Insurge
Encyclopedia
Insurge, commonly typeset iNsuRge, were a political industrial rock
band based in Sydney
, Australia
. The band was founded in 1993 by singer / guitarist Chris Dubrow formerly of Soulscraper
Insurge combined samplers
and audio loops with layers of acoustic and electronic drums and found percussion (such as old kitchen sinks and other scrap metal) mixed with punk
influenced guitars. The sound was influenced by alternative
, industrial
, goth
, punk
, dance
and Australian pub rock
.
The band was known for its outspoken political views which were particularly focused on global issues such as injustice in the developing world, the political influence of corporations and financial markets, and global environmental issues such as climate change
. The bands politics were influenced by anarchism
, environmentalism
, anarcho-punk
, political economy
, and the anti-globalization movement
. The band expressed their political views through their lyrics, interviews and live appearances.
. The song criticised the I.M.F. based on its harsh economic measures that were having a detrimental effect on the developing world. Initially a demo, I.M.F attracted the attention of prominent Australian music manager John Woodruff (The Angels
, Icehouse
, Baby Animals
, Savage Garden
) who helped pull together a distribution deal through East West records (Warner music Australia). The original line up was then solidified with Monique Wakelin playing sampler
, Mattieu McRoth on bass, Matt Richmond on electronic and acoustic Drums, and Paul Bianco (later Pauly B) on found Percussion joining Dubrow’s guitar and vocals.
Just prior to the release of the bands second EP there was a shift in the lineup with original percussionist Paul Bianco leaving the band to be replaced by Adam Logan.
The second E.P. ‘Political Prisoners’ (1995) saw Insurge begin to work with producer Kalju Tonuma
, ( The Mavis's
, 28 Days
, Bodyjar
, Killing Joke
). The title track became the band’s breakthrough song, gaining considerable airplay from alternative radio across Australia and New Zealand. The lyrics discussed the inadequacy of modern criminal law
, and the idea that most prisoners in western society were political prisoners because the concept of private property
was an invention to protect the wealthy. The song went to No. 25 on the Triple J Hottest 100
in 1995.
The Speculator EP followed in 1996, which was lyrically based on the anti-democratic power of global currency speculation
. This song reached No. 7 on the 4ZZZ
Hot 100 chart and No. 69 on the Triple J Hottest 100
, of that year. The debut album ‘Power to the Poison People’ was released in 1996, which reached No. 20 in the Australian charts. The singles ‘Soul 4 Sale’, “Time Bomb’ and ‘AK 47’ followed.
The band toured constantly across Australia (and once to New Zealand) including tours with Pop Will Eat Itself
and White Zombie, and participated in many festivals such as Alternative Nation Festival
(1995), the Livid
Festival (5th Oct 1996 – the same night Insurge programmed ABC TV’s ‘rage’), and the Big Day Out
(1996, 1997).
). Dubrow also became involved with the Reclaim the Streets
movement in both London and Sydney. Over this period the line-up changed again, Mark ‘Milli’ Avery became the bass player and Daryl Sims (formerly Indecent Obsession
) was on drums.
1999 saw the release of the single ‘I Hate Stupid People’ which achieved considerable national airplay on Triple J
, this was followed by the album ‘Globalisation’ ultimately produced by Kalju Tonuma
. The singles were ‘Feast or Famine’ (1999) and ‘Images of London’ (2000), the latter a dance version of the song written by Indigenous Australian singer-songwriter Kev Carmody
. Midway through 1999 there was yet another change to the lineup, with Sean Burnett taking the percussion role..
Insurge announced their break-up in 2000 at their final show at the Newtown
Festival, Sydney
.
In 2009 Insurge announced their reformation. More details to follow.
Industrial rock
Industrial rock is a musical genre that fuses industrial music and specific rock subgenres. Industrial rock spawned industrial metal, with which it is often confused...
band based in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, 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...
. The band was founded in 1993 by singer / guitarist Chris Dubrow formerly of Soulscraper
Soulscraper
Soulscraper were an Australian based alternative electronic-rock band based in Melbourne. The band formed circa 1991 by ex-members of an alternative / industrial influenced band called The Prostitutes....
