Week of the Mutton Birds

This third week of NZ music month is dedicated to the Mutton Birds, a band named after this southern seabird.



The Mutton Birds were a great band who were acclaimed and respected in Australia and New Zealand (two songs in the APRA top 100), but mostly unknown above the equator. They only released four albums in the ten years they were together (1990-2000), but leader Don McGlashan and other Mutton Birds have kept making great albums into the 2000.

Don McGlashan actually had an interesting career even before the Mutton Birds. He started with the band Blam Blam Blam, who also merited two songs in the APRA Top 100, both from 1981: "Don't Fight It Marsha.." (which McGlashan later revived with the Mutton Birds) and this alternative anthem "There Is No Depression In New Zealand".