The Panda Band
Encyclopedia
The Panda Band are an indie pop
Indie pop
Indie pop is a genre of alternative rock music that originated in the United Kingdom in the mid 1980s, with its roots in the Scottish post-punk bands on the Postcard Records label in the early '80s, such as Orange Juice, Josef K and Aztec Camera, and the dominant UK independent band of the mid...

 band originating from Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....

, Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...

. They have a reputation for combining numerous musical genres. They have toured nationally as support acts for bands such as 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...

, Little Birdy
Little Birdy
Little Birdy are an Australian indie rock band formed in Perth, Western Australia in 2002 by singer and guitarist Katy Steele, drummer Matt Chequer, guitarist and keyboardist Simon Leach, and bass guitarist Scott O'Donoghue...

, The Grates
The Grates
The Grates are a two-piece band from Brisbane, Australia, comprising Patience Hodgson and John Patterson . They have been lauded for their catchy songs and enthusiastic and energetic live shows, as Patience spends much of the time bouncing around, even while singing...

 and Evermore.

Biography

The band originally existed in the late nineties as Philius Phog until Crosbie went travelling Europe. They reformed and played their first gig as Generic Boy Band (with Crosbie, Namour, Nicotra and Chris Callan in the band) in an opening heat of the Australian National Campus Band Competition in the latter half of 2003, where they failed to make it past the first round.

At the WAMi
West Australian Music Industry Awards
The Western Australian Music Industry Awards are annual awards presented to the local contemporary music industry, put on by the Western Australian Music Industry Association Inc...

 Weekender in June 2004, they played their first gig as The Panda Band, with late addition Steve Callan on keys, at a showcase which also featured The Nordeens, Ikey Mo and Guyver at The Carton Hotel in Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....

.

Their first single "Eyelashes", was playlisted on national (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...

) & interstate radio (FBi Radio
FBi Radio
FBi is an independent, not-for-profit community radio station in Sydney, Australia. FBi places a heavy emphasis on local alternative music: it has a policy that at least 50 per cent of its music content is to be Australian, of which at least half comes from Sydney musicians.FBi began 'test...

, RTRFM
RTRFM
RTRFM is a not-for-profit, community radio station based in Perth, Western Australia. It is self-funded, largely through listener subscription and fund-raising events, however it does carry some "advertising material" at a maximum of 5 mins per hour. It broadcasts 24 hours a day, on 92.1 in the...

) and given single of the week in two Australian street press magazines in April 2004. The band undertook its first tour of regional and metropolitan Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...

 with Little Birdy
Little Birdy
Little Birdy are an Australian indie rock band formed in Perth, Western Australia in 2002 by singer and guitarist Katy Steele, drummer Matt Chequer, guitarist and keyboardist Simon Leach, and bass guitarist Scott O'Donoghue...

 in July 2004, followed by their first interstate dates in Sydney & Victoria playing with Hope of the States
Hope of the States
Hope of the States were an English post rock-influenced indie band from Chichester.-Members:* Sam Herlihy - vocals, guitar, piano, music boxes, glockenspiels, mellotron, sampler, celeste, harmonium* Michael Hibbert - guitar, harmonica, backing vocals...

 in August 2004. Their second single "Sleepy Little Deathtoll Town" (taken from the EP of the same name) was released in September 2004, and was playlisted on national & interstate radio, this was followed in October by an eleven date Australian tour with Little Birdy
Little Birdy
Little Birdy are an Australian indie rock band formed in Perth, Western Australia in 2002 by singer and guitarist Katy Steele, drummer Matt Chequer, guitarist and keyboardist Simon Leach, and bass guitarist Scott O'Donoghue...

. The band were selected for Triple J’s Fresh Crop artist for Australian Music Month (November 2004) profiling the song “Mohawk”. The Panda Band were listed by Rolling Stone Magazine as number 1 band to watch in 2005
"A surreal, swirling and eclectic mix of instrumentation and melodies. Flaming Lips and Modest Mouse
Modest Mouse
Modest Mouse is an American indie rock band formed in 1993 in Issaquah, Washington, by singer/lyricist/guitarist Isaac Brock, drummer Jeremiah Green, and bassist Eric Judy. They are based in Portland, Oregon. Since their 1996 debut album, This Is a Long Drive for Someone with Nothing to Think...

 eccentricity blended with the classic harmonies and quirk of Sgt Peppers-era Beatles."
(Bronwyn Thompson – Rolling Stone Magazine January 2005).
"Sleepy Little Deathtoll Town
Sleepy Little Deathtoll Town
Sleepy Little Deathtoll Town was the first EP from The Panda Band, released in 2005. The name of the title track is a reference to their home town. "Sleepy Little Deathtoll Town" reached #73 on Triple J's Hottest 100 for 2004 and also won the WAM Song of the Year in 2006, winning 'Pop' category. ...