Insurge combined samplers
Sampler (musical instrument)
A sampler is an electronic musical instrument similar in some respects to a synthesizer but, instead of generating sounds, it uses recordings of sounds that are loaded or recorded into it by the user and then played back by means of a keyboard, sequencer or other triggering device to perform or...
and audio loops with layers of acoustic and electronic drums and found percussion (such as old kitchen sinks and other scrap metal) mixed with punk
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...
influenced guitars. The sound was influenced by alternative
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
, industrial
Industrial music
Industrial music is a style of experimental music that draws on transgressive and provocative themes. The term was coined in the mid-1970s with the founding of Industrial Records by the band Throbbing Gristle, and the creation of the slogan "industrial music for industrial people". In general, the...
, goth
Gothic rock
Gothic rock is a musical subgenre of post-punk and alternative rock that formed during the late 1970s. Gothic rock bands grew from the strong ties they had to the English punk rock and emerging post-punk scenes...
, punk
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...
, dance
Dance
Dance is an art form that generally refers to movement of the body, usually rhythmic and to music, used as a form of expression, social interaction or presented in a spiritual or performance setting....
and Australian pub rock
Pub rock (Australia)
Pub rock is a style of Australian rock and roll popular throughout the 1970s and 1980s, and still influencing contemporary Australian music today....
.
The band was known for its outspoken political views which were particularly focused on global issues such as injustice in the developing world, the political influence of corporations and financial markets, and global environmental issues such as climate change
Climate change
Climate change is a significant and lasting change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns over periods ranging from decades to millions of years. It may be a change in average weather conditions or the distribution of events around that average...
. The bands politics were influenced by anarchism
Anarchism
Anarchism is generally defined as the political philosophy which holds the state to be undesirable, unnecessary, and harmful, or alternatively as opposing authority in the conduct of human relations...
, environmentalism
Environmentalism
Environmentalism is a broad philosophy, ideology and social movement regarding concerns for environmental conservation and improvement of the health of the environment, particularly as the measure for this health seeks to incorporate the concerns of non-human elements...
, anarcho-punk
Anarcho-punk
Anarcho-punk is punk rock that promotes anarchism. The term anarcho-punk is sometimes applied exclusively to bands that were part of the original anarcho-punk movement in the United Kingdom in the late 1970s and early 1980s...
, political economy
Political economy
Political economy originally was the term for studying production, buying, and selling, and their relations with law, custom, and government, as well as with the distribution of national income and wealth, including through the budget process. Political economy originated in moral philosophy...
, and the anti-globalization movement
Anti-globalization movement
The anti-globalization movement, or counter-globalisation movement, is critical of the globalization of corporate capitalism. The movement is also commonly referred to as the global justice movement, alter-globalization movement, anti-globalist movement, anti-corporate globalization movement, or...
. The band expressed their political views through their lyrics, interviews and live appearances.
Early years
The bands first E.P. was I.M.F (1994) coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the International Monetary FundInternational Monetary Fund
The International Monetary Fund is an organization of 187 countries, working to foster global monetary cooperation, secure financial stability, facilitate international trade, promote high employment and sustainable economic growth, and reduce poverty around the world...
. The song criticised the I.M.F. based on its harsh economic measures that were having a detrimental effect on the developing world. Initially a demo, I.M.F attracted the attention of prominent Australian music manager John Woodruff (The Angels
The Angels (Australian band)
The Angels are a hard rock band that formed in Adelaide, Australia in 1970. The band later relocated from Adelaide to Sydney and enjoyed huge local success until well into the 1990s. For the purposes of international release, their records were released under the names Angel City and later The...
, Icehouse
Icehouse (band)
Icehouse is an Australian rock band, formed as Flowers in 1977 in Sydney. Initially known in Australia for their pub rock style, they later achieved mainstream success playing new wave and synthpop style music and attained Top Ten singles chart success in both Europe and the U.S...
, Baby Animals
Baby Animals
Baby Animals are a 1990s hard rock band from Australia.-Early history:The Baby Animals were formed in Sydney in 1989 by singer Suze DeMarchi, drummer Frank Celenza, guitarist Dave Leslie, and bassist Eddie Parise...
