Portal:Music of Australia/Selected article
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
These are featured articles and good articles related to Australian music which appear on the Australian music portal.
AC/DC are a hard rock band formed in Sydney, Australia in 1973 by brothers Angus and Malcolm Young. The band are considered pioneers of heavy metal, alongside bands such as Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple and Black Sabbath. Its members, however, have always classified their music as "rock 'n' roll".
AC/DC have sold more than 150 million albums worldwide, including more than 68 million albums in the U.S. Back in Black has sold 42 million units worldwide, including 21 million in the U.S., making it the second-highest-selling album ever internationally, and the biggest-selling album by any band. The band are ranked fourth on VH1's list of the 100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock and were ranked by MTV the 7th "Greatest Heavy Metal Band Of All Time".(more...)
Kylie Ann Minogue (born 28 May 1968) is an Australian dance-pop singer-songwriter and occasional actress. Minogue rose to prominence in the mid '80s through her role in the Australian television soap opera Neighbours, before she commenced her career as a pop artist in the late '80s. According to Warner Music Australia, Minogue has sold over 40 million albums and singles worldwide.
Signed to a contract by British songwriters and producers Stock, Aitken & Waterman, she achieved a string of hit records throughout the world. Her popularity began to decline during the early 1990s, leading her to part company from Stock, Aitken & Waterman in 1992. Minogue distanced herself from her earlier work and attempted to establish herself as an independent performer and songwriter. Her projects were widely publicised, but her albums failed to attract a substantial audience and resulted in the lowest sales of her career to date. She returned to popularity as a dance–pop artist in 2000, and became well-known for her provocative music videos and expensively mounted stage shows. (more...)
Ronald Belford "Bon" Scott (July 9, 1946 – February 19, 1980) was a Scottish born Australian rock musician. He was born in Kirriemuir, Scotland, and immigrated to Melbourne, Australia with his family in 1952 at the age of six. Scott is most well-known for being the lead singer and co-lyricist of hard rock band AC/DC from 1974 until his death in 1980.
AC/DC's most successful album with Bon Scott is Highway to Hell released in 1979. After his death, AC/DC and their new lead singer, Brian Johnson recorded the album Back in Black as a tribute to him. Some sources rank Back in Black as the second-best-selling album in history. (more...)
Danielle Jane Minogue (born October 20, 1971) is an Australian singer-songwriter, television personality and occasional actress, model and fashion designer. Minogue rose to prominence in the early 1980s for her roles in the Australian television talent show Young Talent Time and in the long-running Australian soap Home and Away, before commencing her career as a pop singer in the early 1990s.
Minogue achieved early success with hits such as "Love and Kisses" and "This Is It", though by the release of her second album, her popularity as a singer had declined, leading her to concentrate on other fields such as television presenting. The late 1990s saw a brief return to music after Minogue reinvented herself as a dance artist with "All I Wanna Do", her first number one UK Club hit. In 2001, Minogue further returned to musical success with the release of her biggest worldwide hit to date, "Who Do You Love Now?", while her subsequent album, Neon Nights, became the most successful of her career. In the UK, she has achieved eleven consecutive number one dance singles, becoming the best performing artist on the UK Upfront Club Chart. Minogue is currently signed to All Around the World and, in 2006, released her second official "best of" compilation, The Hits and Beyond. (more...)"I Believe in You" is a pop-dance song performed by Australian singer-songwriter Kylie Minogue and written by Minogue and Scissor Sisters members Jake Shears and Babydaddy. It was produced by Shears and Babydaddy, and received an overall positive reception from music critics when it was released as the first single from Minogue's second greatest hits compilation, Ultimate Kylie, in December 2004. In the upbeat eurodance song, Minogue describes how she believes in her lover rather than anything else.
