Vetox
Vetox began life in early 2003, as a spinoff Dan Duran's previous band, Big Elephants, who'd spilt a few months earlier (began as Rob and Dan from Big Elephants, Natalie joined, Rob left, Tonamu and GJB joined).
Originally called Sam, and then Slow Learner, before settling upon the moniker Vetox, the core members were GJB, Tonamu and Dan Duran, on guitar, bass and guitar/vocals respectively. The drum stool was filled at first by Natalie (who went on to play for the Shrugs), then Simon, and finally, Bregiz.
During their existence, Vetox played not only a wide array of original material penned by Dan Duran and GJB, but also covers of songs originally by Cyndi Lauper ('SheBop') and the Datsuns ('Harmonic Generator'). They were best described as a mix between Nirvana, the Dandy Warhols and Queens of the Stone Age on a good day, and second-rate Joy Division copyists on a bad.
The band split in late 2004. GJB and Nathan next concentrated on Aether, while Dan Duran moved to Auckland, forming Radio Over Moscow and playing in Kittyhawk for a while. Tonamu disappeared to the Coromandel. GJB went on to join Amy Racecar and record The Shrugs, who for a time featured ex-Vetox drummer Natalie McKelvey.
