The Clean

The Clean, a New Zealand trio, fused unruly punk drive, melodic jangle, and flashes of psychedelic exploration. Their approach helped establish the Dunedin sound embraced by numerous Flying Nun acts and left a deep, enduring mark on indie rock at large. Hamish Kilgour on drums, his brother David on guitar, and schoolmate Peter Gutteridge on bass formed the group in 1978. Over the following four decades and beyond, the band operated in sporadic bursts, tracing noise and melody on landmark early singles and EPs while venturing into fresh variations of their style on full-length releases such as Modern Rock in 1994 and Mister Pop in 2009. Sporadic activity continued, including U.S. tours in 2012 and 2014, until Hamish Kilgour’s death in 2022.

The band originated in Dunedin in 1978 as one of the nation’s earliest outfits devoted to original songs. When the Kilgour brothers shifted operations to Auckland in 1979, Gutteridge had already departed. The Clean proceeded with a series of temporary bassists until David exited and returned to Dunedin. There he connected with bassist Robert Scott; word of this new partnership drew Hamish back home, where the two brothers revived the Clean.

By early 1980 the trio was performing regularly around town. Early the next year, local fan Roger Shepherd launched Flying Nun Records specifically to issue the Clean’s debut single, “Tally Ho!” Its jagged guitar lines, buoyant melody, and steady organ propelled the track to number 19 on the national charts.

While gearing up for a first album, the group found that New Zealand’s limited pool of engineers showed little interest in their songs. Rather than argue, the Clean retreated to a four-track recorder under the supervision of Chris Knox and Doug Hood. The resulting Boodle Boodle Boodle EP appeared in November 1981 and stunned observers by reaching number four on the charts.

Both that release and the 1982 EP Great Sounds Great reflected the band’s eccentric side, largely because studio limitations prevented capture of their full live roar. Later in 1982 they issued their most aggressive single to date, “Getting Older.” Shortly afterward David Kilgour left for Dunedin. Robert Scott followed suit and soon formed the Bats. Hamish relocated to Christchurch, home of Flying Nun, and acquired his own four-track. David later joined him to complete solo material and several Clean pieces; issued under the name the Great Unwashed, the recordings were compiled on Clean Out of Our Minds, an album that traded punk edge for a folkier, acoustic approach.

To support the record, the Kilgours rejoined Peter Gutteridge, still performing as the Great Unwashed. The tour spotlighted Gutteridge’s accumulated songs. At the start of 1984 they cut the EP Singles, which received strong radio play and sales. Bassist Ross Humphries was added to free both David Kilgour and Gutteridge for guitar duties, yet the Great Unwashed dissolved within a year. Hamish formed Bailter Space with guitarist Alister Parker, Gutteridge launched Snapper, and David stepped away from music for several years.

The Clean, again featuring Robert Scott, regrouped for two London shows in 1988; a five-song EP drawn from those performances surfaced the following year. Encouraged, the members mounted a world tour and afterward recorded Vehicle, a 1990 album leaning more toward straightforward pop. Another world tour followed before the band split once more. David Kilgour pursued solo work, Scott returned to the Bats, and Hamish moved to New York to start the Mad Scene.

The group reunited in 1994 to make Modern Rock, issued in late 1995, then Unknown Country in 1996 before parting again. They reconvened in 2000 for a hometown festival in Dunedin and remained active long enough to release Getaway on Merge in 2001, an album featuring guests Ira Kaplan and Georgia Hubley of Yo La Tengo. Two years later Flying Nun and Merge jointly issued the retrospective Anthology. Additional live documents appeared over the next several years: Slush Fund in 2001, Syd’s Pink Wiring System in 2003, and Mashed in 2008. The decade closed with Mister Pop in 2009, after which the trio played a handful of international dates. Back home they began sessions for another album, only to abandon them following the major earthquake that struck New Zealand in early 2011. Further U.S. tours took place in 2012 and 2014, followed by two Australian concerts in early 2015. In subsequent years the members focused on outside projects, Scott with the Bats and both Kilgour brothers on solo endeavors, until Hamish Kilgour’s passing at the end of 2022.