The Parlotones
Encyclopedia
The Parlotones is a rock
band based in Johannesburg
, South Africa
. They have achieved multiplatinum-selling status in their home country. They experiment with their sound and various structures in their songs, incorporating the typical doo-wop or traditional folk structures. The Parlotones are known for the face make-up worn by lead singer Kahn Morbee.
, which came out in 2005 which won Best Rock Album at the 2006 South Africa Music Awards. The ballad "Beautiful" was used in an Irish Fujifilm
television commercial which led to a European license deal with Universal Music. The album achieved Gold status in 2007. Their next album A World Next Door To Yours was released in September 2009; it is South Africa’s biggest selling rock album of the decade.
Much of the band's success can be attributed to the strong ties they have formed with the media and their extensive use of publicity opportunities.
They are spokespersons for both Live Earth
and Earth Hour
along with Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu
, Prince Charles, and Rihanna
.
The Parlotones' video to the single “Life Design” was added on MTV Europe
.
The Parlotones performed at the 2010 FIFA World Cup
Kick-Off Celebration concert along with Black Eyed Peas, Alicia Keys
, and Shakira
.
In October 2011 The Parlotones were the opening act for the Cape Town and Johannesburg concerts of Coldplay
's tour to South Africa
(54%), Shiraz (23%), Pinotage
(12%), and Cabernet Franc
(11%).
In April 2010, a White wine 'Push Me to the Floor' was released, named after their single from the album Stardust Galaxies
. The wine is a blend of Chenin blanc
(60%), Gewürztraminer
(15%), Chardonnay
(20%,) and Viognier
(5%).
On 5 October 2010, a Rosé wine 'We Call this Dancing' was released, named after the song from Stardust Galaxies. The wine is a blend of Wellington
Pinotage (55%), Wellington Shiraz (25%), and a balance---a blend of 30 different varietals from the Upper Hemel-en-Aarde Valley near Hermanus
(20%).
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band based in Johannesburg
Johannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. They have achieved multiplatinum-selling status in their home country. They experiment with their sound and various structures in their songs, incorporating the typical doo-wop or traditional folk structures. The Parlotones are known for the face make-up worn by lead singer Kahn Morbee.
Biography
In February 2002 the Parlotones released their debut album Episoda. The first album to reach mainstream succes was their second album RadiocontrolledrobotRadiocontrolledrobot
Radiocontrolledrobot is the first studio album released by Johannesburg-based South African Indie rock band The Parlotones under its Sovereign Entertainment label...
, which came out in 2005 which won Best Rock Album at the 2006 South Africa Music Awards. The ballad "Beautiful" was used in an Irish Fujifilm
Fujifilm
is a multinational photography and imaging company headquartered in Tokyo, Japan.Fujifilm's principal activities are the development, production, sale and servicing of color photographic film, digital cameras, photofinishing equipment, color paper, photofinishing chemicals, medical imaging...
television commercial which led to a European license deal with Universal Music. The album achieved Gold status in 2007. Their next album A World Next Door To Yours was released in September 2009; it is South Africa’s biggest selling rock album of the decade.
Much of the band's success can be attributed to the strong ties they have formed with the media and their extensive use of publicity opportunities.
They are spokespersons for both Live Earth
Live Earth
-Background:Founded by Emmy-winning producer Kevin Wall, in partnership with former U.S. Vice President Al Gore, Live Earth was built upon the belief that entertainment has the power to transcend social and cultural barriers to move the world community to action...
and Earth Hour
Earth Hour
Earth Hour is a global event organized by WWF and is held on the last Saturday of March annually, asking households and businesses to turn off their non-essential lights and other electrical appliances for one hour to raise awareness towards the need to take action on climate change...
along with Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu
Desmond Tutu
Desmond Mpilo Tutu is a South African activist and retired Anglican bishop who rose to worldwide fame during the 1980s as an opponent of apartheid...
, Prince Charles, and Rihanna
Rihanna
Robyn Rihanna Fenty , better known as simply Rihanna, is a Barbadian recording artist. Born in Saint Michael, Barbados, Rihanna moved to the United States at the age of 16 to pursue a recording career under the guidance of record producer Evan Rogers...
.
The Parlotones' video to the single “Life Design” was added on MTV Europe
MTV Europe
MTV Europe is a pan-European 24-hour entertainment cable and digital television network launched on August 1, 1987. Initially, the channel served all regions within Europe being one of the very few channels that targeted the entire European continent...
.
The Parlotones performed at the 2010 FIFA World Cup
2010 FIFA World Cup
The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
Kick-Off Celebration concert along with Black Eyed Peas, Alicia Keys
Alicia Keys
Alicia Augello Cook , better known by her stage name Alicia Keys, is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and occasional actress. She was raised by a single mother in the Hell's Kitchen area of Manhattan in New York City. At age seven, Keys began playing the piano...
, and Shakira
Shakira
Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll , known professionally as Shakira , is a Colombian singer who emerged in the music scene of Colombia and Latin America in the early 1990s...
.
In October 2011 The Parlotones were the opening act for the Cape Town and Johannesburg concerts of Coldplay
Coldplay
Coldplay are a British alternative rock band formed in 1996 by lead vocalist Chris Martin and lead guitarist Jonny Buckland at University College London. After they formed Pectoralz, Guy Berryman joined the group as a bassist and they changed their name to Starfish. Will Champion joined as a...
