Tin Alley
Encyclopedia
Tin Alley are a rock band based in Australia. Tin Alley was formed in 2007 in Melbourne, by brothers Paul Siourthas, Jim Siourthas and Peter Hofbauer.
They have released one studio album, Everyturn, in 2007. Their debut single "In Your Hands"
charted consecutively and peaked at number 13 between John Butler
and Sneaky Sound System
in the Australian indie charts.
In 2009 Tin Alley's release Out Of Control reached number 1 on the AMO Charts (Australian Music Office
)and was also at number 1 on the AIR Charts(Australian Independent Record Labels Association
) for five consecutive weeks.
November 2009 Out Of Control reached no.7 on the ARIA Australian singles charts and was in the ARIA Charts
top 20 for six consecutive weeks.
In early 2010 Tin Alley had a special verses dance version of Out Of Control mixed by Luke Chable
who has collaborated and worked with (TV Rock
, Nubreed
) and had features on dance compilations by (Paul Van Dyk
, Deep Dish
,and Jonathan Lisle
). In February 2010 the Luke Chable Vs Tin Alley Out Of Control dance mix was later featured on many shows and radio playlisted programs Australia wide. August 2010 Out Of Control was featured and marketed Internationally by fashion company Billabong (clothing)
as part of the 2010 Designers Closet Series.
In mid August 2010 Tin Alley released Monster (Pop) a track which was a special pop edit taken from the groups original rock version mixed by David Treahearn and Rob Haggett in the UK who had previously collaborated on projects by Madonna
, Britney Spears
, Marilyn Manson
, Gwen Stefani
, Oasis
, Kylie Minogue
, Ladyhawke
and Nelly Furtado
.
Soon after the mid August release lead singer and guitarist Jim Siourthas had left the band due to personal reasons and in January 2011 Stefan Waltersson from Iceland
had joined Tin Alley.
In July the group had signed an endorsement with Australian guitar manufacture Maton
and soon after released 'Ride The Wave' from the Bounce Back EP.
In August 2011 Jared Piatkowski had joined the group on Bass guitar
and in early October the band started working on there second album release.
They formed the group Everything in early 1998 with friends Bill Wall and Angelo on Bass. In 1998 drummer Peter Hofbauer of Austria
n descent read an ad in The Sunday Herald and after two auditions joined Everything.
In 2006, after producing some demo recordings at Melbourne records, Paul invited numerous labels and profile managers to various shows and showcases. In the process, Jim helped facilitate their progression in musical style from Indie rock to the more hard rock
approach that is now their trademark. On the strength of these demos, Mark Huxley took the band to meet with executives at MGM Distribution
where they were immediately signed to a distribution deal.
Later in 2007 the band played at various product launches and showcases such as the Torian Wi-Fi Infusion.
. Due to the success of Tin Alley's first independent release, another single from the album was released through MGM titled "Polar Bear".
The video clip for Polar Bear was filmed and directed in the United States of America by producer Max Rubitzky and proved to be an underground university hit in the United states. "Polar Bear"'s release was only a digital distribution through MGM, unlike "In Your Hands" which was marketed to Australian record stores.
In mid-2007, Tin Alley was voted in as 3RRR
album of the week and soon found themselves playing on numerous TV shows such as The Breakfast Show for Channel 31 and 1700 and doing guest appearances and acoustic performances on various radio stations.
In December 2007 Tin Alley were struck down with the near loss of Drummer Peter Hofbauer from a serious motorbike accident stopping the band in the midst of their first Australian tour.
and Small Mercies
and many other Australian talents.
The number 27 had led Tin Alley to delve deep into the history of the 27 Club
that further led them basing the lyrics in general on that theme and even quoting Kurt Cobain
's last words in his suicide note "Best to burn out bright than fade into the night" in the final seconds of the track.
