The Avalanches
Encyclopedia
The Avalanches are an Australian electronic music
group formed in 1997 with mainstays Robbie Chater on keyboards, Tony Diblasi on keyboards, bass and backing vocals, and Darren Seltmann on vocals and keyboards. They are known for their live DJ sets and their debut album Since I Left You
(2000), which was assembled from approximately 3500 vinyl samples. The album peaked in the top 10 on the UK Albums Chart
in April 2001. At the ARIA Music Awards of 2001
, the group received nine nominations and won four categories: 'Best New Artist – Album' and 'Best Dance Release' for Since I Left You, 'Best New Artist – Single' for "Frontier Psychiatrist
", and 'Producer of the Year' for Bobbydazzler (production name for Chater and Seltmann). In October 2010, the album was listed at No. 10 in the book, 100 Best Australian Albums
.
, The Fall, and Ultra Bidet. The line-up was Robbie Chater on keyboards, Tony Diblasi on keyboards, bass and backing vocals, and Darren Seltmann on vocals. By 1995, Manabu Etoh joined on drums, the group bought instruments, recording gear and numerous old vinyl records by the crate at second-hand shops. When Etoh was deported and Alarm 115 disbanded, these records became the core of a new project. Chater was a film student at RMIT
and had access to a recording studio, which he and Seltmann used to turn the vinyls into a 30-song demo tape labelled Pan Amateurs. In 1997, a new group of Chater, Diblasi, Seltmann and Gordon McQuilten on keyboards was assembled to play the tracks live. Chater, Diblasi and McQuilten had all been school mates in Maryborough
. Starting in July, their first four shows were played under different names: Swinging Monkey Cocks, Quentin's Brittle Bones, and Whoops Downs Syndrome.
– and rose to prominence quickly. Their name originates from one of the group's favourite albums, Ski Surfing with The Avalanches, by an American ski-surf band
of the same name. Trifekta Records
released the debut single "Rock City" in September. This was followed in December by their seven-track extended play, El Producto, on Steve Pavlovic
's Wondergram Records. Around this time DJ Dexter Fabay joined the group on turntables and keyboards. Based on the EP's success, Pavlovic signed the Avalanches to his new Modular Recordings
label in May 1998. Leo Silvermann signed them to his label, Rex Records
, for the exclusive United Kingdom four-track EP Undersea Community, which appeared in March 1999.
The group's profile grew with support slots on tours by the Beastie Boys
, Public Enemy, Stereolab
and Beck
. The band also played at the Tibetan Freedom Concert at Homebush, Sydney. James De La Cruz was added to the live line-up on turntables and keyboards, and made his debut with the band at The Palace, St Kilda, supporting Public Enemy. In September 1999 Modular Recordings issued a four-track EP Electricity in Australia (12") and a two-track UK (7") version.
, overdue, Chater's Gimix cassette was made available. This mixtape
blended previews of forthcoming album tracks with some band favourites. Chater estimated that Since I Left You was assembled from approximately 3500 vinyl samples. The first Australian single from the album, "Frontier Psychiatrist
", was issued in August, which peaked in the top 50 on the ARIA Singles Chart
. It reached No. 6 in Triple J
's 2000 Hottest 100 countdown, the world's largest annual radio music poll. In October the band undertook their first Australian headline tour, appearing in all capital cities. All dates were completely sold out, however Seltmann broke his leg in Brisbane in an on-stage collision with bassist and singer Diblasi.
In November 2000, Since I Left You was launched in Melbourne with a boat cruise party aboard the Victoria Star, through Port Phillip
, with The Face and other UK media flying to Australia to cover the event. At the ARIA Music Awards of 2001
, the group was nominated in nine categories and won four:'Best New Artist – Album' and 'Best Dance Release' for Since I Left You, 'Best New Artist – Single' for "Frontier Psychiatrist", and 'Producer of the Year' for Bobbydazzler (Chater and Seltmann). The band also won six Australian Dance Music Awards. They travelled to the UK for a three-week promotional stint, including DJ sets at the Social and Fabric Nightclubs, while their remix of Badly Drawn Boy
's "The Shining" was released in the UK. Since I Left You contained numerous samples, including a sample of Madonna
's "Holiday
" on the track "Stay Another Season".
The UK version of Since I Left You was released by XL Recordings
in 2001, which debuted at No. 8 on the UK Albums Chart
in April, and quickly topped 200,000 sales in the UK. Also that month, the first UK single from the album, the title track "Since I Left You
", was released and debuted at No. 16 on the UK Singles Chart
. The "Since I Left You" video won Video of the Year at the MTV Europe Music Awards
. In July 2001 the second UK single, "Frontier Psychiatrist," debuted at No. 18. The video for "Frontier Psychiatrist" was later awarded the runner-up prize at Soho Shorts Film Festival in the UK.
