Shocking Pinks


Shocking Pinks appeared to be on the brink of a worldwide breakthrough after they were picked up by New York’s DFA Records in the mid 2000s, a label co-owned by James Murphy from LCD Soundsystem. With a similar ability to infuse danceable music with elements of indie guitar, it made sense that Shocking Pinks could ride the zeitgeist of the time and find a global audience.

However, the ever-expanding musical vision of the group’s multi-instrumentalist songwriter, Nick Harte, was ill-suited to the pigeon-holing required to become a crossover hit act. Instead of success, five years of silence followed as DFA dragged their heels on his new material and Harte was forced to find a new way forward. In the meantime, his world began to come apart – both figuratively and then literally – as his hometown of Christchurch was shattered by a devastating earthquake in 2011.

Nick Harte at Camp A Low Hum, 2007.
Photo credit: Petra Smith
Nick Harte, Shocking Pinks.
Poster for the first Shocking Pinks gig at the Media Club, August 2003.
Photo credit: Chris Andrews
Nick Harte from the Shocking Pinks, November 2007.
Photo credit: Chris Andrews
Nick Harte, Shocking Pinks
Shocking Pinks 2015 line-up: Ash Smith, Nick Harte, Corey Champion.
Shocking Pinks: Nick Harte, Marie Celeste, Kit Lawrence,Nathan Bycroft.
Poster / invite for Muzik Farm, February 2007, featuring The Tiger Tones, The Shocking Pinks, Get Set Play, Frase and Bri, Not So Experimental, and Ed Muzik.
Photo credit: James Dann
Nick Harte, Shocking Pinks
Nick Harte, Shocking Pinks, at the Kings Arms, January 2008. 
Photo credit: Phil Platt
Shocking Pinks at Camp A Low Hum: Nick Harte and Mark Holland.
Photo credit: Petra Jane
Nick Harte, c 2006
Photo credit: Ian Jorgensen
Nick Harte, Shocking Pinks, Others Way Festival, Auckland, 2016.
Photo credit: Gareth Shute
Shocking Pinks - A Million Times
Poster for a Shocking Pinks gig at the Media Club, September 2003.
Photo credit: Chris Andrews
Shocking Pinks - St. Louis (feat. Gemma Syme)
Poster for Shocking Pinks gig at the Media Club, December 5th, 2003 (the gig which inspired Tim Baird to sign the band to Pinacolada).
Photo credit: Chris Andrews
Cover of the Shocking Pinks’ 2004 album Dance the Dance Electric.
Photo credit: James Dann
Nick Harte, Shocking Pinks
Photo credit: Ian Jorgensen
Nick Harte (front left) walking with Jonathan Bree, on tour as drummer for the Brunettes, 2004. In the background are Li Ming Hu and Nick Buckton (Tokey Tones).
Photo credit: Gareth Shute
Nick Harte from the Shocking Pinks, December 2007.
Photo credit: Chris Andrews
Nick Harte, 2007.
Flyer for World In Motion, a 2005 show featuring the Shocking Pinks, the House of Dolls, the New Originals, and Self Titled, in a venue that would become His Lordship’s Lane.
Photo credit: James Dann
Get Set Play (solo project of Mark Holland in the centre; from Tiger Tones) with Blink on the mic and Nick Harte (Shocking Pinks) on drums (CALH 2007)
Photo credit: Petra Jane Smith
Shocking Pinks - End of the World (2007)
Labels:

Pinacolada Records


Flying Nun


Crash Symbols


DFA


Stars & Letters Records

Trivia:

In 2015, Nick Harte provided vocals and guitars for the track ‘Hotel Room’ by rapper/poet Dominic ‘Tourettes’ Hoey, which also included singing by Gemma Syme.

The name of Shocking Pinks’ first album is taken from the Prince lyric, “Good morning children, dance the dance electric.”

Funded by

Partners with