78 Saab (band)
Encyclopedia
78 Saab are an Australian rock band
, composed of Ben Nash (Vocals/Guitar), Jake Andrews (Guitar), Garth Tregillgas (Bass) and Nicholai Danko (Drums). The band has been quoted as being influenced by acts such as Rolling Stones, R.E.M.
and The Church
. Starting out in Canberra
, ACT, they have been based in Sydney
, NSW, since early 1997.
in the summer of 1995-6 by Ben Nash, Garth Tregillgas and the since departed Darren Smith and Christovac Thompson. To get some gigging experience they entered the Australian National Campus Band Competition in 1996, with the name being picked at the last minute to complete the entry form.
"I used to own a 1978 Saab
which I bought off my grandparents for around a thousand bucks when I was at university" explains Nash. "Anyway, we entered a band competition and we had about 3 hours to come up with a name. '78 Saab' got thrown in the ring and for better or worse we've stuck with that name."
At the time the major sponsor of the competition was Sydney label Troy Horse, a recording and rehearsal studio with a record company attached. First prize included an EP to be recorded and released by Troy Horse and a tour of Australian university campuses. On only their 7th live performance, 78 Saab won the competition and proceeded to record their debut EP, Eastwards By Removal.
After its release in 1997, the band prepared for a run of 35 dates to promote the EP. Before the tour began however, Jake Andrews joined the band as lead guitarist after Darren Smith made the decision not to tour.
With the tour finished, Christovac Thompson left 78 Saab and Nicholai Danko (whom the band had met during the campus tour) replaced him on drums.
. Though the label was initially created to release recordings by the company's founders, 78 Saab were the first band to give them notoriety in a purely management role - a foundation on which Winterman & Goldstein would later achieve international success with The Vines
and Jet
.
Among the first releases on Ivy League were 78 Saab's "Whatever Makes You Happy" single and their second EP, entitled Hello Believers. A later re-pressing featured all seven songs from both recordings. Hello Believers also featured Robert F. Cranny
on additional keyboards, who later went on to work with Sydney artist Sarah Blasko
. Though not a full length release, Hello Believers was listed at #93 in the Oz Music Project's Top 100 Australian Albums of the 90s.
In 1999, 78 Saab began working on their debut album with producer Tim Whitten
(Powderfinger
, Gaslight Radio
) at Sydney's Megaphon Studios, recording the song "Sunshine" as the first single. The remainder of the album was recorded with Greg Wales at Hothouse Studios in St Kilda
, Victoria. Picture a Hum, Can't Hear a Sound, was released in 2000 on Ivy League Records, and received significant airplay on radio station Triple J
, with "Sunshine", "Karma Package Deal", "Smile" and "Jack Frost" all achieving high rotation. Tregillgas was credited as G. Surls on the album and Cranny again featured on keyboards. It is currently out of print, though the band are seeking to make it available on iTunes
.
The band's second album, Crossed Lines
, was released in October 2004, also recorded by Tim Whitten
at Megaphon. Having reverted to their original four piece line-up, the album featured more of their signature alternative rock
songs, accompanied by more epic, dream pop
-influenced numbers.
Singles from the album included "Beat of Your Drum" and "No Illusions", which would give the band its biggest taste of commercial radio play to date.
78 Saab's third album, The Bells Line
, recorded this time by Wayne Connolly
, was released by Ivy league Records on September 29, 2007. The album's title and chief inspiration was described by Nash as coming from the long drives between his Sydney home and his parent's farm near Orange, New South Wales
. Bells Line of Road is the name of the original, pre-freeway road that runs from the outer suburbs of Sydney over the Blue Mountains. "One of These Days" and "Drive" from the album again provided the band with national radio exposure.
78 Saab have recently recorded their fourth album, Good Fortune, released on October 15, 2010. Again recorded by Tim Whitten, the band consider it their finest work so far.
from Magic Dirt
and performed live with her during the "Tough Love" tour, which featured 78 Saab supporting Magic Dirt
.
Drummer Nicholai Danko has performed live with Tucker B's
, For Fuck's Sakes and The Cops
. He has also recorded with Josh Pyke
and Sarah Blasko
, with whom he played live in 2003.
