"Otaki" by Pipp a.k.a. The Formyula

The Thursday Time Traveler lands on 1970

THE THURSDAY TIME TRAVELER “Otaki” by Pipp a.k.a. The Fourmyula.

 ...In 1970, Chris Andrews worked with The Fourmyula, a band from New Zealand who’d been recording at Abbey Road next door to The Beatles—simpatico with The Fourmyula’s harmony-driven psychedelic pop. Starting in 1968 they had a string of hits unmatched by any other band in their country and, bucking the tradition of NZ bands covering overseas songs, they insisted on recording their own material. Their song “Nature” became a #1 hit, won several awards, and went on to be covered by numerous artists. It can be said The Fourmyula set the stage for later NZ successes like Crowded House. 

Chris came on board with them in 1970 to produce the single “Otaki” b/w “Which Way Did She Go?”

One small problem: To avoid competition with a UK band called The New Formula, The Fourmyula changed their name to Pipp (Danish for “mad”). Thereafter, the record Chris produced for them was released worldwide as Pipp—except in New Zealand where they were well-established as The Fourmyula.

“Otaki” twangs with juicy guitar tone, tight vocal harmonies, and a Marc Bolan-style boogie groove that forecasted the rocking sides of Badfinger and 70s-era Hollies. The song is named for a town on the North Island of New Zealand. The Maori definition for “Ōtaki” means “a place for sticking a staff into the ground.”

 

“Otaki” was the last chart hit for The Fourmyula a.k.a. Pipp. In 1971 they disbanded and returned to NZ (drummer Chris Parry stayed in the UK, went into A&R and production, and later launched The Cure and The Jam). Meanwhile, as musical heroes in their homeland, The Fourmyula reformed with in 2010 on the heels of a CD box set that celebrated their musical legacy.

#otaki #pipp #fourmyula #chrisandrews #abbeyroad #beatles #badfinger #hollies #marcbolan #newzealand