"The Venus Trail was really an album where the songs came out of touring - I have a real time and place feeling with the songs on that record." "It was probably when we were at our peak ability, just from playing a lot," the guitarist/vocalist says. The brief period between Hellzapoppin’ and The Venus Trail was a busy time for the band, David Saunders remembers. There was plenty of noisy pop (Hey Seuss, Outer Space) and distorted, disturbed self-examination (Man on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown), tempered by sweeter songs (Beautiful Things, Jewel). Perhaps there’s hidden symbolism in that tale, as The 3Ds always seemed to have a calm heart in the midst of the storm they created. only to be calmly doused by Mitchell with a pint of Black Mac. On this occasion that was enhanced when his ageing Orange amp head suddenly burst into flames. Manic guitarist/vocalist David Mitchell was always an entertaining sight, back to the audience as he wrung a glorious frenzy from his instrument. The small upstairs venue was heaving on both nights, and the quartet on a small stage in the corner were on fire - literally. And in December, the band’s early 1992 debut album Hellzapoppin’ will have another day in the sun.Ī few months before the release of The Venus Trail in 1993, The 3Ds played a Friday and Saturday night stand at The Empire Tavern on Princes St. The Venus Trail, originally released in October 1993, was reissued several weeks ago, spending a week in the New Zealand album charts at No9. Now, almost 30 years later, two of those albums are seeing the light of day again with remastered editions appearing on vinyl. Having formed in 1988, the quartet ruled the early 1990s, leading the third wave of Flying Nun Records acts, touring internationally, supporting the likes of Nirvana and U2, and releasing stupendously good EPs and albums. Of Dunedin’s dank neo-gothic aura amplified into something irresistibly twisted and terrifying.
Of Hot Cake distortion pedals pushed to the extreme. It was a strange time of flaming guitar amps doused in dark beer. More than a quarter of a century later, their best two albums are being reissued on vinyl, writes Gavin Bertram. PHOTO: GERARD O'BRIENIn the early 1990s, The 3Ds were the Dunedin band that looked most likely to do big things. From left: David Mitchell, Denise Roughan, David Saunders and Domnic Stones. The 3Ds at the Masonic Lodge, Moray Place in 1993.