Julia Deans


The guitar. The attitude. The voice. The hair. In the canon of New Zealand rock stars, who doesn’t want to be Julia Deans? She is one of our greatest musicians. Whip-smart with a take-no-prisoners attitude, her killer voice, intuitive lyrics and super-cool guitar-slinging style have endeared her to pretty much everyone with both pulse and taste.

Christchurch-born, Deans has creativity in her blood – her grandfather is painter Austen Deans, and her father Paul is a sculptor. At age 15 she was given a guitar, and a book on how to play it, and she taught herself the instrument. A move to Wellington in the 1990s to attend jazz school didn’t last long before she joined bands such as Banshee Reel and Fur Patrol. The latter coalesced to become one of New Zealand’s most well-known bands of the early 2000s.

Amanda Palmer With Julia Deans - Little Island (2024)
Julia Deans in a Fur Patrol photoshoot for Rip It Up, 2006.
Photo credit: Simon Grigg collection
Julia Deans - Pick Up (RNZ, August 9, 2018)
Julia Deans
Photo credit: Photo by Georgia Schofield
Julia Deans, Fur Patrol.
Julia Deans.
Photo credit: Mareea Vegas
Julia Deans, Both Sides Now, 2016
Photo credit: Mareea Vegas
Julia Deans - A New Dialogue (2009)
Watch: Julia Deans in search of a pioneering ancestor, 2020
Fur Patrol in a publicity photo. Simon Braxton, Julia Deans, Andrew Bain, Steve Wells.
Poster for Julia Deans’ 2020 autumn tour, postponed because of the Coronovirus lockdown. “Even in the Great Depression and the global financial crisis, we were never told we couldn’t go to a live gig or get together with our friends,” Deans told Mountain Scene, Queenstown.  
The Adults. From left to right: Shayne Carter, Jon Toogood, Julia Deans.
Photo credit: Photo by Georgia Schofield
Both Sides Now: Julia Deans Sings Joni Mitchell, Auckland International Cabaret Season, 2014.
Julia Deans.
Photo credit: Mareea Vegas
Julia Deans performing with Fur Patrol.
Fur Patrol, L to R: Steve Wells, Julia Deans, Andrew Bain, Simon Braxton.
Photo credit: Publicity photo
Julia Deans
Photo credit: Photo by Adrian Malloch
Julia Deans.
Photo credit: Mareea Vegas
Julia Deans
Photo credit: Mareea Vegas
Julia Deans - We Light Fire tour, 2018
Julia Deans and SJD, Nelson Arts Festival, 2017.
Photo credit: Mareea Vegas
Julia Deans, Fur Patrol.
Julia Deans - We Light Fire (2018)
Mareea Paterson and Julia Deans recording with Allan Clarke at Marmalade Studios, Wellington, 1997.
Photo credit: Mareea Paterson Collection
Julia Deans, Fur Patrol.
Julia Deans on Debbie Harwood's 2007 Classic Hits radio series Give It A Girl
Julia Deans performing with Anika Moa at the 2010 Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards.
Julia Deans in Fur Patrol.
Iva Lamkum with Ladi6 and Julia Deans, Rarotonga, 2017.
Julia Deans
Photo credit: Photo by Georgia Schofield
Julia Deans - Modern Fables (Universal, 2010)
Fur Patrol's Julia Deans.
Publicity photo for Both Sides Now: Julia Deans Sings Joni Mitchell, 2014.
Photo credit: Mareea Vegas
Julia Deans performs 'Clandestine' live for RNZ Music, 16 February 2018.
Julia Deans.
Photo credit: Mareea Vegas
Julia Deans and Lani Purkis, 2008
Julia Deans and Anika Moa performing Anika's Running Through The Fire at the 2010 Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards.
Julia Deans.
Julia Deans covers Come To Me by Marlon Williams, 2020
Jukia Deans tour poster, 2016.
Photo credit: Promotional image
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Universal


Wishbone Music


WEA

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