A GUIDE TO BILL DIREEN

Bill Direen’s the cover star of the upcoming Dynamite Hemorrhage #2 fanzine (currently at the printer, in your hands in 2-3 weeks if you order now) and deservedly so. Since 1978, he’s been making weird and wonderful disjointed pop music in his own idiosyncratic manner, and with shape-shifting tonal adjustments that change year to year and record to record.

He’s somewhat well known by a certain slice of the New Zealand-loving, underground 1980s connoisseur clan, but not as well as he probably should be. For those of you coming to Direen’s music just now, or who’ve never heard of the guy, we’d like to assist.

Here’s a 19-song sampler of his musical career, 1978 to the present. It’s available to stream on 8Tracks. I’d have added even more great songs, but 8Tracks requires that only 2 tracks per band can make it onto a mix – which actually works great for Direen stuff, since he’s had so many differently-monikered combos: Six Impossible Things, Bilders, Builders, Vacuum, Above Ground etc etc. Hope you enjoy it – and as mentioned, if you want to read up on Direen and hear the story from the man himself – order Dynamite Hemorrhage #2 here.

Listen to A GUIDE TO BILL DIREEN here.