Nurofen Plus – it’s my wife and it’s my life. I’m not sure what this song is about. It might be about homebake, or it might be about debilitating lower back pain. All I know is that only Auckland could produce a gritty life-is-tough song based around an over-the-counter analgesic.
Regardless of the dramatic lyrics, the video is still pretty interesting. It’s shot around Karangahape Road when it was still seedy and grimy, a good decade before it started to get gentrified and all the pink bits moved away.
K Road regulars can be seen hanging around, and there’s even a shot of the old McDonald’s before K Road became too cool for a McDo. Another ’90s memory – the mural by the Baptist tabernacle that was all “No one comes to the father except through me”. Cut with this footage, Greg Fleming mooches around the area, sometimes with his bros, other times on his own.
I’m trying to think – was K Road scary and dark back then? Maybe it only felt that way if you were luxuriating in a warm blanket of Panadeine.
Best bit: the wistful looking lady holding an elaborately wrapped gift.
Next… for the children.

5 comments
Andrew B. White says:
Nov 9, 2011
Yet so little has changed on K-Road. This video as features members of The Trains band at the time – John Segovia (Shaft, Axlegrinders, Don McGlashan’s Seven Sisters), Rick McShane (Chainsaw Masochist, Black Swan White Swan) and Cameron Miller who went on to play bass for Mike Scott’s Waterboys. Rebekah Davies is the girl at the bar (Verona). ‘Codeine Road’ and thirty odd other of Greg’s songs were remastered and rereleased in 2010 as a 2 CD set. Greg is working on a new album now and still writing great songs about the Auckland environs. http://www.gregfleming.co.nz
Robyn says:
Nov 11, 2011
Thanks for this info and history! It’s very cool to hear that Greg is still making music.
Rebekah says:
Feb 16, 2012
Old school K Road! Brilliant. I think Bruce directed this? It looks like his. I remember the song well however I had NO MEMORY of being in this particular clip until I stumbled across it here. I look like I’m about 12 years old; hanging out with a band at a bar; solo to boot. Tut tut.
Robyn says:
Feb 17, 2012
Oh, there you are! Looking rather nice – very K Road cool.
Rebekah says:
Feb 17, 2012
Directed by Bruce Sheridan: a wonderful visual time capsule.