Fane Michael Flaws[1] (16 May 1951 – 17 June 2021)[2][3] was a New Zealand musician, songwriter, director and artist.

Career edit

Flaws was a member of bands including Blerta, Spats, and The Crocodiles. Until joining Blerta he was known by his second name Michael: Bruno Lawrence of Blerta insisted Fane was a better name.[4]

When he was in The Crocodiles, he wrote the song "Tears" with Arthur Baysting.[5] The single reached number 17 in the New Zealand charts.[6]

He wrote songs for the films Braindead and Meet the Feebles, even voicing the Musician Frog in the latter.[6]

He animated the revamped titles for Radio with Pictures in 1986, a Television New Zealand programme featuring popular and alternative music.

He was co-author, with Arthur Baysting and Peter Dasent, of the children's book The Underwater Melon Man and Other Unreasonable Rhymes. The book was published in 1998, a CD in 1999. In 2011, an edition was published with a DVD.[7] Musicians appearing include Chris Knox, Jenny Morris, Neil Finn, Tim Finn, Renée Geyer, Tony Backhouse, Bic Runga and Boh Runga, the Topp Twins, Che Fu & King Kapisi and Dave Dobbyn.[7]

He also designed rugs, paints and created assemblage art works from found objects such as demolition timber and building fittings.[8]

Short film edit

  • Rodney and Juliet (1990)[9]

Music videos edit

Directed unless otherwise noted

Year Song Artist
1979 Tears The Crocodiles
1981 Proud Dropbears
Shall We Go
Come on Over[9] Matt Finish
My Heart's on Fire[9] Machinations
Get Some Humour[9] Jenny Morris
Life in Asia I Am Joe's Music
Talking 'bout the Fridge
The Way You Get Your Way[9]
1983 Beautiful Things[9] The Front Lawn
1985 Diamonds on China The Narcs
1986 Injun Joe The Johnnys
1988 Sweet Lovers[10] Holidaymakers
1989 Parihaka [11] Tim Finn
1992 Dominion Road

Director and Editor[12]

The Mutton Birds
Nature[13]
1993 Giant Friend[9]
1994 The Heater[14]
In My Room
directed by Leon Narbey, recut by Fane Flaws.
1995 Anchor Me[15]
Naked Flame Dave Dobbyn
1999 Can You Hear Us Neil Finn

Awards edit

Commercials edit

  • Lemon & Paeroa soft drink. (1991)
  • McDonald's (1991)
  • New Zealand Police – community service commercial on babysitting. (1981)
  • NZ Post (1991)
  • Rexona Dry Solid anti perspirant (1990)

Death edit

Flaws died on 17 June 2021, aged 70.[16]

References edit

  1. ^ "Moments Like These: Fane Flaws". NZ Musician. Retrieved 16 August 2017.
  2. ^ History. faneflaws.com.
  3. ^ Sharpe, Marty (17 June 2021). "Artist and musician Fane Flaws has died". Stuff. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
  4. ^ Fane Flaws. NZ On Screen.
  5. ^ Spittle, Gordon (1997). Counting The Beat. Wellington, New Zealand: GP Publications. p. 90. ISBN 1-86956-213-5.
  6. ^ a b Spittle, Gordon (1997). Counting The Beat. Wellington, New Zealand: GP Publications. p. 89. ISBN 1-86956-213-5.
  7. ^ a b "The under water melon man and other unreasonable rhymes". National Library of New Zealand Catalogue. Retrieved 15 August 2017.[dead link]
  8. ^ Fane Flaws – Clever Bastards: The best of New Zealand art & design Archived 13 June 2008 at the Wayback Machine
  9. ^ a b c d e f g "Fane Flaws". NZ On Screen. Retrieved 15 August 2017.
  10. ^ "Sweet Lovers, The Holidaymakers". NZ On Screen. Retrieved 15 August 2017.
  11. ^ "Parihaka – Tim Finn". NZ On Screen. Retrieved 15 August 2017.
  12. ^ "Dominion Road – The Mutton Birds". NZ On Screen. Retrieved 15 August 2017.
  13. ^ "Nature – The Mutton Birds". NZ On Screen. Retrieved 15 August 2017.
  14. ^ "The Heater – The Mutton Birds". NZ On Screen. Retrieved 15 August 2017.
  15. ^ "Anchor Me – The Mutton Birds". NZ On Screen. Retrieved 15 August 2017.
  16. ^ Sharpe, Marty (18 June 2021). "Artist and musician Fane Flaws has died". Stuff (website). Retrieved 14 July 2021.

General references edit

External links edit