The single peaked at number two in the United Kingdom and at number six in Australia. The song became a dance club hit in the United States, peaking at number three on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart in 2005 and earning a nomination for a 2006 Grammy Award in the "Best Dance Recording" category. (more...)"I Should Be So Lucky" is a pop–dance song performed by Australian singer Kylie Minogue. The song was written and produced by Stock, Aitken and Waterman for Minogue's debut album Kylie (1988). The song's melody was inspired by Pachelbel's Canon and its lyrics discuss how Minogue must be unlucky in love.
The song was released as the album's second single in December 1987. It was a commercial success, reaching the top ten on the majority of the charts it entered, and number one in Australia and the United Kingdom. The song became the highest selling single in Australia in 1989 and was named "Record of the Year" by the Japanese Phonographic Record Association. (more...)Impossible Princess is the sixth album by Australian dance pop singer Kylie Minogue. It was released by Deconstruction Records on March 23, 1998 across the world. The album was primarily produced by Dave Ball, Ingo Vauk and previous Minogue collaborators Brothers in Rhythm. It received a mixed reception from music critics, some of whom complimented its maturity and personal subject matter, while others felt as though it was uninspired and unbelievable.
It became Minogue's least-successful album release in the United Kingdom, where it reached number ten and was certified silver. In Australia, however, the album charted more strongly, reaching number four and remained on the chart for nearly forty weeks. Elsewhere Impossible Princess failed to generate much interest, which resulted in low international sales.
The album demonstrated a change in Minogue's musical style and several live instruments were introduced into her songs. In addition, Impossible Princess presented a more confident and involved Minogue since she had contributed to all of the lyrics which appeared on the album. In the UK, the album was retitled Kylie Minogue at the last minute, following the death of Princess Diana in August 1997. A remastered edition of Impossible Princess was issued by BMG in 2003, with a bonus disc of remixes and B-sides. (more...)Dream Days at the Hotel Existence is the sixth studio album by Australian rock group Powderfinger, released by Universal Records on June 2, 2007. It was also released with a limited edition bonus DVD, titled Powderfinger's First XI featuring eleven music videos spanning the band's career, from the first single, "Tail" to "Bless My Soul".
Following the huge success of their previous album, Vulture Street, Powderfinger toured and then spent three years on hiatus. They reunited in late 2006 to write songs for Dream Days at the Hotel Existence, which was recorded in Los Angeles in early 2007 by producer Rob Schnapf. The first single from the album, "Lost and Running" was released on May 12, 2007, and reached number five on the ARIA singles chart. A second single "I Don't Remember", was released to radio on 9 July 2007. The single is expected to be released for sale in late July 2007.
The album received critical acclaim, with many reviewers commenting that the album was "consistent" and "distinctly Australian". The album encountered controversy relating to the song "Black Tears" with claims that it may have influenced the Palm Island death in custody trial. Powderfinger released an abridged version of the song as a direct result of these claims.(more...).jpg/200px-Powderfinger_performing_September_2007_(b).jpg)
Powderfinger is a rock band based in Australia. The band formed in 1989 in Brisbane, and their lineup since 1992 has consisted of Bernard Fanning, John Collins, Ian Haug, Darren Middleton and Jon Coghill.
Powderfinger is highly successful in the Australian recording industry, being a recipient of the industry's flagship awards, the ARIA Music Awards, a record fourteen times. The group has also topped the Triple J Hottest 100 chart twice with seventeen entries in the list in total. Of the group's six studio efforts, four have placed at #1 on the ARIA Albums Chart, with one also peaking at #2. The group has also contributed music for several films, including the Australian film Two Hands, and the Australian based Mission: Impossible II. (more...)
Crowded House is a rock group formed in Melbourne, Australia, and led by New Zealand musician and singer-songwriter Neil Finn. Finn is widely recognised as the primary songwriter and creative direction of the band having led the group through several incarnations, drawing members from New Zealand (Neil Finn, Tim Finn and Eddie Rayner), Australia (Paul Hester, Nick Seymour, Peter Jones and Craig Hooper) and from America (Mark Hart and Matt Sherrod).
