Today, many would not recognise the former Dunedin musician with his well-groomed hair, expensive business suits and shiny shoes.
They are necessary because he has just been appointed New Zealand's high commissioner to Malaysia.
Much appears to have changed since Mr Pine was in his youth, but, looking back, he said there was a natural progression towards his career as a diplomat.
The 49-year-old was a guitarist in the 1980s New Zealand pop/rock band Sneaky Feelings, which recorded on the Flying Nun label, along with other Dunedin bands The Verlaines, The Stones and The Chills.
"It was a very creative time. The music community was very close and encouraging. It was a great time to be a musician and I feel lucky about that."
However, it was far from an easy life.
"The band never really earned enough to live from. I always had to do something else to keep body and soul together. But music was always my focus."
So much so, he quit his studies at the University of Otago after his first year to focus on band commitments.
He later returned to study law and politics and graduated with an honours degree.
"I was glad I didn't pursue university the first time, because if I had finished the degree, I wouldn't have been so enthusiastic about university when I did go back. I had more life experience then."
"I had some practice in diplomacy, too, with Sneaky Feelings. It wasn't the easiest band to communicate with. I felt like a mediator between the band and agents and promoters sometimes."
His enthusiasm for politics and diplomacy won him a job at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and during the past 17 years, he has been ambassador to the Philippines, deputy high commissioner at the New Zealand High Commission in Kuala Lumpur, and Mfat economic division director.
Mr Pine was recently appointed New Zealand's high commissioner to Malaysia, and cross-accredited to Brunei Darussalam.
Foreign Minister Murray McCully said the relationship with Malaysia was an important one for New Zealand.
"It is consistently one of our top 10 trading partners. Two-way trade was worth $NZ2.09 billion in the year to June 2010."
