Dog Trumpet
Encyclopedia
Dog Trumpet is an Australia
n rock band, formed by brothers Peter O'Doherty
and Reg Mombassa
(aka Chris O'Doherty). Both Mombassa and O'Doherty were founder members of the iconic Australian band Mental as Anything
, and they formed Dog Trumpet as an outlet for their original material. The Dog Trumpet sound reflects a sincere affection for classic 1960s pop and whimsical psychedelia.
's list of top albums for the year. Two further singles were lifted from the album, "Made of Wood"/"Red Brick Home" in June 1991 (the cover art for which is a painting of a howling dog trumpet by Mombassa) and "I'm So Handsome"/"Dream" in October 1991. The name "Dog Trumpet" came from a piece of Mombassa's artwork which featured a creature resembling a cross between a dog, a trumpet and a jet engine. The album was produced by Steve James and helping out in the studio were Mike Gubb (keyboards; ex-Dynamic Hepnotics
, Mental as Anything, The Whitlams
), John Bliss (drums; ex-The Reels
) and Mark Honeybrook (bass).
The next two years saw the release of two EPs
, Kiss a Gun Down in October 1992 and Strange Brew in October 1993. Film clips were made for "Beast of Prey" and "Melancholy Way", although they were not released as singles. Strange Brew was an inspired reworking of the old Cream
song. The artwork for Strange Brew, was painted by Martin Sharp
, who designed several album covers for the real Cream in the late 1960s. Tony Martin had replaced Honeybrook on bass.
After that, Mental as Anything re-emerged to tour and record, with Dog Trumpet put on the back-burner. In 1996, Reg and Pete revived Dog Trumpet and issued the album Suitcase. Backing the duo in the studio were Tony Martin, Andy Travers (drums; ex-Happening Thang) and Amanda Brown
(violin, backing vocals; ex-The Go-Betweens
). "Suitcase" was released as a single on TWA Records in 1996, with "Into the Bible" released by TWA as a radio single in 1997 (the cover picture of a lecturing monster is by Mombassa).
The band's third album, Dog Trumpet, was recorded over a period of years and was engineered and produced by O’Doherty on an old sixteen track reel to reel in the spare room of his flat in Coogee. It was released in February 2002 on Half A Cow Records. Aside from regular drummers, they used Terepai Richmond
for some tracks. The cover is a painting by Mombassa of him and his brother Peter when they were small children.
Dog Trumpet released their fourth album Antisocial Tendencies in March 2007 on Half A Cow Records. The album features a cover of "Lili Marlene", a popular World War II song made famous by Marlene Dietrich
.
In 2008 Mombassa and O'Doherty began recording songs for the next Dog Trumpet album, uploading a demo of "The Great South Road", a new song from the forthcoming album, on their MySpace website in December 2008. The album, River of Flowers, was released on 28 May 2010.
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...
n rock band, formed by brothers Peter O'Doherty
Peter O'Doherty
Peter O'Doherty is a musician with Australian band Dog Trumpet and formerly with Australian band Mental As Anything. He is also a recognised fine artist specialising in still life and everyday suburban scenes....
and Reg Mombassa
Reg Mombassa
Reg Mombassa is the pseudonym of Chris O'Doherty, a New Zealand born artist and musician. Resident in Australia, he is as well known there for his musical exploits — founder and former member of the popular Australian band Mental As Anything and member of Dog Trumpet - as he is for his art...
(aka Chris O'Doherty). Both Mombassa and O'Doherty were founder members of the iconic Australian band Mental as Anything
Mental As Anything
Mental As Anything are an Australian New Wave–rock music band formed at an art school in Sydney in 1976. Their most popular line-up was Martin Plaza on vocals and guitar; Reg Mombassa on lead guitar and vocals; his brother Peter "Yoga Dog" O'Doherty on bass guitar and vocals; Wayne "Bird"...
, and they formed Dog Trumpet as an outlet for their original material. The Dog Trumpet sound reflects a sincere affection for classic 1960s pop and whimsical psychedelia.