Though the band owe their original success to the Australian live music scene, the common references to New Zealand people and places (Auckland, Kare Kare, Te Awamutu) in several songs pay homage to Finn's personal roots. The success of the group's third album Woodface and the general success of Crowded House and Split Enz prompted Queen Elizabeth II of the Commonwealth in June 1993 to bestow the Order of the British Empire on both Tim Finn and Neil Finn for their contribution to the music of New Zealand. (more...)Where We Land is the first studio album by Irish Australian singer-songwriter Damien Leith. It was released by Sony BMG in Australia on August 18, 2007. Leith produced the album for seven months and created the album entirely with acoustic songs. He wrote or co-wrote nine of the twelve songs, collaborating with Alex Lloyd and his music director Paul Gray (Wa Wa Nee) in a few songs. All of his original songs were inspired by his friends and family. Leith included two cover songs in the album, Fleetwood Mac's "Songbird" from the album Rumours and the traditional Irish song "Danny Boy". Where We Land received mostly average reviews from critics. It debuted in the Australian Albums Chart at number-one and was certified platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The album spawned the singles "22 Steps" and "All I Want Is You". Leith will embark on a national tour across Australia to promote the album in November 2007. (more...)
.jpg/200px-Powderfinger_performing_September_2007_(c).jpg)
"I Don't Remember" is the second single from Australian rock group Powderfinger's sixth studio album Dream Days at the Hotel Existence. For their career, it is the band's twenty-third single (not including solo ventures by the band's members). It made its radio debut on July 9, 2007 on Australian radio stations. The single was released on August 4, 2007 in Australia, and on August 13, 2007 in the United States.
"I Don't Remember" was generally rated highly by reviewers, who appreciated its energy, and generally stated that it was "classic Powderfinger". The music video also received some acclaim. Despite the reviews, "I Don't Remember" charted poorly, only reaching #42 on the ARIA Singles Chart. (more...)Transfusion is the second EP by Australian rock group Powderfinger. It was released on 27 September 1993 by Polydor. The EP was the group's first recording with Polydor, as the group had signed with the label due to the success of the prior EP by the band, the eponymous Powderfinger.
The EP's song "Reap What You Sow" is the first song by Powderfinger to have a music video recorded for it. The EP received minor chart success, though not achieving a mainstream ARIA Singles Chart position, the EP reached the #1 position on the ARIA Alternative Chart, taking the place of Nirvana's single "Heart Shaped Box". (more...)"Passenger" is a song from Powderfinger's third studio album Internationalist. It was released as a single on August 9, 1999, and reached #30 on the Australian music chart. The single was nominated for Single of the year in 2000 at the Australian ARIA Music Awards. "Passenger" was also featured as the opening song performed by Powderfinger while supporting Crowded House's Farewell to the World charity concert in November 1996. The recording of that performance was available in early pressings of Internationalist on a bonus disc entitled P2K. (more...)
Time on Earth is the fifth studio album by the pop-rock band Crowded House. Tracks have been produced by both Ethan Johns and Steve Lillywhite and the album was released on June 30, 2007 in Australia, July 2 in the United Kingdom and July 10 in North America. Time on Earth is the band's first studio album since 1993, and marks the reunion of the band eleven years after they disbanded and features new drummer Matt Sherrod in place of the original drummer, Paul Hester, who took his own life in 2005.
As the first studio album from the group in fourteen years, Time on Earth has been subject to much speculation. Upon its release garnered positive critical reception and reached Platinum status with weeks of release in Australia, and Gold status in its second week of release in New Zealand. In conjunction and promotion of the album, the group is currently touring internationally, which was begun by performing at Coachella music festival and at Live Earth in July. For further promotion, two singles have been released from the album, "Don't Stop Now" and "She Called Up", and a special tour edition of the album was released in Australia in November 2007 featuring an extra CD with eleven songs from a concert from the album's North American tour. (more...)Small Mercies is an alternative rock band from Brisbane, Australia. The band formed in 1997 (see 1997 in music), and its current lineup is Steve Blaik, Danny Procopis, Marty O'Brien, and Jeff Reeves.
