Straitjacket Fits
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1986 in Dunedin, New Zealand |
| Defunct | 1994 |
| Headquarters | Dunedin , New Zealand |
| Products | Music albums, EPs, singles |
Number of employees | 4 (members) |
Straitjacket Fits was an alternative indie rock quartet established in 1986 in Dunedin, New Zealand, and remained active until their split in 1994. Their discography includes three studio albums: Hail (1988), Melt (1990), and Blow (1993), along with various EP releases. The founding members consisted of Shayne Carter (vocals, guitar), John Collie (drums), David Wood (bass), and Andrew Brough (guitar, vocals). After Brough's departure in 1991, Mark Petersen took over guitar duties for the band's final album.
As prominent contributors to Flying Nun Records' second wave of the Dunedin sound, Straitjacket Fits earned a place in the New Zealand Music Hall of Fame in 2008. They have three songs featured on the APRA Top 100 New Zealand Songs of All Time list: "She Speeds," "Down in Splendour," and "If I Were You."
The band's journey was documented in the 2025 film Life in One Chord, directed by Margaret Gordon.
Biography
Straitjacket Fits originated in Dunedin, emerging from the aftermath of The DoubleHappys—an earlier group featuring Shayne Carter, Wayne Elsey, and John Collie. Following Elsey’s untimely death, Carter and Collie teamed up with bassist David Wood (formerly of Working With Walt) in 1986 to form the new band. The addition of Andrew Brough from The Orange a year later brought a pop-oriented influence that contrasted with Carter’s more aggressive songwriting style. Their music blended Carter’s gritty vocals and guitar work with Brough’s catchy melodic lines.
Pre-1990: Life in One Chord and Hail
The band’s debut EP, Life in One Chord, was released in 1987 and remained in the Top 50 charts for ten weeks. Among its four tracks, "She Speeds" stood out as a defining song and was later recognized as one of New Zealand’s ten most popular tracks. The song showcased Carter’s sharp lead vocals paired with jagged guitar riffs and string accents, while Brough contributed soaring melodies during the chorus. In contrast, "Sparkle That Shines" highlighted Brough’s softer vocal style complemented by Carter’s pointed harmonies.
To access larger audiences, the group relocated first from Dunedin to Christchurch, then moved again to Auckland in 1988. That year also saw the release of their first full-length album Hail, produced by Terry Moore (formerly of The Chills). This album was subsequently reissued on CD alongside the tracks from Life in One Chord. Their initial international exposure came through touring Australia in 1989, followed by performances across Europe; notably, they were present in Berlin during the fall of the Berlin Wall.
1990: Melt and Brough's departure
The band recorded their sophomore album Melt in 1990 with producer Gavin Mackillop. It featured moderate successes such as Brough’s "Down in Splendour" and Carter’s "Bad Note for a Heart." A rigorous touring schedule ensued throughout 1991, including supporting slots for My Bloody Valentine in Australia and The La’s during their US dates. However, creative tensions between Carter and Brough culminated after this tour, resulting in Brough’s exit from the group. He was succeeded by guitarist Mark Petersen.
1992-4: Done, Blow, and dissolution
The 1992 EP titled Done climbed to number 11 on New Zealand's Top 40 singles chart. This release, produced by Tony Cohen without involvement from Brough, showcased a heavier, guitar-centric style. Subsequently, the group relocated to California to work on their third studio album, Blow, collaborating with producer Paul Fox. Released in 1993, the album lacked the dynamic nuance of their earlier records but featured singles such as "Cat Inna Can" and "If I Were You". Their U.S. tour culminated with an appearance on Late Night with Conan O'Brien on 11 November 1993. Despite this heightened visibility, the band entered a near-permanent hiatus following their performance at the 1994 Big Day Out festival.
In 1993, Straitjacket Fits contributed the track "Brittle" to the AIDS benefit compilation No Alternative, produced by the Red Hot Organization.
Legacy, post-Straitjacket Fits endeavors, and reunions
A compilation CD titled Straitjacket Fits, featuring 16 previously released songs, was issued in 1998 as a retrospective collection.
Following the band's disbandment, Shayne Carter achieved success with his new project Dimmer, whose debut album marked a stylistic departure from Straitjacket Fits. Exercising greater creative control, Dimmer's sound was more minimalist and integrated electronic elements, though guitars reemerged in subsequent albums. Andrew Brough released one album with Bike before returning to Dunedin and withdrawing from the music scene. John Collie pursued a distinguished career in photography, exhibiting his work widely.
During the Australasian Performing Right Association's 75th anniversary in 2001, Straitjacket Fits' song "She Speeds" was ranked ninth among New Zealand's top 100 songs. Additionally, "Down in Splendour" placed 32nd, while "If I Were You" appeared at number 88.
In 2005, the band briefly reunited for a series of concerts across New Zealand without Brough.