London-Sire Records
released the United States version in November 2001. When that label dissolved in 2003, The Avalanches switched to Elektra
. The album was also released in Japan, with bonus track "Everyday". The At Last Alone EP (re-scheduled tour EP with revised track listing) was also issued in Japan. In the US, the album peaked at No. 31 on Billboard
' s Heatseekers chart and No. 10 on Billboards Top Electronic Albums chart. In the US, a promotional "Since I Left You" 12" featuring remixes from Stereolab and Prince Paul was released, and The Avalanches' remix of the Manic Street Preachers
' "So Why So Sad" was issued worldwide.
Professional critics included Since I Left You on their 'Best of 2000's' lists. The album was placed at No. 4 in Juice magazine's 'Best Australian albums of all time' list, and No. 10 in Pitchfork Media
's top albums of the decade. In its 31 December 1999 review, Pitchfork Media bestowed the album with a high 9.5 score. In October 2010, the album was listed at No. 10 in the book, 100 Best Australian Albums
. In 2011, hip hop artist ?uestlove named Since I Left You in his top ten albums list.
. Their set-up later included four turntables, a percussion stand, and a battery of MIDI-controlled
special effects.
The band performed at festivals during 2000–2001, including the Big Day Out
, Falls Festival
and V1
. For their European live tour, Peter "Snakey" Whitford was used as a touring percussionist, he had previously played in the Afro Psych band Prophecy throughout the Indonesia
n islands. Seltmann broke his ankle during the band's Electric Ballroom
show in London, while De La Cruz became concussed on-stage at the V2001 festival. The remaining live dates were changed to DJ sets. Despite this, the band eventually received the Best Live Act 2001 award from MUZIK magazine. This format continued for the US and Japan Since I Left You Tours. Chater, De la Cruz and Fabay also took the DJ show around Australia, calling themselves The Magic Midgets.
In a 2010 interview, Dexter Fabay recalled why he had left The Avalanches: he disliked his friend Gordon McQuilten being kicked out of the band and that while Fabay had enjoyed his time in The Avalanches, he wanted to play live as a band, "I’m not interested in sitting in a studio for a year trying to make another record".
Brains was a monthly club-night held outdoors behind the tiny Melbourne bar St Jeromes', and featured regular DJ sets from The Avalanches' Chater, Seltmann and Diblasi. St Jeromes' was shut down in March 2009. Their Brains' performances were usually soca
-inspired DJ sets, but included anything from the Highlife
guitar music of West Africa to unusual re-edits of 1980s acid house
tracks, and sometimes new The Avalanches' material. Far from a typical world music
DJ set, the Brains' nights were extremely loud and celebratory, with people overflowing into Caledonian Lane, the band bringing in a special P.A. system to cope with the extra crowd. The Brains' experience toured Australia in early 2005, and spilled over into the band's DJ sets at that year's St Jerome's Laneway Festival
and Meredith Music Festival
. The Avalanches continued DJing at Australian festivals such as Golden Plains and Splendour in the Grass
throughout 2006 and into 2007, although these sets were a return to a heavier, club sound
and markedly different from the previous Brains' DJ sets.
A July 2009 release date was anticipated after Australia's Triple J radio presenter Zan Rowe discussed it on her show, soon afterwards a source at XL recordings, the band's British label, made a statement to Planet Sound saying that there is "no new album on the schedule at all, and it certainly won't be as soon as July. It'll be ready when it's ready.."
However early in May 2009 a cryptic image appeared on the Avalanches.com news section
- consisting of Keith Moon
's picture with Clearasil
spot cream from the back cover of The Who
's 1967 album, The Who Sell Out
, accompanied with the words "clearing samples", suggesting that the production of the album is finished, but copyright needs to be cleared. The status '...are clearing samples' has also appeared on their Myspace page. A page on Play.com
has also appeared for the new album, titled "New Album TBA". At the beginning of July an article appeared on the Sydney Time Out website, featuring an interview with the head of Modular records, which mentions that the Avalanches album will be released sometime in 2009, but nothing came of that. In January 2010 the blog of Triple J radio show Home & Hosed wrote that an October release was anticipated, but indicated that this had yet to be officially announced. In May this was moved to the more general category "What Else to Expect in 2010." In November, the band's website was updated with a new layout and updated artwork, as well as joining Twitter
. No new material was announced, although the website states "stay tuned for announcements in the coming months". In April 2011, in an interview with Australian magazine The Brag, Pavlovic stated that the group would be having a "finished-in-the-studio party" in May. In a later interview with The Music Network, he stated that the only thing remaining is "some tweaking to the production elements" and that a lead track from the album will, most likely, be heard this year, with the album itself out early some point in 2012.
