THE (NEW ZEALAND) AVENGERS
New Zealand / Australia 1966-70

Dave Brown (guitar)
Clive Cockburn (guitar)
Hank Davis (drums)
Eddie McDonald (bass)
John Pugh (guitar) 1969

History

The New Zealand Avengers were actually one of two bands of that name in New Zealand, the other being from Auckland. The Wellington Avengers became one of New Zealand's most commercially successful pop bands, releasing three LPs (including a live album) and several Singles.

According to John Dix they were originally somewhat 'wimpy' -- "pure pop and no pretensions"; they relied heavily on Beatles covers in their early days, with no less than 75 Fabs tunes in their repertoire, but by the end of their career they could perform creditable version of Cream and Traffic.

They headed to Australia in 1969, setlling in Melbourne and adding guitarist John Pugh (ex Cam-Pact, James Taylor Move), but they had no significant commercial success apparently because of confusion with the Brisbane Avengers, who were also signed to the Columbia label. Their first two Australian Singles were credited to "The New Zealand Avengers".

The group split in early 1970, after which McDonald and Davis both joined the original lineup of Perth band Healing Force, Ray Burton's Nightflyers and the Renee Geyer Band.

Discography

New Zealand Singles

1967
"Everyone Is Gonna Wonder" / ? (HMV)

1968?
"1941" / ? (HMV)

Australian Singles

1968
"Love - Hate - Revenge" / "Only Last Year" (Columbia DO-8484)

1969
"Daniel The Postman" / "Days Of Pearly Spencer" (Columbia DO-8699)

1969
"Love Is A One Way Ticket" / "I Wouldn't Do That" (Columbia DO-8832)

References / Links

Bruce Sergent
New Zealand Bands of the 60s and 70s - The Avengers
http://www.sergent.com.au/avengers.html

Dix, John
Stranded In Paradise (publisher, ????)

McGrath, Noel
Encyclopedia of Australian Rock (Outback Press, 1978)

McFarlane, Ian
Australian Encyclopedia of Rock & Pop (Allen & Unwin, 1999)

Vernon Joyson
Dreams, Fantasies & Nightmares: Australia (Borderline Books, 1995)

Spencer, Chris, Zbig Nowara and Paul McHenry
Who's Who of Australian Rock (Five Mile Press, 2002)