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Straitjacket Fits: A Life in Three Gigs
One New Zealand band could burn up a stage like no other — ‘Straitjacket Fits’. Starting in 1986, the time of their early pomp, and into their 1990’s heyday; then the reunion tours of 2005 and 2018, it has been a blast. Here is how I lived it, black jersey attired, arms folded, black boots toe tapping a shuffle to the beat, ensconced somewhere at the back, once a Speight’s ale now a crafty one, in hand. While I have many favourite New Zealand bands that I have seen play live on stage, including Flying Nun alumnus: the Verlaines, the Clean, the Bats, and Sneaky Feelings; later the Headless Chickens and Bailter Space, all of them performers of high note. But it’s the ‘Fits’ who take the crown in a live setting.
The First Time was 1986 at Otago University, then Social Activities Manager legend Stephen Hall-Jones, decided that both Orientation Week and Capping Week were not enough for entertaining Scarfies in one year. He put on a free afternoon show on the Union lawn. The sun was out, bring your own ales OK, flatmates and friends staked out a patch of green grass. From atop a trailer the bands played, there might have been the Alpaca Brothers, definitely Sneaky Feelings with new song ‘Better Than Before’ and a new band of impeccable Dunedin linage — ‘the Strait Jacket Fits’ as the then fledgling three piece were known. Shayne Carter (guitar/vocals), David Wood (Bass), and John Collie (Drums). Shayne and…