In July 2011 shortly after Since I Left You had been announced No. 9 in the Triple J Hottest 100 Australian Albums of All Time, The Avalanches posted on their facebook "Thanks to all who voted. Tune in now to hear Robbie speak about the making of Since I Left You on triple j. Info on new Avalanches material to follow shortly." The Avalanches later announced that Since I Left You would be getting the deluxe treatment this would include the original album, b-sides, remixes and several unreleased tracks.
Electronic music
Electronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means and that produced using electronic technology. Examples of electromechanical sound...
group formed in 1997 with mainstays Robbie Chater on keyboards, Tony Diblasi on keyboards, bass and backing vocals, and Darren Seltmann on vocals and keyboards. They are known for their live DJ sets and their debut album Since I Left You
Since I Left You
Since I Left You is the debut studio album by Australian music group The Avalanches released on 27 November 2000. Produced by Avalanches members Robbie Chater and Darren Seltmann, it was released on Modular Recordings. The album was created in two separate near-identical studios by Chater and...
(2000), which was assembled from approximately 3500 vinyl samples. The album peaked in the top 10 on the UK Albums Chart
UK Albums Chart
The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
in April 2001. At the ARIA Music Awards of 2001
ARIA Music Awards of 2001
The 15th Annual Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards were held on 30 October 2001 at the Capitol Theatre.-Awards:...
, the group received nine nominations and won four categories: 'Best New Artist – Album' and 'Best Dance Release' for Since I Left You, 'Best New Artist – Single' for "Frontier Psychiatrist
Frontier Psychiatrist
"Frontier Psychiatrist" is a song by Australian group The Avalanches, released as the second single from their debut album Since I Left You.-Background:The song is a mix of audio samples of music, dialogue and sound effects....
", and 'Producer of the Year' for Bobbydazzler (production name for Chater and Seltmann). In October 2010, the album was listed at No. 10 in the book, 100 Best Australian Albums
100 Best Australian Albums
100 Best Australian Albums is a compendium of rock and pop albums of the past 50 years as compiled by music journalists Toby Creswell, Craig Mathieson and John O'Donnell. The book was published on 25 October 2010 by Hardie Grant Books...
.
Origins
Three of The Avalanches' future members formed Alarm 115 in Melbourne in 1994 as a noise punk outfit inspired by The Animals of Steel, Drive Like JehuDrive Like Jehu
Drive Like Jehu was an American post-hardcore and alternative rock band from San Diego active from 1990 to 1995. Formed by rhythm guitarist and vocalist Rick Froberg and lead guitarist John Reis following the breakup of their band Pitchfork, the band's lineup also included bassist Mike Kennedy and...
, The Fall, and Ultra Bidet. The line-up was Robbie Chater on keyboards, Tony Diblasi on keyboards, bass and backing vocals, and Darren Seltmann on vocals. By 1995, Manabu Etoh joined on drums, the group bought instruments, recording gear and numerous old vinyl records by the crate at second-hand shops. When Etoh was deported and Alarm 115 disbanded, these records became the core of a new project. Chater was a film student at RMIT
RMIT University
RMIT University is an Australian public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. It has two branches, referred to as RMIT University in Australia and RMIT International University in Vietnam....
and had access to a recording studio, which he and Seltmann used to turn the vinyls into a 30-song demo tape labelled Pan Amateurs. In 1997, a new group of Chater, Diblasi, Seltmann and Gordon McQuilten on keyboards was assembled to play the tracks live. Chater, Diblasi and McQuilten had all been school mates in Maryborough
Maryborough, Victoria
-Education:Maryborough has three schools:*Highview Christian Community College*Maryborough Education Centre Years Prep–12*St Augustine's Primary School Grades Prep–6-Music:...
. Starting in July, their first four shows were played under different names: Swinging Monkey Cocks, Quentin's Brittle Bones, and Whoops Downs Syndrome.
Early releases
The group became The Avalanches at their fifth gig – a support slot for Jon Spencer Blues ExplosionJon Spencer Blues Explosion
The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion are an American alternative rock trio, formed in 1991 and based out of New York City, New York. The band consists of Judah Bauer on guitar, backing vocals, harmonica and occasional lead vocals, Russell Simins on drums and Jon Spencer on vocals, guitar and theremin...
– and rose to prominence quickly. Their name originates from one of the group's favourite albums, Ski Surfing with The Avalanches, by an American ski-surf band
Surf music
Surf music is a genre of popular music associated with surf culture, particularly as found in Orange County and other areas of Southern California. It was particularly popular between 1961 and 1965, has subsequently been revived and was highly influential on subsequent rock music...
of the same name. Trifekta Records
Trifekta
Trifekta is the name of an Australia based independent record label, based in Fitzroy, Victoria. It was started in 1997 by Tom Larnach-Jones , Tim Everest and Paul 'Presser' Towner ....
released the debut single "Rock City" in September. This was followed in December by their seven-track extended play, El Producto, on Steve Pavlovic
Steve Pavlovic
Steve Pavlovic is an Australian music promoter who founded and runs the successful international record label Modular Recordings. Widely known as "Pav", some of his pre-Modular history was documented in The Sell-in, a book about the Australian independent music industry...
