{{Short description|New Zealand rock group}} {{More citations needed|date=December 2009}} {{Use New Zealand English|date=November 2012}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2020}} {{Infobox musical artist |name = The Fourmyula |image = |caption = |background = group_or_band |alias = |origin = Upper Hutt, New Zealand |instrument = |genre = Rock |occupation = |years_active = 1967–1971, 2010 |label = EMI (1992 - present) |associated_acts = |website = |current_members = |past_members =Wayne Mason<br>Martin Hope<br>Ali Richardson<br>Chris Parry<br>Carl Evensen }}
'''''The Fourmyula''''' were a New Zealand rock group formed in 1967 in Upper Hutt. They achieved considerable local success in the late 1960s, with nine of their thirteen singles reaching the New Zealand Top 20.
==Career (1967–1971)==
The group initially consisted of Wayne Mason (guitar, keyboards, vocals), Martin Hope (guitar and vocals), Ali Richardson (bass and vocals), and Chris Parry (drums), who founded Fiction Records (UK) in 1978. They were joined in 1968 by Carl Evensen as lead vocalist.
Their first release, "Come With Me" made it to number 2 in August 1968. They released thirteen singles (nine of which reached the New Zealand Top 20) and five albums and won the New Zealand Entertainers of the Year award in 1970.
The Fourmyula's best known song, "Nature", written by Wayne Mason and produced by Peter Dawkins, reached number one in the New Zealand charts in December 1969.<ref>[https://nzhistory.govt.nz/media/photo/wayne-mason-and-song-nature "Wayne Mason and the song 'Nature'"], New Zealand History online</ref> It won the APRA Silver Scroll Award for the year. The Mutton Birds released a rockier version of "Nature" in 1995, and in 2001 the original version was voted New Zealand's greatest pop song ever - becoming the title track of the best-selling ''Nature's Best'' compilation.
==Reunion (2010)==
In 2010 the band reformed to promote the compilation ''The Complete Fourmyula'', a 4-CD set which includes a previously unreleased album ''Turn Your Back on the Wind'', originally recorded for Decca. They played two concerts, one in Auckland on 18 February 2010 and another in Upper Hutt, on 20 March 2010.<ref name="stuff">{{cite news |url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/blogs/blog-on-the-tracks/3468184/The-return-of-The-Fourmyula |title=The return of The Fourmyula |date=18 March 2010 |work=Stuff.co.nz |accessdate=21 November 2011}}</ref>
The Fourmyula was inducted into the New Zealand Music Hall of Fame at the 2010 APRA Silver Scroll Awards.<ref name="The New Zealand Herald">{{cite news |url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501119&objectid=10671484 |title=The Fourmyula to enter NZ music hall of fame |author=Sundae, Hugh |date=6 September 2010 |work=The New Zealand Herald |accessdate=21 November 2011}}</ref>
==Discography== === Studio albums === {| class="wikitable" |- ! align="center" valign="top" |Title ! align="center" valign="top" |Details |- |''The Fourmyula'' | * Released: 1968 * Label: His Master's Voice (CSDM 6283) |- |''Green B Holiday'' | * Released: 1968 * Label: His Master's Voice (CSDM 6296) |- |''Creation'' | * Released: 1969 * Label: His Master's Voice (CSDM 6309) |}
=== Live albums === {| class="wikitable" |- ! align="center" valign="top" |Title ! align="center" valign="top" |Details |- |''A 'Live'' <br> (with Shane) | * Released: 1970 * Label: His Master's Voice (CSDM 6313) |}