Small Mercies have released two EPs (Is This Life? and Off The Record), and are soon to release their first studio album, Beautiful Hum. "Innocent", a song from Beautiful Hum, was nominated for the 2007 ARIA Award for Breakthrough Artist - Single, the band's first and only award nomination. (more...)"These Days" is an alternative rock song from Powderfinger's fourth studio album, Odyssey Number Five, which was released in 2000. The song was also released on Powderfinger's 2004 compilation album Fingerprints: The Best of Powderfinger, 1994-2000.
"These Days" was not released as a single, however it topped the Triple J Hottest 100 chart in 1999. It was also awarded Song of the Year at the 2000 Music Critic's Awards. Powderfinger have described "These Days" as one of their most simple, enduring, and popular works to date. (more...)Internationalist is the third studio album by Australian rock band, Powderfinger, which was released on 7 September 1998. The album's title refers to the ability for music to assist one in escapism.
Internationalist followed in the success of its predecessor, Double Allergic, and went platinum in Australia. It was the recipient of four ARIA Awards, including "Album of the Year". The album was Powderfinger's most adventurous work to date, with lead singer and songwriter Bernard Fanning experimenting further in his lyrics than before. The album contained the band's boldest political and social commentary to date, focused in songs like "The Day You Come"
Despite its popularity in Australia, Internationalist failed to launch Powderfinger in the lucrative overseas market. It did, however, cement the band's position on the Australian music scene, with highly positive reviews. (more...)Young Modern is the fifth album by Australian alternative rock band Silverchair, released on March 31, 2007. Young Modern debuted at #1 on the Australian albums chart on April 15, 2007, and #8 on the New Zealand albums chart.
Young Modern was Silverchair's fifth consecutive album to debut at number one on the ARIA albums chart, making Silverchair the first band to accomplish this feat in Australia. Young Modern also received four Aria Awards at the 2007 Aria Awards, including Single of the Year (for "Straight Lines") and Album of the Year. (more...)
TISM (an acronym of This Is Serious Mum) is a seven piece anonymous alternative rock band from Melbourne, Australia. The group was formed in 1982 and enjoyed a large underground/independent following. Their third album Machiavelli and the Four Seasons reached the Australian national top 10 in 1995.
TISM is known for its hybrid of dance music and rock'n'roll, high-energy live shows and humorous lyrics. TISM's songs frequently satirise modern culture, celebrities and the entertainment industry, classic literature and art, current affairs, politics and sport. The titles of their songs are often wordplays created by juxtaposing pop culture references and/or more intellectually highbrow identities. (more...)
"Sunsets" is a song released as the third single from Australian rock band Powderfinger's fifth studio album, Vulture Street. The single was released on 4 January 2004 in Australia and New Zealand.
"Sunsets" earned a mixed response from reviewers. Some reviewers praised its appeal and aggression, whilst others appreciated the power ballad elements within it. Others, however, described the song negatively as "lumbering". "Sunsets" charted moderately, reaching #11 on the Australian singles chart. (more...)Kylie is the debut album by Australian pop singer Kylie Minogue. It was released by PWL on July 4, 1988, and received mixed reviews. Chris True of All Music Guide described the album's songs as "dated at best", but wrote that Minogue's "cuteness makes these rather vapid tracks bearable". Kylie was a number one album in Australia and the United Kingdom, and it produced three number one singles. In North America the album peaked low on the Billboard charts.