's Wondergram Records. Around this time DJ Dexter Fabay joined the group on turntables and keyboards. Based on the EP's success, Pavlovic signed the Avalanches to his new Modular Recordings
Modular Recordings
Modular Records is an Australian record label. It was established by Sydney-based music promoter Steve Pavlovic as a joint-venture with EMI, but is now distributed by Universal Music in Australia...
label in May 1998. Leo Silvermann signed them to his label, Rex Records
Rex Records (2001)
The most recent record label to use the name Rex Records was started in 2001 by an XL Recordings employee. Overall, it was an experiment releasing demo recordings from more left field artists. The label was the original home of Australian artists The Avalanches and The Vines, and has also released...
, for the exclusive United Kingdom four-track EP Undersea Community, which appeared in March 1999.
The group's profile grew with support slots on tours by the Beastie Boys
Beastie Boys
Beastie Boys are an American hip hop trio from New York City. The group consists of Mike D who plays the drums, MCA who plays the bass, and Ad-Rock who plays the guitar....
, Public Enemy, Stereolab
Stereolab
Stereolab are an alternative music band formed in 1990 in London, England. The band originally comprised songwriting team Tim Gane and Lætitia Sadier , both of whom remained at the helm across many lineup changes...
and Beck
Beck
Beck Hansen is an American musician, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, known by the stage name Beck...
. The band also played at the Tibetan Freedom Concert at Homebush, Sydney. James De La Cruz was added to the live line-up on turntables and keyboards, and made his debut with the band at The Palace, St Kilda, supporting Public Enemy. In September 1999 Modular Recordings issued a four-track EP Electricity in Australia (12") and a two-track UK (7") version.
Since I Left You
From mid-1998, The Avalanches had been recording their debut album, initially under the working title Pablo's Cruise. In February 2000 they finished mixing it at Sing Sing Studios, Melbourne. Its initial launch date in 2000 was delayed due to the need for sample clearances and overseas interest. By July, with the album, now titled Since I Left YouSince I Left You
Since I Left You is the debut studio album by Australian music group The Avalanches released on 27 November 2000. Produced by Avalanches members Robbie Chater and Darren Seltmann, it was released on Modular Recordings. The album was created in two separate near-identical studios by Chater and...
, overdue, Chater's Gimix cassette was made available. This mixtape
Mixtape
A Mix Tape or Mixed Tape is a compilation of songs recorded in a specific order, traditionally onto an audio Compact Cassette.A Mix Tape, which usually reflects the musical tastes of its compiler, can range from a casually selected list of favorite songs, to a conceptual mix of songs linked by a...
blended previews of forthcoming album tracks with some band favourites. Chater estimated that Since I Left You was assembled from approximately 3500 vinyl samples. The first Australian single from the album, "Frontier Psychiatrist
Frontier Psychiatrist
"Frontier Psychiatrist" is a song by Australian group The Avalanches, released as the second single from their debut album Since I Left You.-Background:The song is a mix of audio samples of music, dialogue and sound effects....
", was issued in August, which peaked in the top 50 on the ARIA Singles Chart
ARIA Charts
The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June...
. It reached No. 6 in 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...
's 2000 Hottest 100 countdown, the world's largest annual radio music poll. In October the band undertook their first Australian headline tour, appearing in all capital cities. All dates were completely sold out, however Seltmann broke his leg in Brisbane in an on-stage collision with bassist and singer Diblasi.
In November 2000, Since I Left You was launched in Melbourne with a boat cruise party aboard the Victoria Star, through Port Phillip
Port Phillip
Port Phillip Port Phillip Port Phillip (also commonly referred to as Port Phillip Bay or (locally) just The Bay, is a large bay in southern Victoria, Australia; it is the location of Melbourne. Geographically, the bay covers and the shore stretches roughly . Although it is extremely shallow for...
, with The Face and other UK media flying to Australia to cover the event. At the ARIA Music Awards of 2001
ARIA Music Awards of 2001
The 15th Annual Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards were held on 30 October 2001 at the Capitol Theatre.-Awards:...
, the group was nominated in nine categories and won four:'Best New Artist – Album' and 'Best Dance Release' for Since I Left You, 'Best New Artist – Single' for "Frontier Psychiatrist", and 'Producer of the Year' for Bobbydazzler (Chater and Seltmann). The band also won six Australian Dance Music Awards. They travelled to the UK for a three-week promotional stint, including DJ sets at the Social and Fabric Nightclubs, while their remix of Badly Drawn Boy
Badly Drawn Boy
Damon Gough is an English alternative music singer/songwriter. He was born on 2 October 1969, in Dunstable, Bedfordshire. He grew up in the Breightmet area of Bolton, Lancashire, England....
