Head Like a Hole (band)
| Company type | Rock band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1989 in Wellington, New Zealand |
| Headquarters | Wellington , New Zealand |
| Products | Music albums, singles, EPs |
Head Like a Hole—commonly abbreviated as HLAH to circumvent copyright concerns—is a rock ensemble originating from Wellington, New Zealand. Their name is inspired by the track of the same title by Nine Inch Nails.
History
The formation of HLAH took place in Wellington, featuring members Nigel Regan, Mark "Hiddee Beast" Hamill, Nigel "Booga" Beazley, and Andrew Durno. Before establishing HLAH, Regan and Hamill performed together in a cover band that played songs by artists such as Masters of Reality, Black Sabbath, Faith No More, Nirvana, among others. In 1989, after returning from art school in Auckland, Beazley joined as the lead vocalist despite lacking prior singing experience. His vocal abilities were tested with a rendition of Black Sabbath’s "War Pigs," completing the lineup with bassist Andrew 'Tall' Durno.
Shortly after their inception, the group laid down their first original tracks using an 8-track recorder at Tongue Studios in Wellington. These recordings were released as a limited-edition cassette titled Shitnoise, with only 100 copies produced, now regarded as valuable collector’s items.
HLAH shared rehearsal facilities at the Empire Spice warehouse alongside local band Shihad. Following an offhand comment by Jon Toogood, HLAH was invited to join Shihad’s Devolve tour after their manager, Gerald Dwyer, witnessed their performance and gave his approval. This tour notably influenced Regan’s trademark onstage nudity.
Beginning their live shows in modest venues such as the Hopper Street warehouse and Rocky's pub, HLAH developed a loyal fanbase through their provocative stage acts involving nudity, mud, and body paint. Their rising prominence led to a contract with Wildside Records, which also represented fellow Wellington band Shihad.
13
In 1992, the band self-produced their debut album 13 at Writhe Studio with assistance from Brent McLachlan (Bailter Space, Gordons). The single "Fish Across Face" achieved a position within the New Zealand Top 10; however, its accompanying video was withdrawn due to a meningitis outbreak occurring at that time. 13 remains a fan-favorite release and serves as a significant learning milestone for the group, reflecting their raw musical influences and limited prior recording experience stemming from their earlier 4-track cassette Shitnoise.
Flik Y'Self off Y'Self
Maintaining momentum on university tours, HLAH recorded their sophomore album Flik Y'Self Off Y'Self, released in 1994. This effort was supported by singles such as "Faster Hooves," which featured a western-themed video starring Mark and Booga, along with "Spanish Goat Dancer." Additionally, they issued The Not Nicomjool EP, which included a remix of the track "Chalkface."
Double Your Strength, Improve Your Health and Lengthen Your Life
While touring across New Zealand and performing at Big Day Out, HLAH encountered tragedy in early 1996 with the unexpected passing of their manager Gerald Barry Dwyer (who also managed Shihad). Later that year, they recorded their third studio album Double Your Strength, Improve Your Health, & Lengthen Your Life at Sing Sing Studios in Australia under the guidance of producer Robbie Rowlands. Although the single "Crying Shame" did not enter the charts, it became a staple during live shows and was often enhanced with brass arrangements despite the departure of original trumpeter Watson.
The lead single "Cornbag," released in November 1996, experienced modest chart performance. Other singles from this period included "A Crying Shame," "Keith," and "Hootnanny." HLAH concluded the 1997 Big Day Out festival following headliners Soundgarden, attracting a substantial audience at The Supertop venue. They also produced a music video for their rendition of Bruce Springsteen's "I'm on Fire."
Are ya Gonna Kiss It or Shoot It
During 1997–98, there was some misunderstanding when a record label representative incorrectly stated that the band had officially changed its name to HLAH, despite the abbreviation having been used informally for some time. In November 1998, they issued their last original album, HLAH:IV - Are You Gonna Kiss It Or Shoot It?, which was promoted with singles such as "Wet Rubber" and "Juicy Lucy."
Blood On The Honky Tonk Floor
The group disbanded in 2000. That November, a compilation album titled Blood On the Honky Tonk Floor was released. This two-disc collection included their most popular tracks on the first disc, while the second featured all cover versions recorded throughout their career.
