The Terrorways

aka Rooter


Short-haired rock and roll was still in short supply in New Zealand when The Terrorways turned the hardened rocker of that name loose on the country’s emerging punk and post-punk scene as a single in May 1980.

Paired with ‘Suicide 2’ by fellow Auckland second wave punks Proud Scum, The Terrorways’‘Short Haired Rock and Roll’ arrived posthumously on Ripper Records, New Zealand’s first punk-era indie label. It was one of only three songs that The Terrorways got to vinyl. Already available – on the ground-breaking New Zealand punk compilation AK79 – was their equally raucous original, ‘Never Been To Borstal’, and an inspired and roughed-up cover of Ray Columbus and The Invaders’ ‘She’s A Mod’. The trio of songs was a slim and engaging recorded legacy that ably captured the spirit of the times and the group.

A Terrorways tour poster from 1979.
Photo credit: Design: Terence Hogan
Gary Hunt, Rock HQ, Upper Queen Street.
Photo credit: Photo by Wayne Hunter
The Terrorways at The Windsor Castle, Parnell, Auckland, 1979.
Photo credit: Photo by Sara Leigh Lewis
The Terrorways at Zwines with Gary Havoc & The Hurricanes.
Photo credit: Simon Grigg collection
The Terrorways photographed for Rip It Up, 1979. L to r: Chris Orange, Peter Mesmer, John 'No-one' Hunter, Gary Hunt, Dean Martelli
Photo credit: Photo by Murray Cammick
The Terrorways at The Windsor Castle, Auckland, July 1979.
Photo credit: Simon Grigg collection
John No-One and Chris Orange, Windsor Castle Hotel
Photo credit: Photo by Murray Cammick
Never Been To Borstal (live at the 2008 reunion)
Short Haired Rock'n'Roll
The Terrorways at Zwines, Durham Lane West, 1979.
Photo credit: Photo by Murray Cammick
Rooter, with Toy Love at Zwines, January 1979
Photo credit: Peter Hoffman collection
John No-one, Mainstreet Cabaret, Queen Street, Auckland, 1979.
Photo credit: Photo by Wayne Hunter
Dean Martelli and Chris Orange
Photo credit: Photo by Wayne Hunter
The Terrorways in the stairwell at The Globe Hotel, Wakefield Street, Auckland, 1979.
The Globe Hotel, 1979.
Photo credit: Simon Grigg collection
The Terrorways at Zwines, Durham Lane West, Auckland, 1979
Photo credit: Photo by Murray Cammick
A Terrorways set-list
Photo credit: Courtesy of The Terrorways
Rooter, 1978
Photo credit: Photo by Wayne Hunter
Chris Orange, Dean Martelli, John No-one, Auckland 1979.
Photo credit: Photo by Murray Cammick
Outside Zwines, 1978: Peter Hoffman, Dean Martelli, Kerry Buchanan, John No-one, Chris Orange
Photo credit: Photo by Murray Cammick
John No-One at the Windsor Castle, 1979
Photo credit: Deborah Colette Gilchrist-Shadbolt collection
The Terrorways July 1980 reunion, XS Café, Auckland.
Photo credit: Photo by Bryan Staff
The Terrorways bandfile image for Rip It Up, 1979.
Photo credit: Photo by Murray Cammick
John No-one at XS Café, with Bevan Sweeney, later of Children's Hour, Headless Chickens and NRA, standing next to him
Photo credit: Photo by Bryan Staff
The Terrorways in 1979: Dean Martelli, John No-one, Gary Hunt, Peter Hoffman, Chris Orange
Photo credit: Photo by Murray Cammick
Dean Martelli, Chris Orange and Gary Hunt, likely at The Rock HQ, 52 Upper Queen Street, 1979. Dean has the guitar featured on the cover of AK79.
Photo credit: Photo by Wayne Hunter
The Terrorways, Mainstreet Cabaret, Queen Street, Auckland, 1979.
Photo credit: Photo by Wayne Hunter
Sheerlux and The Terrorways at a State Dance, State Theatre, Symonds Street, Auckland, April 1979
Photo credit: Design by Terence Hogan
Rooter, 1978. L to r: Chris Orange, John 'No-one' Hunter, Dean Martelli, Kerry Buchanan and Peter 'Mesmer' Hoffman.
Photo credit: Photo by Wayne Hunter
Labels:

Ripper

Trivia:

Kerry Buchanan wrote the liner notes to the 1993 Propeller/Flying Nun reissue of AK79. He was also a Rip It Up singles columnist and Real Groove hip-hop specialist for many years.

Dean Martelli was later in Rebel Truce whose track The Man Inside appeared on the Class of 81 compilation.

Chris Orange joined The Features in 1980, later moving to Japan for some years before returning to New Zealand.

Gary Hunt worked as a roadie for Spandau Ballet in the UK. He is now a metal furniture designer.

Members:

Kerry Buchanan - drums

Peter Hoffman - guitar

Gary Hunt - drums

John No-one - vocals

Dean Martelli - guitar

Chris Orange - bass

Jonathan Jamrag - bass

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