's "The Shining" was released in the UK. Since I Left You contained numerous samples, including a sample of Madonna
Madonna (entertainer)
Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
's "Holiday
Holiday (Madonna song)
"Holiday" is a song by American singer Madonna from her self-titled debut album. Released on September 7, 1983 by Sire Records, it later appeared remixed on the 1987 remix compilation You Can Dance and the 1990 greatest hits compilation The Immaculate Collection, and in its original form on the...
" on the track "Stay Another Season".
The UK version of Since I Left You was released by XL Recordings
XL Recordings
XL Recordings is a British independent record label owned by Richard Russell. It originated as a 1989 offshoot of Beggars Banquet Records.Though only releasing an average of six albums a year, XL Recordings has worked with The Prodigy, Radiohead, The White Stripes, Dizzee Rascal, M.I.A., Vampire...
in 2001, which debuted at No. 8 on the UK Albums Chart
UK Albums Chart
The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
in April, and quickly topped 200,000 sales in the UK. Also that month, the first UK single from the album, the title track "Since I Left You
Since I Left You (song)
"Since I Left You" is a song by Australian dance group The Avalanches, released as the third single from their debut album Since I Left You.-Background:...
", was released and debuted at No. 16 on the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
. The "Since I Left You" video won Video of the Year at the MTV Europe Music Awards
MTV Europe Music Awards
The MTV Europe Music Awards were established in 1994 by MTV Networks Europe to celebrate the most popular music videos in Europe. Originally beginning as an alternative to the American MTV Video Music Awards, the MTV Europe Music Awards is today a popular celebration of what MTV viewers consider...
. In July 2001 the second UK single, "Frontier Psychiatrist," debuted at No. 18. The video for "Frontier Psychiatrist" was later awarded the runner-up prize at Soho Shorts Film Festival in the UK.
London-Sire Records
London-Sire Records
London-Sire Records was an American-based record label owned by Warner Music Group, created in 2000 with the merging of Sire Records and London Records. Seymour Stein remained at the helm as CEO. The binding of the two companies, however, proved to be largely unsuccessful...
released the United States version in November 2001. When that label dissolved in 2003, The Avalanches switched to Elektra
Elektra Records
Elektra Records is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group. In 2004, it was consolidated into WMG's Atlantic Records Group. After five years of dormancy, the label was revived by Atlantic in 2009....
. The album was also released in Japan, with bonus track "Everyday". The At Last Alone EP (re-scheduled tour EP with revised track listing) was also issued in Japan. In the US, the album peaked at No. 31 on Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Manic Street Preachers
Manic Street Preachers are a Welsh alternative rock band, formed in 1986. They are James Dean Bradfield, Nicky Wire, Richey Edwards and Sean Moore. The band are part of the Cardiff music scene, and were at their most prominent during the 1990s...
' "So Why So Sad" was issued worldwide.
Professional critics included Since I Left You on their 'Best of 2000's' lists. The album was placed at No. 4 in Juice magazine's 'Best Australian albums of all time' list, and No. 10 in Pitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media, usually known simply as Pitchfork or P4k, is a Chicago-based daily Internet publication established in 1995 that is devoted to music criticism and commentary, music news, and artist interviews. Its focus is on underground and independent music, especially indie rock...
's top albums of the decade. In its 31 December 1999 review, Pitchfork Media bestowed the album with a high 9.5 score. In October 2010, the album was listed at No. 10 in the book, 100 Best Australian Albums
100 Best Australian Albums
100 Best Australian Albums is a compendium of rock and pop albums of the past 50 years as compiled by music journalists Toby Creswell, Craig Mathieson and John O'Donnell. The book was published on 25 October 2010 by Hardie Grant Books...
. In 2011, hip hop artist ?uestlove named Since I Left You in his top ten albums list.
Live performance
The Avalanches, initially, played live using samplers, analogue keyboards, bass guitar, drum kit and thereminTheremin
The theremin , originally known as the aetherphone/etherophone, thereminophone or termenvox/thereminvox is an early electronic musical instrument controlled without discernible physical contact from the player. It is named after its Russian inventor, Professor Léon Theremin, who patented the device...
. Their set-up later included four turntables, a percussion stand, and a battery of MIDI-controlled
MIDI controller
MIDI controller is used in two senses.*In one sense, a controller is hardware or software which generates and transmits MIDI data to MIDI-enabled devices....
special effects.
The band performed at festivals during 2000–2001, including the 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...
