The Bilders

Builders
Builders on tour in Vienna. Photo: Arno Loeffler
Background information
Genres	New Zealand Underground
Years active	1980-present

Builders, Bilders, Bilderine, Bilderbergers, Six Impossible Things, is a New Zealand music group who produced a string of self-recorded 7-inch vinyl releases between 1980 and 1982 leading to Beatin Hearts, the first studio-album from fledgling New Zealand independent record label 'Flying Nun Records'.

Their alternative band names reflect a playfulness that predates the internet and its requirement for specificity of brand.

They have been recently brought out of obscurity by labels Unwucht (Germany) Grapefruit (USA), Siltbreeze (USA) and SmartGuy (USA). Bilder's latest release is Beatin Hearts and the 7 inch EP Measly (Grapefruit Recs, USA).

Bilders' material is known for 'rough' music making (often live in the studio), and a lo-fi recording style that has produced "many genuine classic compositions".

In the 1980s co-workers included Campbell McLay, mastermind of the Onset Offset label (bass, 1980–82), members of The Terminals, Scorched Earth Policy and Victor Dimisich Band, along with other prime movers such as entrepreneur/composer Alastair Galbraith 1994, artist and guitarist Alec Bathgate (recording project, 1984), Chris Knox (recording and production, 1982) of Toy Love and Tall Dwarfs, and poet/performer Alan Brunton (opera project Comrade Savage on the life of Australian-born NZ politician Michael Joseph Savage) [1] (Red Mole) and journalist Steve Braunias. Malcolm Grant was Bilders drummer (1980-82) before moving to The Bats.

Guests and collaborators have remained equally as varied in musical styles and backgrounds. Latest co-musicians are members of The Ghosts (U.S., Dave Nance, Chris Deden, Simon Joyner), Steve Cournane (drums, Dunedin, NZ) and Wellington (NZ) guitarist/curator/founder of Marineville Mark Williams with poet/composer/percussionist Jo Contag, in a group known in 2016 as Ferocious. Pianist Andrew McCully will join Builders in Auckland later this year to revive Songs for Michael Joseph Savage. Steve Cournane (percussion and drums) and Greig Bainbridge (bass), working with Stuart Porter of Primitive Art Group (saxophone) are among musicians essential to a Builders tour of New Zealand in 2016.