Richard Langston's Avatar

Richard Langston

@rubbasoul.bsky.social

Author of The Clean: in the dreamlife you need a rubber soul (Auckland University Press). Six books of poetry, publisher Cuba Press, Wellington, NZ.

65 Followers  |  21 Following  |  36 Posts  |  Joined: 25.11.2024
Posts Following

Posts by Richard Langston (@rubbasoul.bsky.social)

Yes the emotional honesty, coupled with some memorable phrases…’scrawny apathy crawling through a fog of apathy’ …Peter Gutteridge describing his state of mind at same point in 1987 to Martin Phillipps.

01.02.2026 07:02 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
Feral Home

What year Paul, ‘89? Or ‘90? Btw, the book will be published by feralhouse.com in the USA and UK and released same day as NZ edition - April 9.

31.01.2026 15:58 — 👍 2    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0

And thanks so much for being in it.

30.01.2026 04:06 — 👍 4    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
Preview
Hold on to the Rail: the Dunedin Letters - Article | AudioCulture There were numerous close friendships within the Dunedin music scene of the late 1970s and 1980s and some significant and lifelong; none more so that between three of its leading performers, David Kil...

This is very special: letters from 1987 between David Kilgour, Martin Phillipps, and Peter Gutteridge, which show the bond between the musicians as they find their sound and take it to the world. Richard Langston @rubbasoul.bsky.social was given the letters...
www.audioculture.co.nz/articles/hol...

30.01.2026 02:28 — 👍 21    🔁 7    💬 3    📌 0
Preview
Hold on to the Rail: the Dunedin Letters - Article | AudioCulture There were numerous close friendships within the Dunedin music scene of the late 1970s and 1980s and some significant and lifelong; none more so that between three of its leading performers, David Kil...

When Dunedin rock’n’roll people wrote letters to each other - a fascinating insight into the thinking and ambitions of David Kilgour, Martin Phillipps and Peter Gutteridge.

www.audioculture.co.nz/articles/hol...

30.01.2026 02:14 — 👍 8    🔁 2    💬 1    📌 1

At the very least it needs a blue plaque to mark the spot of where it all began. The Clean’s earliest gigs in the hall are a feature in the book. #inthedreamlifeyouneedarubbersoul#aucklandunivpress

28.01.2026 00:29 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0

Stopped me in my tracks this morning Russell when I read Victoria’s post. What a sorry loss. Tks for your words.

20.01.2026 07:34 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

Like to get a hold of a copy …

22.12.2025 21:04 — 👍 2    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
A book I’ve been working on with members of The Clean and their circle. Great project to work a visual treat and great stories. Published April 2026 by Auckland University Press.

A book I’ve been working on with members of The Clean and their circle. Great project to work a visual treat and great stories. Published April 2026 by Auckland University Press.

08.12.2025 05:19 — 👍 8    🔁 1    💬 1    📌 2

Another recent release based on the NLNZ multitrack digitization is this Bailter Space live LP, mixed from 16-track 1" tapes

bailterspace.bandcamp.com/album/fused

29.10.2025 21:41 — 👍 11    🔁 4    💬 0    📌 0

Thanks for posting Michael - that is a good read. Very good point about how a lathe cut or 45 can represent the sprouting of a small music scene to escape suburban boredom.

30.10.2025 20:46 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

No, not one of mine. But would like to have!

25.10.2025 04:53 — 👍 2    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
Preview
Chris Knox: Not Given Lightly - Article | AudioCulture An excerpt from Chris Knox: Not Given Lightly, by Craig Robertson (Auckland University Press, 2025), published with permission. -- In the late 1980s Chris Knox worked out his solo songs at home with h...

It's release day for Not Given Lightly, Craig Robertson's biography of Chris Knox, and we're thrilled to share an excerpt. "Songwriting was partly a physical process, he told Russell Baillie..." We're also giving away a copy in next week's newsletter...1/2 www.audioculture.co.nz/articles/chr...

09.10.2025 02:34 — 👍 20    🔁 3    💬 1    📌 2

Tho Hamish Kilgour does sing one of the ‘offending’ lines …’sit all day and drink piss at the pub’ pretty clearly. Imagine being censored for describing a popular Kiwi pastime. Hilarious really.

