The Puddle

The Puddle, a revolving line-up of musicians assembled around the unstable core of George D. Henderson, have been around, in one form or another, since 1984. Three albums and a 7” single on Flying Nun between 1986 and 1993 attracted critical appreciation and notoriety in equal measures for “pop as shambling and sweet as you could possibly imagine”. In 1993 The Puddle toughened up and recorded the definitive brainy outsider rock album, “Songs for Emily Valentine”, but, apart from a 1995 single on a French label, the SFEV recordings were not released until 2005. In 2007 Henderson recorded the album "No Love No Hate" with his brother in Dunedin. The song "No Sequels" is taken from that album. Another album - "Playboys in the Bush" - recorded in a Wellington studio with the full Puddle band line-up, is planned for release in 2008. Henderson continues to write and record iconic eccentric psych-pop in Dunedin. Further releases planned to make up for lost time in a 25-plus year career that has had more than its fair share of set-backs and derailments. Frequent journalstic references to Henderson as the "Syd Barrett of the South Seas" are mis-placed, however his music and guitar playing was always inspired by Syd (check out "Friends" here). “Henderson sounds like a man out of time but somehow also perfectly in place; … the wry, fuzzy delivery is infectious… his future cult status has probably been preserved.” (The Wire Magazine) "No Love No Hate is Henderson’s great leap forward. This shockingly confident album retains The Puddle’s idiosyncratic character without Henderson trading in a jot of his mastery of pop form." Dusted Magazine "Packed full of laid back catchiness and super-smart lyrical wordplay, it’s a worthy addition to The Puddle’s minimal back catalogue." * * * * Real Groove Magazine "surreal and tender, capturing the black humour of the Silver Jews, the experimental garage rock of The Clean and Pavement’s crooked post-punk in an elusive, subtly psychedelic vision." Fire Escape Talking “Flying Nun’s best kept secret” Cheese on Toast “Intensely rewarding” Sunday Star Times