huh! was formed by Simon Grigg in 1994 to release the debut album from Nathan Haines.

Via a distribution agreement with PolyGram, the album was released toward the end of that year and went on to become the biggest selling jazz album in New Zealand ever. It was also released globally on the Verve label and helped establish Nathan as the force he was to become over the next decade.

Our second signing was OMC, via our connections with Alan Jansson, and Pauly's presence at The Box. How Bizarre of course was the result and it exploded beyond our wildest expectations, reaching number one on the US airplay chart and number one in over a dozen other countries, selling, if all the singles and albums are added together, almost four million records.

Unfortunately to our eternal regret, the demands of the project, and the cost of taking it worldwide forced us to sell master rights to PolyGram (now Universal) who (PolyGram and Universal NZ) proceeded to mishandle and generally make an appalling dogs breakfast of the project (although some fine folks, like now Universal MD, Adam Holt, played a huge role in the success) and Pauly's career as a whole. Pauly remains one of the coolest artists we have ever worked with, and an enormous talent. He deserved much better. There is quite a book in it...partially written.

huh! also worked as a compilation label, with success in New Zealand with the Nice'n'Urlich series, the first mixed DJ album (from The Box), the acid jazz New Groove albums (which gave the world the term "Future Jazz" for better or worse), the BPM mix series and the Room Service albums, which also had massive Australian sales.

More or less, huh! was wound down in 2004 as a result of changing personal priorities.

As a result of of the massive success of OMC, and various compilations, huh! is probably the most successful NZ independent label ever and it's first two signings made an impact worldwide. And as far as I know, the only NZ indie to have its logo on the front cover of Billboard...twice.

Peter Urlich designed the logo, the name was pinched from James Brown (and the exclamation mark came from my buddy Gerhardt Pierard), and Andrew B White did most of the graphics, although not all. I've tried to credit the graphic artists and whoever else was important to the records where I can.

Huh 1 X

Nathan Haines

Uptown Project

12” EP ( Dec 1994)

limited numbered edition (250) white label from our first signing, featuring "Lady J" and producers Alan Jansson & James Pinker's extended doped out dub. Worth heaps now and the holy grail for Nathan Haines collectors (of which there are a few)

Lady J / Sonovabitch/ Lady J Dub

Huh 2

Nathan Haines

Shift Left

CD / MC (April 1995)

the debut album from Nathan-NZ's biggest selling jazz album ever-in two different sleeves-the superior Andre Jewel original and a slightly blander pop-star sleeve (which we called the Rupert Bear sleeve) foisted upon us unwillingly by PolyGram. Rule No.1: never trust the judgment of major record companies...

Last Night / East River Drive / Lady J / Sonovabitch / Shift Left / Waiting to Hear / Twelve / During Days Like This / Chinese Burn / Just Like That / Lady J Theme / Epiphany

Huh 3

OMC

How Bizarre

CD5 / cassingle (Nov 1995)

its hard to know what to say about this one-2 million singles plus sold, double platinum in Australia, triple platinum in NZ, and platinum or gold in just about every other country in the world, and it still sells a decade later. From the hand of producer Alan Jansson who's the closest  thing I've ever met to a production genius. The sleeve was adapted by Gideon Keith with direction from Alan from an old single by Babble....sorry Tom....The video was directed by Lee Baker, but in reality was conceived and controlled by Pauly and Alan. It has had over 15,000 plays to date worldwide and cost a total of $7000 to make.

How Bizarre / How Bizarre (Instrumental) / How Bizarre (Dance Mix)

also of note was the song Stole My Car, a parody of the original which hit the Australasian airwaves in 1996. Created by Rotorua radio DJ DJ Dene Young, it was a huge airplay smash. At one time it was considered to release the parody as a free bonus with a re-issue of the original and it was thought that it would've likely driven the record back to number one. This was vetoed as Pauly was offended by the content of the parody, so Stole My Car remains unreleased.

Huh 4

OMC

Right On

CD5 / cassingle (March 1996)

the second NZ single and a platinum seller in NZ. Top thirty in the UK and Top Ten Germany. The still below , on the left, is from the video which was storyboarded by Pauly. The song is the perfect amalgam of the feel of a Pacific beach party and the Urban Pacific Sound, and the video, which was quite personal for Paul, reflected that. The single sleeve, was Andrew White's first for huh. It featured in some long forgotten Australian movie so they re-edited the video and ruined it. Still..we had a free week in Sydney whilst they did it....

Right On / Right On (Instrumental)

Huh 5

Nathan Haines & The Enforcers

Lady J

CD EP (Nov 95)

essentially huh1 with an added track, the lovely NYC recorded "Avenue Dreams", a collaboration with Joost Langeveld-Australian only release, but later added to Shift Left as a bonus disc

Lady J / Avenue Dreams / Sonavbitch / Lady J (dub)

Huh 6

OMC

How Bizarre

CD / MC (Sept 27, 1996)

the runaway international, and almost instantaneous, success of the single led to enormous international pressure for a long player so much of this was recorded as Pauly was flying backwards and forwards all over the world, with Alan couriering dubs to us for approval. Almost two million sales to date, so they must've done something right.

