Maori showbands contributed enormously to Australian entertainment from 1961 for more than a decade. In Sydney when US troops were there on rest’n’recreation leave from the Vietnam War it was often music from these bands that they enjoyed. Maori showbands were masters of popular music in its truest sense.

Each member of a successful showband needed to be able to play several instruments, sing and deliver humour to the audience but what made the Maori showbands different was that they included aspects of Maori culture in their shows. The Maori Volcanics were considered by many to be the best of these Maori showbands.

This now hard-to-find book details the history of the Maori Volcanics. it was fascinating to read of the times well-known Maori entertainers like Prince Tui Teka and Billy T James were in the band. The book also tells Mahora’s story (much of it compiled from the diaries  and journals she kept) supplemented with background information and scene-setting from well-known author James George; winner of the 2001 premiere award in the Maori Literature Awards.