Sandoz Lab Technicians

Free-improv, instrument-swapping, underground New Zealand group comprised of James Kirk, Tim Cornelius, Nathan Thompson and originally Mark Curragh. The group formed in Dunedin in 1993, springing out of a regular experimental radio show – The Hardboiled Defective Show – on Otago University's Radio 1, and the initial trio of Cornelius, Curragh and Thompson were soon joined by their friend (and more experienced musician) James Kirk. At the time Cornelius, Thompson and Kirk were all students of the School of Art in Dunedin, and brought a strong fine arts aesthetic to the group. Curragh was to depart New Zealand for Japan, Australia and Thailand later in the 90s, returning the group to trio status for much of their most active period.
SLT have long held a "never play any instrument twice in a row", untutored approach to improvisation, encouraging members and guest performers to move around a wide range of instruments and to play outside their chosen 'speciality'. The band regularly employ a multitude of sound-making devices, ethnic instruments, field recordings and chance elements, alongside the more traditional rock/jazz instrumentation, and the resulting permutations of performer and instrument has led to a highly varied and eclectic sound across numerous releases. Initial releases took the form of limited edition lathe-cut records (cut by the legendary Peter King in Geraldine) on their own Blunt Instrumentals label, but soon extended to other experimental labels in New Zealand (Corpus Hermeticum, Metonymic...) and around the globe (Siltbreeze, The Lotus Sound, Last Visible Dog, Knotwilg, Ikuisuus et al.)
Guests have included their close friend Donald Mc McPherson, The Dead C's Michael Morley (on accordion!), Jim Currin, Justin Bull and any others who happened to join them for one of their regular Saturday afternoon recording sessions during the 1990s. Live shows were numerous around Dunedin, including at several Lines of Flight festivals and a support slot for Tony Conrad, as well as further afield in Christchurch, Auckland and Sydney.