Rim D Paul fronts the Quin Tikis, Rex Hotel, Sydney, 1964 Photo: Rim D Paul collection/AudioCulture
The New Zealand Truth immediately saw it as a scandal. "Beware of the Twist" they declared, when the swiveling dance first arrived in Auckland. The Twist had more grace than rock'n'roll, the paper admitted but there was this suspicion that the latest dance craze "wasn't quite nice". This episode of Blue Smoke looks at what happened when New Zealand caught the Twist. Was the Twist obscene, as Truth suggested? Would it make hula dancers blush?
More to explore:
- AudioCulture Profile: The Keil Islanders
- AudioCulture Profile: Rim D Paul & The Quin Tikis
- Musical Chairs: Rim D Paul
- Essential NZ Albums: Introducing... Dinah Lee
Music Details
Artist: Neville Barry and the Blockbusters
Track: Twisters Twist
Composer: unknown c/c
Album: Cardboard flexi sleeve promo for Knight Shoeware
Label: Pacific Electronics
Artist: Keil Isles
Track: Twist and Freeze
Composer: Trujillo
Album: Early Rock & Roll from NZ vol 1&2
Label: Collector
Artist: Fia Chaplin
Track: Twist with the Yeti
Composer: Fletcher
Album: Early Rock & Roll from NZ vol 7&8
Label: Collector
Artist: Tornadoes
Track: Deep in the Heart of Texas Twist
Composer: Swander/Hershey
Single: HR163
Label: HMV
Artist: Bill & Boyd
Track: Good Golly Miss Molly Twist
Composer: Marascalco/Blackwell
Single: 338012PF
Label: Philips
Artist: Harrison Triplets
Track: Sugar Time Twist
Composer: Phillipps/Petty
Single: SA17
Label: Kiwi
Artist: Tommy Kahi
Track: Twist Train Boogie
Composer: Kahi
Album: Early Rock & Roll from NZ vol 3&4
Label: Collector
Artist: Bob Paris
Track: Paris Twist
Composer: Bob Paris
Album: Early Rock & Roll from NZ vol 1&2
Label: Collector
Artist: Ricky May
Track: Let’s Twist Again
Composer: Russell/Medley
Single: GSP049
Label: La Gloria
Artist: Dinah Lee
Track: Twist and Shout
Composer: Russell/Medley
Album: Sound of Dinah Lee
Label: Viking
Artist: Rim D Paul & Quin Tikis
Track: Poi Poi Twist
Composer: Jay Epae
Single: Z45/1138
Label: Zodiac
With thanks to AudioCulture NZ
