New single ‘Tax The Rich’ drops ahead of Tone Exchange Fest at Whammy

Tax The Rich reflects a particular zeitgeist that seems to run through a certain part of the NZ /Aotearoa populace. The lyrics in this case are straightforward on top of pulsing bass, haunted rhythm that flows throughout, and accompanying mesmerising keyboards.

Hallelujah Picassos are now firmly entrenched in their Alt Sound System Ensemble setup and are very comfortable with it. They have left their 90s iteration well behind and this reincarnation, it seems, will be present for a long while to come.

Catch them live at Tone Exchange Fest later this month. It's a celebration of artists who rehearse and record at our collective studio 'Tone Exchange' in Tamaki Makaurau Auckland. 

Happening at Whammy Bar and Whammy Backroom on September 23 2023. Bands include King Ketchup, Ripship, Loud Ghost, Nuggiez, Pumice and more. More details at Under The Radar.

New single Jelly Inna Jar

Hallelujah Picassos are starting their year with the release of a new song 'Jelly Inna Jar' and a few live shows.

‘Jelly Inna Jar’ belongs in the lyrical esoteric field as Picassos’ song 'Peanut Butter', and like the aforementioned is a communal sing-along song.

Hallelujah Picassos will be joining Auckland cult outfit The Pet Rocks, who are reuniting after two decades for two shows as they celebrate the arrival of their unreleased album.

The Pet Rocks are marking 25 years since they completed their unreleased album PR Nightmare (finally seeing the light of day this March thru 1:12 Records).

The Pet Rocks, Hallelujah Picassos, and Warm Leather are playing at Whammy Backroom in Auckland on Friday 31st March and at the Yot Club in Raglan on Saturday 7 April.

Two gigs, two! Count em.

‘90s postmodern rockers reunite for first NZ shows in 23 years at Auckland’s Whammy Backroom and Raglan’s Yot Club in March / April 2023

The Pet Rocks, the ‘90s era postmodern rock band are returning for their first Aotearoa shows since 2000. The band are reuniting to mark 25 years since the completion of their unreleased album PR Nightmare (Out March 2023 through 1:12 Records). 

The band will headline Whammy Bar on Friday 31st March and Raglans Yot Club on Saturday April 8th (Easter Saturday) alongside Tāmaki Makaurau heroes Hallelujah Picassos, Andrew Tolley’s motorik music machine Warm Leather and Dirtbag Dj's 

Founding member Nick Kreisler (vocals / guitar) will be joined by ‘90s members Steven Shaw (bass), Kim Martinengo (drums) and Dominic Blaazer (electric piano, synthesizer). 

“Guitarist Simon Sampson is the only member we couldn’t pull in. He lives in London these days, so unfortunately, he can’t join us. We have recruited Aaron Wood (Grande Cobra, Los Hories) who is a close friend and will totally bring the guitar heat” Kreisler explained.

New single Brothers and Sisters out, Matariki gig coming....

Here is the second song to be released this year by alt/indie cult band Hallelujah Picassos, titled "Brothers and Sisters (there’s more than blood that binds us)".

It was inspired by the research of Ralph and Coop of USC Dornsife that shows that all people living now share a common ancestor that only lived about 100-150 generations ago (or 3,400 years).

It's a smoking cauldron of thumping ritual and hypno vox invocation, conjuring and celebrating the brotherhood, the sisterhood, the people hood, in menacing times like these.

We'll be playing it next Friday June 24 at the amazing 1:12 Records Matariki event at Whammy Bar, which is FREE!

released June 17, 2022

Hallelujah, it’s a glorious new single

 

Alt/indie cult band Hallelujah Picassos are pleased to present their latest addition to their enigmatic oeuvre. It's a composition titled ‘Glorious Hallelujah (a Hymn for a Secular Congregation)’.

This single marks the recording debut for newest member Drew McCormack (The Nuggiez), who has been part of our live show for the past couple of years.

With Hallelujah in their band name and having done a song with the last half of their HPs name (BSPC) aka' Picasso Core', 'Glorious Hallelujah' becomes it's natural companion track, adding further Spiritual Mysticism to HPs mythic chronicles and narrative milieu, showing their aesthetic depth.

Thus we have Roland the Arcane Esoteric Priest, and Harmonic Druids Peter, Darren and Drew enticing the listener to join in and sing along with this work.

This is the first song since their album ‘Voices of Exuberant Hellhounds’ (1:12 Records) from 2019 and the start of the next phase for the band, with more releases scheduled for this year.

Released on Friday March 4th 2022, for Bandcamp Friday.

Find it at https://hallelujahpicassos.bandcamp.com

1:12 xmas party, Picassos on early!

It's been a crazy year... Lets show 2020 who's boss!

14 bands, 2 stages, 1 room! What could go wrong?!

Featuring... Dick Move, Magic Factory, DHDFD's, Warm leather, Tooms, Thee Golden Geese, Sin City, King Ketchup, Hallelujah Picassos, Labretta Suede and the Motel 6, The Cathulus, Memory Foam, Water, X-ray Fiends

Hey Y'all, here's the running list for Fri 18th!
2 stages, 1 room, no gaps!
8pm Hallelujah Picassos
8:20 Sin City
8:40 Thee Golden Geese
9pm Cthulus
9:20 X Ray Fiends
9:40 Warm Leather
10pm King Ketchup
10:20 Tooms
10:40 DHDFD's
11pm Water
11:20 Dick Move
11:40 Memory Foam
12pm Magic Factory
12.20 Labretta Suede and the Motel 6
This is gonna be killa!

