KURT SHANKS

Kurt Shanks' debut album "Blood Line Heart" (out June 2012) represents a significant chapter in his transition from being part of NZ chart-toppers Stellar* to going solo. Kurt was with Stellar*right from their first indie EP "Happy Gun", through to hits such as Violent, Part Of Me, For A While and their farewell tour in 2010.

The band was a Sony success story, with seven Top 20 singles, three top 10 albums, and tours across New Zealand, Australia, Germany and the UK. By the time the band called it quits-their dignity intact, Kurt was fine-tuning solo material, demoing songs at his own studio, and enjoying the freedom to tinker. New souls were sought, and talented musicians Wayne Bell(producer & drummer)Andrew Thorne(guitar), and Mark Hughes (bass) came on board as the core band, fine tuning arrangements before heading to Neil Finn's Roundhead Studios to record the album which was engineered by Neil Baldock, produced by Bell, and mixed by Chris van de Geer. Other guests on the album include Dianne Swann, Callie Blood, Lani Purkis, John Segovia, Troy Shanks, Andrew MacLaren, and Mike Newport.