The band were named after French poet Paul Verlaine - not, as is occasionally suggested, Tom Verlaine, who also took his stage name from the poet.
The Verlaines were noted for their angular, "difficult" song structures, wordy and downbeat lyrics, unusual subject matter all contained in often frantic up-tempo playing. The Verlaines were led by songwriter and vocalist/guitarist Graeme Downes although many other New Zealand musicians played guitar, bass, drums and brass instruments during the different stages of the band.
Their signature songs included Death and the Maiden, C.D. Jimmy Jazz & Me, Bird-dog and Ballad of Harry Noryb.
The band's recorded debut was on the seminal Dunedin Double EP, which was released by Flying Nun Records and was the debut of several bands who would go on to be central to the mythology of the Dunedin Sound.
Downes is an academic at the University of Otago, teaching contemporary music and with research interests in Mahler and Shostakovich. He has released one solo album, Hammers and Anvils, which came out on Matador Records in 2001.
The Verlaines' fansite reported on February 11 2007 that a new album was being produced. On 10 December 2007, this new album Pot Boiler was released on Flying Nun.
From Wikipedia