Tickets numbers limited to 120 @ $25, from Under The Radar

1:12 PARTY; a compilation of 14 tracks from Auckland’s most exciting DIY bands and artists

Tāmaki Makaurau’s 1:12 Records is proud to introduce their latest vinyl concoction, 1:12 PARTY; a compilation of 14 tracks from Auckland’s most exciting DIY bands and artists.

Originally curated for the [since cancelled] Record Store Day 2020 in April, 1:12 Records asked their current and future/favourite artists to contribute one song for this special project. The compilation features an all-star line-up of Thee Golden Geese, CINDY, The Cavemen, King Kaiju, Labretta Suede and The Motel 6, Na Noise, Vincent H.L, Dick Move, Bloodbags, Tooms, Hallelujah Picassos, Echo Ohs, King Ketchup and Magic Factory. All album artwork was done by Erin Forsyth and the album was pressed locally at Holiday Records.

Available strictly on clear vinyl LP from 20 June, 2020 -- just in time to kick-off your first Level 1 house party. Get it from Flying Out

TRACK LIST:

Side A
1) THEE GOLDEN GEESE - 1:12 Party Emergency
2) CINDY - Goodbye
3) THE CAVEMEN - Satan Is Her Name
4) KING KAIJU - Intoxica
5) LABRETTA SUEDE AND THE MOTEL 6 - In Full
6) NA NOISE - Good Morning Heart
7) VINCENT H.L - Golden Sun


Side B 1) DICK MOVE – Ladies Night
2) BLOODBAGS - Smokin’ It Up
3) TOOMS - Porch Mix
4) HALLELUJAH PICASSOS - Fire Sandpaper dub
5) ECHO OHS – The Moon
6) KING KETCHUP - Doctor Hokota
7) MAGIC FACTORY - Sorry For Your Loss

New Hallelujah Picassos album out June 14th

Following their reissues in 2011/2012, Hallelujah Picassos returned to the live scene, playing a handful of shows with the likes of Drab Doo Riffs, Bloodbags. Loud Ghost, and Labretta Suede and the Motel 6. The band continued onwards, writing some new music. After a series of singles, the fruits of their labours have finally come together on this LP.

Here then is proudly presented Voices of Exuberant Hellhounds, another chapter in the gospel of Hallelujah Picassos, building their own mythology.

Songs are inspired by Hymns, Psalms, Chants and Mantras with a secular perspective slant and inspiration from certain styles, woven into a twisted narrative with one constant: Rorschach’s melancholic vocals.

We have tunes about the Peasants from a Bruegel painting, the sculptures of Xavier Messerschmitt, immigration, and bankers.

The album is another example of Interpretive Expressionistic Variationism and should be seen as body of work with dramatically interconnected songs - the aim is to show the album as whole body of work rather than individual songs, with a continuity and a common denominator. Even though they sound different, they are tied together to create a narrative.

The album features the last recordings from the band’s drummer Bobbylon, who passed away in May 2018. The album is dedicated to him.

The band will be playing electronic versions of the album at the release party at Whammy Bar on June 14th. Albums, t-shirts and other items will be available for sale.​

The album comes with a free digital download that includes 4 extra bonus tracks.

Released on June 14 2019, on 1:12 Records on vinyl, digital via Loopy Fruit at https://hallelujahpicassos.bandcamp.com/

Preorder available from Flying Out. 

Written and produced by Hallelujah Picassos, recorded and engineered by Darryn Harkness at Tone Exchange. Salvadore engineered by Darryn Harkness and mixed by John Pain. Mastered by Angus McNaughton at Auralux. Cover art by John Pain, Roland Rorschach.


TRACK LISTING

1 Cracked salvation
2 Salvadore (miles away from you)
3 Hang all bankers / Dirty suits
4 Ghandi (Father of the nation)
5 Black spade Picasso core (community mix)
6 Happy smile (naive in joy)
7 Gimme heat (musings of an autocrat)
8 Bullet chant
9 Welcome mat for a Stranger
10 Fire sandpaper face
11 Voices of One

New vinyl single out Sept 21

We have a brand new single out this Friday Sept 21, called Voices Of One, paired with Black Spade Picasso Core, on splendid black vinyl thru 1:12 Records.

Thematically both songs revolve around community. Voice Of One is built around the idea of the individual being stronger with a community versus being lost in a community. This is an example of what the band means with interpretive impressionistic variationism.

Black Spade Picasso Core revisits one of the band’s classic numbers in a contemporary version. It features one of the last vocal performances by Bobbylon.

The cover features artwork designed by the band. They also individually screenprinted every single cover. It’s a limited run of 300 copies.

We're having a launch event on Saturday Sept 22 at Flying Out record store on Pitt St, Auckland - band members Peter Mac, Johnny P and Darryn H will be DJing, singles will be available, come Hang out with Hallelujah Picassos. 2pm-5pm. 

The single is a taster of the upcoming new album from Hallelujah Picassos. Cheers.

Bobbylon

Our Beloved, Dearest Friend and Band member Bobbylon passed away on 25th May.

The service will be on Wednesday 6th June at the Mt Eden War Memorial Hall 487-489 Dominion rd at 2 pm. Bobbylon's Wake will be at Whammy Bar 6th Of June from 4pm after the service.