, Savage Garden
Savage Garden
Savage Garden were an Australian pop rock performance and songwriting duo. Darren Hayes and Daniel Jones formed the group in Brisbane, Queensland in 1994...
) who helped pull together a distribution deal through East West records (Warner music Australia). The original line up was then solidified with Monique Wakelin playing sampler
Sampler (musical instrument)
A sampler is an electronic musical instrument similar in some respects to a synthesizer but, instead of generating sounds, it uses recordings of sounds that are loaded or recorded into it by the user and then played back by means of a keyboard, sequencer or other triggering device to perform or...
, Mattieu McRoth on bass, Matt Richmond on electronic and acoustic Drums, and Paul Bianco (later Pauly B) on found Percussion joining Dubrow’s guitar and vocals.
Just prior to the release of the bands second EP there was a shift in the lineup with original percussionist Paul Bianco leaving the band to be replaced by Adam Logan.
The second E.P. ‘Political Prisoners’ (1995) saw Insurge begin to work with producer Kalju Tonuma
Kalju Tonuma
Kalju Tonuma is a music producer, engineer, mixer, and occasional performer based in Melbourne, Australia. He played guitar as a member of Deadstar in 1998...
, ( The Mavis's
The Mavis's
The Mavis's were an Australian pop band from Ballarat, Victoria. The band was composed of Matt Thomas , his sister Becky Thomas , Nick Gill , Andrea Vendy , and Josh Alexander . They are best known for their 1998 synth-driven single "Cry", which appeared on the Triple J Hottest 100 for 1998...
, 28 Days
28 Days
28 Days are a punk rock band formed in Bacchus Marsh, Australia during 1997. At their career peak, they had a #1 album on the Australian ARIAnet Albums Chart and also a #12 single on the ARIAnet Singles Chart....
, Bodyjar
Bodyjar
Bodyjar were an Australian punk rock/pop punk band based in Melbourne. They began performing under the name Bodyjar in 1994; their previous names included Damnation and Helium.-History:...
, Killing Joke
Killing Joke
Killing Joke are an English post-punk band formed in October 1978 in Notting Hill, London, England; other sources report the band formed in early 1979.Related news articles: Founding members Jaz Coleman and Geordie Walker have been the only constant members.A key influence on industrial rock,...
). The title track became the band’s breakthrough song, gaining considerable airplay from alternative radio across Australia and New Zealand. The lyrics discussed the inadequacy of modern criminal law
Criminal law
Criminal law, is the body of law that relates to crime. It might be defined as the body of rules that defines conduct that is not allowed because it is held to threaten, harm or endanger the safety and welfare of people, and that sets out the punishment to be imposed on people who do not obey...
, and the idea that most prisoners in western society were political prisoners because the concept of private property
Private property
Private property is the right of persons and firms to obtain, own, control, employ, dispose of, and bequeath land, capital, and other forms of property. Private property is distinguishable from public property, which refers to assets owned by a state, community or government rather than by...
was an invention to protect the wealthy. The song went to No. 25 on the Triple J Hottest 100
Triple J Hottest 100
The Triple J Hottest 100 is an annual music poll, based on the votes of national Australian radio station Triple J listeners, in order to determine their favourite song of the year. Voting is conducted by the internet and begins roughly two weeks prior to the new year for the previous year's songs...
in 1995.
The Speculator EP followed in 1996, which was lyrically based on the anti-democratic power of global currency speculation
Speculation
In finance, speculation is a financial action that does not promise safety of the initial investment along with the return on the principal sum...
. This song reached No. 7 on the 4ZZZ
4ZZZ
4ZZZ is an independent community radio station operating in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, at the frequency 102.1 FM. As a community radio station, 4ZZZ is a member of the Community Broadcasting Association of Australia...
Hot 100 chart and No. 69 on the Triple J Hottest 100
Triple J Hottest 100
The Triple J Hottest 100 is an annual music poll, based on the votes of national Australian radio station Triple J listeners, in order to determine their favourite song of the year. Voting is conducted by the internet and begins roughly two weeks prior to the new year for the previous year's songs...
