top of page

ABOUT US

HOW WE STARTED

Janine and Rob started TALL POPPIES from their music team at CCC Church Manukau. Then the breaks just kept coming! We played for the police APEC function in 1999 then The Rose & Crown called us to fill in for KICK.  We invited other bar owners to that gig and next thing, We were regularly booked at bars all over Auckland! You can see all the pubs We played at by clicking here.

​

JANINE MCKENNA-WOODLEY

Janine is a part-time school teacher but alongside that, she had her own Ballet and Modern Jazz Dance School in Auckland. She herself danced and taught for Julie Cotter Dancers and TipToze - Keri Edley Dancers and a Cardiofunk Dance Troupe. At that same time she was an aerobics instructor with Les Mills then various other gyms..Then Janine embraced her love of singing, initially as a Worship leader at CCC Manukau then the band Axis, followed by Tall Poppies, and the rest is history!

​

​ROB WOODLEY (ONZM)

Rob was initially a semi-professional Rugby League player, then became a hard working, not for profit social service entrepreneur who started Genesis Youth Trust, while in the NZ Police where he was awarded an ONZM. He now runs the Blues Rugby Charitable Trust. He has drummed all his life and sings also. 

​

NEW YEAR'S EVES

If you were in Mt Maunganui for the Millennium New Year’s Eve celebration, you would have seen us on the huge outdoor stage, playing to a crowd of over 30 000! We were then invited back there for New Year’s Eve 2001, playing to 35 000! The crowd was so huge that the infamous Mt Maunganui riot happened when TALL POPPIES  were instructed to stop playing because of crowd concerns! We also played twice for the Whangamata New Year’s Eve concerts prior to that. Still being as popular as ever, TALL POPPIES were invited back for the Mt Maunganui New Year’s Eve concert as recently as 2008!

​

TV APPEARANCES

TALL POPPIES also made TV appearances back in the day, on "Trading Places";  "Inside NZ - Teen Summer Whangamata"; the "Police" documentary at Whangamata and TV1 and TV 3 News for the New Year's Eves at Whangamata and 1999-2000 and 2000-2001 at Mt Maunganui!

​

LEAD MALE VOCALISTS

TALL POPPIES usual lead male vocalist/guitarists are the awesome Kerry Walker; or  the legendary Carlos Miranda, of the Auckland Viaduct's Danny Doolan's fame,  or the brilliant Tim Gittens from Danny Doolans as well! Kerry previously had his own band Rikoche, who played internationally and now owns Geronimo Performing Arts, together with his dance teacher wife, Jessie. 

​

NEW KEYBOARDIST​

TALL POPPIES are thrilled that Julian Sturrock has joined us on keys!  Julian , Carlos and Tim used to play together in Native Soul. Julian and Rob also join Carlos and Tim sometimes at Danny Doolans.

​

SHOUT-OUTS

Janine appreciates the great service of Tina at HAIR.DO in Meadowbank and Five Star Nails in Mission Bay.

bottom of page