In early November 2009 Tin Alley made the top 100 on the ARIA Charts and in the weeks to follow Out Of Control also made No.1 spots on AIR Charts
and AMO "Australian Music Office
" Charts for six consecutive weeks and later peaked at number 7 on the ARIA Australian Singles Chart in early December. The track Out Of Control also featured as mover of the month on the Jägermeister
AIR Charts and was the fourth most added track to National radio and a week later got inducted into the 27 club hall of fame.
Unplugged Session Tour 2009 / 2010
During the bands Out Of Control release Tin Alley were busy on their National Unplugged Sessions Tour. The Media Acoustic Tour kick started in Queensland
that spanned across WA
/SA
/QLD/NSW/VIC
and Tasmania
over a four month period from November 2009 to March 2010. While the band were in Sydney (NSW) Jim mentioned on the Ugly Phil
show on Triple M
as saying:
In December Tin Alley came back to Melbourne to play a special showcase performance supporting Boom Crash Opera
for their Christmas party in Melbourne along with other guests on the night such as Taxiride
.
on their Return To Australia Tour with other special guests Electric Mary
The groups success to date from the Out Of Control release had created landmark achievements and new opportunity's for the band. Following the success of Out Of Control in late December 2009 Tin Alley received notice from their PR representative that Luke Chable
's management was offering to create a special dance version of the bands rock track.
In the weeks to follow Tin Alley accepted and the track was later received and backed by commercial and community radio stations in Australia and also received spins on commercial stations in the UK and USA and received a Top Ten review in The Music Network. Luke Chable was quoted by Paul Siourthas from Tin Alley as a genius in his Interview on Red FM
(Australia largest geographical radio network in the Southern hemisphere). Lead singer Jim Siourthas later went on to mention in an interview on Nova 969 he was not to happy at first listen with Luke's vocal effects on his voice however he was still very pleased to have Luke collaborate with Tin Alley and liked the dance version.
March Tin Alley were fortunate enough to showcase on the Friday night at the Melbourne Moomba
Festival before bad weather and storms hit the Melbourne districts the following days resulting in headlining act Vanessa Amorosi
and other performances being canceled on the Saturday and Sunday.
The name Tin Alley was taken from the name of a laneway at Melbourne University where the brothers studied. "The name Tin Alley was always on the books but Everything seemed to be more punchy at the time," Jim has said.
bands of the late 1990s, Tin Alley's style is noticeably less heavy and harkens back to the classic rock
music of the 1970s. Tin Alley has cited many punk rock
and classic rock bands as influences, including The Who
, The Doors
, and Ramones
. Tin Alley's success to date has been attributed to its sound, which fuses "the riff-heavy stadium rock of the '70s with the grit and anger of '80s post-punk, without ever neglecting hooks and choruses".
Jimmy Siourthas's guitar style is known for its sense of groove, while Hofbauer's power drumming, influenced by artists such as Keith Moon
and Rodger Tailor from Queen
, has been described as "feel-oriented" and "very powerful".
By early 2006 the band began to incorporate more funk influences into its music. The band's 2007 album, Everyturn, was a deliberate break from the musical style of Tin Alley's earlier sound.
The songs on the album featured elements of garage rock
, worldbeat
, and experimentalism
which was somewhat of a return to the straight forward rock approach of the band's early work in Everything, when the band dabbled with experimental art rock
and folk rock
elements on 2001's "NYC". Some of the band's tracks on the 2007 album, Everyturn, was cited as a return to the band's early sound. The band's upcoming album, Crossing Paths, contains elements of pop
and New Wave
.
Critic Mithcelle Alexander from Rave describes Siourthas's vocals as a "Jim Morrison
-like vocal growl with the bands sound reminiscent of more recognised power-pop trios Crowded House
, Manic Street Preachers
, the aforementioned Police
with a Led Zeppelin
edge. Siourthas's vocal range was also described as a hard-hitting and often confessional lyrical style with a Eddie Vedder-esque baritone, Tin Alley's lyrical topics range from personal to social and political concerns ("Looking Up", "Get By" and "In Your Hands"). The band's lyrics have often invoked the use of storytelling
and have included themes of freedom, individualism
, and sympathy for troubled individuals.
