The Stones

The Stones, a New Zealand outfit, achieved their chief renown via participation on the landmark 1982 Flying Nun compilation Dunedin Double, which also contained material from the Chills, Sneaky Feelings, and the Verlaines. Vocalist/guitarist Wayne Elsey, freshly departed from Bored Games in hopes of assembling a group in the vein of the Clean, joined forces with bassist/vocalist Jeff Batts and drummer Graeme Anderson to form the trio, which delivered its inaugural performance in 1981. Though marginally unkempt and less refined than prevailing New Zealand acts of the era, they shared stages with the Chills, Verlaines, and the Clean, even if opportunities remained sporadic. The July 1982 arrival of the Dunedin Double EP markedly elevated their standing. The band closed out the year with consistent nationwide appearances and laid down their debut EP just before the holidays. Flying Nun brought out the five-song Another Disc Another Dollar in July 1983, propelling it to number 33 on the country’s pop charts. Momentum proved fleeting, however, and the members parted ways by winter’s end after staging their final show in August. Batts later aligned with the Pterodactyls, while Anderson performed with the Adult Mayflies before withdrawing from music altogether. Elsey reconnected with former Bored Games colleague—and eventual Straitjacket Fits member—Shayne Carter to launch Doublehappys. He lost his life in a train accident during a 1985 tour. Flying Nun issued the 2015 retrospective Three Blind Mice, which gathered every studio cut alongside a selection of live recordings.