Pnau
Encyclopedia
Pnau is an Australian dance music
duo originating from Sydney, Australia. The duo consists of musicians Nick Littlemore
(vocals, production) and Peter Mayes
(guitar, production). The pair have achieved multiple successes throughout their career with their award-winning debut album Sambanova
, their universally acclaimed 2008 release Pnau
, their breakthrough side-project Empire of the Sun
, and their multiple chart-topping singles. Pnau is also recognized for their heavily publicized apprenticeship under musician Elton John
, who signed the duo after listening to their record Pnau
. A number of projects featuring Elton's involvement with the band are currently in development, such as Pnau's new album Soft Universe
and an album featuring Pnau recreations of Elton John's hits.
by Nick Littlemore and Peter Mayes. The two met at secondary school and began performing together in the mid-1990s, initially playing acid house and trance music.
In 1999, Pnau released their debut album Sambanova
under the independent label
Peking Duck. It was recorded in a bedroom studio and they only expected to sell a few thousand copies. The album turned out to be a surprise success when it won Best Dance Release at the ARIA Music Awards
. A week later, however, the album was pulled from record stores for using uncleared samples
. In a 2003 interview with The Age
, Mayes recalled that they had no understanding of sample clearances due to their naïveté in the music business. Mayes claimed that the album's recall did seriously affect their commercial sales.
In subsequent years Pnau went on to make many live appearances at music festivals like Big Day Out
in 2001 and Homebake
in 2002. During this time, they garnered a reputation for their lively performances. Amidst this era, Pnau released their second album, Again
in 2003. The album was considered to be a failure and a disappointment among fans and critics alike. Littlemore was later quoted as Again
being "the worst record I’ve ever done". Despite the unfavorable album response, several tracks received considerable acclaim, the most noteworthy being We Love The Fresh Kills which was a significantly popular single for the duo at the time. However, because of Again
s lackluster success the pair parted ways for some time to work with other artist's such as Robbie Williams
, Van She
, and Lost Valentinos
.
When the two reunited in 2007 they wrote over two-hundred songs together and started to lay down an entire album. They sent a work-in-progress track to long-time friend and collaborator Luke Steele, who sent back the track with his own vocals. After receiving the track Littlemore and Mayes decided to scrap everything they had laid down to focus on a more vocally centered album. The track became known as With You Forever and the finalized album was released under the self-titled name Pnau
. The album not only featured vocal work from Luke Steele and Nick Littlemore himself, but also had many guest appearances such as Ladyhawke, Nik Yannika from Lost Valentinos and Michael DeFrancesco from Van She. The album was released to high critical acclaim and gained unexpected favorable attention from Elton John, declaring it to be the greatest record he'd heard in ten years.
Inspired by their track "With You Forever", Pnau began work on a collaboration with Luke Steele. Originally titled Steelemore, Empire of the Sun
made its debut on 4 October 2008 with Walking on a Dream
. Nick Littlemore and Luke Steele took the roles of bandmates, while Peter Mayes assumed the role of producer. Some critics where quick to note that the band sounded more like a work of Pnau than Luke Steele's band The Sleepy Jackson
. Empire of the Sun has achieved international success having been certified 2x platinum in Australia and gold in the United Kingdom, as well as wining eleven ARIA awards. Pnau makes it clear on their Myspace numerous times that not only is Empire of the Sun a side project of theirs, but that they are also the producers.
Regarding Empire of the Sun, in early 2009 news began appearing that Nick Littlemore had disappeared. The reality had been that Nick Littlemore had left Empire of the Sun to begin work on the fourth Pnau album along with Elton John
.
In an interview with The Music Network, Nick stated that Pnau's next album, entitled Soft Universe, is coming out very soon and described it as a very "emotional" album, after the recent break up with his girlfriend. Littlemore sings all the vocals on the album and has co-written tracks with Elton John, fellow Aussie artist Martin Craft and producer Mark Saunders
.
A preview of the first single "The Truth" was posted online on 15 December.
