Nocturnal Projections

Who's that fifth person?

If the internet were any type of official indication, one would be led to believe that there are currently no physical copies of anything Nocturnal Projections ever released – which, arguably wasn't a lot anyway. Nocturnal Projections were a post-punk band from Stratford, New Zealand that consisted of brothers Peter and Graeme Jefferies, Brett Jones and Gordon Rutherford. They could easily be likened to Joy Division – they had the gloom, and they certainly had brilliant basslines – but they were ultimately not as cold, and not quite as angular, though everytime I listen to "In Purgatory" I can't help but think of "Novelty".

They existed for some time between 1981 and 1983 and released two records for a label called Hit Singles owned by a man named John Doe (no kidding). The Another Year 12" EP marked the debut of the label in 1982, and the following year the band released another 12", this time a self-titled, three-song single. The band also self-released a 7" single and a couple cassettes that preceeded both of the Hit Singles 12"s, as well, but aside from a few compilation appearances, Nocturnal Projections were gone.

Until 1995 that is, when the label Raffmond put together a retrospective CD compilation of the band's work entitled "Nerve Ends In Power Lines". The compilation collected 11 songs, a few of which were unreleased or compilation appearances, but the bands actual releases don't appear in full, which in rather frusterating, considering that not only was it supposed to be a retrospective, but the band only recorded so much. Now this wouldn't be quite as much of an issue to me if, as I've already mentioned, the original releases were a bit easier to find. I'm dying to get my hands on any of those early vinyl releases, so please, if you have any additional information, let me know!

Following the far-too-soon demise of Nocturnal Projections, the brothers Jefferies went on to form the somewhat less exciting, yet more successful This Kind of Punishment and eventually found their way onto Flying Nun, lasting until sometime around 1987, when they released their final record, In The Same Room.

Now that I'm done going on, I suppose you should listen. If this song doesn't get you moving, than you must most certainly be dead. It's over before you know it, but that really is the brilliance of it, isnt it?

[MP3]: Nocturnal Projections :: Walk In A Straight Line (Highly Recommended!)

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