Arriving from the North Shore sprawl into the vacuum that was the early 00s Auckland live scene, the Mint Chicks provided a blast of wired, aggressive energy. Lead by the enigmatic Nielson brothers, the band would evolve into a riveting blend of pop, psychedelia and punk.
It’s tough to recall, at this distance, how barren New Zealand guitar-based music felt at the dawn of the millennium. The second wave (or was it the third?) of Flying Nun bands had mostly fallen apart. Venues like Kurtz Lounge and the Gluepot, which had nurtured live music through the ‘80s and ‘90s were literally demolished.
Kody Nielson - vocals, keyboards
Ruban Nielson - guitar, vocals
Michael Logie - bass
Paul Roper - drums