Disasteradio
Encyclopedia
Disasteradio is the pseudonym of Luke Rowell, a computer musician from Lower Hutt
, New Zealand
. He began writing a mixture of Chiptune
and synth-pop in 1999 and has released eight albums, toured New Zealand over ten times and completing several tours of Europe and one of the US.
, BeSonic and IUMA. He released his first self titled CD-R in 2002, selling at live shows and through Wellingtonian Kerry Ann Lee's zine distro "Red Letter".
Disasteradio's first live show was at in 2002 supporting Atom and his Package. Subsequent shows that year were supporting bands in the local punk and hardcore scenes. In 2003, Blink, who ran local Wellington label A Low Hum
saw Disasteradio play a show at Wellington's Thistle Hall. The two have worked closely together ever since - beginning with Disasteradio playing two New Zealand tours in 2004 under the A LOW HUM banner. Late 2004 saw the release of "Hotline", which had notable impact on student radio locally, reaching the top position on New Zealand's bNet stations in Wellington, Dunedin and Auckland.
After the success of Hotline at Student Radio, Disasteradio signed a record deal in 2004, with the now defunct Wellington-based label Capital Recordings
to release his next record "Synthtease". After six months of delays, he was released from his deal and this album was released with long time supporter A Low Hum
. In 2006 Disasteradio released a further two records, the first a short-run limited edition cassette tape on Wanganui label Stink Magnetic. Titled "Datasette", it carried a mixture of previously released and new material. His first ever non CD-R CD release "Synthtease" was released on A Low Hum in April 2006, with a nationwide New Zealand tour alongside Surf City and Voom
.
In 2007 Disasteradio released his most commercially successful and critically acclaimed album "Visions". It was voted the best New Zealand release of 2007 by leading music magazine Real Groove and received glowing reviews from Vice NZ, The Dominion Post, NZ Musician, NZ Herald Under The Radar and student magazine Critic
In 2007 Disasteradio also headlined the inaugural Camp A Low Hum music festival in Wellington. He would also go on to headline at the 2008 and 2009 events.
In 2008 Disasteradio was invited by Hans Nieswandt to perform at the New Zealand night of Worldtronics Festival in Berlin. The following year during the Northern Hemisphere summer, Disasteradio embarked on a 5 month World tour playing shows in seventeen countries, including all of Western Europe and the USA. He returned to Europe late 2009 returning to several countries and also including Norway.
"Charisma" was released in October 2010 with A Low Hum as pay-as-you-like or free mp3 on bandcamp.com. It was subsequently released on vinyl and CD.
In 2011 Disasteradio became a minor internet celebrity when his 'Gravy Rainbow' video got featured on several blogs starting with Tosh.O's Friday WTF feature. The video has gone on to as of August 2011, receive 450,000+ views.
In 2011 Disasteradio supported Australian band Regurgitator
on an 18 date tour throughout Australia.
The name Disasteradio was taken from an image of the Crystal Radio of the same name in radio art book Made in Japan: Transistor Radios of the 1950s and 1960s by Handy, Erbe, Blackham, Antonier (1993) (ISBN 0-8118-0271-X)
Lower Hutt
Lower Hutt is a city in the Wellington region of New Zealand. Its council has adopted the name Hutt City Council, but neither the New Zealand Geographic Board nor the Local Government Act recognise the name Hutt City. This alternative name can lead to confusion, as there are two cities in the...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. He began writing a mixture of Chiptune
Chiptune
A chiptune, also known as chip music, is synthesized electronic music often produced with the sound chips of vintage computers and video game consoles, as well as with other methods such as emulation. In the early 1980s, personal computers became cheaper and more accessible than they had previously...
and synth-pop in 1999 and has released eight albums, toured New Zealand over ten times and completing several tours of Europe and one of the US.
History
Beginning as Disasteradio in 1999, Rowell releasing free albums for a number of years on mp3.comMP3.com
MP3.com is a web site operated by CNET Networks providing information about digital music and artists, songs, services, community, and technologies. It is probably better known for its original incarnation, as a legal, free music-sharing service, popular with independent musicians for promoting...
, BeSonic and IUMA. He released his first self titled CD-R in 2002, selling at live shows and through Wellingtonian Kerry Ann Lee's zine distro "Red Letter".
Disasteradio's first live show was at in 2002 supporting Atom and his Package. Subsequent shows that year were supporting bands in the local punk and hardcore scenes. In 2003, Blink, who ran local Wellington label A Low Hum
A Low Hum
A Low Hum is the on-going project founded by photographer and music impresario Blink , and is based in Wellington, New Zealand. Under the umbrella A LOW HUM, Blink organises tours, releases records, makes music videos, organises one-off events/festivals and publishes magazines & books...
saw Disasteradio play a show at Wellington's Thistle Hall. The two have worked closely together ever since - beginning with Disasteradio playing two New Zealand tours in 2004 under the A LOW HUM banner. Late 2004 saw the release of "Hotline", which had notable impact on student radio locally, reaching the top position on New Zealand's bNet stations in Wellington, Dunedin and Auckland.
