Split Seconds by Bill Direen/Bilders

Bill Direen is a legend of the New Zealand underground. He has given us poetry, novels and a catalog of important and challenging underground music. Weaned on a garage band youth in the late 60's, Direen started producing 7" records in the early 80's, all of them total stunners. These releases - Six Impossible Things, Die Bilder, Soloman's Ball and High Thirties Piano - were self-financed and distributed through Flying Nun. His debut album, Beatin Hearts, was Flying Nun's first full-length album release in 1983 and was reissued by Grapefruit Records in 2016. His sophomore album, Split Seconds, arrived in 1984 under the combined name of “Bilderine” to more confidently explore the post-punk and poetic art rock possibilities of its predecessor. Fourteen tracks, all brilliant. Grapefruit Records is proud to partner with Sophomore Lounge to reissue this essential Direen release in a remastered reproduction of the original. Split Seconds has only been reissued once before since 1984 and only on CD in a modified form. This vinyl reissue faithfully restores the original track listing and sequence. Anyone with an appreciation for Flying Nun's early recordings can find its genesis in the pioneering work of Bill Direen, one of the gloriously uncompromising founders of New Zealand underground music.

Our pre-order customers have the option to add Direen’s excellent new book of poems, 100 Years of Darkness, at a combination discount. The new book features poems about or inspired by film. It is very limited in an edition of 200 and beautifully printed with textured jackets in the spirit of vintage Black Sparrow Press books.

New Zealand poet and musician with handpicked crews for recording collaboration projects. Lives in Otago, New Zealand.

william.direen.free.fr