In Australia, the album was re-issued as The Kylie Collection and featured bonus remixes. In January 1989, Kylie was certified six times platinum in the UK, and has sold over eight million copies worldwide as of 2006. (more...)These Days: Live in Concert is a live album by Australian alternative rock band Powderfinger, released as a CD on 6 September 2004, and as a two disc DVD on 4 October 2004.
The album consists of songs performed by Powderfinger in concerts at Sydney Entertainment Centre, and Fox Studios in Sydney. Most of the songs performed are from Powderfinger's prior studio album; Vulture Street. These Days: Live in Concert earned a mixed response from reviewers; some enjoyed the energy and flair of the live performances, while others disliked the lack of dynamism. (more...)Vulture Street is the fifth studio album by Australian alternative rock band Powderfinger, released on 29 July 2003, on Universal Records. Produced by Nick DiDia, Vulture Street was certified platinum, and spent 47 weeks on the ARIA Charts and peaked at #1. Singles from the album included "(Baby I've Got You) On My Mind", "Since You've Been Gone", "Love Your Way" and "Sunsets".
The album received nominations for ARIA Awards in five different categories in 2003, which included "Album of the Year", "Best Group" and "Best Rock Album". Vulture Street also received the award for "Best Cover Art", which featured Czech supermodel Eva Herzigová.
Vulture Street was described by certain critics as "a rawer, louder, but by no means unrefined" album. The title of the album was taken from a street in the Brisbane bohemian inner suburb of West End, Queensland, a city in which all Powderfinger members grew up in. (more...)Double Allergic iis the second studio album by Australian alternative rock band, Powderfinger, released on 2 September 1996 in Australia through Polydor. The album was produced by Australian Tim Whitten, and was widely considered Powderfinger's mainstream breakthrough—it has been certified triple platinum, with over 200,000 copies sold. Double Allergic was also nominated for five ARIA awards, with singles from the album nominated for an additional four, however it didn't win any. (more...)
Parables for Wooden Ears was the debut studio album released by the Australian band Powderfinger. It was released on 18 July 1994 by Polydor Records, after recording at Melbourne's Metropolis Studios in February 1994.
The album was received poorly and failed to chart, or improve Powderfinger's platform after the meager success of its predecessor, Transfusion. Critics complained about its poor imitation of Americana and grunge, as well as its overuse of complex riffs. In a 2004 interview, Powderfinger frontman Bernard Fanning said "God knows what we were on then" in reference to the album. Three singles were released from the album, all of which failed to chart. (more...)"2 Hearts" is a pop rock song performed by Australian singer Kylie Minogue for her tenth studio album, X (2007). The song was originally written and performed by Kish Mauve, who produced Minogue's version. "2 Hearts" was Minogue's first commercial single release since she was diagnosed with breast cancer in May 2005.[1]
The song was released as the album's lead single in November 2007 to mixed reviews from music critics. It was a commercial success, reaching the top forty on the majority of the charts it entered, and topped the Australian and Spanish singles charts. (more...)"Angels Brought Me Here" is a pop song written by Jörgen Elofsson and John Reid for 2003 Australian Idol winner Guy Sebastian, for his first album Just as I Am (2003). Recorded versions were made for both grand finalists, Sebastian and Shannon Noll, with only Sebastian's version officially released by BMG. The single was released in Australia on November 24, 2003, and peaked at number one on the ARIA Singles Chart becoming the fastest selling single on record for both an Australian artist and a debut artist. The single was also popular in New Zealand, topping the RIANZ Singles Chart. (more...)
"Giving You Up" is a dance pop song performed by Australian singer Kylie Minogue for her greatest hits album, Ultimate Kylie (2004). The song was written by Miranda Cooper, Brian Higgins, Tim Powell, Lisa Cowling, Paul Woods, Nick Coler, and Kylie Minogue and produced by Brian Higgins and Xenomania.