, Falls Festival
Falls Festival
The Falls Festival is a New Year's Eve music festival, held annually in Lorne, Victoria and Marion Bay, Tasmania Australia since 1993.It lasts four days, from 29 December to 1 January each year. The headline acts play mostly over two evenings, 30 December and 31 December...
and V1
V Festival
The V Festival is an annual music festival held in England during the penultimate weekend in August. The event is held at two parks simultaneously which share the same bill; artists perform at one location on Saturday and then swap on Sunday. The sites are located at Hylands Park in Chelmsford and...
. For their European live tour, Peter "Snakey" Whitford was used as a touring percussionist, he had previously played in the Afro Psych band Prophecy throughout the Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
n islands. Seltmann broke his ankle during the band's Electric Ballroom
Electric Ballroom
The Electric Ballroom is a performance venue and indoor market located at 184 Camden High Street in Camden Town, London . The Electric Ballroom has been in operation for over seventy years, during which time it has been used in many different ways.The two storey building has two dance floors and...
show in London, while De La Cruz became concussed on-stage at the V2001 festival. The remaining live dates were changed to DJ sets. Despite this, the band eventually received the Best Live Act 2001 award from MUZIK magazine. This format continued for the US and Japan Since I Left You Tours. Chater, De la Cruz and Fabay also took the DJ show around Australia, calling themselves The Magic Midgets.
In a 2010 interview, Dexter Fabay recalled why he had left The Avalanches: he disliked his friend Gordon McQuilten being kicked out of the band and that while Fabay had enjoyed his time in The Avalanches, he wanted to play live as a band, "I’m not interested in sitting in a studio for a year trying to make another record".
Brains was a monthly club-night held outdoors behind the tiny Melbourne bar St Jeromes', and featured regular DJ sets from The Avalanches' Chater, Seltmann and Diblasi. St Jeromes' was shut down in March 2009. Their Brains' performances were usually soca
Soca music
Soca is a style of music from Trinidad and Tobago. Soca is a musical development of traditional Trinidadian calypso, through loans from the 1960s onwards from predominantly black popular music....
-inspired DJ sets, but included anything from the Highlife
Highlife
Highlife is a musical genre that originated in Ghana in the 1900s and spread to Sierra Leone, Nigeria and other West African countries by 1920...
guitar music of West Africa to unusual re-edits of 1980s acid house
Acid house
Acid house is a sub-genre of house music that emphasizes a repetitive, hypnotic and trance-like style, often with samples or spoken lines rather than sung lyrics. Acid house's core electronic squelch sounds were developed around the mid-1980s, particularly by DJs from Chicago who experimented with...
tracks, and sometimes new The Avalanches' material. Far from a typical world music
World music
World music is a term with widely varying definitions, often encompassing music which is primarily identified as another genre. This is evidenced by world music definitions such as "all of the music in the world" or "somebody else's local music"...
DJ set, the Brains' nights were extremely loud and celebratory, with people overflowing into Caledonian Lane, the band bringing in a special P.A. system to cope with the extra crowd. The Brains' experience toured Australia in early 2005, and spilled over into the band's DJ sets at that year's St Jerome's Laneway Festival
St Jerome's Laneway Festival
Known simply as the Laneway or St. Jerome's Festival, the music festival began in Caledonian Lane in Melbourne in 2004. Emerging as an indie music event, the Laneway Festival has grown rapidly in popularity, receiving favourable reviews in music press....
and Meredith Music Festival
Meredith Music Festival
The Meredith Music Festival is a three-day outdoor music festival held every December at the Supernatural Amphitheatre, a natural amphitheatre located on private farmland near the town of Meredith in Victoria, Australia...
. The Avalanches continued DJing at Australian festivals such as Golden Plains and Splendour in the Grass
Splendour in the Grass
Splendour in the Grass is an annual Australian music festival held in July at Woodford, Queensland, and previously held at Belongil Fields, outside Byron Bay...
throughout 2006 and into 2007, although these sets were a return to a heavier, club sound
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...
and markedly different from the previous Brains' DJ sets.
Second album
The Avalanches have been working on their second album since at least 2005, Seltmann had said that after starting out as "ambient world music", the record was returning to more of a "party" sound. In August 2006, Modular Recordings issued a press release stating "it's sounding like everything we dared not hope for, and so much more. They've made the record of their lives basically". This was in response to a joke email which had reached the music press, in which Modular claimed it had rejected The Avalanches' new album. In January 2007, the band stated via its website that roughly 40 tracks were being considered: "its so fuckin party you will die, much more hip hop than you might expect, and while there is still no accurate estimated time of arrival, were sure you're gonna love it when it arrives. ... its ended up sounding like the next logical step to since, we just had to go around in a big circle to get back to where we belong. and one day when you least expect it you'll wake up and the sample fairy will have left it under your pillow" [sic]. In December 2008 Steve Pavlovic, the head of Modular, claimed that the new album would be delivered to him on Christmas Day, but it did not materialise.A July 2009 release date was anticipated after Australia's Triple J radio presenter Zan Rowe discussed it on her show, soon afterwards a source at XL recordings, the band's British label, made a statement to Planet Sound saying that there is "no new album on the schedule at all, and it certainly won't be as soon as July. It'll be ready when it's ready.."
