The Exponents
OriginWashdyke, Timaru, New Zealand
Years active1981–87 (Dance Exponents)
1990–2000 • 2006 • 2010–13 • 2023
MembersJordan Luck
David Gent
Brian Jones
Michael "Harry" Harallambi
Past membersSteve Cowan
Martin Morris
Chris Sheehan (Dance Exponents)
Steve Birss
Eddie Olson (Dance Exponents)
David Barraclough
Steve Simpson

The Exponents, formerly The Dance Exponents, is a New Zealand rock group led by vocalist and songwriter Jordan Luck.[1]

Their major hits are "Victoria", "Why Does Love Do This To Me", "Who Loves Who The Most" and, "I'll say goodbye (even though I'm blue)".

History

1980s: Dance Exponents

The group formed in 1981 after vocalist Jordan Luck and guitarist Brian Jones disbanded their first group, Basement, and relocated from the South Canterbury town of Timaru to Christchurch with their ex-Splash Alley friend, Steve "Fingers" Cowan. Searching for a drummer in Christchurch, the trio met David Gent (bass) and Michael "Harry" Harallambi (drums) from punk band Channel 4. Cowan moved from bass to keyboards and guitar and the five piece became the Dance Exponents. Their first gig was at the Hillsborough Tavern on Luck's 20th birthday and Cowan's 22nd – 15 October 1981. A residency at Christchurch's Aranui Tavern quickly earned them a strong live reputation, and on the recommendation of Jim Wilson they were signed by Mushroom Records by Mike Chunn in 1982.

The band's debut single "Victoria", released in mid-1982 was a top ten hit and was the start of a run of successful songs by Luck. Steve Cowan left the group after the release of "Victoria" and was replaced by Martin Morris who only spent six months with the band and left before they began recording their debut album. Cowan died in 1986.

With their popularity growing nationally from extensive touring, TVNZ recorded them live at Mainstreet cabaret in Auckland. The show was simulcast on television and FM radio and the companion album released in June 1983 called Live at Mainstreet saw six songs from the Dance Exponents on one side of the album with four songs from the Legionnaires on the other side.

In December 1983 the group's debut album Prayers Be Answered was released. The album featured re-recordings of "Victoria", "Your Best Friend Loves Me Too", "Poland" and "All I Can Do" and two further singles, "Know Your Own Heart", and "I'll Say Goodbye (Even Though I'm Blue)". The album stayed in the NZ Album chart for nearly a year, selling double platinum in the process.

Chris Sheehan joined the band on guitar in late 1983 and brought a new edge to the group, best heard on his first recording with them; the Julian Mendlesohn produced single "Sex & Agriculture". In late 1984 Harry left the group and moved to Auckland where he drummed for Grey Parade. He was replaced for a short while by Christchurch drummer Steve Birss, who played only a handful of shows.

As Birss had not had time to settle with the band before they recorded their second album, Vince Ely from the Psychedelic Furs was hired by producer Ian (Fab) Taylor[2] to drum on the album. The album was called Expectations and featured the singles "My Love For You", "Christchurch (In Cashel St. I Wait)" and the Australian only single "Greater Hopes. Greater Expectations" . It was released in New Zealand in May 1985, and shortly before that Eddie Olson joined the band on drums for the nationwide "Expectations" tour.

The band's third album Amplifier was co produced by John Jansen and Doug Rogers[3] and released on Roger's Zulu label in 1986. Amplifier featured the single "Caroline Skies" and re-recordings of "Sex and Agriculture" and "Only I Could Die (And Love You Still)". After only a moderate response to the album, Eddie Olson left the group and the band moved to Britain in 1987 and attracted A&R interest, but did not gain a record contract. During their four-year hiatus in the UK, Luck continued to write and accumulated a number of strong songs which were demoed by the band.

1990s: The Exponents

Interest in the UK demos from PolyGram Records NZ brought the band back to New Zealand in 1990, although Sheehan remained in the UK and went on to form the Starlings. In New Zealand, Harry rejoined the group and to mark the new start of the four original members, they dropped the "Dance" from their name to become The Exponents. Their subsequent 1992 album for PolyGram Something Beginning with C, yielded the group's biggest hits of their career in "Why Does Love Do This to Me" and "Who Loves Who the Most" and the album became the band's first number 1 record in New Zealand. It is included in Nick Bollinger's book "100 Essential New Zealand Albums".[4]

In 1992, the Exponents relocated to Sydney to record their fifth album Grassy Knoll. The album delivered the singles "Like She Said", "Don't Say Goodbye" and "House of Love". With limited promotion in New Zealand, Grassy Knoll was certified gold but failed to match the success of Something Beginning With C.

