Mockers set to rock Hamilton

The Mockers circa 1987 .Left to right: Geoff Hayden, Brett Adams, Tim Wedde, Andrew Fagan.

One of New Zealand's most popular bands of the 80s, The Mockers are reuniting for
a national tour which kicks off in Hamilton.

The Mockers enjoyed three top 10 albums and six hit singles including Forever Tuesday Morning, One Black Friday and Swear It's True.

The band played to huge crowds up and down the country in the 80s, culminating in lead singer and songwriter Andrew Fagan winning top male vocalist at the RIANZ Awards in 1985.

Thirty-plus years later, Fagan, guitarist Brett Adams, keyboardist Tim Wedde and bassist Geoff Hayden are meeting up to begin rehearsals.

Joining them on drums will be Phoenix Foundation's Chris O' Connor (a self-confessed Mockers fan) sitting in for original Mockers drummer Steve Thorpe, who died in 1986.

Fagan says the band members have all rehearsed privately with Wedde flying in from his home in Australia and Hayden catching the plane from London.

"You could say it is a real cosmopolitan gig," said Fagan.

"It will be great to to see everybody. I mean, Jeff Hayden left the band in 1988 and never came back and I went to Los Angeles and England. So we have a lot of catching up to do."

Long-time followers of The Mockers can thank the Great Kiwi Beer Festival 2017 for requesting The Mockers reform to play at their very popular event in Hagley Park, Christchurch at the end of January.

"The Great Kiwi Beer Festival put out a request for The Mockers - 'would you guys do it?'

"There was a lot of self-questioning, I don't mean self-doubt, but self-questioning.

"I have denied The Mockers for the last 25 years by concentrating on my solo stuff and
playing with my current band Andrew Fagan and The People (Fagan, Darryn Harkness, Josh Rockfield, Ronny Growler and Kurt Shanks.) Then it was like, why not?"

Fagan contacted the former Mockers members with the news and they were all keen.

The flamboyant lead-singer said he is looking forward to recreating 'what was'.

"Tim has got that so 80s keyboard sound down pat and one of my personal favourites
A Winter's Tale, well we have nailed it already."

While Fagan is well known for the more popular hits including Alvison Park and One Black Friday, A Winter's Tale was inspired by his knowledge and interest in New Zealand conservation pioneer Richard Henry who tried to save the Kakapo from rats and stoats on an island sanctuary in the 1890s in Fiordland.

"Some of our songs are lighter than others but personally I prefer the darker ones, but with songwriting, it's all about the song and yes I am pleased that the ones that
became hits, drove our popularity."

Along with bands including Dance Exponents and DD Smash, The Mockers toured relentlessly up and down the country.

"It was the way it was back then.

"People remember where they were and at times exactly what they were doing when hearing a certain song. It is all part of the journey of life.

"When we take the stage again, I want to be able to galvanise those memories."

The Mockers Reunion Tour plays Hamilton's Altitude Bar on Thursday, January 19.

Support band for all North Island gigs will be Delete Delete featuring
members of Stella* and Elemeno p.