Breakbot's
remix of Pnau's song "Baby" was used in the 2010 racing video game Gran Turismo 5
.
For the last two years, Littlemore has been working as the music director for a new Cirque du Soleil
show, Zarkana
, due to debut in New York in July 2011.
. After shouting gibberish for half an hour, Littlemore decided Pnau would be an appropriate band name.
Another theory on the pronunciation, according to one interview with the pair, is "pah-nyeow". The group has on other occasions explained that the name "rhymes with meow".
Electronic dance music
Electronic dance music is electronic music produced primarily for the purposes of use within a nightclub setting, or in an environment that is centered upon dance-based entertainment...
duo originating from Sydney, Australia. The duo consists of musicians Nick Littlemore
Nick Littlemore
Nick Littlemore is an Australian musician and producer, known as frontman of electronic act Pnau and one part of electro pop-duo Empire of the Sun . He is also member of art-rock band Teenager Nick Littlemore is an Australian musician and producer, known as frontman of electronic act Pnau (with...
(vocals, production) and Peter Mayes
Peter Mayes
Peter Mayes is an Australian musician and producer. He widely known for being a leading member of dance act Pnau. He is long time collaborator with Nick Littlemore and has produced and mixed many of his projects, most notably the platinum selling album Walking on a Dream for Empire of the Sun, and...
(guitar, production). The pair have achieved multiple successes throughout their career with their award-winning debut album Sambanova
Sambanova
Sambanova is the debut album by Australian dance music duo, Pnau, it was released in 1999 on the independent Peking Duck label. However, the album was pulled from record stores due to uncleared samples, Warner Music Australasia re-released it in 2000 with a different tracklisting, and it peaked in...
, their universally acclaimed 2008 release Pnau
Pnau (album)
-Awards:*The song "Wild Strawberries" placed at #100 in the Triple J Hottest 100, 2007*The song "Embrace" placed at #12 in the Triple J Hottest 100, 2008*The song "Baby" placed #54 in the Triple J Hottest 100, 2008-External links:***...
, their breakthrough side-project Empire of the Sun
Empire of the Sun (band)
Empire of the Sun is an Australian electronic music duo that formed in 2008. The duo is composed of Luke Steele of The Sleepy Jackson and Nick Littlemore of Pnau. The two met in 2000 after both being signed to the same record label. Luke and Nick knew that they instantly had a chemistry like no other...
, and their multiple chart-topping singles. Pnau is also recognized for their heavily publicized apprenticeship under musician Elton John
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
, who signed the duo after listening to their record Pnau
Pnau (album)
-Awards:*The song "Wild Strawberries" placed at #100 in the Triple J Hottest 100, 2007*The song "Embrace" placed at #12 in the Triple J Hottest 100, 2008*The song "Baby" placed #54 in the Triple J Hottest 100, 2008-External links:***...
. A number of projects featuring Elton's involvement with the band are currently in development, such as Pnau's new album Soft Universe
Soft Universe
Soft Universe is the fourth LP release of electronic act Pnau. It is currently their highest charting release to date and featured a new "rock-anthem" sound unlike the duo's straightforward electronic dance sound for which they were previously known...
and an album featuring Pnau recreations of Elton John's hits.
Biography
Pnau formed in Sydney, New South WalesNew South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
by Nick Littlemore and Peter Mayes. The two met at secondary school and began performing together in the mid-1990s, initially playing acid house and trance music.
In 1999, Pnau released their debut album Sambanova
Sambanova
Sambanova is the debut album by Australian dance music duo, Pnau, it was released in 1999 on the independent Peking Duck label. However, the album was pulled from record stores due to uncleared samples, Warner Music Australasia re-released it in 2000 with a different tracklisting, and it peaked in...
under the independent label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
Peking Duck. It was recorded in a bedroom studio and they only expected to sell a few thousand copies. The album turned out to be a surprise success when it won Best Dance Release at the ARIA Music Awards
ARIA Music Awards
The Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards is an annual series of awards nights celebrating the Australian music industry, put on by the Australian Recording Industry Association...