"Giving You Up" was released as the album's second single in March 2005 to mixed reviews from music critics. It was a commercial success, reaching the top forty on the majority of the charts it entered, topping the Portuguese singles chart. In Australia, "Giving You Up" was released with "Made of Glass" as a double A-side. (More...)Enjoy Yourself is the second album by Australian pop singer Kylie Minogue. It was released by PWL on October 9, 1989, and received mixed reviews. Chris True of All Music Guide described the album's songs as "catchy stuff", and called Enjoy Yourself a "good companion to her debut". Rolling Stone reviewer Arion Berger gave the album one out of five stars and called it "inept".
Enjoy Yourself reached number one in the United Kingdom, and produced two number one singles. In January 1990, the album was certified four times platinum in the UK, and sold over one million copies within the first ten weeks of its release. (More...)Pick Up the Pace is the debut EP by Australian alternative rock band The Predators. It was released on 1 July 2006 through Dew Process and Universal Music Australia. The EP was produced after Powderfinger entered a hiatus, and several of its band members sought work with side projects. Following the release of Pick Up the Pace, The Predators embarked on a minor tour around Australia, including a performance at Splendour in the Grass, before officially going on hiatus, around the time Powderfinger reformed. (More...)
Jon Coghill (born Jonathan James Coghill on 26 August 1971) is an Australian drummer best known for his work with Australian rock band, Powderfinger, although he has also toured with Regurgitator. Coghill replaced Powderfinger's original drummer Steven Bishop in 1991 when Bishop wanted to pursue further studies. At this time, Powderfinger had not made any recordings, and as such, Coghill has been the group's drummer for all of their releases. (More...)
"My Happiness" is a song from Powderfinger's fourth studio album Odyssey Number Five. It was released as a single on 21 August 2000 in Australia. An international single was released on 28 May 2001, with promotional singles also released in the same year.
"My Happiness" was Powderfinger's strongest charting single to date, reaching #4 on the ARIA Charts, and charting on the Hot Modern Rock Tracks - the first Powderfinger song to do so. It received a mixed response from critics, but nonetheless won "Single of the Year" and "Song of the Year" at the 2001 ARIA Awards and APRA Awards, respectively. The song also topped the Triple J Hottest 100 in 2000. (More...)"Lost and Running" is a song by Australian rock group Powderfinger. It was released as the first single from the group's sixth studio album Dream Days at the Hotel Existence. It is the band's twenty-second single and peaked at #5 on the Australian chart, the group's second highest charting single after "My Happiness". It made its radio debut on 13 April on Triple J and was released to wide radio play and the band's MySpace on 16 April 2007. The single was officially released on 12 May 2007. (More...)
Bernard Fanning (born 15 August 1969 in Brisbane, Australia) is a musician and singer-songwriter. He is best known as the lead singer and frontman of Australian alternative rock band Powderfinger since 1989.
Born and raised in Toowong, Brisbane, Fanning was taught the piano by his mother at an early age. At the age of 15, while attending St. Joseph's College, Gregory Terrace, Fanning began writing music, and upon graduating from St. Joseph's, moved on to the University of Queensland, where he studied journalism for a short time. He would go on to drop out to pursue a music career, after meeting Ian Haug in an economics class. Fanning joined Haug, John Collins, and Steven Bishop, who had recently formed Powderfinger, and took the role of lead singer. Over the next 15 years, the band would release five studio albums, and achieve mainstream success in Australia. During Powderfinger's hiatus in 2005, Fanning begun his solo music career with the studio album Tea & Sympathy. Powderfinger then reunited and released a sixth studio album.
While Powderfinger's style focuses on alternative rock, Fanning's solo music is generally described as a mixture of blues and acoustic folk. A multi-instrumentalist, Fanning plays guitar, piano, keyboards and harmonica, both when performing solo and also with Powderfinger. Often speaking out against Australian political figures, Fanning has donated much of his time to philanthropic causes. He is an advocate for Aboriginal affairs in Australia. (More...)"Nobody Sees" is a song by Powderfinger from their sixth album Dream Days at the Hotel Existence. It is the third single from the album and was released in Australia on 1 December 2007. The announcement that it would be released as a single came at the same time as releasing the music video to the internet on the official Universal Records website. Despite positive critical response, the song failed to chart due to lack of radioplay and promotion. (more...)
