Paul Tregilgas
Paul Tregilgas moved to Hamilton from Rotorua in the late-1980s. He has been the drummer for several Rotorua bands, including Boogadagas, Da Hubcaps, Calamari Bushmen and The Earthlings.
In about 1989 Paul Tregilgas auditioned for Cygnet Committee and was rejected, which soon became something of an in-joke as he went on to become one of Hamilton's most respected drummers in the early 1990s, in various dark and moody alternative bands like The Haunting (1990-1992), Zangiacomo's Eastern Tour (1990-1991), A Crown Of Wild Myrtles (1991-1993), Hapukalypse Now, and its side-project Big Audio Laxative (1992-1994).
It was in these bands that "Paul T", which he became more commonly known as on account of local papers and various bands' liner-notes always spelling 'Tregilgas' incorrectly, began a long association with bassist Paul Oakley; both Oakley and Paul T were members of Zangiacomo's Eastern Tour and Hapukalypse Now. From these circles Paul T and Oakley knew Stan Jagger, another long-term collaborator, who was at this time a member of the folk/blues inflected King Biscuit. In 1992, Paul T and Paul Oakley joined Stan in King Biscuit. All three remained in King Biscuit until about 1995.
Around 1995, Paul T, Oakley and Jagger were persuaded by former Avant Garbage frontman Dominic Worthington to form self-proclaimed "ROCK'N'ROLL" covers band Johnny Fist; who have (bizarrely) now been in existence for over a decade. From 1995-1996 Paul T was also the drummer in the short lived, but hugely popular, Gas.
In 1996 Tregilgas, Oakley and Jagger teamed up with ex-Nerve frontman Jamie Stone to form a more serious indie-rock originals project, but could not agree amongst themselves whether or not to call their new band Mother Trucker or Father Trucker. They ultimately settled for Trucker. Trucker were formed in 1996, and they came second overall in that years Battle of the Bands. Paul T was with Trucker until about 2000, when he was briefly replaced by Terry Edwards prior to Trucker's split in 2001.
Between 1999 and 2001, Paul T was the drummer for Hell's Belles and the Hamiltones, including Stan Jagger. In 2000 Paul T also became the drummer for the popular live ska/reggae outfit Cosmic Ska Child, with former members of Boil Up and Tsunami Band (among others). CSC have continued up to the present-date, with Tregilgas as their drummer. Around the same time he also joined Alla Zingaro, described as "Gypsy music", who remained together until about 2005.
In 2004 Trucker released the posthumous EP Wasted In Heaven and reformed briefly to play shows featuring all former lineups of the band. By this time Tregilgas had also become a member of the abstract Sausuage, and played briefly for Rose Petals and Confetti under the name of 'Tregiz' as a stand-in for Nathan 'Bregiz' Bregmen.
From early 2005 - present, Paul T, Paul Oakley, and Stan Jagger formed the live line-up for the newly reincarnated Disjecta Membra when project mainstay Michel returned to Hamilton after several years. In March 2005, Paul joined The Shrugs following the departure of drummer Natalie McKelvey. The Shrugs have become Paul T's primary focus, touring extensively with them ever since the release of their An Awkward Silence LP.
In the mid-late 2000s Paul T remains a member of The Shrugs, Johnny Fist, Cosmic Ska Child and Disjecta Membra. He is also a keen collector of obscure Hamilton recordings, and an avid astrologer. He has developed a website, Yetiboil, that documents the history of his own bands and is a repository for Hamilton music recordings from the 1980s to the present.
Bands
Zangiacomo's Eastern Tour
The Haunting
A Crown Of Wild Myrtles
Hapukalypse Now
Big Audio Laxative
King Biscuit
Gas
Johnny Fist
Trucker
Alla Zingaro
Cosmic Ska Child
Hell's Belles and the Hamiltones
Webclaw Four/For/Flaw?
Sausuage
Rose Petals and Confetti
Disjecta Membra
The Shrugs
The Prime Numbers
Goulash Archipelago
Releases
Releases featuring Paul Tregilgas:
- Incubator Babies cassette by A Crown Of Wild Myrtles (1991)
- Juice Extractor compilation features Lust Cat by Hapukalypse Now (1992)
- Doubtful Ancestry cassette by King Biscuit (1992)
- HUM Sampler 92 compilation CD features Get A Life by King Biscuit
- Discordia Concors compilation CD features Underbelly by A Crown Of Wild Myrtles and What Is Love? by King Biscuit (1993)
- Crazy Dreams single by King Biscuit (1994)
- Sun Hits The Moon CD Album by King Biscuit (1995)
- Bark Number One compilation features For This Moment and Sun Hits The Moon by King Biscuit (1995)
- In Love With This Town compilation features Give by Gas (1996)
- Green Eggs and Hamilton compilation features Vatican by Trucker (1997)
- New Music Compilation (free with Rip It Up) features Up Your Tempo by Trucker (1999)
- Jude CD by Trucker (1999)
- Year Zero compilation CD features On the Rocks by Trucker (2001)
- Alla Zingaro's self-title CD EP (2001)
- Wasted In Heaven EP by Trucker (2004)
- How To Knit a Pony by The Shrugs (2008)
Unreleased recordings featuring Paul T by The Haunting, Hapukalypse Now, King Biscuit, Gas are also known to exist