When the band started, Paul and Jim were clearly designated as rhythm and lead guitarists, respectively.
The dynamic began to change when Paul went from guitar to bass and during the Everything era. Siourthas said in 2007, "Even though there is now only one guitar, I think there's maybe more room now, Peter will pull back and play a solid beat and Jim will do a power chord
thing, and I fit into all that.
, Elvis Presley
, Johnny Cash
and at the age 13 began writing and performing.
They have released one studio album, Everyturn, in 2007. Their debut single "In Your Hands"
charted consecutively and peaked at number 13 between John Butler
John Butler (musician)
John Charles Wiltshire-Butler or John Charles Butler is an Australian musician, songwriter, record label owner and producer...
and Sneaky Sound System
Sneaky Sound System
Sneaky Sound System are a Sydney-based Australian dance music group consisting of guitarist and producer Black Angus and vocalist Connie Mitchell.-Early Years:...
in the Australian indie charts.
In 2009 Tin Alley's release Out Of Control reached number 1 on the AMO Charts (Australian Music Office
Australian Music Office
The Australian Music Office is a division of the Australian Trade Commission , a government agency which helps Australian companies succeed in export and international business...
)and was also at number 1 on the AIR Charts(Australian Independent Record Labels Association
Australian Independent Record Labels Association
The Australian Independent Record Labels Association is a non profit, non government association dedicated to supporting the growth and development of Australia’s independent recording sector...
) for five consecutive weeks.
November 2009 Out Of Control reached no.7 on the ARIA Australian singles charts and was in the ARIA Charts
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...
top 20 for six consecutive weeks.
In early 2010 Tin Alley had a special verses dance version of Out Of Control mixed by Luke Chable
Luke Chable
Luke Chable is an Australian producer, singer/songwriter, and DJ. He is arguably the most prolific Progressive House producer ever to come out of Australia. He has released hundreds of remixes and original records with countless labels across the globe....
who has collaborated and worked with (TV Rock
TV Rock
TV Rock are an Australian dance music duo consisting of Grant Smillie and Ivan Gough.TV Rock entered the mainstream in February 2006 with their hit "Flaunt It" featuring Seany B. which reached #1 for 5 weeks and spent 39 weeks in the Australian ARIA Top 50...
, Nubreed
NuBreed
NuBreed is a trio of Australian producers Jason Catherine, Michael Walburgh, and Danny Bonnici. They have performed several remixes for artists such as The Crystal Method, Luke Chable, and Way Out West. They have also recorded several DJ mixes including Electric_02 for EQ Recordings and an entry...
) and had features on dance compilations by (Paul Van Dyk
Paul van Dyk
Matthias Paul, better known by his stage name Paul van Dyk is a German Grammy Award-winning Electronic Dance Music DJ, musician and record producer...
, Deep Dish
Deep Dish
Deep Dish is a duo of DJs and house-music producers consisting of Iranian-American members Ali "Dubfire" Shirazinia and Sharam Tayebi. Based in Washington, D.C., Shirazinia and Tayebi are well known for providing house or dance remixes of tracks of famous stars such as Madonna, Cher and Gabrielle,...
,and Jonathan Lisle
Jonathan Lisle
Jonathan Lisle is a British DJ. After being "discovered" by John Digweed in 2001, he became the primary talent-spotter for Digweed and Bedrock Records. He played regularly at Bedrock in London and has toured throughout Europe, North and South America, Asia and Australia. He was voted one of the...
). In February 2010 the Luke Chable Vs Tin Alley Out Of Control dance mix was later featured on many shows and radio playlisted programs Australia wide. August 2010 Out Of Control was featured and marketed Internationally by fashion company Billabong (clothing)
Billabong (clothing)
Billabong International is a clothing company traded on the Australian Securities Exchange since 11 August 2000. Billabong was founded in 1973 by Gordon and Rena Merchant....
as part of the 2010 Designers Closet Series.
