Category: Other Artists

Huband / Husband House on Hope Street #flatnames

Sneaky Feelings was an early Dunedin Sound band who formed while at the University of Otago. Their hit single, Husband House (1985) which made it to 17 on NZ singles charts, refers to a house on Hope Street – the exact address is not known. The house referred to in the song was actually called Huband House, and according to legend, a group of eligible young men lived there.

The album cover and poster for the single both depict a house, but it’s not the flat itself, rather the photographer Jeremy, used the terrace houses on Dundas Street.

Poster for the release of the Husband House EP.

Poster for the release of the Husband House EP. MacLean, Lesley, fl 1985. [Maclean, Lesley], fl 1985 :Sneaky Feelings. New single. “Husband house”. A Flying Nun record. [1985].. Various artists :[Posters advertising sound and phonographic recordings made in 1985].. Ref: Eph-D-PHONO-1985-04. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /a2fd5d95f4de2537e9abb15f07d65357/records/23240531

In March 2014, a discussion formed around Ali Clarke’s blog post about the Online Casino Real Money NZ. A woman named Bronwyn commented, and to which Ali and I both replied.

“You forgot Husband house! (Huband House – donated to St Matthews Anglican Church) The sneaky feelings even wrote a song about it…https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVCHn7-qBB8”

“Hi Sarah, this house is important to us. The Sneaky Feelings wrote about it (held the NZ charts at#2 for quite some time) because, living in the house were a number of lads. It seemed that every time girls went around there, they ended up getting married. Prior to my husband living there, three couples from the house ended up getting married off. We were the fourth, marrying in 2005 – long after the Sneaky Feelings. Since then, St Matts has demolished the house; it was not structurally sound.”

Positively George Street by Matthew Bannister

Positively George Street by Matthew Bannister

Find out more about Sneaky Feelings on Audio Culture, or heck out Matthew Bannister’s book, Positively George Street, at your local library.

The Embassy#flatnames

40 Dundas Street (2014)

40 Dundas Street (2014)

40 Dundas Street hasn’t been graced by a flat name for more than ten years. It appears we now have a proud Samoan Embassy in Dunedin North!

The last recorded name for this flat was the infamous “Greasy Beaver Lodge”. The (unconfirmed) word on the street was the then landlord banned further naming.

40 Dundas Street (2001)

 

The Greasy Beaver Lodge will live on in the record of NZ art history however, as it was one of the many named flats in Dunedin that inspired artist, Scott Eady‘s  Frances Hodgkins Fellowship in 2002.

 

 

A reinterpretation of The Greasy Beaver Lodge sign featured in Scott Eady’s exhibition “Signs” at The Blue Oyster Gallery in 2002. The sign currently resides in the Hocken Collections (record).

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The Greasy Beaver Lodge, Scott Eady (2002) at The Blue Oyster Gallery

The Greasy Beaver Lodge reappeared in April 2016 shortly after 40 Dundas Street was sold.

“It was the beginning of everything” 660 Castle Street#flatnames .@six60

Three years ago on a rainy Monday morning in Christchurch, I picked up the phone and called Ji Fraser to interview him about his band Six60, named for their flat at 660 Castle Street. When I asked him about how he found flatting in Dunedin he responded diplomatically, “Flats are not that nice to live in but have heaps of character.” The house and it’s neighbour, were built c 1927-8, and are now looking their age.

Ji hails form Gisbourne but his Otago experience began at University College in 2005, he and Matiu took a couple of music papers – they’d both been turned down for the contemporary rock course. It doesn’t bother them now. They’ve done very well, they signed with Universal Studios on 8 May 2010[1], and their single Rise Up 2.0 recently reached number 1 on the NZ charts on 24th January 2011[2] after entering the charts on 6 Sept 2010.

In 2006 Matiu and Ji moved into 660 Castle Street with friends from University College. They had spent time jamming in their rooms and thought it’d be good to flat together and get a band going. Ji bought a cheap PA. Hoani played the bass. Through the course of the year they met Eli who’s still the current drummer (2011). They referred to the flat amongst themselves, and to others, as 660, and as the band formed and they started playing shows, they became known as the 660 boys. When it came to releasing their first EP, they decided to call themselves Six60, after that Castle Street flat because “it was a place that meant so much to us”.

So, why did this flat mean so much to them. “That’s where it all began”. Ji elaborated, “it’ where I wrote my first song, it’s where we had our first practice together. It was the beginning of everything.” Like so many other Otago alumni, Ji feels the experience flatting has a great impact on students because for many it’s their first time living independently. “They’re really special for a lot of people. So many good times, a lot of bad times too. They’re a rich source of memories.”

Copyright <a href=Online Casino Real Money NZ & Online Casino Real Money NZ <a href="/>Online Casino Real Money NZ & Online Casino Real Money NZ Six60" class="" height="200" src="/656ec40a9ceb5cffef2c8f6b19fd016f/cdn.georgefm.co.nz/georgefm/AM/2011/10/27/86657/six60.jpg" width="300"/>

Rise Up EP logo via George FM, Copyright Online Casino Real Money NZ & Online Casino Real Money NZ

Online Casino Real Money NZ & Online Casino Real Money NZ Six60.

Before their first NZ tour Ji contacted a friend who has a clothing label called Search. One of their designers came up with a range of ideas for a logo for the band, the brief was to include the name and reference the Castle Street flat. It was used on the Rise Up 2.0 release cover. The guys like the idea of strong visually memorable graphics to advertise themselves.

Their music video for Don’t forget your Roots (directed by Robin Walters, July 2011) cruises through the Dunedin North landscape and highlights a number of named flats of the day.


Six60 are in town for Orientation and took the opportunity to visit 660 Castle St a couple of days ago before playing  last night (20.02.14) at the Starters bar (aka The Orie(ntal) or The Last Moa). They play the Forsyth Bar Stadium tonight (21.02.14)

[1] http://marlonsix60.blogspot.com/2011/01/about-me-and-six60-beginningpart-iii.html

[2] http://charts.org.nz/weekchart.asp?year=2011&date=20110124&cat=s

Husband House / Sneaky Feelings (1985) – lyrics

Image Source

Its been a long time since I’ve been back home where I belong

Life ‘round here means you must try to be hard and strong

One day when I want to settle down I’ll go there up to Husband House

I’ll leave my friends behind although it’s fun to stay here now

Seasons fall leaves have turned to gold and the wind blows cold from the south

Not sure what I wanted from you girl but I think it’s time that we found out

One day when I want to settle down I’ll go there up to Husband House

I’ll leave my friends behind although it’s fun to stay here now

Image Source

Ori10 – digitally Clyde Street

For the first time in I don’t know how long, OUSA is advertising Orientation Week (ORI10) without using a humorous popular culture reference. A wonderful collection of them can be viewed at Poppa’s Pizza on Albany Street opposite the University Library.

This year its a digitally rendered view of the corner of Frederick and Clyde Streets, showing student flats. Known named flats, Hyde Street RSA and Pink Flat the Door, are featured, the former two with their names intact.