One The Run / How Bizarre / Never Coming Back / Angel In Disguise / Lingo With The Gringo / Land Of Plenty / Right On / Pours Out Her Eyes / She Loves Italian

Huh 7

Nathan Haines

Soundkilla Sessions 1

CD (Oct 1996)

live and essential-recorded all over NZ with band and DJs, including Manual Bundy. As close as you would get to the legendary Cause Celebre sessions with being physically there. It was about this time we suggested he cut down the band and move into a more contemporary style, which he absolutely refused to do...and then went out a few months later and did exactly that ....ummm..it was a pleasure Nathan......

100 Proof / Cutup / Where's Home / Judge / Beda / Avenue Dreams / Mr Mantra / I Hear a Rhapsody

Huh 8

OMC

On The Run

CD5 / cassingle (Oct 1996)

single three and a big European hit, especially in Germany. There were two videos, one made in NZ, and a vastly superior one directed in Melbourne. Unfortunately though this was at the beginning too of the period when the Australians started to try to take control and eventually, from a failure to understand what they were dealing with, derailed both OMC and Pauly.

On The Run / On the Run (UK Remix)

Huh 9

OMC

Land of Plenty

CD5 / cassingle (Feb 1997)

NZ only single, but with OMC's best video, from director Kerry Brown (Crowded House etc), shot around the Desert Road plateau in freezing temperatures and by Kerry with a small crew, of people around NZ. My favourite shot was a Buddhist monk on a West Coast South Island beach. This song was also the BNZ advertising theme for a couple of years.

Land of Plenty (Single Re-recording) / Never Coming Back / Land of Plenty (album version)

Huh 10

OMC

How Bizarre

Dance Promo 12’ (1997)

Huh 909

Lava Lava

Burnt

CD (1997)

from Mike Neilsen and Benny Staples-effectively a collection of their UK vinyl releases and a couple of new tracks. PolyGram were not keen on releasing this..it confused them, but it sold and sold, both in New Zealand around the world. Their live gigs at Cause Celebre were also quite amazing.

Green Pool / Burnt / Let It Flow / Afterlife / Feel The Heat / Blue Pool / Atollic / Faultline / Disco Disco / The Brief

Huh 11

OMC

How Bizarre EP

10” vinyl / CD-EP (1997)

There was also a "How Bizarre" club mix (not on this 10") that Alan Jansson and I did late one night which had nothing in common apart from the title, with HB. It ended up on some thirty global compilations!

Huh 12

various

Box : Mixed by Greg Churchill & Dean Webb

CD (1997)

Huh 13

OMC

I Love LA

CD5 (1997)

Its on my label but I disowned it before release.

huh 14

Sina

Don't Be Shy

CD5 (August 1998)

debut from the vocalist who sang the chorus on "How Bizarre" and "Right On", prod by Alan Jansson. New Zealand release August 1998. Reached # 2 and a gold single in NZ. Video by Mark Tierney.

Don't Be Shy / Don't Be Shy (Version)

huh 15

Sina

Where did our Love Go

CD5 (1999)

Not a record we wanted to release but the Universal choice. Top 20 nevertheless. Notable for the Greg Churchill and Simon Holloway remix of Don't Be Shy

Where Did Our Love Go /Where Did Our Love Go (Club Mix) / Don't Be Shy (Beaver Mix)

huh 16

Sina

CD (unreleased)

Oddly enough, it was pirated in South East Asia!

huh 17

Clearlight

Turn of the Century

CD5 (1999)

A Claire Price/Alan Jansson masterpiece, that signalled our move from Universal to FMR, who were far more artist friendly-remixes from Greg Churchill/Simon Holloway & James Pinker. Sleeve by Andrew White and a cool video from Darryl Ward.

Turn Of The Century / Turn of The Century (Beaver Mix) / Turn of The Century (Uptown Mix)

huh 18

Sina

Boy

CD5 (Unreleased)

huh 19

The Otara Millionaires Club

We R The OMC

CD5 (2000)

a reissue, mainly for US orders, of the classic 1994 single, complete with the original vinyl remixes

We R The OMC / We R The OMC (Uptown Mix) / We R The OMC (Depth Charge Remix)

huh 20

Various

Proud

CD (2000)

huh 22

Nathan Haines

Sound Travels

CD / vinyl (Dec 2000)

Nathan's third album...recorded in the UK for Chillifunk, and co-produced by Phil Asher. It included the worldwide club smash, "Earth is the Place".

Wonderful Thing / Long / Suprising / Impossible Beauty / Sound Travels / Honeycomb / The Illest Hobo / Earth is The Place / Williams Song / Believe

huh 23

Nathan Haines

Sound Travels Remixes

CD (Sept 2001)

huh 2001

Various

Welcome To...

CD (August 2001)

simply, a collection of cutting edge (in 2001) tracks from new House and electronic artists from New Zealand..

Greg Churchill / Rob Salmon / Soane / Peak:Shift / House of Downtown / Nathan Haines / Cuff & Leon D / Keys Bros / Subware / SGNY