Rocked the Nation - No 46: Rock N' Roll Ponsonby

Television (Excerpts) – 2008

This popular C4 series counted down 100 moments in New Zealand music history, scouring the archives en route to number one. Taken from episode three, this musical moment covers the time bands Hello Sailor and Dragon shared digs. Musos Graham Brazier and Todd Hunter, alongside music writer John Dix (Stranded in Paradise), provide the goss on the early 70s 'Ponsonby Rock' scene revolving around Mandrax Mansion — where members of the bands lived, played and partied hard. Brazier quotes lyrics from an unrecorded song about the then working class suburb.

A lot of people were scared of Ponsonby: 'oh no, don't go to Ponsonby, because of all the people there!' But we loved it. It actually shaped what we were as a band.
– Hello Sailor vocalist Graham Brazier on Ponsonby