In 2009, Garth Tregillgas played bass on three songs for Sydney band Wifey on their "Salt Sugar Fat" EP. Earlier in 2010 he played acoustic & electric guitar with Bruno Brayovic from Peabody
at a solo performance.
Rock Band
Rock Band is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems, published by MTV Games and Electronic Arts. It is the first title in the Rock Band series. The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions were released in the United States on November 20, 2007, while the PlayStation 2 version was...
, composed of Ben Nash (Vocals/Guitar), Jake Andrews (Guitar), Garth Tregillgas (Bass) and Nicholai Danko (Drums). The band has been quoted as being influenced by acts such as Rolling Stones, R.E.M.
R.E.M.
R.E.M. was an American rock band formed in Athens, Georgia, in 1980 by singer Michael Stipe, guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills and drummer Bill Berry. One of the first popular alternative rock bands, R.E.M. gained early attention due to Buck's ringing, arpeggiated guitar style and Stipe's...
and The Church
The Church (band)
The Church is an Australian rock band formed in Sydney in 1980. Initially associated with new wave and the neo-psychedelic sound of the mid 1980s, their music later became more reminiscent of progressive rock, featuring long instrumental jams and complex guitar interplay...
. Starting out in Canberra
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
, ACT, they have been based in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, NSW, since early 1997.
Early years
The band was formed at the Australian National UniversityAustralian National University
The Australian National University is a teaching and research university located in the Australian capital, Canberra.As of 2009, the ANU employs 3,945 administrative staff who teach approximately 10,000 undergraduates, and 7,500 postgraduate students...
in the summer of 1995-6 by Ben Nash, Garth Tregillgas and the since departed Darren Smith and Christovac Thompson. To get some gigging experience they entered the Australian National Campus Band Competition in 1996, with the name being picked at the last minute to complete the entry form.
"I used to own a 1978 Saab
Saab Automobile
Saab Automobile AB, better known as Saab , is a Swedish car manufacturer owned by Dutch automobile manufacturer Swedish Automobile NV, formerly Spyker Cars NV. It is the exclusive automobile Royal Warrant holder as appointed by the King of Sweden...
which I bought off my grandparents for around a thousand bucks when I was at university" explains Nash. "Anyway, we entered a band competition and we had about 3 hours to come up with a name. '78 Saab' got thrown in the ring and for better or worse we've stuck with that name."
At the time the major sponsor of the competition was Sydney label Troy Horse, a recording and rehearsal studio with a record company attached. First prize included an EP to be recorded and released by Troy Horse and a tour of Australian university campuses. On only their 7th live performance, 78 Saab won the competition and proceeded to record their debut EP, Eastwards By Removal.
After its release in 1997, the band prepared for a run of 35 dates to promote the EP. Before the tour began however, Jake Andrews joined the band as lead guitarist after Darren Smith made the decision not to tour.
With the tour finished, Christovac Thompson left 78 Saab and Nicholai Danko (whom the band had met during the campus tour) replaced him on drums.
Recordings
78 Saab were among the first bands to work with Winterman & Goldstein, a management company that started their own label, Ivy League RecordsIvy League Records
For other uses of the term Ivy League see Ivy League Ivy League Records is a record label based in Sydney, Australia.Associated with the music management company Winterman & Goldstein and Ivy League Music publishing, Ivy League is the creation of Cameron Emerson-Elliot , Peter Lusty and James Roden...
. Though the label was initially created to release recordings by the company's founders, 78 Saab were the first band to give them notoriety in a purely management role - a foundation on which Winterman & Goldstein would later achieve international success with The Vines
The Vines
https://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/Special:LandingCheck?landing_page=L11_1121_WMUK_Jimmy_DDOptimised&utm_medium=sitenotice&utm_campaign=C11_1121_WMUK_DDvOneOff&utm_source=B11_1121_WMUK_Jimmy&language=en&country=GB...
and Jet
Jet (band)
Jet are an Australian rock band formed in 2001 while attending St Bede's College Mentone in Melbourne, . The band consists of lead guitarist Cameron Muncey, bassist Mark Wilson, and brothers Nic and Chris Cester on vocals/rhythm guitar and drums respectively...
.