" entered the Triple J Hottest 100
Triple J Hottest 100, 2004
The 2004 Triple J Hottest 100 was announced on 26 January 2005. It was the twelfth such countdown of the most popular songs of the year, according to listeners of the Australian radio station Triple J....

 of 2004, at number 73 and the band were awarded 'Most Promising New Act at the 2005 Western Australian Music Industry Awards (WAMi's) in February 2005. The Panda Band performed at the inaugural Southbound Festival (January 2005) and played at The Big Day Out in Perth (February 2005). February 2005 also saw the release of their debut EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...

, Sleepy Little Deathtoll Town
Sleepy Little Deathtoll Town
Sleepy Little Deathtoll Town was the first EP from The Panda Band, released in 2005. The name of the title track is a reference to their home town. "Sleepy Little Deathtoll Town" reached #73 on Triple J's Hottest 100 for 2004 and also won the WAM Song of the Year in 2006, winning 'Pop' category. ...

. The band's next single, "Then you Appear" was released in March 2005 and again playlisted on national & interstate radio. March also saw the band performing at The Knitting Factory in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...

, SXSW Festival, Rothkos and The Mercury Lounge in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...

 and The Marquee Club in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...

. The band then returned to Australia and toured with Evermore in April, June and July. September and October saw the band perform shows at Manchester’s In the City, Liverpool, Leeds, Wrexham (touring with Proud Mary
Proud Mary (band)
Proud Mary are an English country/blues/rock band from Royton, Oldham, England. The band was discovered by Noel Gallagher in 2001, and was the first to sign to the Oasis star's Sour Mash label....

) and three gigs in London (one with The Spinto Band
The Spinto Band
The Spinto Band is an indie rock band from Wilmington, Delaware. They are currently signed to Park the Van Records.-Biography:The Spinto Band was originally formed as recording project by high school students in Wilmington, Delaware in the late 1990s...

), they also record a live recording at XFM Radio in London for broadcast on John Kennedy’s nightly new music program. The Panda Band were then invited to perform at Canadian Music Week 2006 and The Great Escape Festival 2006 in Brighton, UK. The next single, "Alana" (October 2005) was playlisted on national and interstate radio. The band received three song awards including mixed category, pop category and Song of the Year at the WA Music Industry Association’s Songwriting Awards
WAM Song of the Year
WAM was originally formed as the Western Australian Rock Music Industry Association Inc. in 1985, with its main aim to develop and run annual awards recognising achievements within the music industry in Western Australia...

 in October 2005. The band then undertook a headline tour to Sydney and Melbourne including the Bathurst Village Fair and were again invited to perform at SXSW in 2006.

In February 2006 The Panda Band were awarded 'Best Indie Rock Act' and 'Best Drummer' at the 2006 Western Australian Music Industry Awards. The band commenced recording their debut album at Blackbird Studios In March 2006 Damian Crosbie was awarded the Australasian Performing Rights Society Professional Development Award for the Contemporary Music category for his song "Eyelashes", which was followed by a national tour of Australia as the main support act for The Grates
The Grates
The Grates are a two-piece band from Brisbane, Australia, comprising Patience Hodgson and John Patterson . They have been lauded for their catchy songs and enthusiastic and energetic live shows, as Patience spends much of the time bouncing around, even while singing...

. They signed to Filter US Recordings in March 2006 to release their album in North America.

Their first full length album This Vital Chapter
This Vital Chapter
This Vital Chapter is the first album from The Panda Band, released in Australia on 8 May 2006 and in the United States on 12 September 2006 - subtitled 'We're Almost Not Even Here'. The album features new recordings of radio favourites "Sleepy Little Deathtoll Town" , "Eyelashes" and the most...

was independently released in Australia on 5 August 2006 and in the United States by Filter US Recordings and Fontana Distribution on 18 September 2006, with a special iTunes pre-release on the 25 July. A national tour followed which saw band take New Rules For Boats
New Rules for Boats
New Rules for Boats is a five piece band from Perth, Western Australia formed in early 2004.-History:Joseph Derwort, Sean Pollard and Benjamin Golby of New Rules For Boats first met at Perth Modern School, where all three had music scholarships, although they didn't form the band until after they...

 around Australia with them. They were also joined at various points by Jump 2 Light Speed
Jump 2 Light Speed
Jump 2 Light Speed is a band from Brisbane in Queensland fronted by Ben Ely.-Members:*Ben Ely bass & vocals *Stella Mozgawa drums 2005-2006...

 and Jeff Strong. Immediately following the album tour, they went on 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...