's tour to South Africa
Awards
- South African Music Awards 2006 - Best Rock Album
- You Magazine Awards 2007 - Best Band
- FHM Readers Choice 2007
- MK Awards 2007 - Best Video
- People’s Choice Awards 2008 - Best Music Act
- Best Band Award – Caxton’s best of JHB
- Loerie Kraft Award 2008 (first time a music video has won at the Loeries)
- MTV Africa 2008 – Best Group nomination
- MTV Africa 2008 – Best Alternative nomination
- MK Awards 2009 – Best Video
- MK Awards 2009 – Best Animation
- MK Awards 2009 – Best Serenade
- SAMA Awards 2009 –MTN Record of the year (nomination)
- SAMA Awards 2009 – Best Global Chart DVD (nomination)
- SAMA Awards 2009 – Best Music Video Of The Year
- SAMA Awards 2010 - Best rock album for Stardust Galaxies
- SAMA Awards 2010 - Best music video for Push Me to the Floor
- International Songwriting Competition (ISC) 2008 Music Video (first place)
- International Songwriting Competition (ISC) 2008 Performance (second place)
- 2009 “Rock.Paper.Scissors” featured on USA hit TV series One Tree Hill
Europe, Asia & MTV
- They released their album 'Stardust Galaxies' in the UK and Europe in June 2010.
- The single "Life Design" was released in the UK in April 2010.
Wine Label
On 16 September 2009, The Parlotones together with Hands on Wine released a Red Wine 'Giant Mistake', named after their single from the album A World Next Door to Yours. The wine is a blend of Cabernet SauvignonCabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the world's most widely recognized red wine grape varieties. It is grown in nearly every major wine producing country among a diverse spectrum of climates from Canada's Okanagan Valley to Lebanon's Beqaa Valley...
(54%), Shiraz (23%), Pinotage
Pinotage
Pinotage is a red wine grape that is South Africa's signature variety. It was bred there in 1925 as a cross between Pinot noir and Cinsaut...
(12%), and Cabernet Franc
Cabernet Franc
Cabernet Franc is one of the major black grape varieties worldwide. It is principally grown for blending with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot in the Bordeaux style, but can also be vinified alone - as in the Loire's Chinon...
(11%).
In April 2010, a White wine 'Push Me to the Floor' was released, named after their single from the album Stardust Galaxies
Stardust Galaxies
Stardust Galaxies is the third studio album produced by Johannesburg based South African music band The Parlotones under its current label Sovereign Entertainment. The album has been certified gold, having sold 20,000 copies in its first week of release...
. The wine is a blend of Chenin blanc
Chenin Blanc
Chenin blanc , is a white wine grape variety from the Loire valley of France. Its high acidity means it can be used to make everything from sparkling wines to well-balanced dessert wines, although it can produce very bland, neutral wines if the vine's natural vigor is not controlled...
(60%), Gewürztraminer
Gewürztraminer
Gewürztraminer is an aromatic wine grape variety that performs best in cooler climates. It is sometimes referred to colloquially as Gewürz, and in French it is written '...
(15%), Chardonnay
Chardonnay
Chardonnay is a green-skinned grape variety used to make white wine. It is originated from the Burgundy wine region of eastern France but is now grown wherever wine is produced, from England to New Zealand...
(20%,) and Viognier
Viognier
Viognier is a white wine grape. It is the only permitted grape for the French wine Condrieu in the Rhone valley.-History:The origin of the Viognier grape is unknown. Viognier is presumed to be an ancient grape, possibly originating in Dalmatia and then brought to Rhône by the Romans. One legend...
(5%).
On 5 October 2010, a Rosé wine 'We Call this Dancing' was released, named after the song from Stardust Galaxies. The wine is a blend of Wellington
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
Pinotage (55%), Wellington Shiraz (25%), and a balance---a blend of 30 different varietals from the Upper Hemel-en-Aarde Valley near Hermanus
Hermanus
Hermanus is a town with 49,000 inhabitants on the southern coast of the Western Cape province of South Africa. It is famous as a place from which to watch Southern Right whales, during the southern winter and spring and is a popular retirement town...
(20%).
Band members
- Glenn Hodgson - bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, backing vocals - Paul Hodgson - lead guitarLead guitarLead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
, keyboardKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments... - Kahn Morbee - lead vocals, rhythm guitarRhythm guitarRhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together...
- Neil Pauw - drums
Albums
- Episoda (2003)
- RadiocontrolledrobotRADIOCONTROLLEDROBOT (album)Radiocontrolledrobot is the first studio album released by Johannesburg-based South African Indie rock band The Parlotones under its Sovereign Entertainment label...
(2005) - A World Next Door to Yours (2007)
- Unplugged (CD and DVD Live at the Emperors Palace) (2008)
- Videocontrolledrobot (CD and DVD video compilation) (2008)
- Stardust GalaxiesStardust GalaxiesStardust Galaxies is the third studio album produced by Johannesburg based South African music band The Parlotones under its current label Sovereign Entertainment. The album has been certified gold, having sold 20,000 copies in its first week of release...
(2009) - Live Design (Live CD and DVD video compilation) (2010)
- Video's (DVD video compilation with 'Road To The Dome' documentary) (2010)
- Eavesdropping on the Songs of Whales (Acoustic) (2011)
- Journey Through the Shadows (April 2012)
EPs
- Superstars
- Borderline PatrolBorderline Patrol (album)- Track listing :----...
(2004) - Dragonflies and Astronauts (2005)