Mailbox Skipole are a three-piece band from Palmerston North. They were formed in 1997, and have performed alongside the likes of 28 Days, Breathe, Tadpole, Sommerset, Mary and Foamy Ed.
The name Mailbox Skipole arises from the band’s first microphone stand, which consisted of a skipole propped up in an upside down mailbox. The band has since upgraded, and now has two bona-fide mic stands. The skipole is still present, taped to a cymbal stand to provide a third mic stand.
Mailbox Skipole released their debut 13-track album of original material entitled ‘Broadway’ on Stakeout Records in 1999. The album received heavy rotation on Radio Massey 99.4FM, New Plymouth’s The Most FM, Christchurch’s RDU, National Radio, Dunedin’s Radio One and Auckland’s bFM. It received reviews in the Evening Standard (“a punchy blend of pop-punk-ska”), Massey University’s paper Chaff (“This release can’t really be faulted”) and New Zealand Musician magazine (“an impressive debut”), as well as Real Groove, Pavement and Tearaway magazines.
The single Stakeout was described as “clearly the best of the year” by the Evening Standard, and NZ Musician decided the band was worthy of a two-page article in their February/March 1999 issue.
The follow-up EP ‘Lose The Halo’, recorded at Wellington’s Marmalade studios has received even greater success. The track ‘She Was Never One For Words’ is features on a NZ On Air Indie Hit Disc, and the track ‘Fucking Ordinary’ has been included by Universal on the third of their platinum-selling ‘Busted’ compilations. ‘Fucking Ordinary’ and ‘Aliens’ have also both been #1 on mp3.net.nz.
Rawstron and Barnes have both graduated from Massey University with Bachelor of Technology degrees, while Barnacott is in postgraduate study at the same tertiary facility.
Mailbox Skipole have now disbanded.