's Personality - One Was A Spider, One Was A Bird
Personality - One Was A Spider, One Was A Bird
Personality - One Was a Spider, One Was a Bird is the second album by Australian band The Sleepy Jackson, released in July 2006. The album was recorded at Big Jesus Burger Studios in Sydney, and was produced by Scott Horscroft and Luke Steele...

 Australian tour. They followed this up in November with an east coast of Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...

 tour with The Exploders
The Exploders
The Exploders are an alternative rock band from Lake Bolac, Victoria, Australia.-Biography:The Exploders formed in 2004 and were picked up by the label Rubber Records in 2005, appearing at the Falls Festival the following year. They released their self titled debut album on 21 March 2006...

 from Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...

 and Perth band The Dirty Secrets. The tour was called "Way Of The Exploding Panda".

The Panda Band performed at the "Escape To The Park" concert on 25 November at King's Park
Kings Park, Western Australia
Kings Park is a park located on the western edge of Perth, Western Australia central business district. The park is a mixture of grassed parkland, botanical gardens and natural bushland on Mount Eliza with two thirds of the grounds conserved as native bushland. With panoramic views of the Swan...

, Perth, Western Australia
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....

, alongside 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...

, Tex Perkins
Tex Perkins
Tex Perkins is an Australian singer-songwriter, who is widely known for fronting the popular Australian rock-band The Cruel Sea, but has also performed with the Beasts of Bourbon, Thug, James Baker Experience, The Butcher Shop, Salamander Jim, and Tex, Don and Charlie. He has also released many...

, 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...

 & Augie March
Augie March
Augie March are an Australian indie/pop rock band. Formed in 1996 in Shepparton, Victoria, the band currently consists of vocalist and rhythm guitarist Glenn Richards, lead guitarist Adam Donovan, bassist Edmondo Ammendola, drummer David Williams, and keyboardist Kiernan Box...

. They also performed at the Southbound
Southbound (festival)
Southbound is an arts, camping and music festival. A variety of Australian and international artists perform at this event. The festival occurs annually, early January, at the Sir Stewart Bovell Park in Busselton, Western Australia.-History:...

 at Bussleton
Busselton, Western Australia
-Growth and development:According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics the Shire had a permanent resident population of 25,950 in 2004 with the town of Busselton accounting for 67% or 17,400 of the total. The Shire's permanent population is expected to continue to increase significantly to...

 in January 2007.

In 2007 they performed a third time at the SXSW
South by Southwest
South by Southwest is an Austin, Texas based company dedicated to planning conferences, trade shows, festivals and other events. Their current roster of annual events include: SXSW Music, SXSW Film, SXSW Interactive, SXSWedu, and SXSWeco and take place every spring in Austin, Texas, United States...

 Music Festival in Austin, Texas
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...

. Following the festival they then undertook an eleven date USA tour covering Los Angeles, San Francisco, Austin, Chicago, & New York to promote the album release in North America. The Panda Band then toured nationally, supporting Gomez
Gomez (band)
Gomez are an English indie rock band from Southport, comprising Ian Ball , Paul "Blackie" Blackburn , Tom Gray , Ben Ottewell and Olly Peacock . The band is distinguished for having three singers and four songwriters, employing traditional and electronic instruments...

 at some shows.

The band's latest single, "The Fix", was released as a free download in April 2011, ahead of the release of their second studio album, Charisma Weapon. The album is scheduled to be released on 15 July on the band's own label, Bam*Boo.

Band members

  • David Namour - bass
  • Stephen Callan - keyboards/samples/Lead Song Writer
  • Chris Callan - guitar/backing vocals
  • Scott Lee Howard - drums/percussion
  • Damian Crosbie - lead vocals/guitar

Albums

  • This Vital Chapter
    This Vital Chapter
    This Vital Chapter is the first album from The Panda Band, released in Australia on 8 May 2006 and in the United States on 12 September 2006 - subtitled 'We're Almost Not Even Here'. The album features new recordings of radio favourites "Sleepy Little Deathtoll Town" , "Eyelashes" and the most...

    — Bam*Boo/QStik Records (BAM002) (5 August 2006)
  • Charisma Weapon— Bam*Boo (BAM003)(15 July 2011)

Extended plays

  • Sleepy Little Deathtoll Town
    Sleepy Little Deathtoll Town
    Sleepy Little Deathtoll Town was the first EP from The Panda Band, released in 2005. The name of the title track is a reference to their home town. "Sleepy Little Deathtoll Town" reached #73 on Triple J's Hottest 100 for 2004 and also won the WAM Song of the Year in 2006, winning 'Pop' category. ...

