood On the Honky Tonk Floor and the survivors all went their separate ways.
In 2008 the lads were asked to consider reforming for Vodafone’s 2009 ‘Homegrown’ music festival. Years of therapy, reflection and bingo must have fixed something because the gig was a knock-out and was followed up with a national tour soon after.
Back on the horse in 2012 they released Blood Will Out. Their first album in a decade was worth the wait! With the grunty Swagger of Thieves and catchy-like-the-pox Glory Glory (Hallelujah) proving again that they aren’t just a brutal live act but a force to be reckoned/wrestled/cuddled with in the studio.
2015 saw them back in the studio and hotter than a fox in a forest fire – 6th studio album Narcocorrido (Spanish for Drug Ballad) was supported by a national tour and shows in Australia.
2017 looks to be a very busy year for the band with recording well underway for their highly anticipated 7th studio album in addition to the “13” anniversary tour and album re-release.