In mid August 2010 Tin Alley released Monster (Pop) a track which was a special pop edit taken from the groups original rock version mixed by David Treahearn and Rob Haggett in the UK who had previously collaborated on projects by 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...
, Britney Spears
Britney Spears
Britney Jean Spears is an American recording artist and entertainer. Born in McComb, Mississippi, and raised in Kentwood, Louisiana, Spears began performing as a child, landing acting roles in stage productions and television shows. She signed with Jive Records in 1997 and released her debut album...
, Marilyn Manson
Marilyn Manson
Marilyn Manson may refer to:* Marilyn Manson , an American rock musician* Marilyn Manson , the American rock band led by the singer of the same name...
, Gwen Stefani
Gwen Stefani
Gwen Renée Stefani is an American singer-songwriter and fashion designer. Stefani is the lead vocalist for the rock and ska band No Doubt. Stefani recorded her first solo album Love. Angel. Music. Baby. in 2004. The album was inspired by music of the 1980s, and was a success with sales of over...
, Oasis
Oasis (band)
Oasis were an English rock band formed in Manchester in 1991. Originally known as The Rain, the group was formed by Liam Gallagher , Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs , Paul "Guigsy" McGuigan and Tony McCarroll , who were soon joined by Liam's older brother Noel Gallagher...
, Kylie Minogue
Kylie Minogue
Kylie Ann Minogue, OBE - often known simply as Kylie - is an Australian singer, recording artist, songwriter, and actress. After beginning her career as a child actress on Australian television, she achieved recognition through her role in the television soap opera Neighbours, before commencing...
, Ladyhawke
Ladyhawke
Ladyhawke is a 1985 fantasy film directed by Richard Donner, starring Matthew Broderick, Rutger Hauer and Michelle Pfeiffer. The film marked the second 20th Century Fox film to be co-produced and co-released by Warner Bros.. The first was The Towering Inferno; this time Warner got the U.S...
and Nelly Furtado
Nelly Furtado
Nelly Kim Furtado is a Canadian singer-songwriter, record producer and actress. Furtado grew up in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.Furtado first gained fame with her debut album, Whoa, Nelly!, and its single "I'm Like a Bird", which won a 2001 Juno Award for Single of the Year and a 2002 Grammy...
.
Soon after the mid August release lead singer and guitarist Jim Siourthas had left the band due to personal reasons and in January 2011 Stefan Waltersson from Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
had joined Tin Alley.
In July the group had signed an endorsement with Australian guitar manufacture Maton
Maton
Maton is an Australian manufacturer of guitars and other fretted musical instruments.Maton was founded in 1946 as the Maton Musical Instruments Company by Bill May and his brother Reg...
and soon after released 'Ride The Wave' from the Bounce Back EP.
In August 2011 Jared Piatkowski had joined the group on Bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
and in early October the band started working on there second album release.
Early years
Brothers Jim and Paul Siourthas grew up in Reservoir. Paul received his first guitar at age eight and from then the brothers began writing and singing songs.They formed the group Everything in early 1998 with friends Bill Wall and Angelo on Bass. In 1998 drummer Peter Hofbauer of Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n descent read an ad in The Sunday Herald and after two auditions joined Everything.
In 2006, after producing some demo recordings at Melbourne records, Paul invited numerous labels and profile managers to various shows and showcases. In the process, Jim helped facilitate their progression in musical style from Indie rock to the more hard rock
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
approach that is now their trademark. On the strength of these demos, Mark Huxley took the band to meet with executives at MGM Distribution
MGM Distribution
MGM Distribution is the largest independent distributor of Australian music and music related merchandise and was established in April 1998 by Sebastian Chase....
where they were immediately signed to a distribution deal.
Later in 2007 the band played at various product launches and showcases such as the Torian Wi-Fi Infusion.
