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| Title: |
Baby I'm Getting Better |
| Artist: |
Gyroscope |
| Writers: |
Daniel Sanders/Robert Nassif/Brad Campbell/Zoran Trivic |
| Publisher: |
Mushroom Music Pty Ltd |
In 2004, Perth band Gyroscope released their first album Sound Shattering Sound which peaked at number 37 on the ARIA charts. They followed up a year later with Are You Involved? which debuted at Number 20 on the ARIA charts. Their third effort Breed Obsession in 2008 peaked at Number 1 on the ARIA Album Charts and achieved Gold certification and an ARIA nomination.
Gyroscope released their fourth studio album Cohesion in 2010, which reached Number 3 on the ARIA charts. The album was recorded in Rockfield (UK), in a studio of the same name, the oldest residential studio in the world, with an awe-inspiring history - including the recording of Bohemian Rhapsody (Queen), What’s the Story Morning Glory (Oasis), and albums from Coldplay, Black Sabbath and The Stone Roses.
“Baby I’m Getting Better” is the second single from Cohesion. With a driving rhythm and ideally weighted pop-rock vocals, this tune’s humble beginnings as a laid-back country ditty is crafted into one of the most uplifting and energising moments of Cohesion.
“The early demos are a lot more country, with slide guitar and harmonica,” says lead guitarist Zoran Trivic. “This was one of the songs Gil (Norton, Producer) conducted during preproduction. And it came together in the studio in about 30 minutes.”
The accompanying video was filmed using a concept known as live stop motion and saw the Perth based band taking in Sydney sites including Newtown’s famous Gould’s Book Store, Carriageworks, the Watson’s Bay Lighthouse and St Vincent’s Hospital.
www.gyroscope.com.au
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| Title: |
Burn Your Name |
| Artist: |
Powderfinger |
| Writers: |
Jonathan Coghill/John Collins/Bernard Fanning/Ian Haug/Darren Middleton |
| Publisher: |
Universal Music Publishing MGB Australia Pty Ltd |
Powderfinger’s final album Golden Rule was recorded in Byron Bay on the New South Wales north coast and was met with an impressive debut at Number 1 on the ARIA Albums chart. The album saw the band reunite with US producer Nick Didia who worked with them on some of their most successful albums, The Internationalist, Odyssey Number Five and Vulture Street.
This was a fitting reflection of their stellar career so far which had spanned 21 years, eight albums (five of them reaching Number 1 on the ARIA charts), 16 ARIA Music Awards and produced the classic tracks “Pick You Up”, “D.A.F”, “The Day You Come”, “My Kind of Scene” and “Lost and Running”.
The first single from Golden Rule was released to radio in September 2009, and was titled "All of the Dreamers" and was voted in at Number 49 in Triple J’s Hottest 100 for 2009. They followed up with “Burn Your Name”, in December, just before they began touring at the 2010 Big Day Out. The third single from the album, “Sail The Widest Stretch”, was released in April 2010.
Also in April 2010, Powderfinger announced they would disband as a touring and recording band following their Sunsets Farewell Tour.
On 25 January 2011, the band released a previously unreleased song as a fundraiser for the Premier's Flood Appeal as a result of the major flooding in the band's home state of Queensland. The song, "I'm on your side" was released through the band's website with all proceeds going towards the cause.
Previous APRA Music Awards:
2000 - Song of the Year Passenger - Jonathan Coghill / John Collins / Ian Haug / Darren Middleton / Bernard Fanning
2001 - Song of the Year My Happiness - Jonathan Coghill / John Collins / Ian Haug / Darren Middleton / Bernard Fanning
2004 - Songwriters of the Year - Jonathan Coghill / John Collins / Ian Haug / Darren Middleton / Bernard Fanning
www.powderfinger.com/
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| Title: |
Lying |
| Artist: |
Amy Meredith |
| Writers: |
Joel Chapman/Robert Conley/Christian Lo Russo |
| Publisher: |
Sony/ATV Music Publishing Australia Pty Ltd |
The Amy Meredith fire was lit when singer, keyboardist and songwriter Christian Lo Russo found common musical ground with local guitarists Joel Chapman and Cam Laing and bassist Wade Osborn. Enlisting drummer Kosta Theodosis, the creative spark spread like wildfire. With an eclectic love of music, from The Beatles to The Cure and The Smiths, the quartet found their feet in synth-driven melodic rock that would evolve over the years but retain a core sound all their own.
After just two shows and half a dozen songs penned, the quintet found themselves pursued by A&R from every major label, plus imprints and management teams. Eventually signing a progressive deal with Tsubi/Ksubi and jetting to the US to showcase their wares, Amy Meredith returned home and took a step back on their path to global domination. They left the label, released a set-up self-titled EP and retreated from the spotlight to focus on writing great tunes.