    — Bam*Boo/QStik Records (BAM001) (7 February 2005)
  • Ghosts Have the Best Time! — Bam*Boo/QStik Records (17 April 2006)

Singles

  • "Eyelashes" (April 2004)
  • "Sleepy Little Deathtoll Town" (September 2004)
  • "Then you Appear" (March 2005)
  • "Alana" (October 2005)
  • "Where the River Rises" — Bam*Boo (4 November 2008)
  • "Furiious" — Filter (22 September 2009)
  • "The Fix" (9 April 2011)

Awards

  • 2006 WAMi
    West Australian Music Industry Awards
    The Western Australian Music Industry Awards are annual awards presented to the local contemporary music industry, put on by the Western Australian Music Industry Association Inc...

     Awards, Best Indie/Pop Act
  • 2006 WAMi
    West Australian Music Industry Awards
    The Western Australian Music Industry Awards are annual awards presented to the local contemporary music industry, put on by the Western Australian Music Industry Association Inc...

     Awards, Best Drummer – Gabriel Nicotra
  • 2005 WAMi
    West Australian Music Industry Awards
    The Western Australian Music Industry Awards are annual awards presented to the local contemporary music industry, put on by the Western Australian Music Industry Association Inc...

     Awards, Most Promising New Act
  • 2005 WAM
    West Australian Music Industry Awards
    The Western Australian Music Industry Awards are annual awards presented to the local contemporary music industry, put on by the Western Australian Music Industry Association Inc...

     Song of the Year
    WAM Song of the Year
    WAM was originally formed as the Western Australian Rock Music Industry Association Inc. in 1985, with its main aim to develop and run annual awards recognising achievements within the music industry in Western Australia...

     Awards, Grand Prize – "Sleepy Little Death Toll Town" by Damian Crosbie
  • 2005 WAM
    West Australian Music Industry Awards
    The Western Australian Music Industry Awards are annual awards presented to the local contemporary music industry, put on by the Western Australian Music Industry Association Inc...

     Song of the Year Awards, Pop – "Sleepy Little Death Toll Town" by Damian Crosbie
  • 2005 WAM
    West Australian Music Industry Awards
    The Western Australian Music Industry Awards are annual awards presented to the local contemporary music industry, put on by the Western Australian Music Industry Association Inc...

     Song of the Year Awards, Mixed Bag – "Then You Appear" by Damian Crosbie

Nominations

  • 2007 WAMi
    West Australian Music Industry Awards
    The Western Australian Music Industry Awards are annual awards presented to the local contemporary music industry, put on by the Western Australian Music Industry Association Inc...

     Awards, Most Popular Act
  • 2007 WAMi
    West Australian Music Industry Awards
    The Western Australian Music Industry Awards are annual awards presented to the local contemporary music industry, put on by the Western Australian Music Industry Association Inc...

     Awards, Most Popular Album – This Vital Chapter
  • 2006 WAMi
    West Australian Music Industry Awards
    The Western Australian Music Industry Awards are annual awards presented to the local contemporary music industry, put on by the Western Australian Music Industry Association Inc...

     Awards, Best Instrumentalist – Stevie Callan
  • 2006 WAMi
    West Australian Music Industry Awards
    The Western Australian Music Industry Awards are annual awards presented to the local contemporary music industry, put on by the Western Australian Music Industry Association Inc...

     Awards, Best Bassist – Dave Namour
  • 2005 WAMi
    West Australian Music Industry Awards
    The Western Australian Music Industry Awards are annual awards presented to the local contemporary music industry, put on by the Western Australian Music Industry Association Inc...

     Awards, Favourite Newcomer
  • 2005 WAMi
    West Australian Music Industry Awards
    The Western Australian Music Industry Awards are annual awards presented to the local contemporary music industry, put on by the Western Australian Music Industry Association Inc...

     Awards, Best Indie/Pop Act
  • 2004 WAM
    West Australian Music Industry Awards
    The Western Australian Music Industry Awards are annual awards presented to the local contemporary music industry, put on by the Western Australian Music Industry Association Inc...

     Song of the Year Awards, Best Indie/Punk Song – "Eyelashes" by Damian Crosbie and Dave Namour
  • 2003 WAM
    West Australian Music Industry Awards
    The Western Australian Music Industry Awards are annual awards presented to the local contemporary music industry, put on by the Western Australian Music Industry Association Inc...

    Song Of The Year Awards, Best Indie Pop/Rock Song – "Birds On The Bridge" by Damian Crosbie

External links

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