2007
Tin Alley's debut album, entitled Everyturn, was released in Australia on 17 October 2007, released along with its lead single, "In Your Hands". It peaked at number 13 and 17 consecutively in the AIR ChartsAIR Charts
The AIR Charts are the official sales charts for Australian independent music released by Australian owned, independent record labels. Presented by AIR, the Australian Independent Record Labels Association, the charts are calculated according to official sales figures provided by the ARIA Charts,...
. Due to the success of Tin Alley's first independent release, another single from the album was released through MGM titled "Polar Bear".
The video clip for Polar Bear was filmed and directed in the United States of America by producer Max Rubitzky and proved to be an underground university hit in the United states. "Polar Bear"'s release was only a digital distribution through MGM, unlike "In Your Hands" which was marketed to Australian record stores.
In mid-2007, Tin Alley was voted in as 3RRR
3RRR
3RRR is a popular Australian community radio station, based in Melbourne. It is the largest per capita subscribed radio station in the world....
album of the week and soon found themselves playing on numerous TV shows such as The Breakfast Show for Channel 31 and 1700 and doing guest appearances and acoustic performances on various radio stations.
In December 2007 Tin Alley were struck down with the near loss of Drummer Peter Hofbauer from a serious motorbike accident stopping the band in the midst of their first Australian tour.
2008
In late 2008, Tin Alley were back and began work on their second release Crossing Paths. The EP was written and recorded in Queensland and produced by Stuart Stuart who has also worked with The VeronicasThe Veronicas
The Veronicas are an Australian electrorock, pop-punk and rock band. Twin sisters Jessica and Lisa Origliasso formed the band in 1999 in Brisbane. They have their own line of clothing which was released in 2007....
and Small Mercies
Small Mercies
Small Mercies is a rock band from Brisbane, Australia. The band formed in 1997 , and its current lineup is Steve Blaik, Danny Procopis, Marty O'Brien, and Jeff Reeves....
and many other Australian talents.
2009
In October 2009, the title track Out of Control was released to national radio as the lead single from the 2010 EP release Crossing Paths. The track Out Of Control was written by Tin Alley and had spawned from drummer Hofbauer's near death experience at the age of 27.The number 27 had led Tin Alley to delve deep into the history of the 27 Club
27 Club
The 27 Club—also occasionally known as the Forever 27 Club, Club 27 or the Curse of 27—is the title for a group of popular musicians who all died at the age of 27...
that further led them basing the lyrics in general on that theme and even quoting Kurt Cobain
Kurt Cobain
Kurt Donald Cobain was an American singer-songwriter, musician and artist, best known as the lead singer and guitarist of the grunge band Nirvana...
's last words in his suicide note "Best to burn out bright than fade into the night" in the final seconds of the track.
In early November 2009 Tin Alley made the top 100 on the ARIA Charts and in the weeks to follow Out Of Control also made No.1 spots on AIR Charts
AIR Charts
The AIR Charts are the official sales charts for Australian independent music released by Australian owned, independent record labels. Presented by AIR, the Australian Independent Record Labels Association, the charts are calculated according to official sales figures provided by the ARIA Charts,...
and AMO "Australian Music Office
Australian Music Office
The Australian Music Office is a division of the Australian Trade Commission , a government agency which helps Australian companies succeed in export and international business...
" Charts for six consecutive weeks and later peaked at number 7 on the ARIA Australian Singles Chart in early December. The track Out Of Control also featured as mover of the month on the Jägermeister
Jägermeister
Jägermeister is a German 70-proof digestif made with 56 different herbs and spices. It is the flagship product of Mast-Jägermeister SE, headquartered in Wolfenbüttel, south of Braunschweig, Lower Saxony, Germany.- History :...
AIR Charts and was the fourth most added track to National radio and a week later got inducted into the 27 club hall of fame.
Unplugged Session Tour 2009 / 2010
During the bands Out Of Control release Tin Alley were busy on their National Unplugged Sessions Tour. The Media Acoustic Tour kick started in Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
that spanned across WA
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...