Straitjacket Fits were honored in 2008 with the New Zealand Herald Legacy Award at the Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards and were inducted into the New Zealand Music Hall of Fame. During his acceptance speech, Carter urged fellow artists to embrace creativity beyond conventional boundaries: "To all the artists out there who are brave enough to think outside of the square – kia kaha."
David Wood passed away unexpectedly on 17 November 2010, survived by his wife and two children. Andrew Brough died on 2 February 2020.
One-time performance as Dimmer's "special guests", King's Arms, 2018
The closure of Auckland's King's Arms venue in 2018 led to a unique reunion on 9 February where Dimmer (Shayne Carter's post-Straitjacket Fits band) performed with "special guests". John Collie and Mark Petersen joined Carter and Dimmer bassist Vaughan Williams to play Straitjacket Fits material. This event marked the first occasion that Carter, Collie, and Petersen performed together without the late David Wood.
Band members
- Shayne Carter – guitar, vocals (1986–1994)
- John Collie – drums (1986–1994)
- David Wood – bass (1986–1994) (died 2010)
- Andrew Brough – guitar, vocals (1987–1991) (died 2020)
- Mark Petersen – guitar (1991–94)
Albums
| Year | Title | Details | Peak chart positions |
|---|---|---|---|
| NZ | |||
| 1988 | Hail |
|
31 |
| 1989 | Hail (compilation) |
|
— |
| 1990 | Melt |
|
13 |
| 1993 | Blow |
|
12 |
| 1998 | Straitjacket Fits |
|
— |
| "—" indicates releases that did not chart or were not issued in that region. | |||
EPs
| Year | Title | Information | Peak chart positions |
|---|---|---|---|
| NZ | |||
| 1987 | Life in One Chord |
|
16 |
| 1991 | Bad Note for a Heart |
|
29 |
| 1991 | Missing From Melt |
|
— |
| 1992 | Done |
|
— |
| "—" indicates releases that either did not enter the charts or were not issued in that region. | |||
Singles
| Year | Title | Highest chart position | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| NZ | |||
| 1988 | "Hail" | 20 | Hail |
| 1990 | "Sparkle That Shines" | — | |
| "Bad Note for a Heart" | 29 | Melt | |
| 1991 | "Down in Splendour" (double 7") | — | |
| "Down in Splendour" (Video/CD) | — | ||
| "Roller Ride" | — | ||
| 1992 | "Done" | 11 | Blow |
| 1993 | "Cat Inna Can" | 19 | |
| "If I Were You" | — | ||
| "—" signifies tracks that did not chart or were unreleased in the specified market. | |||
Compilation and Soundtrack Contributions
Straitjacket Fits have appeared on various compilation albums and film soundtracks, mainly through Flying Nun Records and Sony Music, broadening their exposure. Notable contributions include:
- In Love With These Times (1988) featuring "She Speeds"
- Getting Older 1981–1991 (1991) with "Dialing a Prayer"
- Pink Flying Saucers Over the Southern Alps (1991) including "Bad Note for a Heart"
- No Alternative (1993) released by Arista Records, featuring the track "Brittle"
- Topless Women Talk About Their Lives (1997), containing "Down in Splendour" and "She Speeds"
- Scarfies (1999), which includes "She Speeds"
- The Nature's Best series (2002–2003) from Sony Music, showcasing multiple songs such as "She Speeds", "Down in Splendour", and "If I Were You"
DVD Appearances
- Very Short Films: A Flying Nun DVD (2003), featuring "She Speeds"
- Second Season: Flying Nun DVD II (2004), including "Down in Splendour"
Aotearoa Music Awards
The Aotearoa Music Awards, previously known as the New Zealand Music Awards, have annually celebrated outstanding achievements within New Zealand's music industry since 1965.
! |- | 2008 || Straitjacket Fits || New Zealand Music Hall of Fame || ||
Further reading
- Davey, T. & Puschmann, H. (1996) Kiwi rock. Dunedin: Kiwi Rock Publications. ISBN 0-473-03718-1
- Dix, J. (1988) Stranded in paradise: New Zealand rock'n'roll 1955-1988. Wellington: Paradise Publications. ISBN 0-473-00638-3
- Eggleton, D. (2003) Ready to fly: The story of New Zealand rock music. Nelson, NZ: Craig Potton Publishing. ISBN 1-877333-06-9
External links
- Biography of Straitjacket Fits at Flying Nun Records
- Kara, Scott "The Story of Straitjacket Fits", New Zealand Herald, 2 October 2008
- Live performance of 'Missing Presumed Drowned' and interview with Shayne Carter and David Wood
- Articles with short description
- APRA Award winners
- Flying Nun Records artists
- Dunedin Sound musical groups
- Rough Trade Records artists
- New Zealand indie rock groups
- Arista Records artists
- Musical groups established in 1986
- Musical groups disbanded in 1994
- 1986 establishments in New Zealand
- Musical groups from Dunedin
- 1994 disestablishments in New Zealand
- Musical groups disestablished in 1994