Flying Nun : The Label, Not The Show

     It's criminal that I can't walk into any record store where I live and find releases from the Flying Nun record label. Flying Nun (FN) is the iconic New Zealand label that is known for DIY, jangly rock music that started about 30 years ago. Some of the bands on FN were The Clean, The Bats, Straightjacket Fits, the Chills and the Verlaines. I have learned what I know about FN from Youtube and I have managed to find a few CD's and records. I only have the Clean Anthology, an LP of Daddy's Highway by the Bats and Melt by Straightjacket Fits. Part of the charm of FN was the low-budget, ramshackle way the label was run, but it's the year 2012 and there's no reason that the FN catalog should not have worldwide re-release. I guarantee there would be huge demand in the States for this stuff. So, this is my plea for Peter Jackson or Neil Finn or the Fight of the Conchords guys to invest in FN so this can happen. People should know who David Kilgour is. They should know who Chris Knox is. They should know who Shayne Carter is. They should know Death and the Maiden by the Verlaines, not just the Stephen Malkmus cover. I mentioned earlier that I like Popstrangers. They are on Flying Nun and I need to be able to buy their stuff. If you're not familiar with them they have a video on Youtube for a song called "What Else Can They Do" which is awesome. There's also a FN documentary on Youtube. I think it was called Heavenly Hits. I have this fantasy of going to New Zealand and walking into a record store and all of this great music would be there. I have the feeling though that I'd be on a plane for a zillion hours and when I got there they wouldn't have any either. I'm sure I could order stuff on the interwebs, but I prefer going into a store and touching it. And don't start me on downloading. I probably have to get over the ordering online thing though. Anyhow, I recommend that my kids give the Clean Anthology a listen and if they like that maybe by then the FN catalog with be available for them to buy. Hello Peter Jackson, are you listening. Peace.