by Jeremy Toff

Goodbye Sailor?

 Graeme Brazier’s sudden death in early September this year, coming after that of band mate Dave McArtney’s passing in 2013, has effectively brought the curtain down on one of the best rock and roll bands this country has ever produced.

Hello Sailor made their debut in 1975 and split in 1980. Members went on to solo careers and success with other bands, notably Pink Flamingos and the Legionaires, but Sailor never really went away, becoming over time a much loved Kiwi rock institution. What Hello Sailor bought to the stage in the mid 1970’s was original songs, attitude and a refusal to compromise.

By mid-1977 he band was performing an almost all-original repertoire, mostly from Brazier and McArtney with the odd Harry Lyon composition thrown in. In October 1977 managed by former Radio Hauraki pirate David Gapes Hello Sailor embarked on a 10-week national tour. The Rum and Coca Cola Tour, which coincided with the release of the Hello Sailor debut album was a huge success. The tour made money, the album went gold and Hello Sailor was the biggest band in New Zealand. Three years and a second album later after fruitless excursions to Los Angeles and Australia they called it a day.

Hello Sailor reformed for another album in 1985 and continued to sporadically reunite, recording a further four albums and performing numerous live tours. In 2011 the band entered the APRA NZ Music Hall of Fame and in 2012 they reunited again to record an album of new music Surrey Crescent Moon. Ironically Brazier’s passing came just as the surviving members of the band were about to celebrate their 40th anniversary with several live shows.

Hello Sailor will always be remembered by those of us who came of age in the 70’s for their quintessential rock-and-roll style, swagger and sleaze, which they had in spades, memorable live performances and of course great songs, which went on to become part of the Kiwi rock and roll canon.

For those interested in Hello Sailor the library has three of the band’s CDs, although curiously not their most recent album Surrey Crescent Moon. If you want to hear it I recommend you fill in a suggestion form. You might get lucky. Stranded in Paradise by John Dix includes a chapter on the band which the author describes as one of his two favourite chapters in the book. An insider’s view is provided by Dave McArtney’s autobiography Gutter Black. It’s a great read.