Biography
One of New Zealand’s most notorious punk outfits, the Terrorways surfaced in 1978 from Auckland’s storied Zwines club. Originally operating under the name Rooter, the lineup featured vocalist John “No-One” Hunter, guitarist Peter “Mesmer” Hoffman, bassist Jonathan “Jamrag” Griffiths, and drummer Kerry “Eddie Clanger” Buchanan. The group embodied the pure Zwines ethos—driven solely by raw energy and adrenaline while displaying only the most rudimentary musical ability. Though frequently intoxicated and largely unintelligible, Rooter radiated charisma and cultivated a volatile love/hate dynamic with audiences. After just three months Griffiths departed, and following a string of temporary players, Zwines regular Chris Orange assumed bass duties. Police arrests became routine at Rooter shows, and the band’s notoriety eventually grew so toxic that they abandoned the name, rebranding as the Terrorways in early 1979. The rechristening failed to alter their fortunes; instead they became the preferred act of the notoriously violent Boot Boys skinheads. The gang’s escalating mayhem forced multiple venues to close, and because their allegiance to the Terrorways was widely recognized, promoters routinely barred the band from performing. When Gary Hunt replaced Eddie Clanger on drums, the group’s technical proficiency improved markedly, yet their tainted image persisted unchanged. On December 1, 1979, a disillusioned Terrorways delivered their last performance. Their only lasting artifacts are the two songs cut for the landmark AK-79 compilation—“She’s a Mod” and “Never Been to Borstal.”
Singles