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Snapper - The Gentle Hour

The Gentle Hourwas released as a B-side to the 1993 single Vaderand was part of theincredibly sporadic nineties output of Snapper that eventually culminated in the seminal1996 release 'adm'. The constant architect of their sound was frontman and only real long

term member, Peter Gutteridge born in 1961. Gutteridge has been involved in some waywith the Chills, the Clean and the Great Unwashed and was a stalwart of the Dunedinmusic scene. His release record with Snapper was limited and this single comes at aperiod where there was not a great deal of output coming from him. Band members cameand went at when this track was released it was just a duo. It has appeared in a number ofdifferent forms notably being covered by the Clean, Yo La Tengo and appearing on theFlying Nun rarities album 'Where in the World is Wendy Broccoli?'.

I first came into contact with the song through hearing the Yo La Tengo cover and then theClean cover and then finally Snapper. I don't recall why it happened that way, but each

time I listened to another version I felt like the song was being distilled till finally Iunderstood it's almost visceral power. I have never seen the band live, but a frienddescribed them as needing to play so ear blisteringly loud almost in an effort to stand upand stay conscious. I have tried to imagine how this song would translate in that way.Certainly the song feels almost waif-like at times, just drifting and is not confrontational.

Describing why I enjoy, or even why I chose this song is difficult for me. It feels like everytime I commit something it never fully realises my love for it. My gut feeling is to say that ithas a sense of universalism on sharing a moment with someone, where you just forgeteverything. If only just for a few seconds. I was also tempted to talk about it having a

sense of emotional complexity that, that in spite of affirming his love he weaves a song-writing sensibility that belies Gutteridge's claim that everything will be ok. This contrast ofhurt and comfort is exciting but could easily have been only casually affecting, instead it itpermeates deeply. I think this is evidenced by the covers that Yo La Tengo and the Cleanhave done where they pick so many strands of the song and yet still find new ways toexpress it's core message. Snapper never really gained as much attention as theydeserved but to me that becomes like a treasure. It's something rare and fine. It enrichesmy life, my movement and to me is a perfect moment in New Zealand song-writing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4MTIzG_2pw

Extra Flying Nun bit:

The veryfirst Flying Nun song I ever liked was not by the Chills or the Clean but theHeadless Chickens. I was not born here but when we got here in 1994 'George' wasalready big hit and really one of the first New Zealand songs I really really liked to a 12year that song was really dangerous sounding, I remember being a little scared to watchthe video. How times change. Then I discovered 'Cruise Control' and that was a majorrevelation. It was rock with samplers, something I had never heard. Later as a teen

industrial music was big for me and I doubt it would have been as being without HeadlessChickens opening that little door.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4MTIzG_2pwhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4MTIzG_2pw

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As an aside I also thought Fiona McDonald was major hottie and still is. Another little fact,Headless Chickens provided Flying Nun with their first number single. Not the Clean,Straitjacket Fits or the 3D's. People often forget that.