In October 2009, Amy Meredith released their debut single “Pornstar”, which peaked at Number 65 on the ARIA Singles Chart. In March 2010 they released their second single, “Lying”, which peaked at Number 10 making it their first Top 10 single to date. In 2010, “Lying” was used as the station ident for the TV series Lie To Me, and “Young At Heart” was used for Home and Away.
Their debut album, Restless was released in July 2010 and reached Number 8 on the ARIA Albums Chart. In 2010 the band received two ARIA nominations: Breakthrough Artist and Most Popular Australian Artist.
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| Title: |
Plans |
| Artist: |
Birds of Tokyo |
| Writers: |
Anthony Jackson/Ian Kenny/Adam Spark/Adam Weston |
| Publisher: |
Mushroom Music Pty Ltd |
“Plans” was the second single from the self-titled Birds of Tokyo - the group’s third studio album. The single peaked at Number 11 on the ARIA singles chart, and was their first ever single to hit Top 50 in Australia. Birds of Tokyo also performed this song at the 2010 ARIA Music Awards, where the song was nominated for Single of the Year. The track was also voted in at Number 4 in Triple J’s Hottest 100 Countdown for 2010 and has achieved double Platinum sales status in Australia.
In an interview with Triple J, front man Ian Kenny said regarding the song:
"When you're writing records, every now and then you come across a bit of a stone in the road in the writing process, and you start questioning things. “Plans” just wasn't coming together the way we thought it should, so we put the song down for a bit, and when we returned to it — I don't remember what we did differently — it came together. We got the demo and went, 'Yep, that's got something in its guts.’”
The band’s album, Birds of Tokyo, gave them their highest ever chart debut and was certified Gold in its first month of release. The disc debuted at #1 on the Australian Independent charts and came within a whisker of toppling Eminem from the top of the national Top 100 rankings thanks to the group’s first genuine hit single, “Plans,” which was ensconced in the continent’s iTunes’ Top 10.
The album was recorded in Sydney, Gothenburg and New York City, with producer Scott Horscroft (Silverchair, The Presets, Sleepy Jackson) and mixer Michael Brauer (Coldplay, My Morning Jacket, Phoenix) along with guitarist Adam Spark, who served as one of the album’s producers.
Birds of Tokyo’s debut album Day One reached Number 3 on the AIR charts and spent 36 weeks in the Top 10. In 2008 they followed up with Universes, which hit Number 3 on the ARIA albums chart. Their latest effort Birds of Tokyo topped that, peaking at Number 2.
In March 2011 the band announced bass player Anthony Jackson parted ways with the band.
www.birdsoftokyo.com
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| Title: |
Seventeen |
| Artist: |
Jet |
| Writers: |
Chris Cester/Nick Cester/Cameron Muncey |
| Publisher: |
Universal Music Publishing Pty Ltd |
Jet first gained notoriety in 2002 with their self-released EP, Dirty Sweet. Just months after they landed the coveted opening slot on the Rolling Stones’ Australian tour Jet released the critically acclaimed Get Born. That album produced the runaway hit single “Are You Gonna Be My Girl,” spurred by its inclusion in the second ever iTunes ad and was the catalyst for record sales that hit 4 million. With this recording, JET swept the Australian Record Industry Association awards with seven nominations and six wins including Album and Single of the Year.
As JET began working on Shine On, Nic and Chris Cester were felled by the tragic loss of their father, who inspired the album’s title track. Shine On debuted at Number 16 on the U.S. charts and at Number 3 on the Australian charts. While garnering mixed critical reviews, Shine On was praised by numerous publications. Q Magazine called it as "new old rock at its finest” and New Musical Express best summed it up by noting, “If you get a kick out of glorious, ragged old rock 'n' roll, then you'll consider it essential.”
2009’s Shaka Rock reveals new dimensions of JET while never losing the raw roots of Get Born or the grace and melody of Shine On, which together went on to make JET an international band of style and substance. In the writing and recording of Shaka Rock, which took place in Miami, Brooklyn, Austin, Sydney and Melbourne, the band worked hard to create 12 finely crafted tracks that owe as much to JET’s past as to their future. The band also stepped up to the plate in the studio, working side by side as co-producers with Chris “Frenchie” Smith to ensure that Shaka Rock would live up to their own expectations.
"Seventeen" was released as the third single from Shaka Rock in April 2010, climbing up to Number 31 on the Australian Singles Chart in its 5th week on the chart. In October 2010 it was certified Gold in Australia with shipments of over 35 000 copies.
Previous APRA Music Awards:
2005 - Songwriter of the Year - Jet - Nicholas Cester / Cameron Muncey / Chris Cester
2005 - Most Performed Australian Work Overseas Are You Gonna Be My Girl - Nicholas Cester / Cameron Muncey
2006 - Most Performed Australian Work Overseas Are You Gonna Be My Girl - Nicholas Cester / Cameron Muncey
2007 - Most Performed Australian Work Overseas Are You Gonna Be My Girl - Nicholas Cester / Cameron Muncey
www.jettheband.com