Every New Zealand #1 single…
Slice of Heaven by Dave Dobbyn and Herbs
Topped the NZ chart from 5 October 1986 for 8 weeks.
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Every country has a musical act that’s part of the national identity, yet obscure internationally. Australia has Paul Kelly, Canada has The Tragically Hip, and New Zealand has Dave Dobbyn. Beloved songs like ‘Loyal’, ‘Welcome Home’, and ‘Whaling’ have cemented Dobbyn’s place as a national treasure.
Dobbyn, however, wasn’t always national treasure material. In 1984, Dobbyn’s band DD Smash headlined a free concert in Auckland’s Queen Street. Shortly after DD Smash’s set started, the power went off. Some of the 10,000 crowd members started throwing bottles, riot police arrived, and Dobbyn allegedly told the crowd “I wish those riot squad guys would stop wanking and put their little batons away.” The concert was cancelled and the audience rioted, causing $1 million of damage.
Dobbyn started rehabilitating his image with his first solo album, Footrot Flats: The Dog’s Tale. The album was the 1986 soundtrack to the animated film based on New Zealand’s most loved comic strip, Footrot Flats. ‘Slice of Heaven’ is the most well-known song from the soundtrack.
Dobbyn streamlined his sound for the 1990s. It’s easy to forget how creatively bizarre some of his 1980s arrangements were. The combination of a synthesised Japanese flute (made with an E-mu Emulator II) and the Polynesian backing vocals of Herbs gives ‘Slice of Heaven’ an utterly unique sonic palette.
Murray Ball, who drew Footrot Flats, and John Clarke, who voiced Wal Footrot, both passed away recently, but Dobbyn’s still around and is still New Zealand’s songwriter.
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I love a good national treasure – and I like that flute-esque sound!
There was a point where the 1980s were reviled, but they’ve come back into vogue now.
Thanks – never heard of this guy. I like ‘Slice Of Heaven’.
He’s a household name in New Zealand and obscure everywhere else.
Pretty catchy 80s tune. And, yes, definitely count me as being one of the folks who had never heard of Dave Dobbyn! 🙂
Apparently when he tours, he goes to places where there are lots of expats.
I really quite like that Slice of Heaven, y’know… not at all familiar with the chap, though.
He’s a household name here ,but I don’t think the rest of the world knows about him.
We know a bit about Dave across the Tasman, though I doubt many people know Footrot Flats is a NZ creation!
Which is weird, as Footrot Flats seems quintessentially New Zealand.
Dave Dobbyn’s songs are brilliant. Melodic , passionate and with great lyrics. Live, he’s mesmerising. Check out his back catalogue. He’s a bit like Dylan, or Mark Knopfler, in that has he has so many beautiful songs/ recordings so many are not aware of.
I have a bit of his stuff – I really like his three 1990s albums, plus I have the Footrot Flats soundtrack and the compilation that covers the 1980s with the mullet on the cover. I’ll cover them sometime. Not so familiar with his stuff from the 21st century. Thanks for writing in!