==== Compilation albums ==== {| class="wikitable" |- ! rowspan="2" |Title ! rowspan="2" |Details ! colspan="1" |Chart Positions |- !<small>NZ</small><ref>{{Cite web|title=charts.org.nz - The Fourmyula - Nature|url=https://charts.nz/showitem.asp?interpret=The+Fourmyula&titel=Nature&cat=s|access-date=2020-07-02|website=charts.nz}}</ref> |- |''A Portrait of the Fourmyula'' | * Released: 1974 * Label: Axis (AXIS 2003) |align="center"| – |- |''The Most of the Fourmyula'' | * Released: 1992 * Label: EMI (435403 2) |align="center"| – |- |''The Very Best of the Fourmyula'' | * Released: 1999 * Label: EMI (521924 2) |align="center"| – |- |''The Complete Fourmyula'' | * Released: May 2010 * Label: His Master's Voice (50999 6265042 7) * Note: 4xCD |align="center"| 35 |- |''Turn Your Back on the Wind'' | * Released: 2010 * Label: His Master's Voice (CSDM 6324) * Note: Unreleased album recorded in London 1970 |align="center"| - |- |''Inside the Hutt: New Zealand's Pop-Psych Kingpins 1968–1969'' | * Released: September 2013 * Label: RPM Records (Retro932) |align="center"| – |}
=== Extended Plays=== {| class="wikitable" |- ! align="center" valign="top" |Title ! align="center" valign="top" |Details |- |''Four Hits of the Fourmyula'' | * Released: 1969 * Label: His Master's Voice (GESM 6138) |}
===Singles=== {| class="wikitable" ! rowspan="2" |Year ! rowspan="2" |Single !Chart Positions |- !<small>NZ</small><ref>{{Cite web|title=flavour of new zealand - search listener|url=http://www.flavourofnz.co.nz/index.php?qpageID=search%20listener&qartistid=703#n_view_location|access-date=2020-07-02|website=www.flavourofnz.co.nz}}</ref> |- | rowspan="3" |1968 |"Come with Me" | style="text-align:center;" | 2 |- |"Alice Is There" | style="text-align:center;" | 4 |- |"I Know Why" | style="text-align:center;" | 7 |- | rowspan="6" |1969 |"Start by Giving to Me" | style="text-align:center;" |21{{Citation needed|reason=Chart data is only the top 20|date=July 2020}} |- |"Home" | style="text-align:center;" |8 |- |"Forever" | style="text-align:center;" |– |- |"Lady Scorpio" | style="text-align:center;" |7 |- |"I'll Sing You a Song" | style="text-align:center;" | 3 |- |"Nature" | style="text-align:center;" | 1 |- | rowspan="3" |1970 |"Make Me Happy" | style="text-align:center;" | 19 |- |"Otaki" | style="text-align:center;" |15 |- |"Turn Your Back on the Wind" | style="text-align:center;" | – |- |1971 |"Lullaby" | style="text-align:center;" | 21{{Citation needed|reason=Chart data is only the top 20|date=July 2020}} |}
==Awards and nominations== ===Aotearoa Music Awards=== The Aotearoa Music Awards (previously known as ''New Zealand Music Awards'' (NZMA)) are an annual awards night celebrating excellence in New Zealand music and have been presented annually since 1965.
{{awards table}} ! {{Abbr|Ref.|Reference}} |- | 1968 || "Alice Is There" || Single of the Year || {{nom}} ||rowspan="2"| <ref>{{cite web|url=https://aotearoamusicawards.nz/award-history/|title=Aotearoa Music Awards|website=aotearoamusicawards.nz|access-date=18 August 2021|archive-date=25 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201025201023/https://aotearoamusicawards.nz/award-history/|url-status=dead}}</ref> |- | 1970 || "Nature" || Single of the Year || {{nom}} |- | 2010 || The Fourmyula || New Zealand Music Hall of Fame || {{yes2|inductee}} || <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.musichall.co.nz/home/inductees/|title=HOME INDUCTEES|website=www.musichall.co.nz|access-date=16 August 2021}}</ref> |- {{end}}
== See also ==
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == * [http://www.audioculture.co.nz/people/the-fourmyula The Fourmyula profile at AudioCulture] * [https://tiaki.natlib.govt.nz/#details=ecatalogue.1026665 Collection of band associate Les Gruebner's Fourmyula recordings] at the Alexander Turnbull Library
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Fourmyula, The}} Category:APRA Award winners Category:New Zealand rock music groups
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