Bio

Formed in Wellington, Head Like A Hole originally consisted of Booga Beazley, Nigel Regan, Andrew Durno and Mark Hamill. Like most young bands, they started out by playing small gigs at local pubs and at various well known live venues. Then quickly started touring the university circuit. The band soon made a name for themselves with energetic and often outrageous live performances, appearing on stage either naked, caked with mud, or covered completely in body paint.

Therefore forming a solid and dedicated following throughout the live music scene. Head like a Hole were soon signed to Wildside Records and began their recording career. 1992 saw the release of their debut album, 13 which the band largley produced themselves. The single Fish Across Face successfully made it into the New Zealand Top 10 charts. In keeping with Head Like a Hole tradition the video for Fish Across Face included a scene where Nigel regurgitates an orange substance into Booga’s mouth and was promptly pulled off air.

Head Like a Hole continued touring and performing the university orientation circuit. Then returned to the studio in 1993 to record their second album. Flik Y'Self off Y'Self. Which was released in stores in 1994 providing two singles. Faster Hooves and Spanish Goat Dancer. After the release of two successful records the band’s popularity and exposure increased, and so Head Like a Hole remained on tour. Playing to capacity crowds and sold out venues throughout the country, and in 1996 secured a position on the bill to play The Big Day Out festival. That same time the band suffered a sudden and tragic loss, with the death of their Manager Gerald Barry Dwyer. And it was late 1996 where they headed back to the studio, this time travelling to Australia and worked on a third album. Double Your Strength, Improve Your Health & Lengthen Your Life. Cornbag, the first single from the album, was released in November 1996, but received only moderate chart success.

The release of the album soon followed and with it came a string of singles. A Crying Shame, Keith and Hootnanny charted well upon each individual release. In 1997 HLAH were once again invited to play Big Day Out, this time scheduled as the final act after the headliners, where they entertained a HUGE crowd in The Supertop. HLAH also released a video for their version of Bruce Springsteen’s song I’m On Fire. In November 1998, the band released HLAH: IV - Are You Gonna Kiss It or Shoot It? which featured two successful singles, Wet Rubber and Juicy Lucy. Other notable tracks off that album were Mahahrahja, Comfortably Shagged and Hot Sexy Lusty which has been used most recently in New Zealand comedy/drama series Outrageous Fortune.

Sometime in 2000, the band disbanded. A Best of album was released in November, titled Blood On the Honky Tonk Floor, which featured two discs, the first covering the band's best and most recognised songs, while the second included all of the cover songs the band had recorded over their career.

In 2008-2009 Head Like a Hole announced a long awaited comeback, with a performance at Wellington's Homegrown Festival in early 2009.

The Devil Makes Work For Idle Hands was released in 2009, followed by Blood Will Out in 2011 and their most recent release Narcocorrido in 2015.


Photo Credit: Bradley Garner

Band Members:
Nigel Regan (guitar)
Nigel 'Booga' Beazley (vocals)
Michael Franklin-Browne (drums)
Simon Nicholls (bass)
Andrew Ashton (guitar)

Links

• Facebook Page
• Bandcamp Page