Ray Columbus: The Modfather
The life and times of a New Zealand rock ’n’ roll pioneer.
When Christchurch band Ray Columbus And The Invaders chose their name, they could not have envisaged that they would quickly conquer Auckland in 1963, invade Australia in 1964, tour both countries with the Rolling Stones in 1965 and split that same year.
Read more about Ray Columbus on AudioCulture
Collection items
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Ray Columbus - star of the beat group era
29 Nov 2016Ray Columbus, who died Tuesday age 74, was the first and biggest New Zealand star of the beat group era. Video, Audio
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Ben Campbell, The modfather, my godfather
3 Dec 2016Ben Campbell formerly of pop band Zed pays tribute to 'The Modfather' Ray Columbus, who was the band's manager and also Ben's godfather. Audio
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Columbus Discovers America
30 Jun 2012Columbus Discovers America follows Ray as he arrives in San Francisco dressed in full mod regalia just as the Summer Of Love was about to celebrate the hippie dream. Audio
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She's A Mod: Ray Columbus and The Mint Chicks
10 Oct 2009Great music is timeless and here is a song that remains the same, regardless of which generation of local musicians revisit it: 'She's A Mod'.
Radio New Zealand music reporter Sam Wicks talks to Ray… Audio
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Ray Columbus on NZ Music Legacy Award
5 Sep 2009The song Till We Kissed saw Ray Columbus and the Invaders win The first Loxene Golden Disk award in 1965. The Golden Disc was the forerunner to the NZ Music Awards - or Tuis - and in September 2009… Audio
This audio is not downloadable due to copyright restrictions.
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Wild Things: a one-night '60s garage R&B revival in 2007 (part one)
13 Mar 2008In November 2007, eight bands from the 1960s garage R&B underground of New Zealand reconvened for a one-off show at Auckland's Monte Cristo Room. Almost all the acts featured only the original mid-60s… Audio
This audio is not downloadable due to copyright restrictions.
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When New Zealand bands met the Beatles
9 Oct 2016New Audioculture director Chris Bourke looks back on the Beatlemania years from a Kiwi perspective. Many local musicians were deeply suspicious of the Fab Four - it had to be a flash in the pan, they… Video, Audio
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Ray Columbus - Modfather
Chris talks to Kiwi prince of pop, Ray Columbus. Ray is about to release his tell-all biography, 'The Modfather - The Life and Times of a Rock 'n' Roll Pioneer'. Audio
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Ray Columbus has died
29 Nov 2016Billy Kristian of The Invaders shares his memories of Ray Columbus who has died at the age of 74. Audio
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Grant Gillander on the year Columbus' hit made it big
29 Nov 2016A long time friend of the late musician Ray Columbus, archivist Grant Gillander, says his friend tore up the charts at a time when every hit was by the Beatles. Grant Gillander joins Checkpoint. Video, Audio
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Ray Columbus dies, aged 74
29 Nov 2016New Zealand musician Ray Columbus has died aged 74. Checkpoint spoke to Suzanne Lynch from The Chicks about his life, and his work. Video, Audio
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New Zealand music industry farewells Ray Columbus
30 Nov 2016The music industry is mourning the death of the man known as the Modfather of New Zealand pop music, Ray Columbus. We talk to Mike Chunn about Columbus's legacy. Audio
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Silver Scroll Awards 2009 Ray Columbus
Sophia Sinclair talks to 2009 Hall Of Fame inductee and former Silver Scroll winner Ray Columbus about the importance of the APRA Silver Scrolls and Christchurch music. Audio
This audio is not downloadable due to copyright restrictions.
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Ray Columbus
11 Oct 2009Ray and the Invaders have just been inducted into the Music Hall of Fame. Audio
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Reeling in the Years - 1964
21 Jul 2009Ray Columbus helps re-call the top music in New Zealand of 1964. Audio
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Ray Columbus: That's Country
Faced with the prospect of not being able to sing after a debilitating stroke in 2008, Ray needed a project - so set about compiling the best bits from the TV series That's Country (on air 1976 -… Audio
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Book Review - Ray Columbus: The Mod Father
5 Jul 2011Ian Chapman reviews 'Ray Columbus - The Mod Father: Life and Times of a Rock 'n Roll Pioneer' by Ray Columbus with Margie Thompson, published by Penguin. Audio
Ray Columbus and the Invaders courtesy Audio Culture.
LINKS
- Ray Columbus and the Invaders - Audio Culture website
- Ray Columbus and the Invaders - Sergent website
- Ray Columbus goes solo - Sergent website