/SA
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
/QLD/NSW/VIC
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
and Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
over a four month period from November 2009 to March 2010. While the band were in Sydney (NSW) Jim mentioned on the Ugly Phil
Ugly Phil
Ugly Phil O'Neil is a radio DJ/announcer. He was born in the United Kingdom, and lived the majority of his life in Australia. Before adopting the on-air name of Ugly Phil he was known on-air as Phil O'Neil...
show on Triple M
Triple M
The Triple M Network is an active rock radio network in Australia owned by media company Austereo, who also own the Today Network.- History :...
as saying:
In December Tin Alley came back to Melbourne to play a special showcase performance supporting Boom Crash Opera
Boom Crash Opera
Boom Crash Opera are a pop-rock band formed in Melbourne, Australia in 1985. Initially based around the songwriting partnership of Richard Pleasance and Peter Farnan Boom Crash Opera also includes Dale Ryder , Peter 'Maz' Maslen , Greg O'Connor and Ian Tilley Boom Crash Opera are a pop-rock band...
for their Christmas party in Melbourne along with other guests on the night such as Taxiride
Taxiride
Taxiride is an Australian rock band. Formed in 1997, the band consists of lead singer Jason Singh, guitarists Dan Hall and Tim Wild, and drummer Sean McLeod....
.
2010
January 2010 Tin Alley were invited to assist Juke KartelJuke Kartel
Juke Kartel is a rock band from Melbourne, Australia. The band formed in Melbourne, Australia in the early 2000s, and since October 2007 their line-up has consisted of vocalist Toby Rand, guitarist and piano Todd Burman, guitarist and back up vocalist Dale Winters, drummer Jason Pinfold with...
on their Return To Australia Tour with other special guests Electric Mary
Electric Mary
Electric Mary is a rock band from Melbourne, Australia. Their debut single "Sail On" reached #76 on the ARIA Singles chart.In 2008 they were finalists in the MusicOz Awards, nominated for Best Rock Band...
The groups success to date from the Out Of Control release had created landmark achievements and new opportunity's for the band. Following the success of Out Of Control in late December 2009 Tin Alley received notice from their PR representative that Luke Chable
Luke Chable
Luke Chable is an Australian producer, singer/songwriter, and DJ. He is arguably the most prolific Progressive House producer ever to come out of Australia. He has released hundreds of remixes and original records with countless labels across the globe....
's management was offering to create a special dance version of the bands rock track.
In the weeks to follow Tin Alley accepted and the track was later received and backed by commercial and community radio stations in Australia and also received spins on commercial stations in the UK and USA and received a Top Ten review in The Music Network. Luke Chable was quoted by Paul Siourthas from Tin Alley as a genius in his Interview on Red FM
Red FM (Australia)
Red FM ' is a commercial radio network covering the remote areas of Western Australia. Formerly only broadcasting to mine sites, Red FM targets the 18–39 listener with its rock and new music format.-History:...
(Australia largest geographical radio network in the Southern hemisphere). Lead singer Jim Siourthas later went on to mention in an interview on Nova 969 he was not to happy at first listen with Luke's vocal effects on his voice however he was still very pleased to have Luke collaborate with Tin Alley and liked the dance version.
March Tin Alley were fortunate enough to showcase on the Friday night at the Melbourne Moomba
Moomba
Moomba is Australia's largest free community festival and one of the longest running festivals in Australia. Held annually in the city of Melbourne, Australia, Moomba is celebrated during the Labour Day long weekend , and has been celebrated since 1955...
Festival before bad weather and storms hit the Melbourne districts the following days resulting in headlining act Vanessa Amorosi
Vanessa Amorosi
Vanessa Amorosi is an Australian singer-songwriter and recording artist. Her combined album and single sales have reached over 2 million worldwide.-Early life:...
and other performances being canceled on the Saturday and Sunday.