Following the release of Grassy Knoll, the band met Rockingham-raised Dave "Duck" Barraclough in Sydney in 1994 and he joined them as guitarist and songwriting partner to Luck. His first contribution to the group was his song "La La Lulu", which was backed by a song co-written with Luck called "Summer You Never Meant". "La La Lulu" returned the band to the singles charts and the two songs featured on the group's first hits compilation entitled Once Bitten, Twice Bitten – The Singles 1981–1995 which was released in 1995. The album peaked at Number 1 on the New Zealand album charts and selling 5×Platinum. In 1996, the group recorded a final, one-off single for Warner Music entitled "Do You Feel in Love".

In 1997, the Exponents signed to Sony Music and released their sixth studio album Better Never Than Late, which featured the singles "One in a Lifetime", "Close" and "Change Your Mind". Produced by Eddie Rayner and the Exponents, it reached number 3 on the album chart.

In 1999, Dave Gent took a break from the group and Steve Simpson was drafted in on bass. Shortly after, the Exponents decided to call it quits and went out on a final New Zealand tour in support of their final album Hello, Love You, Goodbye. The record featured Simpson on bass with six new tracks and 8 live tracks recorded at the Poenamo Hotel in Takapuna in 1999. Following the tour, Barraclough returned to Australia and joined Mental As Anything.

2000s: Reformation

Luck formed his own band, Luck, playing Exponents songs and new compositions with songwriting partner Bryan Bell and he continues to play in the Jordan Luck Band today.

Brian Jones returned to New Zealand in the early 2000s and began working with former Bird Nest Roys singer Little Ross Hollands in their new group the Diamond Rings which also included a rhythm section of fellow Exponents David Gent and Harry. The Diamond Rings released their debut album The Rasper in June 2009.

In 2005 the four original Exponents – Luck, Gent, Jones and Harry got together to record "Geraldine" and "Or a Girl I Knew" with producer Neil Finn for inclusion in a new Exponents hits compilation called Sex and Agriculture: The Very Best of The Exponents. The album featured one disc of the hits and a second of b-sides and rarities. They played a few shows in support of the album which went platinum and reached number 7 on the charts.

The four reunited again in 2010 to play at the "Band Together" benefit concert for the 2010 Canterbury earthquake. Their 1985 hit "Christchurch (In Cashel Street I Wait)" became the theme song for the concert and the band closed the show with a mass chorus of the song featuring all the artists who performed at the concert.

October 2011 marked the 30th anniversary of the group and on 14 November of that year, almost 30 years after the Dance Exponents first ever show in Christchurch, Jordan, Brian, Dave and Harry got together to play a one-off show at the Ferrymead Speights Alehouse, a venue very close to the Hillsborough Tavern where the band made their debut three decades earlier.[5] To mark the occasion, Universal Music released a new best of album called Why Does Love Do This to Me: The Exponents Greatest Hits.

The group's anniversary sparked interest in the band's story from Notable Pictures, who secured funding and support from Prime Television and NZ On Air to produce a feature television documentary about the band. Production commenced in August 2012 and in addition to telling the group's story it documented their return to Neil Finn's Roundhead Studios in Auckland to record some of their earliest songs, most of which had never been recorded or released. Simply entitled The Exponents, the documentary first screened on New Zealand television on Prime on 22 May 2013.[6]

The result of their documentary sessions at the studio was a new album Eight Days at Roundhead that featured seven new recordings, an acoustic version of Caroline Skies and two tracks the band recorded with Neil Finn in 2005. Eight Days at Roundhead was released on 10 May 2013 as a stand-alone digital album and as bonus album packaged with the Exponents Greatest Hits album.

In December 2014 the Exponents heard the news that Chris Sheehan, who had done so much to shape the group's sound in the eighties, had died in Spain after a long battle with cancer.

On 13 October 2015, Recorded Music NZ and The New Zealand Herald announced that the 2015 New Zealand Herald Legacy Award recipients would be The Exponents.[7] The New Zealand Herald Legacy Award pays tribute to notable and celebrated Kiwi artists who have helped shape the NZ music industry. In addition to being presented with the Legacy Award at the Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards on 19 November 2015, The Exponents were inducted into the NZ Music Hall of Fame,[8] joining Jordan Luck who was already there in recognition of his outstanding contribution to New Zealand songwriting.[9] Along with Luck, Jones, Gent and Harry, Recorded Music New Zealand included Steve Cowan, Chris Sheehan and Dave Barraclough into the Hall of Fame induction to recognise their extensive contributions to the group.