Biography
In 1990, Mental As Anything members had agreed to take a sabbatical from their band work and turned to solo or side projects. Mombassa and O'Doherty formed the duo Reg & Peter/Peter & Reg (they alternated names whenever interviewed). Under the name of Reg & Peter, the duo issued the single "Jean"/"Nobody Home" in March 1991 on Regular Records, the song is described by Mombassa as "a fusion of psychedelic and Celtic rock 'n 'roll dealing with metaphysical romance", before assuming the name Reg & Peter's Dog Trumpet for the album Two Heads One Brain. The album made the Rolling StoneRolling Stone Australia
Rolling Stone Australia is an Australian-based magazine devoted to music, politics, and popular culture that is published monthly, it is the Australian edition of the United States' Rolling Stone. Rolling Stone was initially released in Melbourne in May 1970 as a supplement in Revolution, an...
's list of top albums for the year. Two further singles were lifted from the album, "Made of Wood"/"Red Brick Home" in June 1991 (the cover art for which is a painting of a howling dog trumpet by Mombassa) and "I'm So Handsome"/"Dream" in October 1991. The name "Dog Trumpet" came from a piece of Mombassa's artwork which featured a creature resembling a cross between a dog, a trumpet and a jet engine. The album was produced by Steve James and helping out in the studio were Mike Gubb (keyboards; ex-Dynamic Hepnotics
Dynamic Hepnotics
The Dynamic Hepnotics were a successful Australian soul/blues/funk band during the 1980s. They had major success with their chart topping song Soul Kind Of Feeling in 1984 and 1985, followed up by Gotta Be Wrong later that year....
, Mental as Anything, The Whitlams
The Whitlams
The discography of The Whitlams consists of six studio albums, two live albums, one compilation album, and eighteen singles.-Studio albums:-Live albums:-Compilation albums:-Singles:-Videos:-Music videos:-Awards:...
), John Bliss (drums; ex-The Reels
The Reels
The Reels is an Australian rock/indie pop group which formed in Dubbo, New South Wales in 1976 and initially disbanded in 1991, they eventually reformed in 2007. Their 1981 song, "Quasimodo's Dream", was voted one of the Top 10 Australian songs of all time by a 100-member panel from Australasian...
) and Mark Honeybrook (bass).
The next two years saw the release of two EPs
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...
, Kiss a Gun Down in October 1992 and Strange Brew in October 1993. Film clips were made for "Beast of Prey" and "Melancholy Way", although they were not released as singles. Strange Brew was an inspired reworking of the old Cream
Cream (band)
Cream were a 1960s British rock supergroup consisting of bassist/vocalist Jack Bruce, guitarist/vocalist Eric Clapton, and drummer Ginger Baker...
song. The artwork for Strange Brew, was painted by Martin Sharp
Martin Sharp
Martin Sharp is an Australian artist, underground cartoonist, songwriter and film-maker. Sharp has made contributions to Australian and international culture since the early 60s, and is hailed as Australia's foremost pop artist...
, who designed several album covers for the real Cream in the late 1960s. Tony Martin had replaced Honeybrook on bass.
After that, Mental as Anything re-emerged to tour and record, with Dog Trumpet put on the back-burner. In 1996, Reg and Pete revived Dog Trumpet and issued the album Suitcase. Backing the duo in the studio were Tony Martin, Andy Travers (drums; ex-Happening Thang) and Amanda Brown
Amanda Brown (musician)
Amanda Gabrielle Brown is an Australian composer, classically trained musician, singer and songwriter, renowned for her role as the violinist of the band The Go-Betweens and more recently a session musician and soundtrack composer....
(violin, backing vocals; ex-The Go-Betweens
The Go-Betweens
The Go-Betweens were an indie rock band formed in Brisbane, Australia in 1977 by singer-songwriters and guitarists, Robert Forster and Grant McLennan. They were later joined by Lindy Morrison on drums, Robert Vickers on bass guitar and Amanda Brown on violin, oboe, guitar, and backing vocals,...