. A week later, however, the album was pulled from record stores for using uncleared samples
Sampling (music)
In music, sampling is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or a different sound recording of a song or piece. Sampling was originally developed by experimental musicians working with musique concrète and electroacoustic music, who physically...
. In a 2003 interview with The Age
The Age
The Age is a daily broadsheet newspaper, which has been published in Melbourne, Australia since 1854. Owned and published by Fairfax Media, The Age primarily serves Victoria, but is also available for purchase in Tasmania, the Australian Capital Territory and border regions of South Australia and...
, Mayes recalled that they had no understanding of sample clearances due to their naïveté in the music business. Mayes claimed that the album's recall did seriously affect their commercial sales.
In subsequent years Pnau went on to make many live appearances at music festivals like Big Day Out
Big Day Out
The Big Day Out is an annual music festival held in several cities in Australia and New Zealand in late January. It started in Sydney in 1992, spread to Adelaide, Melbourne and Perth by 1993, with the Gold Coast and Auckland joining in 1994...
in 2001 and Homebake
Homebake
Homebake is an annual Australian rock festival, featuring an all-Australian lineup . The festival was first held on 4 January 1996 at Belongil Fields in Byron Bay, on the far north coast of New South Wales...
in 2002. During this time, they garnered a reputation for their lively performances. Amidst this era, Pnau released their second album, Again
Again (Pnau album)
Again is the second album by Australian dance music duo, Pnau. The album was released in 2003 on Warner Music Australia and reissued in the UK on independent record label Underwater Records.-Track listing:Warner Music Australia version...
in 2003. The album was considered to be a failure and a disappointment among fans and critics alike. Littlemore was later quoted as Again
Again (Pnau album)
Again is the second album by Australian dance music duo, Pnau. The album was released in 2003 on Warner Music Australia and reissued in the UK on independent record label Underwater Records.-Track listing:Warner Music Australia version...
being "the worst record I’ve ever done". Despite the unfavorable album response, several tracks received considerable acclaim, the most noteworthy being We Love The Fresh Kills which was a significantly popular single for the duo at the time. However, because of Again
Again (Pnau album)
Again is the second album by Australian dance music duo, Pnau. The album was released in 2003 on Warner Music Australia and reissued in the UK on independent record label Underwater Records.-Track listing:Warner Music Australia version...
s lackluster success the pair parted ways for some time to work with other artist's such as Robbie Williams
Robbie Williams
Robert Peter "Robbie" Williams is an English singer-songwriter, vocal coach and occasional actor. He is a member of the pop group Take That. Williams rose to fame in the band's first run in the early- to mid-1990s. After many disagreements with the management and certain group members, Williams...
, Van She
Van She
Van She is an electropop band formed in 2005 in Sydney, Australia, with Matt Van Schie on bass guitar/vocals, Tomek Archer on drums/sequencer, Michael Di Francesco on synth/guitar and Nicholas Routledge on vocals/guitar...
, and Lost Valentinos
Lost Valentinos
Lost Valentinos are a band from Sydney, Australia. They released two EPs under the band name The Valentinos but changed their name in mid 2007 to Lost Valentinos due to the threat of legal action by soul artists from the 1950s, Bobby Womack & The Valentinos...
.
When the two reunited in 2007 they wrote over two-hundred songs together and started to lay down an entire album. They sent a work-in-progress track to long-time friend and collaborator Luke Steele, who sent back the track with his own vocals. After receiving the track Littlemore and Mayes decided to scrap everything they had laid down to focus on a more vocally centered album. The track became known as With You Forever and the finalized album was released under the self-titled name Pnau
Pnau (album)
-Awards:*The song "Wild Strawberries" placed at #100 in the Triple J Hottest 100, 2007*The song "Embrace" placed at #12 in the Triple J Hottest 100, 2008*The song "Baby" placed #54 in the Triple J Hottest 100, 2008-External links:***...
