Halvorsen, Parker, and McLachlan were in a band called the Gordons formed by John Halvorsen in 1980. The Gordons released the three-song
Future Shock EP in 1981, along with a video for the song "Adults and Children". Their debut self-titled LP
The Gordons came out later that year. The band then released the
Volume 2 LP in 1984, with Vince Pinker on bass in the absence of Alister, before disbanding circa 1985. After a couple of singles, Bills and Humphries left, with Halvorsen joining on bass, this line-up recording the
Tanker album and the "Grader Spader" single, both produced by Brent McLachlan. After several releases on Flying Nun, and after changing base several times between New Zealand, Germany, and the US,
New York City indie label
Matador Records signed them for release in the United States, in approximately 1990. The 1992 EP
The Aim was the band's first official U.S. release, and was released as two separate 7-inch singles in the UK, with both awarded "Single of the Week" by
Melody Maker. After this, their U.S. releases came out on NYC-based label Turnbuckle Records, which folded circa 2002. In 2004, Matador Records deleted all Bailter Space releases from their catalog. The band's releases are now out of print, except for in New Zealand / Australia. A career-spanning retrospective compilation,
Bailterspace, was issued in 2004. In August 2008, Bailter Space emerged from a 4-year hiatus to perform live at the Bowery Ballroom in New York City. They were joined by new recruit Ian Ljungquist filling in on the bass. A new album entitled
Strobosphere was released in New Zealand on 13 August 2012 and in the United States on 21 August 2012. Former drummer Brent McLachlan (August 6, 1961 — December 11, 2025) died from cancer in December 2025. ==Musical style==