"Black Tears" is a song by Australian alternative rock band Powderfinger, from their sixth studio album Dream Days at the Hotel Existence. The song is an acoustic ballad in a folk music style, beginning with one guitar and a lead vocal, later introducing a guitar with a synthesised effect from the first chorus. Following the Dream Days at the Hotel Existence release, live versions of the song have been released on other recordings.
The song did not cause the release of the album to be delayed, despite claims that the song's lyrics could interfere with the 2004 Palm Island death in custody case. (more...)The Wiggles is a children's musical group formed in Sydney, Australia, in 1991. It was founded by Anthony Field, Murray Cook, Greg Page, and Jeff Fatt. The group has achieved worldwide success with its children's albums, videos, television series and concert appearances. According to Business Review Weekly, The Wiggles were Australia's "richest entertainers" for the year 2005, earning more than AC/DC and Nicole Kidman combined. In 2006, it was reported that they earned AUS$50 million.
The Wiggles combine music and child development research in their videos, television programmes, and live shows. Field and Fatt were members of the Australian pub rock band The Cockroaches in the 1980s, and Cook was a member of several bands before meeting Field and Page at Macquarie University, where they were studying to become pre-school teachers. A school project led to the recording of their first album and tour in 1991. Their basic act expanded to include other characters (Captain Feathersword, Dorothy the Dinosaur, Henry the Octopus, and Wags the Dog) and a troupe of dancers.
By 2002, The Wiggles became the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's most successful pre-school property. The group also began to franchise The Wiggles' concepts to other countries, developed Wiggles sections in amusement parks in Australia and America, and won several awards from the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) and the Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA). In 2006, founding member Page was forced to retire from the group and was replaced by former dancer Sam Moran. (more...)Thirsty Merc is an Australian pop rock band, originating in 2002 in Dubbo, Australia, and current residing in Sydney. The band consists of Rai Thistlethwayte (vocals), Phil Stack (bass guitar), Karl Robertson (drums), and Sean Carey (guitar).
Thirsty Merc's debut EP, First Work, caused Warner Music Australia to take note of the band, and they have since released two albums on the label; Thirsty Merc and Slideshows. The band have also toured around Australia and New Zealand, including a tour with Australian band Evermore. They were nominated for four ARIA Awards in 2005. (more...)
Silverchair is an Australian alternative rock/post-grunge band. The band formed as "Innocent Criminals" in Newcastle, Australia in 1992, with their current lineup of vocalist and guitarist Daniel Johns, bass guitarist Chris Joannou, and drummer Ben Gillies.
Silverchair found early success when one of their first songs, "Tomorrow", won a local music competition run by Australian radio station Triple J. The band were soon signed by Sony Music Australia, and released albums to success and acclaim in Australia and overseas. They have won 19 ARIA Awards and have sold five platinum albums in Australia.
In 2003, following the release of Diorama, the band announced a hiatus, during which time several band members partook in projects with side projects The Dissociatives, The Mess Hall, and Tambalane. Silverchair reunited at the Wave Aid concerts, and released Young Modern in 2007. (more...)
Hoodoo Gurus (referred to as the Gurus by fans) are an Australian rock band, formed in Sydney in 1981, by the mainstay Dave Faulkner (songwriter, lead singer and guitarist) and later joined by Richard Grossman (bass), Mark Kingsmill (drums), and Brad Shepherd (guitar, vocals, harmonica). Their popularity peaked in the mid to late 1980s with albums Mars Needs Guitars!, Blow Your Cool! and Magnum Cum Louder displaying their New Wave style.
