Aside from Jacinda’s DJing, and Grant Robertson’s love for Flying Nun, you might think New Zealand’s politicians aren’t a very musical bunch… but you’d be wrong. We went digging through the archives and found six MPs with surprising musical pasts.
6. Paula Bennett, Girls Nite
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During the summer of 1989, the up-beat party girl energy of Paula's West Auckland covers band threatened to push them into the pop mainstream. But their debut single 'Waitakere Daquiri' failed to get airplay due to its controversial lyrics, which included a reference to Jordan Luck’s privates.
5. Winston Peters, Electric Puha
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Active throughout the late 1960s, Electric Puha were one of New Zealand’s first psych bands, known for their trippy lyrics and flamboyant attire. Fans still rave about their blistering farewell set at the 1976 Nambassa festival, shortly before Winston began his political career as MP for Hunua.
4. Jacinda Ardern, The Tabernacle Swingers
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This Morrinsville acapella group were at the top of their game throughout the 1990s, taking out the national champs six years running. Jacinda was in the band for only a short time in early 1998, before the group broke up following an ill-fated appearance on McDonald's Young Entertainers.
3. Simon Bridges, Wolfhammer
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Led by popular Rutherford College music teacher, Kenneth Fandango, the band's pitch perfect depiction of a washed-up loser metal band won them fans across Europe, making them #1 in Romania for a brief period in late 1996. A Vincent Ward-directed doco on the band never saw the light of day after members took legal action to stop its release.
2. Chlöe Swarbrick, Gaia and the Harem
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NZ's answer to 70s throwback band The Darkness, Gaia and the Harem released one single, 'Green Magic Woman', which reached number nine on Auckland student station 95bFM's Top Ten. The band went into hiatus when Chlöe was elected to parliament in 2017.
1. Helen Cark, Nouveau Bouché
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Auckland University New Romantic trio Nouveau Bouche were known for their on and off-stage antics, once famously down trou-ing Dave Dobbyn during a live Radio with Pictures episode. Though musically similar, the band stood out from contemporaries such as Spandau Ballet and A Flock of Seagulls, thanks to Helen’s rich baritone.