In April 2018 Dave Barraclough died from pancreatic cancer. "There will be no funeral" Luck said. "David has just gone out to buy some strings."

In April 2023, The Exponents reunited for a 10 date sold-out tour of New Zealand.

Discography

Albums

List of studio albums, with New Zealand chart positions
Title Details Peak chart
position
Certifications
NZ[10]
as Dance Exponents
Prayers Be Answered
  • Released December 1983
  • Label: Mushroom Records NZ (L38077)
  • Producer: Dave Marett
  • Format: LP, Cassette
4
Expectations
  • Released May 1985
  • Label: Mushroom Records NZ (RML53163)
  • Producer: Ian Taylor
  • Format: LP, Cassette
7
Amplifier
  • Released: November 1986
  • Label: Zulu Records (ZCD001)
  • Producer: John Jansen & Doug Rogers
  • Format: LP, Cassette
18
as the Exponents
Something Beginning With C
  • released: March 1992
  • Label: PolyGram (512210-2)
  • Producer: Duffy
  • Format: CD, Cassette
1
  • NZ: 3× Platinum[11]
Grassy Knoll
  • Released: September 1994
  • Label: Phonogram (522913-2)
  • Producer: David Hemming[12]
  • Format: CD, Cassette
9
  • NZ: Gold
Better Never Than Late
  • Released: May 1997
  • Label: Sony Music NZ (487708-9)
  • Producer: Eddie Rayner & the Exponents
  • Format: CD
3
Hello, Love You, Goodbye
  • Released: 1999
  • Label: Sony Music NZ (496324-2)
  • Producer: Malcolm Welsford
  • Format: CD
48
Eight Days at Roundhead
  • Released: 2013
  • Label: Universal Music NZ
  • Producer: Neil Baldock & the Exponents
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released.

Live albums

List of live albums, with New Zealand chart positions
Title Details Peak chart
position
Certifications
NZ[10]
as Dance Exponents
Live at Mainstreet (with The Legionnaires)
  • Released: June 1983
  • Label: Mushroom Records NZ (L38017)
  • Format: LP, Cassette
3

Compilation albums

List of compilation albums, with New Zealand chart positions
Title Details Peak chart
position
Certifications
NZ[10]
Once Bitten, Twice Bitten: The Singles 1981-1995
  • released: December 1995
  • Label: Warner Music NZ (063012558-2)
1
  • NZ: 5× Platinum
Sex and Agriculture: The Very Best of The Exponents
  • Released: November 2005
  • Label: Universal Music NZ (9875421)
7
Why Does Love Do This to Me: The Exponents Greatest Hits
  • Released: November 2011
  • Label: Universal Music NZ
26

Singles

List of singles, with New Zealand chart positions
Year Title Peak chart positions Certifications Album
NZ[10]
Released as Dance Exponents
1982 "Victoria" 6 Prayers Be Answered
"Airway Spies" 11 Non-album single
1983 "All I Can Do" 23[13] Prayers Be Answered
"Know Your Own Heart" 19
"Your Best Friend Loves Me Too"
1984 "I'll Say Goodbye (Even Though I'm Blue)" 18[14]
"Sex and Agriculture" 11 Non-album single
1985 "My Love for You" 14 Expectations
"Christchurch (In Cashel St I Wait)"
"Greater Hopes, Greater Expectations"
1986 "Caroline Skies" 24 Amplifier
"Only I Could Die (and Love You Still)" 35
1987 "Brand New Doll" Non-album single
Released as The Exponents
1991 "Why Does Love Do This To Me" 3
  • NZ: Gold
Something Beginning With C
"Who Loves Who the Most" 3
  • NZ: Gold
1992 "Whatever Happened to Tracey" 6
"Sink Like a Stone" 28
"Erotic" 27
1994 "House of Love" 25 Grassy Knoll
"Like She Said" 25
"Don't Say Goodbye"
1995 "La La Lulu/Summer You Never Meant" 13 Once Bitten, Twice Bitten
1996 "Do You Feel in Love" 23 Non-album single
1997 "One in a Lifetime" 24 Better Never Than Late
"Close"
"Change Your Mind"
2011 "It's Rugby" Why Does Love Do This To Me: The Exponents Greatest Hits

