6:00PM – 7:00PM
Originally formed while they were still students at Christchurch’s Cashmere High, Zed is the dream child of Nathan King, Ben Campbell and Adrian Palmer, all of whom found they shared a passion for guitar pop – fuelled by their parents old Beatles records, a bit of Crowded House, and radio stars Supergrass and Radiohead.
Zed’s first two singles (which they self-produced) went Top 20 and the band were nominated for the most promising group award at the New Zealand Music Awards in 1998. In July 1999, Zed formalized their record company relationship and signed to Universal Music in New Zealand. In May 2000, the band migrated north again to Auckland’s Revolver Studios to lay down the tracks for their debut album.
They had added guitarist Andy Lynch to the lineup for live work. Lynch had helped the band record and mix both of their earlier singles. Once recording sessions for what became the Silencer album began, the band liked the direction the London-born Lynch was taking their music with his different influences and made him an official member. “Silencer,” with re-recorded versions of their first three singles, debuted at number one on release and went on to sell double platinum in New Zealand.