Hoodoo Gurus had a string of acclaimed pop-rock singles including "Leilani" (1982), "Tojo" (1983), "My Girl" (1983), "I Want You Back" (1984), "Bittersweet", "Like Wow - Wipeout!", and "What's My Scene?". After touring the United States from 1984 onwards they gained popularity on the U.S. college rock circuit[2] with singles "Come Anytime" (1989) reaching #1 and "Miss Freelove '69" (1991) reaching #3 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks. Gurus’ best-performed Australian single was their 1987 Top 3 hit song "What's My Scene?" or, as modified for the National Rugby League 2000s theme, "That's My Team".
Hoodoo Gurus iconic status on the Australian rock scene was acknowledged when they were inducted into the 2007 ARIA Hall of Fame. Their induction announcement stated that the Gurus were one of the most "inventive, lyrically smart and exciting" bands from Australia. From 1960s power pop, and wild garage punk to hard driving rock and funky psychedelic kitsch their music stood out from Sydney's Detroit-inspired bands. (more...)
Darren Middleton (born 4 October 1971 in Sydney, Australia) is an Australian guitarist, best known as one of two lead guitarists for alternative rock band Powderfinger. He is also the lead singer for Drag.
Middleton began guitar in high school, influenced by Twisted Sister and AC/DC, and began playing in clubs around his hometown of Brisbane as part of his first band, Sonic Tapestry. He went on to form another band, Pirate, with high school friends, and met Powderfinger at a Pirate show. He was invited to join the band, and did so. Middleton took part in all of Powderfinger's recordings, at the same time writing and releasing an EP and studio album with Drag. (more...)Australian Crawl (often called The Crawl by fans) was an Australian rock band founded by James Reyne (lead vocals/piano), Brad Robinson (rhythm guitar), Paul Williams (bass guitar), Simon Binks (lead guitar) and David Reyne (drums) in 1978. David Reyne soon left and was replaced by Bill McDonough (drums, percussion). They were later joined by his brother Guy McDonough (vocals, rhythm guitar). The band was named after the front crawl swimming style also known as the Australian crawl.
Australian Crawl appeared to perform only hedonistic surf music, they represented the 1980s surf culture and sponsored a surfing competition in 1984. However, they also handled broader social issues such as shallow materialism, car accidents, and cautionary tales of romance.
After their 1980 debut album, The Boys Light Up reached #4, Australian Crawl had two #1 albums; 1981's Sirocco and 1982's Sons of Beaches. Their early singles reached the top 25 but none broke into the Top Ten; their best performing single was #1 hit "Reckless" which showed a more mature approach than earlier hits, and came from their 1983 Semantics EP.
Upheaval within the band occurred from 1983 onwards, first Bill McDonough left, then his brother Guy McDonough died in 1984, various other members left. Their 1985 release Between a Rock and a Hard Place was expensive but sales were disappointing; and they disbanded early in 1986. The band's status as an icon on the Australian music scene was acknowledged by induction into the 1996 Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) Hall of Fame. (more...)Taxiride is an Australian rock band. Formed in 1997, the band consists of lead singer Jason Singh, guitarists Dan Hall and Tim Wild, and drummer Sean McLeod.
Prior to formation, the four founding members of Taxiride—Singh, Wild, Hall, and Tim Watson—had been playing in cover bands around Melbourne. The quartet recorded an EP, which a taxi-driving friend of theirs helped promote. They took their name from the experience had by passengers hearing their music on a taxi ride. After their music was heard by an executive from record label Warner, the band signed a contract, and released their debut album, Imaginate in 1999; this was followed by 2002's Garage Mahal. Both albums were certified platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Released in 2005, Axiomatic did not follow in the success of its predecessors.
Taxiride's musical style has changed significantly over the course of their career—what started as a pop/pub rock band on their first two albums moved to a much more heavy sound on later works. Throughout their history, the band has had multiple lead singers and songwriters on the majority of their songs. (more...)