Videos

Year Video Director
1982 Victoria Simon Morris[15]
1982 Airway Spies
1982 All I Can Do
1983 Know Your Own Heart
1983 I'll Say Goodbye (Even Though I'm Blue)
1984 Sex & Agriculture
1985 My Love For You Salik Silverstein
1985 Greater Hopes Greater Expectations Salik Silverstein
1986 Only I Could Die (And Love You Still) Salik Silverstein
1991 Why Does Love Do This To Me Kerry Brown
1991 Who Loves Who The Most Kerry Brown
1992 Whatever Happened To Tracy Kerry Brown
1992 Sink Like A Stone Kerry Brown
1993 Erotic
1994 House Of Love
1994 Like She Said
1995 La La Lulu
1996 Summer You Never Meant
1996 Do You Feel in Love
1997 One in a Lifetime Andrew Moore
1997 Close
1997 Change Your Mind
1999 Big World Out Your Window
2011 It's Rugby Andrew Moore

Awards and nominations

Aotearoa Music Awards

The Aotearoa Music Awards (previously known as New Zealand Music Awards (NZMA)) are an annual awards night celebrating excellence in New Zealand music and have been presented annually since 1965.

Year Nominee / work Award Result Ref.
1982The Dance ExponentsMost Promising GroupWon[16]
1983Live At MainstreetAlbum of the YearNominated
1984Prayers Be AnsweredAlbum of the YearWon
"I'll Say Goodbye (Even Though I'm Blue)"Single of the YearNominated
Tom Parkinson for "I'll Say Goodbye (Even Though I'm Blue)"Music Video of the YearNominated
The Dance ExponentsGroup of the YearWon
Jordan Luck (Dance Exponents)Male of the YearWon
1986"Caroline Skies"Best Song of the YearNominated
1992The ExponentsGroup of the YearNominated
"Why Does Love Do This to Me"Single of the YearWon
Jordan Luck (Dance Exponents)Male of the YearWon
The ExponentsMost Promising GroupWon
1993The ExponentsGroup of the YearNominated
1996The ExponentsGroup of the YearNominated
"La La Lulu"Single of the YearNominated
Malcolm Welsford for "La La Lulu" by The ExponentsProducer of the YearNominated
Malcolm Welsford for "La La Lulu" by The ExponentsEngineer of the YearNominated
2000Hello Love You GoodbyeFilm Soundtrack / Cast Recording / CompilationNominated
2015The ExponentsNew Zealand Music Hall of Fameinductee[17]

APRA Awards

In 2001, to celebrate 75 years of its existence, APRA invited its members and an academy to vote on what they believe are to be New Zealand's top songs of all time. The Exponents had several songs appearing in the top 100:

  • #8 – "Victoria"
  • #47 – "Why Does Love Do This To Me"
  • #89 – "I'll Say Goodbye"

Notes

  1. Sweetman, Simon (18 February 2011). "New Zealand's best songwriter". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 19 November 2011.
  2. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/ian-taylor-p130668/credits/date-asc/ Ian (Fab) Taylor
  3. Doug Rogers Archived 10 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  4. "100 Essential New Zealand Albums"
  5. Jones, Bridget (17 October 2011). "Thirty years of The Exponents". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 19 November 2011.
  6. Baillie, Russell (25 April 2013). "Tell Me What Happened to the Exponents". nzherald.co.nz. Retrieved 1 May 2013.
  7. The Exponents saluted with the 2015 NZ Herald Legacy Award , accessed 21 October 2015.
  8. The NZ Music Hall of Fame – The Exponents , accessed 21 October 2015.
  9. The NZ Music Hall of Fame – Jordan Luck , accessed 21 October 2015.
  10. 1 2 3 4 "The Exponents in New Zealand charts". charts.nz. Hung Medien. Retrieved 22 July 2017.
  11. 1 2 3 4 "Gold and platinum New Zealand albums to 2013". Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Retrieved 19 July 2015.
  12. David Hemming: Red Socks: About Me , accessed 22 August 2011.
  13. "OFFICIAL TOP 40 SINGLES". Recorded Music NZ. 22 May 1983.
  14. "OFFICIAL TOP 40 SINGLES". Recorded Music NZ. 20 May 1984.
  15. NZ On Screen , accessed 23 August 2011.
  16. "Aotearoa Music Awards". aotearoamusicawards.nz. Retrieved 18 August 2021.
  17. "HOME INDUCTEES". www.musichall.co.nz. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
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