Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jul 3, 2026

Fane Flaws

Fane Michael Flaws was a New Zealand musician, songwriter, director and artist.

Last revised
Jul 3, 2026
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Fane Michael Flaws1 (16 May 1951 – 17 June 2021)23 was a New Zealand musician, songwriter, director and artist.

Career

Flaws was a member of bands including Blerta, Spats, and The Crocodiles. Until joining Blerta he was known by his second name Michael: Bruno Lawrence of Blerta insisted Fane was a better name.4

When he was in The Crocodiles, he wrote the song "Tears" with Arthur Baysting.5 The single reached number 17 in the New Zealand charts.6

He wrote songs for the films Braindead and Meet the Feebles, even voicing the Musician Frog in the latter.6

He animated the revamped titles for Radio with Pictures in 1986, a Television New Zealand programme featuring popular and alternative music.

He was co-author, with Arthur Baysting and Peter Dasent, of the children's book The Underwater Melon Man and Other Unreasonable Rhymes. The book was published in 1998, a CD in 1999. In 2011, an edition was published with a DVD.7 Musicians appearing include Chris Knox, Jenny Morris, Neil Finn, Tim Finn, Renée Geyer, Tony Backhouse, Bic Runga and Boh Runga, the Topp Twins, Che Fu & King Kapisi and Dave Dobbyn.7

He also designed rugs, paints and created assemblage art works from found objects such as demolition timber and building fittings.8

Short film

  • Rodney and Juliet (1990)9

Music videos

Directed unless otherwise noted

Year Song Artist
1979 Tears The Crocodiles
1981 Proud Dropbears
Shall We Go
Come on Over9 Matt Finish
My Heart's on Fire9 Machinations
Get Some Humour9 Jenny Morris
Life in Asia I Am Joe's Music
Talking 'bout the Fridge
The Way You Get Your Way9
1983 Beautiful Things9 The Front Lawn
1985 Diamonds on China The Narcs
1986 Injun Joe The Johnnys
1988 Sweet Lovers10 Holidaymakers
1989 Parihaka 11 Tim Finn
1992 Dominion Road

Director and Editor12

The Mutton Birds
Nature13
1993 Giant Friend9
1994 The Heater14
In My Room
directed by Leon Narbey, recut by Fane Flaws.
1995 Anchor Me15
Naked Flame Dave Dobbyn
1999 Can You Hear Us Neil Finn

Awards

Commercials

  • Lemon & Paeroa soft drink. (1991)
  • McDonald's (1991)
  • New Zealand Police – community service commercial on babysitting. (1981)
  • NZ Post (1991)
  • Rexona Dry Solid anti perspirant (1990)

Death

Flaws died on 17 June 2021, aged 70.16

References

References

  1. "Moments Like These: Fane Flaws". NZ Musician. Retrieved 16 August 2017.
  2. History. faneflaws.com.
  3. Sharpe, Marty (17 June 2021). "Artist and musician Fane Flaws has died". Stuff. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
  4. Fane Flaws. NZ On Screen.
  5. Spittle, Gordon (1997). Counting The Beat. Wellington, New Zealand: GP Publications. p. 90. ISBN 1-86956-213-5.
  6. Spittle, Gordon (1997). Counting The Beat. Wellington, New Zealand: GP Publications. p. 89. ISBN 1-86956-213-5.
  7. "The under water melon man and other unreasonable rhymes". National Library of New Zealand Catalogue. Retrieved 15 August 2017.
  8. Fane Flaws – Clever Bastards: The best of New Zealand art & design Archived 13 June 2008 at the Wayback Machine
  9. "Fane Flaws". NZ On Screen. Retrieved 15 August 2017.
  10. "Sweet Lovers, The Holidaymakers". NZ On Screen. Retrieved 15 August 2017.
  11. "Parihaka – Tim Finn". NZ On Screen. Retrieved 15 August 2017.
  12. "Dominion Road – The Mutton Birds". NZ On Screen. Retrieved 15 August 2017.
  13. "Nature – The Mutton Birds". NZ On Screen. Retrieved 15 August 2017.
  14. "The Heater – The Mutton Birds". NZ On Screen. Retrieved 15 August 2017.
  15. "Anchor Me – The Mutton Birds". NZ On Screen. Retrieved 15 August 2017.
  16. Sharpe, Marty (18 June 2021). "Artist and musician Fane Flaws has died". Stuff (website). Retrieved 14 July 2021.

General references

External links