Among the first releases on Ivy League were 78 Saab's "Whatever Makes You Happy" single and their second EP, entitled Hello Believers. A later re-pressing featured all seven songs from both recordings. Hello Believers also featured Robert F. Cranny
Robert F. Cranny
Robert Francis Cranny is a musician, songwriter and record producer based in Sydney, Australia.-Collaboration with Sarah Blasko:Robert F...
on additional keyboards, who later went on to work with Sydney artist Sarah Blasko
Sarah Blasko
Sarah Elizabeth Blaskow , is an Australian singer-songwriter and musician. After fronting Sydney-based band Acquiesce from the mid-1990s, Blasko developed her solo career from 2002. In 2007, she won the 'Best Pop Release' for What the Sea Wants, the Sea Will Have at the ARIA Music Awards, which...
. Though not a full length release, Hello Believers was listed at #93 in the Oz Music Project's Top 100 Australian Albums of the 90s.
In 1999, 78 Saab began working on their debut album with producer Tim Whitten
Tim Whitten
Tim Whitten is an Australian record producer, audio engineer, and mixer. He has worked with numerous successful Australian musicians, in a career spanning 1990—present. Whitten's first recording was Boxcar's Vertigo, where he joined Adrian Bolland as engineer...
(Powderfinger
Powderfinger
Powderfinger was an Australian rock band that formed in Brisbane in 1989. From 1992 until their breakup the band lineup consisted of vocalist Bernard Fanning, guitarists Darren Middleton and Ian Haug, bassist John Collins, and drummer Jon Coghill....
, Gaslight Radio
Gaslight Radio
Gaslight Radio is an Australian guitar band, originally from the Gold Coast and now based in Melbourne. The band was founded by two brothers, Martin and Rory Cooke, in their home town of Burleigh Heads on Queensland's Gold Coast.-Albums:...
) at Sydney's Megaphon Studios, recording the song "Sunshine" as the first single. The remainder of the album was recorded with Greg Wales at Hothouse Studios in St Kilda
St Kilda, Victoria
St Kilda is an inner city suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 6 km south from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Port Phillip...
, Victoria. Picture a Hum, Can't Hear a Sound, was released in 2000 on Ivy League Records, and received significant airplay on radio station Triple J
Triple J
triple j is a nationally networked Australian radio station intended to appeal to listeners between the ages of 18 and 30. The government-funded station is a division of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation...
, with "Sunshine", "Karma Package Deal", "Smile" and "Jack Frost" all achieving high rotation. Tregillgas was credited as G. Surls on the album and Cranny again featured on keyboards. It is currently out of print, though the band are seeking to make it available on iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
.
The band's second album, Crossed Lines
Crossed Lines (album)
Crossed Lines is the second album by Australian rock band 78 Saab. It was released in October, 2004.-Track listing:All tracks written by Ben Nash and 78 Saab, except where noted# "No Illusions" – 3:36# "Cops" – 3:42# "Beat of Your Drum" – 3:55...
, was released in October 2004, also recorded by Tim Whitten
Tim Whitten
Tim Whitten is an Australian record producer, audio engineer, and mixer. He has worked with numerous successful Australian musicians, in a career spanning 1990—present. Whitten's first recording was Boxcar's Vertigo, where he joined Adrian Bolland as engineer...
at Megaphon. Having reverted to their original four piece line-up, the album featured more of their signature alternative rock
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
songs, accompanied by more epic, dream pop
Dream pop
Dream pop is a subgenre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom in the mid-1980s, when bands like The Passions, Dif Juz, Lowlife and A.R. Kane began fusing post-punk and ethereal experiments with bittersweet pop melodies into dreamy, sensual soundscapes. The term was almost...
-influenced numbers.
Singles from the album included "Beat of Your Drum" and "No Illusions", which would give the band its biggest taste of commercial radio play to date.
78 Saab's third album, The Bells Line
The Bells Line
The Bells Line is the third album by Australian rock band 78 Saab. It was released in 2007.The three-year gap between albums was described in one newspaper story as a source of consternation for the band: "Nash says it stems from a combination of laziness and the need to juggle day jobs to pay the...
, recorded this time by Wayne Connolly
Wayne Connolly
Wayne Connolly is an Australian producer/engineer and musician. Throughout the 1990s Connolly played in Sydney band The Welcome Mat, who released a series of critically acclaimed albums and EPs through Waterfront Records and id/Mercury...
