Whanganui Musicians Club hosting '80s cover band Love Shack on March 13

Love Shack is made up of six professional session musicians. Photo / Wendy Collins

Eighties cover band Love Shack are playing at the Whanganui Musicians Club this month, and they'll be bringing the songs of P, Devo, Blondie and The B52s with them.

Keys player Cam Crawford said the six musicians who made up the band had a long background in New Zealand touring, recording and session circles.

'We all work as musicians in and around the Wellington scene," Crawford said.

"Rob Joass [lead guitar] just said one day 'I want to get some people together, put on an '80s show, and play some great music'.

"The rest of us were like 'yep, let's do it'.

"That was at the end of last year, but we've all known each other for quite a while and we've cross-pollinated on a number of projects."

Crawford, who is also a member of funk/soul band Blue River Baby, said Love Shack tackled songs that most other covers outfits "wouldn't go near", such as Peter Gabriel's hit Sledgehammer.

"We've got the ability to really get in there and crack it.

"There's some great Bowie stuff, some Prince, just some really cool tunes."

The '80s was "a time of excess", Crawford said, complete with music that didn't sound like anything that had come before.

"Production values were huge, and a lot of money was spent on studios and sounds.

"The appeal of the '80s is definitely intergenerational as well. We played a gig the other night on the Kāpiti Coast and there were people in their 60s and 70s dancing alongside 13- and 14-year-olds with their parents.

That intergenerational quality also filtered into modern music, Crawford said.

"It's interesting, you listen to the likes of The Weeknd and other new stuff that's coming out, and you can kind of think 'that sound's a bit like A-ha, Take on Me'.

"The music that's big now is definitely drawing on some of that production and those licks and hooks from the '80s.

"There was a lot of good ear candy around at that time and, musically speaking, that's why it still stands up today."

Crawford said his favourite '80s band was Crowded House, a band he would soon be working for as part of their production team.

"I also remember Guns N' Roses coming out and thinking 'wow, what the hell is this?'.

"There was also a lot of hair metal, which was kind of funny at the time. You can put Bon Jovi in there, and Whitesnake's Here I Go Again.

"At the time there was such a pushback, and people were saying things like 'these guys are evil', but really they were just wearing eyeliner and dressing up."

A lot of debating and laughs had gone into choosing the Love Shack setlist, Crawford said.

"It's been cool for someone like me, who spent a little bit of time in the '80s, to actually revisit these tunes and break them down as a musician.

"If I have to wear a wig and some shoulder pads, I'm doing it."

• Love Shack play the Whanganui Musicians Club on Saturday, March 13. Tickets are $25 on the door ($10 for a child under 16 with parent or guardian) or $20 through Eventfinda.