Bio

Mestar started in Dunedin, New Zealand, 1996. John White and Stefan Bray first met in a high school maths class. Inside the back covers of their exercise books, they noticed similar daydream scribbles. Ever since, with the assistance of Ian Wilson's drumology, they have been a perfect pairing for the study and practise of pop and rock science.

The line-up has stayed the same ever since, but has enjoyed occasional live guest star's including Jay Clarkson, Cloudboy's Demarnia Lloyd, and Christchurch rocker Reta LeQuesne.

The first recording project was a four-track EP of 6 songs. One song which was lost in a taxi on it's way to be mastered, was replaced by a hastily recorded L. Is Poison to fill the EP to its original length. This song was so much liked by Arc Cafe manager Elliott Young, that it ended up on the first Arclife compilation and started Mestar's grounding in Arc Cafe's music scene.

In 1998 the trio released their first album called Mestar, which received three NZ b.net award nominations for Best Rock/Pop Release, Best New Act and Best Indie Release. Real Groove made it album of the month in Dec 98 "Mestar's record is quality stuff; cruisy, very user friendly tunes with warmth and fire".

Then came the Steamer EP in 2000, another NZ b.net award nomination for Best Indie Release and reviews such as Real Groove June 2000 "Mestar peak again with more all original swinging dirty guitar pop".

Mestar released Porcupine, another full length album, in 2002.

John is from two other bands, the avante-pop Cloudboy, and squaling punk romantics, The Zoo Polluters, both of which are also from Dunedin.

Band Members:
Stefan Bray (vocals, bass)
John White (vocals, guitar)
Ian Wilson (drums)