, was released by Ivy league Records on September 29, 2007. The album's title and chief inspiration was described by Nash as coming from the long drives between his Sydney home and his parent's farm near Orange, New South Wales
Orange, New South Wales
Orange is a city in the Central West region of New South Wales, Australia. It is west of the state capital, Sydney, at an altitude of . Orange has an estimated population of 39,329 and the city is a major provincial centre....
. Bells Line of Road is the name of the original, pre-freeway road that runs from the outer suburbs of Sydney over the Blue Mountains. "One of These Days" and "Drive" from the album again provided the band with national radio exposure.
78 Saab have recently recorded their fourth album, Good Fortune, released on October 15, 2010. Again recorded by Tim Whitten, the band consider it their finest work so far.
Other Projects
Ben Nash has collaborated with Adalita SrsenAdalita Srsen
Adalita Srsen is an Australian rock musician, known best as a founding member of rock band Magic Dirt.-Early life and childhood:Adalita was born in Geelong, Australia on 25 February 1971. She told Rolling Stone magazine in 2003 that her father, a Croatian cabaret performer, named her after a...
from Magic Dirt
Magic Dirt
Magic Dirt are an Australian rock band, which formed in 1991 in Geelong, Victoria, with Daniel Herring on guitar, Adam Robertson on drums, Adalita Srsen on vocals and guitar, and Dean Turner on bass guitar. Initially known as Deer Bubbles and then The Jim Jims, they were renamed as Magic Dirt in...
and performed live with her during the "Tough Love" tour, which featured 78 Saab supporting Magic Dirt
Magic Dirt
Magic Dirt are an Australian rock band, which formed in 1991 in Geelong, Victoria, with Daniel Herring on guitar, Adam Robertson on drums, Adalita Srsen on vocals and guitar, and Dean Turner on bass guitar. Initially known as Deer Bubbles and then The Jim Jims, they were renamed as Magic Dirt in...
.
Drummer Nicholai Danko has performed live with Tucker B's
Tucker B's
Tucker B's are an Australian band originally from Perth but have been based in Sydney since 2005.-History:The Tucker B’s were formed at the end of 1994 by Matt Rudas and Andrew Houston, performing their first gig together at the Harbourside in Fremantle. In 1995, with the addition of Sean Pezzali,...
, For Fuck's Sakes and The Cops
The Cops (band)
The Cops were formed in late 2003 by songwriter Simon Carter and bass player/keyboardist Rebecca Darwon in Sydney, New South Wales.-Biography:...
. He has also recorded with Josh Pyke
Josh Pyke
Josh Pyke is an Australian singer-songwriting musician.-Beginnings and Feeding the Wolves :Josh Pyke was in his first band by age 12 and played his first performance in front of 650 parents and students at his primary school graduation. Playing guitar and initial song writing efforts came aged 14...
and Sarah Blasko
Sarah Blasko
Sarah Elizabeth Blaskow , is an Australian singer-songwriter and musician. After fronting Sydney-based band Acquiesce from the mid-1990s, Blasko developed her solo career from 2002. In 2007, she won the 'Best Pop Release' for What the Sea Wants, the Sea Will Have at the ARIA Music Awards, which...
, with whom he played live in 2003.
In 2009, Garth Tregillgas played bass on three songs for Sydney band Wifey on their "Salt Sugar Fat" EP. Earlier in 2010 he played acoustic & electric guitar with Bruno Brayovic from Peabody
Peabody (band)
Peabody are an Australian four-piece rock band. Forming in Sydney in the mid-90s, the then three-piece Peabody ingrained themselves in the live music scene of Inner-city Sydney...
at a solo performance.
Discography
- Picture a Hum, Can't Hear a Sound (2000)
- Crossed LinesCrossed Lines (album)Crossed Lines is the second album by Australian rock band 78 Saab. It was released in October, 2004.-Track listing:All tracks written by Ben Nash and 78 Saab, except where noted# "No Illusions" – 3:36# "Cops" – 3:42# "Beat of Your Drum" – 3:55...
(October 2004) - The Bells LineThe Bells LineThe Bells Line is the third album by Australian rock band 78 Saab. It was released in 2007.The three-year gap between albums was described in one newspaper story as a source of consternation for the band: "Nash says it stems from a combination of laziness and the need to juggle day jobs to pay the...
(September 2007) - Good Fortune (October 2010)