Although Kemp Tuirirangi may not be one of the most familiar names when great New Zealand guitarists are mentioned, he has been a prominent figure on the Wellington and Wairarapa blues and rock scenes for half a century. He is featured on few recordings, but you can hear him on one New Zealand classic – BLERTA's 'Dance All Around The World'. A later BLERTA single, the raucous 'Joy Joy' better displays Tuirirangi's abilities.
Sons & Lovers had a manager, Alan Judd, and it was his idea to purchase a bus, a former Wellington City Council 1948 Leyland Tiger, which was to go onto greater fame when it was later purchased by Bruno Lawrence and became the BLERTA bus. Taking occasional breaks from their Ali Baba's residency, Sons & Lovers would play in other parts of the lower North Island.
Bruno bought the Sons & Lovers bus and Kemp came with the bus.
Kemp was there at the very beginning of the BLERTA experience, the lower North Island tour which introduced the nomadic troupe to New Zealand audiences, and the following South Island tour which brought them the beginnings of acceptance. But it was a lifestyle which didn't wholly appeal to Kemp Tuirirangi.
Back in Wellington, Kemp replaced Kevin Furey in Tanglefoot, who had inherited the Ali Baba's residency; the line-up was Kemp, the former Sons & Lovers vocalist Peter Leef, keyboardist Brent Thomas, bassist Murray Loveridge and drummer Mike Phillips.
Kemp says, "Over the next two or three years I played in three or four bands at Ali Baba's, musicians came and went, different band names. A couple of guys from Shriek Machine played with us for a while – I think they'd won a battle of the bands and they went on to form Collision.
Leaving Ali Baba's behind, Kemp then joined Crazy Mama, basically a vehicle for vocalist Krissy Klocek; the other band members were keyboardist Brent Dempsey, bassist Eddie McDonald and drummer Roland Farmer. They played the Wellington traps, including a weekly residency at the Royal Tiger Tavern.
There was a spell in the 1990s with DDT – a band led by Kemp's old buddy Glenn Timihou – and over the past dozen-odd years he's led his own occasional outfit, The Kemptones. The current line-up features Kemp and Dougal Spier on guitars, Paul du Fresne on bass and Roger Watkins on drums. The band has enjoyed a lengthy residency at Wellington's Hotel Bristol and have played widely in the lower North Island and upper South Island.
There is also another current band, the Grafia Blues Project. "That band," Kemp explains, "features a doctor in the Wairarapa, Rob Maunsell, who has now decided that he'd like to play in bands, he loves the blues.
The BLERTA bus with Ian Miles, Greg Taylor, Fane Flaws, Kemp Tuirirangi, Tony Barry, Ian Watkin, Arnold Tihana, Alan O'Neill, Helen Whitford, Corben Simpson, and Bruno Lawrence.
BLERTA, 1973. Chris Seresin, Greg Taylor, Fane Flaws, Ian Watkin, Kemp Tuirirangi, Bruno Lawrence.
Some members of BLERTA, with their families, 16 October 1971. Among those visible in the back row, from right, are Bruno Lawrence, Kemp Tuirirangi, and Fane Flaws. Corben Simpson is in front of Flaws, in shades. Geoff Murphy is sprawled in front, in barefeet and woollen jumper.