08.10.2025 01:39 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

I wish there were pictures of them
Listening to The Clean cassette! It was pretty raw stuff. Surprised they discerned lyrics.

08.10.2025 01:25 — 👍 2    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0
Preview
'Cause, when it all comes down to dust Can I say that Craig Robertson's bio of Chris Knox is anticipated? It is, and it's arrived.

I said I'd write a few words about Craig Robertson's much-anticipated Chris Knox bio, which I love.

These are personal reflections on what will likely be the definitive history of a man who changed indie/alt music globally

opdiner.substack.com/p/cause-when...
#aotearoa
@audioculturenz.bsky.social

07.10.2025 09:57 — 👍 27    🔁 13    💬 2    📌 3

The Clean and The Verlaines sent to the naughty corner by radio’s Politburo.

08.10.2025 00:08 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0

Doug sang for The Clean by their second gig in June 1978. He did one or two more gigs and then left for Auckland to manage The Enemy. Chris Knox had suggested Doug sing for The Clean. Doug himself said he was a reluctant singer. But he could sing!

11.09.2025 21:32 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0
Preview
Bill Direen Part 1 - a maverick voice 1975 to 1984 - Article | AudioCulture His was a maverick voice, older, wiser and darker, and his music and words had a knowing beyond many in that fertile time. There, eternal truths could be glimpsed. When Bill Direen

Bill Direen and his band release a new Bilders album, Neverlasting, in October, followed by the 5-date Empathetic Dustbin NZ tour in November. Andrew Schmidt says in Direen's AudioCulture profile: "His was a maverick voice, older, wiser and darker... www.audioculture.co.nz/articles/bil...

08.09.2025 22:15 — 👍 10    🔁 2    💬 1    📌 0

I stayed well clear of that auction. Some mouth-watering stuff !

30.07.2025 03:04 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
Preview
Life in One Chord: A documentary about New Zealand music legend Shayne Carter Boosted is Aotearoa New Zealand’s only arts crowdfunding platform. We’re here to bring creatives and supporters together to grow creativity. With our mentored approach to crowdfunding, we have one of ...

Only 4 days left on fundraiser to cover licensing costs for documentary about NZ musician Shayne P Carter (Straitjacket Fits, Dimmer). Worth supporting, if you can.

www.thearts.co.nz/boosted/proj...

26.07.2025 21:31 — 👍 2    🔁 2    💬 1    📌 1
Post image

Coming soon from Auckland University Press. October release. Written by an author who’s followed the scene for 35 years and spent ten of them researching and writing this. Go to AUP website to order @aucklanduni.bsky.social @craigrobertson.bsky.social @flyingnun.bsky.social

11.07.2025 05:47 — 👍 28    🔁 6    💬 0    📌 2

The facts of Seymour’s involvement with right wing think tanks was laid out in plain sight. He resorted to the lowest Trumpian tactic - dismissing Mihi’s journalism as a conspiracy theory instead of grappling with the issues. It’s not exactly a secret he’s an extremist.

26.05.2025 06:03 — 👍 3    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

Hopelessly timid coverage of a genocide.

21.05.2025 02:05 — 👍 2    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

That is such a good piece Jeremy. Thanks for writing it.

20.05.2025 23:48 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0

It reflects more on those who use the term than any reality.

20.05.2025 09:26 — 👍 4    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0

Bob is a humble relaxed dude. Cool you made it to the gallery he runs with his partner, Pea Sea Art.

07.05.2025 02:18 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

The doublehappys ’ ‘the others way’ 45 was a tune we never tired of while typing out issues of Garage.

07.05.2025 00:31 — 👍 13    🔁 6    💬 1    📌 1
Post image

NZ music month t-shirt day. This one concocted by Matthias @leatherjacketrecords and Stu Kawowski @axemen.bsky.social
#fanzines#nzmusicmonth#flyingnunrecords#thechills#theclean#temaramapuoroaotearoa#dunedin#pulldowntheshades#hozacbooks

01.05.2025 23:33 — 👍 2    🔁 1    💬 0    📌 0

Better than a like Bill, but there’s no thingee for prolonged laughter.

04.04.2025 04:47 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0