However early in May 2009 a cryptic image appeared on the Avalanches.com news section
- consisting of Keith Moon
Keith Moon
Keith John Moon was an English musician, best known for being the drummer of the English rock group The Who. He gained acclaim for his exuberant and innovative drumming style, and notoriety for his eccentric and often self-destructive behaviour, earning him the nickname "Moon the Loon". Moon...
's picture with Clearasil
Clearasil
Clearasil is the top-selling brand of skin care and acne medication, whose products contain chiefly benzoyl peroxide, sulfur & resorcinol, triclosan, or salicylic acid as active ingredients...
spot cream from the back cover of The Who
The Who
The Who are an English rock band formed in 1964 by Roger Daltrey , Pete Townshend , John Entwistle and Keith Moon . They became known for energetic live performances which often included instrument destruction...
's 1967 album, The Who Sell Out
The Who Sell Out
-Track listing:All songs written by Pete Townshend except where noted. The between song jingles apparently have no official titles and are not listed anywhere on the original album packaging, though they are listed in the inner booklet of the 1995 remaster.Side one...
, accompanied with the words "clearing samples", suggesting that the production of the album is finished, but copyright needs to be cleared. The status '...are clearing samples' has also appeared on their Myspace page. A page on Play.com
Play.com
Play Ltd., trading as Play.com, is a Jersey-based online retailer of DVDs, CDs, books, gadgets, video games, DRM-free MP3 downloads, and other electronic products, as well as clothes and accessories. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Rakuten Group....
has also appeared for the new album, titled "New Album TBA". At the beginning of July an article appeared on the Sydney Time Out website, featuring an interview with the head of Modular records, which mentions that the Avalanches album will be released sometime in 2009, but nothing came of that. In January 2010 the blog of Triple J radio show Home & Hosed wrote that an October release was anticipated, but indicated that this had yet to be officially announced. In May this was moved to the more general category "What Else to Expect in 2010." In November, the band's website was updated with a new layout and updated artwork, as well as joining Twitter
Twitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
. No new material was announced, although the website states "stay tuned for announcements in the coming months". In April 2011, in an interview with Australian magazine The Brag, Pavlovic stated that the group would be having a "finished-in-the-studio party" in May. In a later interview with The Music Network, he stated that the only thing remaining is "some tweaking to the production elements" and that a lead track from the album will, most likely, be heard this year, with the album itself out early some point in 2012.
In July 2011 shortly after Since I Left You had been announced No. 9 in the Triple J Hottest 100 Australian Albums of All Time, The Avalanches posted on their facebook "Thanks to all who voted. Tune in now to hear Robbie speak about the making of Since I Left You on triple j. Info on new Avalanches material to follow shortly." The Avalanches later announced that Since I Left You would be getting the deluxe treatment this would include the original album, b-sides, remixes and several unreleased tracks.
Members
Listed alphabetically:- Robbie Chater – keyboards, mixing, producer, choir, chorus, design, guitar (1997–present) (aka Bobby C, member of Bobbydazzler)
- James De La Cruz – turntables, keyboards (2000–2002)
- Tony Diblasi – keyboards, bass, backing vocals (1997–present)
- Manabu Etoh – drums (1997)
- Dexter Fabay – turntables, keyboards (1997–present)
- Gordon McQuilten – keyboards, percussion, piano (1997–2001)
- Darren Seltmann – keyboards, brass band, choir, chorus, design, guitar, mixing, producer (1997–present) (member of Bobbydazzler)
- Peter Whitford – percussion (2001–present)
Studio albums
- Since I Left YouSince I Left YouSince I Left You is the debut studio album by Australian music group The Avalanches released on 27 November 2000. Produced by Avalanches members Robbie Chater and Darren Seltmann, it was released on Modular Recordings. The album was created in two separate near-identical studios by Chater and...
(2000) UK No. 8; US Elec.No. 10.
Extended plays
- El ProductoEl Producto (EP)El Producto is an EP by the Australian rock/dance/alternative band The Avalanches. Unlike their subsequent debut album Since I Left You, El Producto was produced in a style more like that of a traditional hip-hop release, with clearly defined roles of rapping and DJ-ing, in addition to the...