. The album not only featured vocal work from Luke Steele and Nick Littlemore himself, but also had many guest appearances such as Ladyhawke, Nik Yannika from Lost Valentinos and Michael DeFrancesco from Van She. The album was released to high critical acclaim and gained unexpected favorable attention from Elton John, declaring it to be the greatest record he'd heard in ten years.
Inspired by their track "With You Forever", Pnau began work on a collaboration with Luke Steele. Originally titled Steelemore, Empire of the Sun
Empire of the Sun (band)
Empire of the Sun is an Australian electronic music duo that formed in 2008. The duo is composed of Luke Steele of The Sleepy Jackson and Nick Littlemore of Pnau. The two met in 2000 after both being signed to the same record label. Luke and Nick knew that they instantly had a chemistry like no other...
made its debut on 4 October 2008 with Walking on a Dream
Walking on a Dream
Walking on a Dream is the debut album by Australian electronic duo Empire of the Sun, released in Australia on 4 October 2008 by EMI. The album was produced by band members Luke Steele and Nick Littlemore along with Peter Mayes....
. Nick Littlemore and Luke Steele took the roles of bandmates, while Peter Mayes assumed the role of producer. Some critics where quick to note that the band sounded more like a work of Pnau than Luke Steele's band The Sleepy Jackson
The Sleepy Jackson
The Sleepy Jackson are an Australian alternative rock band formed in Perth, Western Australia. The band's name was inspired by a former drummer who was narcoleptic. The band revolves around the distinctive vocal style of multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Luke Steele...
. Empire of the Sun has achieved international success having been certified 2x platinum in Australia and gold in the United Kingdom, as well as wining eleven ARIA awards. Pnau makes it clear on their Myspace numerous times that not only is Empire of the Sun a side project of theirs, but that they are also the producers.
Regarding Empire of the Sun, in early 2009 news began appearing that Nick Littlemore had disappeared. The reality had been that Nick Littlemore had left Empire of the Sun to begin work on the fourth Pnau album along with Elton John
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
.
In an interview with The Music Network, Nick stated that Pnau's next album, entitled Soft Universe, is coming out very soon and described it as a very "emotional" album, after the recent break up with his girlfriend. Littlemore sings all the vocals on the album and has co-written tracks with Elton John, fellow Aussie artist Martin Craft and producer Mark Saunders
Mark Saunders
Mark Saunders, is a British record producer who has worked on a number of albums. He relocated to New York City in 1996 and currently works from his facility in Manhattan - Beat360 Studios....
.
A preview of the first single "The Truth" was posted online on 15 December.
Breakbot's
Breakbot
Breakbot aka Thibaut Berland is a French producer and DJ born in 1981.After studying at the School of Graphic Supinfocom, he made short films , advertisements and videos . He is also a CG artist with credits including Arthur and the Invisibles...
remix of Pnau's song "Baby" was used in the 2010 racing video game Gran Turismo 5
Gran Turismo 5
is the fifth edition of the Gran Turismo racing video game series. Developed by Polyphony Digital and published by Sony Computer Entertainment, it was released for PlayStation 3 on November 24, 2010...
.
For the last two years, Littlemore has been working as the music director for a new Cirque du Soleil
Cirque du Soleil
Cirque du Soleil , is a Canadian entertainment company, self-described as a "dramatic mix of circus arts and street entertainment." Based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, and located in the inner-city area of Saint-Michel, it was founded in Baie-Saint-Paul in 1984 by two former street performers, Guy...
show, Zarkana
Zarkana
Zarkana is a touring arena show produced by Cirque du Soleil that will play in both Radio City Music Hall in New York City as well as the Grand Kremlin Palace in Moscow. Zarkana will also tour in other cities, although it will be seasonal in New York City and Moscow. The show began previews on...
, due to debut in New York in July 2011.
