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Bill Direen

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Bill Direen (born 1957 in Christchurch, New Zealand) is a writer and musician from New Zealand. His music has been released by independent labels such as Flying Nun Records and Powertool Records (Auckland). This article treats his music output.

(PLEASE NOTE: Bill is also known as William Direen. It is under this name that most of his writing has appeared in Sport, Landfall and Takahe literary magazines or in books from Titus Books in New Zealand (est. 2004))


Music

In 1975 Direen formed several bands with bassist Stephen Cogle and drummer Peter Stapleton. They were joined by violinist Theresa McGuire in 1977, and performed under names such as Vacuum Tension Band, The Vacuum, and Blue Ladder. Cogle and Stapleton left in 1980 to form Victor Dimisich Band and numerous other projects.

Direen formed Six Impossible Things, who released a self-titled 7" on Sausage Records in February 1981. In March 1981 Direen formed an avant garde theatre company called Soluble Fish Ensemble. Soon after, the keyboardist for this ensemble, Alan Meek, formed The Bilders with Direen. Their debut release was a 7" entitled "Solomon's Ball". Direen also formed another band called The Urbs, who supported The Fall on their New Zealand tour. The Urbs recorded some material which was eventually released as The Bilders' Beatin Hearts LP on Flying Nun in 1983.

In 1983, after a journey to Scotland, Direen formed a new theatre company called Blue Ladder, and a publishing company called Full Moon, with his wife Carol. Direen's second LP, Split Seconds, was released on his own Full Moon label in 1983.

In 1985 a new lineup of The Bilders emerged, with Stuart Page on drums and Greg Bainbrige on bass. The third Bilders album, CoNCH3, was released by South Indies. This was followed in 1986 by the Let's Play LP. A trip to New York resulted in the recordings with Hamish Kilgour and Alan Meek that make up New York Sack. European touring resulted in Human Kindness with Swiss label Corazoo. Further recordings between 1995 and 2006 have been mastered for a Powertool Records release in 2007.


Literature

See William Direen


Discography

The Bilders

  • Beatin' Hearts LP (Flying Nun, 1983) - later reissued on CD
  • Split Seconds LP (Full Moon, 1984) - later reissued on CD
  • CoNH3 LP (South Indies, 1985)
  • Let's Play LP (South Indies, 1986)
  • "Ginger Jar" 7" (South Indies, 1986)
  • Cup EP (South Indies, 1978)
  • Divina Comedia LP (South Indies, 1988)
  • Life Behind Bars EP (South Indies, 1987)
  • We Are The Coolest Cats In The World LP (South Indies, 1989)
  • Cut LP (IMD, 1994)
  • Max Quitz CD (Flying Nun, 1993) - compilation of early material
  • Pyx (1985-1988) CD (Flying Nun, 1994) - compilation of early material
  • Human Kindness CD (Corazoo, 1997) New material from Direen's first (1994-95) European period.
  • New York Sack CD (Powertool Records, 2006) Twelve songs recorded live in two days in a Manhattan studio.
  • Recordings 1995 - 2006 (Title to be advised) (Powertool Records, 2007).
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