After the success of Hotline at Student Radio, Disasteradio signed a record deal in 2004, with the now defunct Wellington-based label Capital Recordings
Capital Recordings
Capital Recordings is a small record label formed in November 2001 based in Wellington, New Zealand. Their aim is to help musicians recording in their bedrooms, apartments and beach houses around Wellington and New Zealand reach a wider audience . They have released albums for such New Zealand...
to release his next record "Synthtease". After six months of delays, he was released from his deal and this album was released with long time supporter A Low Hum
A Low Hum
A Low Hum is the on-going project founded by photographer and music impresario Blink , and is based in Wellington, New Zealand. Under the umbrella A LOW HUM, Blink organises tours, releases records, makes music videos, organises one-off events/festivals and publishes magazines & books...
. In 2006 Disasteradio released a further two records, the first a short-run limited edition cassette tape on Wanganui label Stink Magnetic. Titled "Datasette", it carried a mixture of previously released and new material. His first ever non CD-R CD release "Synthtease" was released on A Low Hum in April 2006, with a nationwide New Zealand tour alongside Surf City and Voom
Voom
Voom HD Networks was a group of 15 original high-definition television channels owned by Rainbow Media, a subsidiary of Cablevision. The channels were produced in true High Definition with Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound and were the largest suite of HD channels in the world...
.
In 2007 Disasteradio released his most commercially successful and critically acclaimed album "Visions". It was voted the best New Zealand release of 2007 by leading music magazine Real Groove and received glowing reviews from Vice NZ, The Dominion Post, NZ Musician, NZ Herald Under The Radar and student magazine Critic
In 2007 Disasteradio also headlined the inaugural Camp A Low Hum music festival in Wellington. He would also go on to headline at the 2008 and 2009 events.
In 2008 Disasteradio was invited by Hans Nieswandt to perform at the New Zealand night of Worldtronics Festival in Berlin. The following year during the Northern Hemisphere summer, Disasteradio embarked on a 5 month World tour playing shows in seventeen countries, including all of Western Europe and the USA. He returned to Europe late 2009 returning to several countries and also including Norway.
"Charisma" was released in October 2010 with A Low Hum as pay-as-you-like or free mp3 on bandcamp.com. It was subsequently released on vinyl and CD.
In 2011 Disasteradio became a minor internet celebrity when his 'Gravy Rainbow' video got featured on several blogs starting with Tosh.O's Friday WTF feature. The video has gone on to as of August 2011, receive 450,000+ views.
In 2011 Disasteradio supported Australian band Regurgitator
Regurgitator
Regurgitator are an Australian rock band from Brisbane, currently consisting of Quan Yeomans , Ben Ely and Peter Kostic . The band formed in 1994, its original line-up consisting of Yeomans, Ely and drummer Martin Lee...
on an 18 date tour throughout Australia.
Discography
| Date of Release | Title | Label | Catalog Number |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Disasteradio | Independent CD-R | |
| 2003 | System That Never Fails | ||
| 2004 | DSIR | ||
| 2004 | Western Digital Western Digital Western Digital Corporation is one of the largest computer hard disk drive manufacturers in the world. It has a long history in the electronics industry as an integrated circuit maker and a storage products company. Western Digital was founded on April 23, 1970 by Alvin B... |
||
| 2006 | Synthtease | A Low Hum A Low Hum A Low Hum is the on-going project founded by photographer and music impresario Blink , and is based in Wellington, New Zealand. Under the umbrella A LOW HUM, Blink organises tours, releases records, makes music videos, organises one-off events/festivals and publishes magazines & books... |
HUM017 |
| 2006 | Disasteradio | Stink Magnetic | |
| 2007 | Visions | A Low Hum A Low Hum A Low Hum is the on-going project founded by photographer and music impresario Blink , and is based in Wellington, New Zealand. Under the umbrella A LOW HUM, Blink organises tours, releases records, makes music videos, organises one-off events/festivals and publishes magazines & books... |
HUM032 |
| 2008 | Fax Of Life (Atari 2600 Cartridge) | Independent | |
| 2010 | Charisma | A Low Hum A Low Hum A Low Hum is the on-going project founded by photographer and music impresario Blink , and is based in Wellington, New Zealand. Under the umbrella A LOW HUM, Blink organises tours, releases records, makes music videos, organises one-off events/festivals and publishes magazines & books... |
HUM041 |
Trivia
Real Groove Magazine's continuing series of compilations of New Zealand based musicians titled "Awesome Feeling" is named after Disasteradio's single "Awesome Feelings" which featured on the first compilation.The name Disasteradio was taken from an image of the Crystal Radio of the same name in radio art book Made in Japan: Transistor Radios of the 1950s and 1960s by Handy, Erbe, Blackham, Antonier (1993) (ISBN 0-8118-0271-X)