Band name
Regarding how they chose their name, Jim Siourthas states: "The name is something we thought about for a long time, and we wanted it to be something that we can relate to. The original name Everything was too random and didn't really touch a base with anything relative and we were very conscious of not wanting to make it a typical band name as well."The name Tin Alley was taken from the name of a laneway at Melbourne University where the brothers studied. "The name Tin Alley was always on the books but Everything seemed to be more punchy at the time," Jim has said.
Musical style and influences
Compared with the other hard rockHard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
bands of the late 1990s, Tin Alley's style is noticeably less heavy and harkens back to the classic rock
Classic rock
Classic rock is a radio format which developed from the album-oriented rock format in the early 1980s. In the United States, the classic rock format features music ranging generally from the late 1960s to the late 1980s, primarily focusing on the hard rock genre that peaked in popularity in the...
music of the 1970s. Tin Alley has cited many punk rock
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
and classic rock bands as influences, including 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...
, The Doors
The Doors
The Doors were an American rock band formed in 1965 in Los Angeles, California, with vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, drummer John Densmore, and guitarist Robby Krieger...
, and Ramones
Ramones
The Ramones were an American rock band that formed in the New York City neighborhood of Forest Hills, Queens, in 1974. They are often cited as the first punk rock group...
. Tin Alley's success to date has been attributed to its sound, which fuses "the riff-heavy stadium rock of the '70s with the grit and anger of '80s post-punk, without ever neglecting hooks and choruses".
Jimmy Siourthas's guitar style is known for its sense of groove, while Hofbauer's power drumming, influenced by artists such as 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...
and Rodger Tailor from Queen
Queen (band)
Queen are a British rock band formed in London in 1971, originally consisting of Freddie Mercury , Brian May , John Deacon , and Roger Taylor...
, has been described as "feel-oriented" and "very powerful".
By early 2006 the band began to incorporate more funk influences into its music. The band's 2007 album, Everyturn, was a deliberate break from the musical style of Tin Alley's earlier sound.
The songs on the album featured elements of garage rock
Garage rock
Garage rock is a raw form of rock and roll that was first popular in the United States and Canada from about 1963 to 1967. During the 1960s, it was not recognized as a separate music genre and had no specific name...
, worldbeat
Worldbeat
Worldbeat is a music genre that primarily refers to a blending of Western pop music with traditional/folk or world music influences...
, and experimentalism
Experimental music
Experimental music refers, in the English-language literature, to a compositional tradition which arose in the mid-20th century, applied particularly in North America to music composed in such a way that its outcome is unforeseeable. Its most famous and influential exponent was John Cage...
which was somewhat of a return to the straight forward rock approach of the band's early work in Everything, when the band dabbled with experimental art rock
Art rock
Art rock is a subgenre of rock music that originated in the United Kingdom in the 1960s, with influences from art, avant-garde, and classical music. The first usage of the term, according to Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, was in 1968. Influenced by the work of The Beatles, most notably their Sgt...
and folk rock
Folk rock
Folk rock is a musical genre combining elements of folk music and rock music. In its earliest and narrowest sense, the term referred to a genre that arose in the United States and the UK around the mid-1960s...
elements on 2001's "NYC". Some of the band's tracks on the 2007 album, Everyturn, was cited as a return to the band's early sound. The band's upcoming album, Crossing Paths, contains elements of pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
and New Wave
New Wave music
New Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...
.
Critic Mithcelle Alexander from Rave describes Siourthas's vocals as a "Jim Morrison
Jim Morrison
James Douglas "Jim" Morrison was an American musician, singer, and poet, best known as the lead singer and lyricist of the rock band The Doors...
-like vocal growl with the bands sound reminiscent of more recognised power-pop trios Crowded House
Crowded House
Crowded House are a rock band, formed in Melbourne, Australia and led by New Zealand singer-songwriter Neil Finn. Finn is the primary songwriter and creative director of the band, having led it through several incarnations, drawing members from New Zealand , Australia and the United States...
