Auckland’s Asylum club opened in 1986. It was described by co-owner Simon Grigg as ‘one of the first clubs that had no colour or race barriers, so the crowd came from south, west, north, east and central Auckland and mostly happily mixed’. Playing hip hop, Def Jam, pop and house music, Grigg DJed at Asylum. A history of the Auckland club scene in the 1980s and 1990s listed a sample of what was played at the club:

Prince, 'Sign o' the times'
Steve ‘Silk’ Hurley, 'Jack your body'
Beastie Boys, the whole first album
Raze, 'Jack the groove'
Alexander O’Neal, 'Fake'
Spoonie Gee, 'The godfather'
The Chills, 'I love my leather jacket'
Original Concept, 'Get a little stupid'
Farley ‘Jackmaster' Funk, 'Love can’t turn around'