Matthew Bannister’s ‘The Front Lawn’s Songs From The Front Lawn’ launches this week

Matthew Bannister launches his new book Songs From The Front Lawn in Kirikiriroa Hamilton this Friday July 7th, Auckland Tāmaki Makaurau this Saturday July 8th, and Wellington Te Whanganui-a-Tara next Tuesday July 11th.

Songs From The Front Lawn is the latest release in Bloomsbury Publishing’s new 33 1/3 Oceania series. Author and musician Matthew Bannister interviews The Front Lawn trio of Don McGlashan, Harry Sinclair and Jennifer Te Atamira Ward-Lealand to uncover the stories behind each song on the album, and analyses each track’s musical inspiration. He also looks at the group’s origins, and what became of each band member after this record.

The Front Lawn was a multi-award-winning and much-loved New Zealand duo-turned-trio made up of Don McGlashan, Harry Sinclair and, eventually, Jennifer Te Atamira Ward-Lealand. All three have continued with exceptional artistic careers in the years since (and before) The Front Lawn.

A 1980’s variety act, The Front Lawn was part of an Aotearoa/New Zealand alternative tradition of duos that combine music, comedy, theatre and film. Their debut album Songs From The Front Lawn (1989) distilled McGlashan and Sinclair’s stage shows and groundbreaking short films – Walkshort and The Lounge Bar – while also thrusting the band into the burgeoning New Zealand indie music scene.

The Songs From The Front Lawn album is a snapshot of 80’s New Zealand, a turbulent, creative period for indie music, film and musical theatre, celebrating local identity in new ways.

Find out more about the book here

Book launches (more details below)

Hamilton/Kirikiriroa – Wintec/Te Pūkenga, Friday July 7, 5pm

Wellington Te Whanganui-a-Tara – Unity Books, Tuesday July 11th, 6pm