, Manic Street Preachers
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...
, the aforementioned Police
The Police
The Police were an English rock band formed in London in 1977. For the vast majority of their history, the band consisted of Sting , Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland...
with a Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham...
edge. Siourthas's vocal range was also described as a hard-hitting and often confessional lyrical style with a Eddie Vedder-esque baritone, Tin Alley's lyrical topics range from personal to social and political concerns ("Looking Up", "Get By" and "In Your Hands"). The band's lyrics have often invoked the use of storytelling
Storytelling
Storytelling is the conveying of events in words, images and sounds, often by improvisation or embellishment. Stories or narratives have been shared in every culture as a means of entertainment, education, cultural preservation and in order to instill moral values...
and have included themes of freedom, individualism
Individualism
Individualism is the moral stance, political philosophy, ideology, or social outlook that stresses "the moral worth of the individual". Individualists promote the exercise of one's goals and desires and so value independence and self-reliance while opposing most external interference upon one's own...
, and sympathy for troubled individuals.
When the band started, Paul and Jim were clearly designated as rhythm and lead guitarists, respectively.
The dynamic began to change when Paul went from guitar to bass and during the Everything era. Siourthas said in 2007, "Even though there is now only one guitar, I think there's maybe more room now, Peter will pull back and play a solid beat and Jim will do a power chord
Power chord
In music, a power chord is a chord consisting of only the root note of the chord and the fifth interval, usually played on electric guitar, and typically through an amplification process that imparts distortion...
thing, and I fit into all that.
Stefan Waltersson
Stefan Waltersson born in Iceland and raised in a musical family joined Tin Alley in early 2011 as lead vocalist for the group after Jim Siourthas had left the group. From a early age Stefan had been heavily influenced by Jerry Lee LewisJerry Lee Lewis
Jerry Lee Lewis is an American rock and roll and country music singer-songwriter and pianist. An early pioneer of rock and roll music, Lewis's career faltered after he married his young cousin, and he afterwards made a career extension to country and western music. He is known by the nickname 'The...
, Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
, Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash
John R. "Johnny" Cash was an American singer-songwriter, actor, and author, who has been called one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century...
and at the age 13 began writing and performing.
Paul Siourthas
As well as being the bass player for Tin Alley, Paul is also the main songwriter, creating songs such as "In Your Hands", "Polar Bear" and writing the majority of songs on Tin Alley's debut album Everyturn, however, in the early years of Everything, Paul was the lead vocalist and guitarist. From the age of 8, Paul began to play and study music and in University he studied Law.Peter Hofbauer
Peter was the original founding member of Everything in 1998 along with Paul Siourthas and Jim Siourthas. In 2009 Peter was signed to an endorsement deal by Australian drum company Dee Jay Drums.Jim Siourthas
Jim former singer and front man of the group played a major role in the band as lead vocalist. At age 9, he started playing guitar and in later years he took on singing and songwriting roles, creating songs such as "Lucky Numbers" and having a major contribution to the band's 2009 release Out of Control and later in 2010 left the group.Sources
- Rave Magazine
- MGM DistributionMGM DistributionMGM Distribution is the largest independent distributor of Australian music and music related merchandise and was established in April 1998 by Sebastian Chase....
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- National Library of AustraliaNational Library of AustraliaThe National Library of Australia is the largest reference library of Australia, responsible under the terms of the National Library Act for "maintaining and developing a national collection of library material, including a comprehensive collection of library material relating to Australia and the...
http://nla.gov.au/anbd.bib-an43007201 - PBSPBS 106.7FMPBS 106.7FM , also known as the Progressive Broadcasting Service, is a co-operatively owned community radio station in Melbourne, Australia, that broadcasts on 106.7FM, Digital radio and online...
http://www.pbsfm.org.au/Documents.asp?ID=3926&Title=PBS+Presents%3A+Tin+Alley+at+The+Laundry - The Music
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- Aus Pop
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