Rose Bayonet


It’s Friday night. Napier’s Cabana is packed with long-haired, black-jacketed metal fans. The lights dim. UFO’s ‘Alpha Centauri’ seeps from the PA. In the dark, the band-members take their places on stage. A roadie releases a fog of dry ice, and a wallop of metal noise erupts.

Suddenly, ear drums are pulverised as explosions rip across the front of the stage. A wall of flame races from front to back as gunpowder ignites from a trail left from a leaky bag during band set-up. Rose Bayonet’s guitarist Stefan Lavington is in full flow. He scowls as his elbow and eyebrows are singed. He doesn’t miss a note.

"Heavy Metal Hard to Sell" - a Wellington paper features Rose Bayonet, circa late 1981. The early lineup pictured is (L-R): Jeff Borra, Jerry Pearse-Smith, Peter Appleboom, Stefan Lavington. 
Rose Bayonet's Geoff Dunn and Stefan Lavington (Cold Chisel support gig, 1982)
Photo credit: “Ginger” Davidson
Geoff Dunn of Rose Bayonet, 1982
Photo credit: “Ginger” Davidson
Geoff Dunn, Rose Bayonet at the Terminus, Wellington, December 1981
Photo credit: Geoff Dunn Collection
Rose Bayonet in 1982, an unused publicity shot (L-R): Jerry Pearse-Smith, Matt Hudson, Geoff Dunn, Stefan Lavington
Photo credit: “Ginger” Davidson
Wellington metal band Rose Bayonet onstage at Sweetwaters 1983.
Photo credit: Geoff Dunn Collection
Rose Bayonet, 1983: Geoff Dunn and Jerry Pearse-Smith 
Photo credit: Geoff Dunn Collection
Rose Bayonet at Sweetwaters, 1983: Matt Hudson (far left, obscured), Geoff Dunn, Jerry Pearse-Smith 
Photo credit: “Ginger” Davidson
Rose Bayonet, a 1982 publicity shot (L-R): Jerry Pearse-Smith, Stefan Lavington, Geoff Dunn, Matt Hudson
Photo credit: “Ginger” Davidson
Matt Hudson of Rose Bayonet, Sweetwaters, 1983 
Photo credit: “Ginger” Davidson
Front cover of the 2020 reissue of Rose Bayonet's Leather And Chains album 
The magnificent kit of Rose Bayonet's Jerry Pearse-Smith, at the Cold Chisel support gig, 1982
Photo credit: “Ginger” Davidson
Rose Bayonet's logo
Watch: Rose Bayonet - Leather And Chains (1982)
Rose Bayonet, 1982
Photo credit: “Ginger” Davidson
Rose Bayonet, Terminus, 1982
Photo credit: “Ginger” Davidson
Rose Bayonet's Geoff Dunn and Matt Hudson, getting tangled, 1982
Photo credit: Geoff Dunn Collection
Rose Bayonet's Matt Hudson and Geoff Dunn, 1982.
Photo credit: "Ginger" Davidson
Rose Bayonet's Geoff Dunn, 1981
Photo credit: “Ginger” Davidson
Rose Bayonet bassist Warwick Hill
Photo credit: Warwick Hill Collection
Geoff Dunn of Rose Bayonet, 1981
Photo credit: “Ginger” Davidson
Rose Bayonet opening for Cold Chisel at Wellington Town Hall in 1982.
Rose Bayonet's Geoff Dunn and Jerry Pearse-Smith, backstage at the Quinn’s Post, Upper Hutt, 1982
Photo credit: Geoff Dunn Collection
Rose Bayonet's Geoff Dunn & Stefan Lavington, 1981
Photo credit: “Ginger” Davidson
Rose Bayonet's Leather And Chains LP, 1984 (back cover of the original release; artwork by Darren Whittaker)
Stefan Lavington of Rose Bayonet, Sweetwaters, 1983
Photo credit: “Ginger” Davidson 
Stefan Lavington of Rose Bayonet at the Cold Chisel support gig, 1982 
Photo credit: “Ginger” Davidson
Watch: Rose Bayonet - Night Fighters (1981)
Rose Bayonet's Geoff Dunn and Stefan Lavington opening for Cold Chisel at Wellington Town Hall in 1982.
Rose Bayonet review, from an unknown source
An early lineup of Rose Bayonet (L-R): Warwick Hill, Paul Feenstra, Jeff Borra, Guy Davidson, Stefan Lavington, and Jerry Pearse-Smith (sitting)
Photo credit: Warwick Hill Collection
Geoff Dunn and Stefan Lavington of Rose Bayonet (Cold Chisel support gig, 1982) 
Photo credit: “Ginger” Davidson
Rose Bayonet's Leather And Chains LP, 1984 (front cover of the original issue; artwork by Darren Whittaker)
Rose Bayonet at Sweetwaters, 1983: Matt Hudson, Jerry Pearse-Smith, Geoff Dunn, Stefan Lavington 
Photo credit: “Ginger” Davidson
Geoff Dunn of Rose Bayonet, 1981
Photo credit: “Ginger” Davidson
Rose Bayonet tour itinerary, Summer 1982-83
Heavy metal compilation album including NZ bands Rose Bayonet, Harlot, Tyrant, and Astaroth. Released in 1983 on NZ Metal Production Co.
Stefan Lavington, Rose Bayonet, 1981 
Photo credit: “Ginger” Davidson
Geoff Dunn of Rose Bayonet at the Terminus, Wellington, 1982
Photo credit: “Ginger” Davidson
Stefan Lavington, Rose Bayonet, 1982
Photo credit: Geoff Dunn Collection
Rose Bayonet at the Manukau Arms
Rip It Up review of the metal compilation Godzone Vol 1, November 1983
Rose Bayonet's master of lighting and explosions, Guy "Fawkes" Davidson, 1976. 
Rose Bayonet live review by Rip It Up metal correspondent John ("JA") Andrewes, October 1982
"A Night of Heavy Metal" - Rose Bayonet and Titan, Gluepot Hotel
Trivia:

Stefan Lavington got to meet his hero Ritchie Blackmore when the reformed Deep Purple visited New Zealand in 1984.

Warwick Hill later played in The Actors who supported Rose Bayonet at a gig in Auckland.

Rose Bayonet played only one gig in the South Island, at the Aranui in Christchurch.

Tokyo released a cover of the Rose Bayonet track 'Tough Road' on the Jayrem compilation 3 Points Of Metal.

After the band broke up, manager Neil Domigan sold the giant sound system to Mother Goose.

Paul Feenstra, now back in New Zealand, is a successful author of historical fiction with 14 books published to date.

Geoff Dunn’s eldest daughter Iris pursued a career in music and is now a popular singer- songwriter and multi-instrumentalist in Los Angeles.

Labels:

Jayrem

Members:

Stefan Lavington

Jerry Pearse-Smith

Jeff Borra

Martin Robinson

Warwick Hill

Peter Appleboom

Geoff Dunn

Matt Hudson

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