Bio

Since forming in Dunedin around 1997/98 Ritalin played hundreds of shows throughout New Zealand and Australia. Hitting the road more than pretty much any other NZ punk band before or since, it was not rare to see these 4 disheveled boys roll into a town near you looking for a party to play and some booze to drink.

Releases included the 3 song Bitter (2001), the mini album Stop Wasting Time (2003), the Two Fat Ladies/Ritalin split CD (2004) the full length album Roguetown (2007) as well as a very limited self titled EP (2006) and the Super CD (2006) which was a collection of all previous releases.

Ritalin played alongside countless New Zealand and overseas acts in their existence, sharing the stage with bands like Sick Of It All, Strike Anywhere, Bouncing Souls, Sommerset, Kitsch, Missing Teeth, Two Fat Ladies and many, many more.

They toured Australia twice, played the Big Day Out in 2003, and were heavily involved in encouraging music in Dunedin to young people. In 2003 the band moved into the former Black Power gang head quarters and turned it into Rebel High, an all ages and extremely illegal venue which regularly held shows for local and eventually touring acts, often drawing hundreds of young people to shows.

Coinciding with Rebel High, the venue, was Rebel High Records which the band started to release their own music but quickly went on to release and promote other Dunedin & south island bands such as Two Fat Ladies, Blistering Tongues, Freddy Fudd Pucker, Dioxin, Mothra, Small Victories, Not With You and many more.

Members of Ritalin have also popped up in many other New Zealand bands such as Skaface Claw, Blistering Tongues, Sommerset and The Offbeats and members have continued playing together in bands Outsiders, Spaceplague and Rattus Rattus.

Band Members:
Niam Hegarty (vocals, guitar)
Varnya Roxburgh (guitar)
Kitt Verhoef (bass)
Stuart Young (drums)