Reformation
Towards the end of 2008, HLAH received an invitation to reunite for the Vodafone Homegrown music festival scheduled for March 2009. Having previously contemplated regrouping, they rehearsed together and promptly agreed to perform at Homegrown, followed by several smaller shows to prepare. Although their winter tour attracted full houses—including the largest audience at the Powerstation since its reopening—it did not yield financial profit. Nevertheless, enthusiastic audience responses and enhanced chemistry within the band encouraged them to resume rehearsals and begin working on a new album slated for 2011. Tom Watson opted not to return, leaving Mike Franklin-Browne as the continuing drummer.
Blood Will Out
In 2010, Head Like A Hole commenced work on fresh material for their first studio album in ten years. Partnering with Andrew Buckton (known for Midnight Youth and The D4), drum sessions were conducted at York Street Studios, with additional recordings at Studio 203. The lead single "Swagger of Thieves," released on 5 December 2010, reached number one on the 95bFM charts. Following that, "Glory, Glory (Hallelujah)," released on 29 May 2011, secured the top spot on The Rock chart. The full album Blood Will Out was launched on 4 July 2011 and supported by a nationwide tour across New Zealand.
2012-2013 re-release of debut album
Due to family obligations in 2012, HLAH reduced live appearances to concentrate on remastering their debut album 13 in preparation for its 20th anniversary in 2013. This milestone was celebrated with a tour featuring performances of the entire 13 album alongside selected songs from other releases. Additionally, they issued "Sometimes the Wolf," an incomplete track originating from the Blood Will Out recording sessions.
End of 2012/start of 2013 - present
With live shows paused, Nigel Regan, Booga Beazley, and Andrew Ashton began developing a follow-up to Blood Will Out at the start of 2013. By February, two new songs had been recorded, with further sessions planned and a target release date set for mid-year since most material was already composed. The album Narcocorrido was ultimately independently released on 3 April 2015.
New Music - 2021
In 2021, Head Like a Hole produced three new tracks and chose to distribute their music in smaller segments rather than as a full-length album.
Discography
| Year | Title | Details | Peak chart positions |
|---|---|---|---|
| NZ | |||
| 1991 | Shitnoise |
|
— |
| 1993 | 13 |
|
17 |
| 1994 | Spanish Goat Dancer |
|
— |
| 1994 | Flik Y'Self Off Y'Self |
|
13 |
| 1996 | The Berlin Stench |
|
— |
| 1996 | Double Your Strength, Improve Your Health, & Lengthen Your Life |
|
33 |
| 1998 | Are You Gonna Kiss It Or Shoot It? |
|
25 |
| 2000 | Blood On the Honky Tonk Floor |
|
29 |
| 2009 | The Devil Makes Work For Idle Hands |
|
— |
| 2011 | Blood Will Out |
|
12 |
| 2015 | Narcocorrido |
|
3 |
| EPs | |||
| 1995 | Happy Families Tour | — | |
| 1995 | The Not Nicomjool EP |
|
— |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that country. | |||
Notable Contributions
Head Like a Hole has been featured on a variety of New Zealand compilations and soundtrack albums, such as:
- (1992) - Freak the Sheep Vol. 2 (Flying Nun Records) – track "Fat Like a Hole"
- (1997) - God Save The Clean (Flying Nun Records) – rendition of "Beatnik" (originally by The Clean)
- (1998) - Ice TV (Universal Music) – song "A Crying Shame"
- (1999) - Best of Wildside (Wildside) – includes "Wet Rubber," "I'm On Fire," "Faster Hooves," and "Fish Across Face"
- (1999) - IceTV Good (Universal Music) – track "Maharajah"
- (1999) - World Famous In New Zealand (Epic Music) – song "Comfortably Shagged"
- (2000) - Savage Honeymoon (Mana Music Productions) – track "Chevrolet"
- (2000) - Stickmen (Universal Music) – includes "Devil Went Down to Georgia" and "Comfortably Shagged"
Filmography
The documentary Swagger of Thieves, which premiered in August 2017 at the New Zealand International Film Festival, offers an intimate look at Nigel "Booga" Beazley and Nigel Regan, focusing on their personal journeys and involvement with the band.