Graeme Downes, the founding member of The Verlaines, gained a doctorate on the music of Gustav Mahler before establishing the University of Otago’s degree in rock music. In 2001 his first solo album, Hammers and Anvils, was released by the American label Matador; it was distributed locally by Flying Nun. Aside from remaining active as a song writer and recording artist, Downes has delivered numerous pre-concert lectures for the NZSO and Radio New Zealand programmes on the music of Mahler and Shostakovich.

Graeme Downes on Last.fm.