Wetbacks
The Wetbacks formed in mid-1983, and initially featured Dianne Archer (guitar, vocals), Paul Donnelly (bass, vocals), Jeff Sinnott (drums) and Chris Corby (guitar). They evolved out of a band called Rhythm and Skins who played one gig in late 1982. The bands first gig as The Wetbacks was at a 21st party in Tirau. Pateriki Hura, who had earlier auditioned for the band as a guitarist, replaced Donnelly on bass later in 1983. The Wetbacks released one six track mini-album, Out of the Swamp, in 1985. Soon after, Corby left the band and was replaced by Murray Hintz on keyboards.
The band played the University Orientation festival in 1985 and 1986. Soon after the 1986 Orientation performance, the band flew to Melbourne in an attempt to crack the Australian market. In Australia they recorded the song Don't get Caught, which was released on the 1986 compilation Weird Culture, Weird Custom; a compilation released by "National Student Radio" (later B-net), distributed by Jayrem.
The band played support to a number of popular New Zealand bands, including Netherworld Dancing Toys, The Mockers, The Narcs and Coconut Rough, and played at an event called the Rockfurly Shield. The band split up after a year in Australia.
Published Articles
- A Retrospective Interview with ‘The Wetbacks’, Hamilton Underground Press, 9 April 2018 [1]
