Hallelujah Picassos live this Thurs, Akld

Hallelujah Picassos have been invited to play with our mates Labretta Suede and the Motel 6, back in NZ briefly from their New York base, one Akld show only - next they are off to tour Spain! Come check out some swinging rock n roll good times next Thursday.

Kings Arms, 8pm Thursday April 3, $20 presales at UTR.

It's gonna be good to jump onstage again, as we've been locked away indoors recording a few new songs, recently. Sounding pretty amazing too, if I do say so. Am doing a Dub Asylum remix of one of the songs also. First taster will be coming to your ears soon!


That video above is one I recently uploaded, taken from our spot at BFM's Private Function party, on August 20 1994, with an intro by Joel Tobeck.

This was filmed by TV3's music show Frenzy, thanks to Ross Cunningham for the video. Sound taken straight from the mixing desk, David Hornblow at the controls. Trivia: The Picassos also had a practice room in the same group of buildings, which had been a potato warehouse.

Hallelujah Picassos new bizz, soon come!

My band Hallelujah Picassos have been brewing up some new tunes, and are in the studio recording them. Soon come! [photos by John Pain]

Roland working on lyrics

Peter McLennan laying down noisy gutiar

Bobbylon recording drums

Darryn Harkness, at the control tower

Picassos at Wine Cellar this saturday

"Come Celebrate one of the wildest most liberating holidays of all Time The Wine Cellar & Whammy Bar are opening their doors together one last time in 2013 for festive madness. The Legendary Hallelujah Picassos joined by Wilberforces, Storehouse Blues with Harkness Tofu's Loud Ghost and Chris Cudby's new Power Nap project. other random acts of musical madness are bound to take place. "

Saturnalia, featuring Hallelujah Picassos, Wilberforces, Storehouse Blues with Harkness Tofu's Loud Ghost and Chris Cudby's new project Power Nap
The Wine Cellar & Whammy Bar, Saturday Dec 21, $10, 8pm

Picassos on Audioculture

Author/musician Gareth Shute has written a great piece on my old band Hallelujah Picassos over at Audioculture, 'the noisy library of nz music'. It's got a ton of photos too. Go take a look....

"In the mash-up culture of today, it’s hard to recall how rigidly bands used to stick within a single genre. When Hallelujah Picassos arrived in the late-80s, they blasted away at people’s conceptions with their feral mix of indie rock, ska, hardcore punk, and hip-hop..."

... The story of the Picassos began when a young black Dutchman named Harold caught what turned out to be the final performance of industrial duo, Death Korporation, at a late night event as part of the Auckland Fringe Festival, held at DKD Cafe, where Harold worked.

Harold had moved to rural New Zealand when he was 17, but left for Auckland as soon as he had the chance. It was the band’s haphazard cover of James Brown’s ‘It’s A Man’s World’ that took his interest and he approached the guitarist Peter McLennan a few weeks later in a local nightclub, raving about how the cover had made his night after enduring a string of bad poets blathering on. They swapped numbers and started making music.

The pair could not have been more ill-matched – Peter already looking like the Elam Arts School student that he was and Harold (AKA Roland) looking like a wiry street thug – but they hit it off...."

Hallelujah Picassos live, Oct 26

Picasso core returns! This Labour weekend.

Auckland 90s reggae-dub-ska-thrash-punk outfit Hallelujah Picassos returned to the live stage in June this year, with a brief support slot for the mighty Drab Doo Riffs. After 12 years away from the live arena, they had a fun time jumping around like lunatics, and all reports from their fans at the gig were they still knew how to rip up a stage.

So, they’ve decided to put on their own show, this Labour weekend. Catch Hallelujah Picassos at the Kings Arms, Saturday October 26. With the fine musical accompaniment of Bloodbags, Loud Ghost, and DJs Stinky Jim and Peter Mac. Presented in association with our friends at 95BFM.

The band have a few special guests in store, Mr Darryn Harkness will be joining us again on the bass, and we will also be signing copies of our best-of CD Rewind The Hateman, which will be on sale at the gig.

Feel the Pain

New music from Pains People (John Pain, ex Hallelujah Picassos, Nudie Suits). Name your price bizzo. Grab it!

PCore live

Our slot at Galatos before Drab Doo Riffs was a lot of fun, thanks to everyone who came along. If you couldn't make it, we had some friends filming it. Check it above. The Picassos gonna do another show soon.

Feel the pain

Me old mate Johnnie Pain sadly won't be in town this Friday to hold down the bass for Hallelujah Picassos (playing before Drab Doo Riffs at Galatos), but we have the very talented Mr Darryn Harkness in to hold down the bass.

BUT Mr Pain does have an awesome new track up from his musical outfit Pains People, for free too. Have a listen.... delightfully spooky.

This Friday - Picasso core, live

We're playing support for the fabulous Drab Doo Riffs, so it will only be a short set. But it will be fun. 

Playing times...

David Saunders W/ Street Chant - 9:00

Orchestra of Spheres - 10:00

Hallelujah Picassos - 10:45

The Drab Doo-Riffs - 11:30

With Dirtbag DJs in between