Rocked the Nation - No 46: Rock N' Roll Ponsonby

Television (Excerpts) – 2008

This popular C4 series counted down 100 moments in New Zealand music history, scouring the archives en route to number one. Taken from episode three, this musical moment covers the time bands Hello Sailor and Dragon shared digs. Musos Graham Brazier and Todd Hunter, alongside music writer John Dix (Stranded in Paradise), provide the goss on the early 70s 'Ponsonby Rock' scene revolving around Mandrax Mansion — where members of the bands lived, played and partied hard. Brazier quotes lyrics from an unrecorded song about the then working class suburb.

It was documenting the times and what was happening ... all our songs were bitching about the fact that we couldn't get jobs and how tough it was.
– Dragon's Todd Hunter on songwriting during the band's time in Ponsonby