City Slitz

                                            New Zealand - Auckland

Conceived in mid 1978 by Johnny Tabla (Auckland nightclub owner with a history dating back to the '60s) initially as an all-female punk band, Auckland's City Slitz quickly ended up comprised of just men: James Pinker on drums, Andrew Austin on vocals, Mike Malloy on guitar, Mike Allpress on sax and Paul Kean on bass. Kean (along with early Slitz drummer Jane Walker) departed soon after to join Chris Knox's Toy Love and would later wind up in the Bats; he was replaced by Richard Stillwell.

The group made their live debut in early 1979 but imploded after less than a year. No known recordings exist. Stillwell and Pinker went on to form the short-lived Superettes, while Malloy relocated to Sydney and joined Seems Twice; Michael Allpress started Allpress Espresso in 1986 which has gone on to open locations in Australia, Japan and the UK.