, of that year. The debut album ‘Power to the Poison People’ was released in 1996, which reached No. 20 in the Australian charts. The singles ‘Soul 4 Sale’, “Time Bomb’ and ‘AK 47’ followed.
The band toured constantly across Australia (and once to New Zealand) including tours with Pop Will Eat Itself
Pop Will Eat Itself
Pop Will Eat Itself are an English alternative rock band, originally formed in Stourbridge in 1986, with members from Birmingham, Coventry and the Black Country. Initially known as a Grebo act, their style changed to incorporate sample driven indie and industrial rock...
and White Zombie, and participated in many festivals such as Alternative Nation Festival
Alternative Nation Festival
Alternative Nation was a series of music festivals held in Australia in 1995. It was organised by a consortium of concert promoters, Michael Coppell, Michael Chugg and Michael Gudinski and backed by the Triple M radio network as an alternative to the Big Day Out...
(1995), the Livid
Livid
Livid was an Australian alternative rock music festival held annually from 1989 to 2003. Masterminded by Peter Walsh and Natalie Jeremijenko, the original idea of showcasing both the arts and music in the one event was standardised as late as October/early November from 1991 until 2003...
Festival (5th Oct 1996 – the same night Insurge programmed ABC TV’s ‘rage’), and the Big Day Out
Big Day Out
The Big Day Out is an annual music festival held in several cities in Australia and New Zealand in late January. It started in Sydney in 1992, spread to Adelaide, Melbourne and Perth by 1993, with the Gold Coast and Auckland joining in 1994...
(1996, 1997).
Later years
In 1998, singer Chris Dubrow went to London to record tracks with Ian Richardson and Nick Coler (known for their work with The KLFThe KLF
The KLF were one of the seminal bands of the British acid house movement during the late 1980s and early 1990s....
). Dubrow also became involved with the Reclaim the Streets
Reclaim the Streets
Reclaim The Streets is a collective with a shared ideal of community ownership of public spaces. Participants characterize the collective as a resistance movement opposed to the dominance of corporate forces in globalization, and to the car as the dominant mode of transport.-Protests:Reclaim The...
movement in both London and Sydney. Over this period the line-up changed again, Mark ‘Milli’ Avery became the bass player and Daryl Sims (formerly Indecent Obsession
Indecent Obsession
Indecent Obsession was an Australian pop band. They formed in 1987 in Brisbane.Australian music guru Molly Meldrum signed the band to his record label Melodian. The band tasted success with the single "Say Goodbye" hitting the Australian Top 10 in August 1989...
) was on drums.
1999 saw the release of the single ‘I Hate Stupid People’ which achieved considerable national airplay on 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...
, this was followed by the album ‘Globalisation’ ultimately produced by Kalju Tonuma
Kalju Tonuma
Kalju Tonuma is a music producer, engineer, mixer, and occasional performer based in Melbourne, Australia. He played guitar as a member of Deadstar in 1998...
. The singles were ‘Feast or Famine’ (1999) and ‘Images of London’ (2000), the latter a dance version of the song written by Indigenous Australian singer-songwriter Kev Carmody
Kev Carmody
Kevin Daniel "Kev" Carmody is an Indigenous Australian singer-songwriter. His song "From Little Things Big Things Grow" was recorded with co-writer Paul Kelly for their 1993 single; it was covered by the Get Up Mob in 2008 and peaked at #4 on the Australian Recording Industry Association singles...
. Midway through 1999 there was yet another change to the lineup, with Sean Burnett taking the percussion role..
Insurge announced their break-up in 2000 at their final show at the Newtown
Newtown
-Australia:*Newtown, New South Wales*Newtown, Queensland *Newtown, Queensland *Newtown, Victoria, a suburb of Geelong*Newtown, Victoria , a locality near Ballarat-Ireland:* Newtown, County Cork* Newtown, County Laois...
Festival, Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
.
In 2009 Insurge announced their reformation. More details to follow.
Albums
- Power To The Poison People (1996)
- Globalization (2000)
Singles
- Soul 4 Sale (1996)
- Time Bomb (1996)
- AK-47 (1996)
- I Hate Stupid People (1996)
- Feast Or Famine (1999)