). "Suitcase" was released as a single on TWA Records in 1996, with "Into the Bible" released by TWA as a radio single in 1997 (the cover picture of a lecturing monster is by Mombassa).
The band's third album, Dog Trumpet, was recorded over a period of years and was engineered and produced by O’Doherty on an old sixteen track reel to reel in the spare room of his flat in Coogee. It was released in February 2002 on Half A Cow Records. Aside from regular drummers, they used Terepai Richmond
Terepai Richmond
Terepai Chalmers Richmond is an Australian drummer, he joined the Sydney-based rock band The Whitlams in September 1999 and formerly played in acid jazz group Directions in Groove .-Biography:...
for some tracks. The cover is a painting by Mombassa of him and his brother Peter when they were small children.
Dog Trumpet released their fourth album Antisocial Tendencies in March 2007 on Half A Cow Records. The album features a cover of "Lili Marlene", a popular World War II song made famous by Marlene Dietrich
Marlene Dietrich
Marlene Dietrich was a German-American actress and singer.Dietrich remained popular throughout her long career by continually re-inventing herself, professionally and characteristically. In the Berlin of the 1920s, she acted on the stage and in silent films...
.
In 2008 Mombassa and O'Doherty began recording songs for the next Dog Trumpet album, uploading a demo of "The Great South Road", a new song from the forthcoming album, on their MySpace website in December 2008. The album, River of Flowers, was released on 28 May 2010.
Members
- John Bliss — drums (1991–1993)
- Amanda BrownAmanda Brown (musician)Amanda Gabrielle Brown is an Australian composer, classically trained musician, singer and songwriter, renowned for her role as the violinist of the band The Go-Betweens and more recently a session musician and soundtrack composer....
— violin, vocals (1996, 2002) - Jess Ciampa — drums (2002, 2007)
- Mike Grubb — keyboards (1991–1993)
- Bernie Hayes — bass, vocals (2002, 2007)
- Mark Honeybrook — bass (1991–1992)
- Tony Martin — bass (1992–1993, 1996)
- Peter Mitchell — harmonica (2007)
- Hamish Stuart — drums (2002, 2007)
- Andy Travers — drums (1996, 2002)
- Jonathan Zwartz — bass (2002)
Albums
- Two Heads One Brain — Regular (D 30577) (1991)
- Suitcase — TWA (TWAD106) (January 1996)
- Dog Trumpet — Half A Cow (hac101) (February 2002)
- Antisocial Tendencies — Half A Cow (hac126) (1 March 2007)
- River Of Flowers — Half A Cow (hac141) (28 May 2010)
EPs
- Kiss a Gun Down — Regular (D 11332) (October 1992)
- Strange Brew — Regular (D 11609) (October 1993)
Singles
- "Jean" — Regular (March 1991)
- "Made of Wood" — Regular (June 1991)
- "I'm So Handsome" — Regular (29 October 1991)
- "Suitcase" — TWA (TWAS 016) (1996)
- "Into the Bible" — TWA (1997) (Radio Single)
External links
- Official Dog Trumpet website
- Dog Trumpet BandcampBandcampBandcamp is an online music store, as well as a platform for artist promotion, that caters mainly for independent artists. Artists on Bandcamp have a customizable microsite with the albums they upload. All tracks can be played for free on the website and some artists offer free music downloads...
website - Dog Trumpet MySpaceMySpaceMyspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
website - [ Dog Trumpet] @ Allmusic
- Dog Trumpet @ MusicbrainzMusicBrainzMusicBrainz is a project that aims to create an open content music database. Similar to the freedb project, it was founded in response to the restrictions placed on the CDDB...
- Dog Trumpet @ DiscogsDiscogsDiscogs, short for discographies, is a website and database of information about audio recordings, including commercial releases, promotional releases, and bootleg or off-label releases. The Discogs servers, currently hosted under the domain name discogs.com, are owned by Zink Media, Inc., and are...