(1997) - A Different Feeling (2000)
- Electricity (2001)
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart positions | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AUS ARIA Charts The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June... |
IRL Irish Singles Chart The Irish Singles Chart is Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured... |
NL Dutch Top 40 The Dutch Top 40 is a weekly music chart, which started as the "Veronica Top 40", because the offshore radio station Radio Veronica was the first to introduce it. It remained "The Veronica Top 40" until 1974, when the station was forced to stop broadcasting... |
U.K. UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
||
| 1997 | "Rock City" | – | – | – | – |
| 1999 | "Undersea Community" | – | – | – | – |
| 2000 | "Frontier Psychiatrist Frontier Psychiatrist "Frontier Psychiatrist" is a song by Australian group The Avalanches, released as the second single from their debut album Since I Left You.-Background:The song is a mix of audio samples of music, dialogue and sound effects.... " |
49 | – | – | 18 |
| "Since I Left You Since I Left You (song) "Since I Left You" is a song by Australian dance group The Avalanches, released as the third single from their debut album Since I Left You.-Background:... " |
67 | 29 | 97 | 16 | |
| 2001 | "Radio" | – | – | – | – |
| "A Different Feeling" | – | – | – | – | |
| 2008 | "Frontier Psychiatrist" (re-issue 10 November 2008) | – | – | – | – |
Remixes
- GerlingGerlingGerling were an alternative guitar and electronic act from Australia. They formed in 1993, and are based in Sydney.-History:The band formed in 1993 with the line-up of Darren Cross , Presser and Brad Herdson...
- "Enter Spacecapsule" (Enter the Spaceship Mix by The Avalanches) (1999) - Badly Drawn BoyBadly Drawn BoyDamon Gough is an English alternative music singer/songwriter. He was born on 2 October 1969, in Dunstable, Bedfordshire. He grew up in the Breightmet area of Bolton, Lancashire, England....
- "The Shining" (The Avalanches Good Word for the Weekend Remix) (2000) - Manic Street PreachersManic Street PreachersManic Street Preachers are a Welsh alternative rock band, formed in 1986. They are James Dean Bradfield, Nicky Wire, Richey Edwards and Sean Moore. The band are part of the Cardiff music scene, and were at their most prominent during the 1990s...
- "So Why So SadSo Why So Sad"So Why So Sad" was released by Manic Street Preachers in 2001 and was jointly the first single to be released from the Know Your Enemy album. All three members of the band - James Dean Bradfield, Sean Moore and Nicky Wire - share the writing credits...
" (Sean Penn Mix - Avalanches) (2001) - Belle & SebastianBelle & SebastianBelle and Sebastian are an indie pop band formed in Glasgow in January 1996. Belle and Sebastian are often compared with influential indie bands such as The Smiths, as well as classic acts such as Love, Bob Dylan and Nick Drake. The name Belle & Sebastian comes from Belle et Sébastien, a 1965...
- "I'm a CuckooI'm a Cuckoo"I'm a Cuckoo" was Belle & Sebastian's second single from Dear Catastrophe Waitress, released on Rough Trade Records in 2004. The track was produced by Trevor Horn. B-side "Stop, Look and Listen" merges into "Passion Fruit" at the end of a song – an instrumental piece which was performed live...
" (Avalanches Mix) (2004) - The ConcretesThe ConcretesThe Concretes are a popular Swedish indie pop band from Stockholm, currently composed of eight members.-History:The Concretes began with Victoria Bergsman, Maria Eriksson, and Lisa Milberg. Since their formation in 1995, they have gradually acquired new members, growing into an eight piece band...
- "Chico" (Avalanches' Wernham Hogg Remix) (2004) - WolfmotherWolfmotherWolfmother is an Australian rock band from Erskineville, Sydney. Formed in 2000, the group was originally a trio composed of vocalist and guitarist Andrew Stockdale, bassist and keyboardist Chris Ross and drummer Myles Heskett. Wolfmother released their self-titled debut album in October 2005,...
- "WomanWoman (Wolfmother song)"Woman" is a song by Australian hard rock band Wolfmother, featured on their 2005 debut studio album Wolfmother. It was released as the band's fourth single in Australia on 17 June 2006, and later in the United Kingdom on 17 July...
" (Avalanches Millstream Remix) (2006) - Franz FerdinandFranz Ferdinand (band)Franz Ferdinand are a Scottish post-punk revival band formed in Glasgow in 2002. The band is composed of Alex Kapranos , Bob Hardy , Nick McCarthy , and Paul Thomson .The band first experienced chart success when their second single, "Take Me Out", reached #3 in...
- "Fade Together" (Avalanches Remix) (2006)
External links
- The Avalanches - Official Site (news, downloads, and more)
- The Avalanches - official MySpace profile
- Tracklists & Details for Avalanches Mixes
- The Avalanches select their five favourite tracks to sample
- DJ Dexter interview with Peak Street Magazine http://peakstreet.com/post/1580327424/dj-dexter-vs-peak-street-interview