New album and 2011 tour
Pnau's new album titled Soft Universe was released on 22 July 2011. The accompanying small Australian tour of the same name will at this stage cover only four dates, visiting Melbourne, Sydney, Wollongong and Newcastle.Pronunciations
One accepted pronunciation of Pnau is "pah-now". The name is commonly accented to simulate the sound of a gunshot. Nick Littlemore explained the name was the result of an instance when he was speaking in tonguesGlossolalia
Glossolalia or speaking in tongues is the fluid vocalizing of speech-like syllables, often as part of religious practice. The significance of glossolalia has varied with time and place, with some considering it a part of a sacred language...
. After shouting gibberish for half an hour, Littlemore decided Pnau would be an appropriate band name.
Another theory on the pronunciation, according to one interview with the pair, is "pah-nyeow". The group has on other occasions explained that the name "rhymes with meow".
Awards
- In 2000 they won an ARIA Award for Best Dance Release.
- The Song "Wild Strawberries" placed at #100 in the Triple J Hottest 100, 2007Triple J Hottest 100, 2007The 2007 Triple J Hottest 100 was announced on Australia Day, 26 January 2008. It was the fifteenth countdown of the most popular songs of the year, as chosen by the listeners of Australian radio station Triple J....
- The Song "Embrace" placed at #12 in the Triple J Hottest 100, 2008Triple J Hottest 100, 2008The 2008 Triple J Hottest 100 was announced on Australia Day, 26 January 2009. It was the sixteenth countdown of the most popular songs of the year, as chosen by the listeners of Australian radio station, Triple J....
- The Song "Baby" placed at #54 in the Triple J Hottest 100, 2008
Albums
- SambanovaSambanovaSambanova is the debut album by Australian dance music duo, Pnau, it was released in 1999 on the independent Peking Duck label. However, the album was pulled from record stores due to uncleared samples, Warner Music Australasia re-released it in 2000 with a different tracklisting, and it peaked in...
(July 1999, Peking Duck) #39 AUS - AgainAgain (Pnau album)Again is the second album by Australian dance music duo, Pnau. The album was released in 2003 on Warner Music Australia and reissued in the UK on independent record label Underwater Records.-Track listing:Warner Music Australia version...
(October 2003, Warner Music) - PnauPnau (album)-Awards:*The song "Wild Strawberries" placed at #100 in the Triple J Hottest 100, 2007*The song "Embrace" placed at #12 in the Triple J Hottest 100, 2008*The song "Baby" placed #54 in the Triple J Hottest 100, 2008-External links:***...
(January 2007, ETCETC) #31 AUS - Soft UniverseSoft UniverseSoft Universe is the fourth LP release of electronic act Pnau. It is currently their highest charting release to date and featured a new "rock-anthem" sound unlike the duo's straightforward electronic dance sound for which they were previously known...
(July 2011) #13 AUS
Singles
- "Need Your Lovin' Baby" (2000, Warner Music)
- "Sambanova" (2000)
- "Follow Me" (2001, Warner Music)
- "Blood Lust" (2002, Warner Music)
- "Una Noche" (2002, Kompact)
- "Baby" (2008, ETCETC) #34 AUS
- "Embrace" (2008, ETCETC)
- "The Truth" (2011)
- "Solid Ground" (2011)
- "Unite Us" (2011)
External links
- http://www21.sbs.com.au/alchemy/index.php?pg=ct&ct=1&sc=2&id=637Pnau Interview with Alchemy SBS RadioSBS RadioSBS Radio is a service provided by the Special Broadcasting Service '..to inform, educate and entertain Australians, especially those of non-English speaking backgrounds'. SBS Radio originally began as two stations based in Melbourne and Sydney, set up to provide pre-recorded information about the...
2008-4-30] - "Pnau and then", The AgeThe AgeThe Age is a daily broadsheet newspaper, which has been published in Melbourne, Australia since 1854. Owned and published by Fairfax Media, The Age primarily serves Victoria, but is also available for purchase in Tasmania, the Australian Capital Territory and border regions of South Australia and...
, 17 October 2003 - Discogs entry for Pnau
- Video from the PNAU live in France for the before of the Trans Musicales festival