About Tadpole - Topic
There's a difference between returning and truly coming back.
Tadpole formed in Auckland in 1994 and helped define an era when New Zealand rock was loud, fearless and impossible to ignore. The Buddhafinger went triple platinum and spent 46 weeks on the charts — one of the landmark local rock releases of the early 2000s, driven by huge riffs, undeniable hooks and a live energy that connected across the country. The Medusa revealed a darker, more volatile edge. Then in 2006, the band stepped away, leaving behind a catalogue that never really lost its grip.
When Tadpole returned in 2024, Lauren Marshall joined on vocals alongside original members Chris Yong, Dean Lawton and DJ Kritikl. Packed 25th anniversary shows drew longtime fans in force while a new generation discovered what made Tadpole such a force in the first place.
That momentum carried into 2025 with George — their first new studio material in 19 years, proof they still understood the power of tension, weight and melody.
Live, performances alongside Good Charlotte, Highly Suspect and Yellowcard at the Auckland Domain, plus sets at the Hokitika Wildfoods Festival and Go Live Festival, confirmed the firepower remains fully intact.
Falling Into You, released May 15, is the next step. Driven by Chris Yong's guitar work and Lauren Marshall's uncompromising vocals, mixed by Tiki Taane, vocals produced by Boh Runga, mastered by Chris Chetland. Tadpole aren't revisiting the past. They're building what comes next.
