Kid Confucius
Encyclopedia
Kid Confucius were an eight-piece Australian band
from Sydney
, Australia
. They formed in 2001 and have since played well over 400 live shows around the country, including major festivals as well as their own headline shows at venues such as The Annandale Hotel and The Metro Theatre. In 2005 the band released a self-titled album and two singles "Words" and "Skintight." The album, a mish-mash of soul, hip-hop, pop and funk, received great critical acclaim, most notably from Rolling Stone who hailed the album as one of the standout local releases of the year. "Words" also enjoyed some solid months of radio and TV play. The band released its second album Stripes in 2007 with three singles "Closer", "Last Straw" and "Moment". Stripes was the band's attempt at making a Detroit-era Motown soul album and it was quick to earn rave reviews from press around the country as well as a publishing deal with Mushroom. "Moment" has enjoyed good radio play on triple j. Kid Confucius is set to release its third album in October 2008. The first single from this album, "Good Luck", is out now.
Kid C has also gained a stellar live reputation with many sold out appearances at various Sydney
venues. The band has been touring nationally since 2004 as well as performing at big festivals such as Splendour in the Grass
, Homebake
, The Great Escape
, Groovin' The Moo
, Festival Of The Sun
and more.
Taking a break from touring in early 2008, the band set its sights on writing and recording a new album - its third in as many years. The new album marks a dramatic and radical shift in style and sound for the band. With newfound influences such as Kings Of Leon
, The Strokes
, Phoenix
and The Beatles
meeting older influences such as Marvin Gaye
and Otis Redding
, the new Kid Confucius is more of a live garage soul experience.
, Marvin Gaye
, Stevie Wonder
, Sly & The Family Stone
and Otis Redding
, pop from The Beatles
and The Beach Boys
to the Neptunes, and rock from groups such as Kings Of Leon
, The Strokes
, Phoenix
and The Rolling Stones
. The band's older sound also nods to great hip-hop and new soul makers such as The Roots
, Common and D'Angelo
.
Lead Vocals
Backup Vocals, Rhythm Guitar
Lead Guitar
drums
Bass
Trombone
Tenor Saxophone
Alto Saxophone
, Flute
Singles
Band (music)
In music, a musical ensemble or band is a group of musicians that works together to perform music. The following articles concern types of musical bands:* All-female band* Big band* Boy band* Christian band* Church band* Concert band* Cover band...
from 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...
. They formed in 2001 and have since played well over 400 live shows around the country, including major festivals as well as their own headline shows at venues such as The Annandale Hotel and The Metro Theatre. In 2005 the band released a self-titled album and two singles "Words" and "Skintight." The album, a mish-mash of soul, hip-hop, pop and funk, received great critical acclaim, most notably from Rolling Stone who hailed the album as one of the standout local releases of the year. "Words" also enjoyed some solid months of radio and TV play. The band released its second album Stripes in 2007 with three singles "Closer", "Last Straw" and "Moment". Stripes was the band's attempt at making a Detroit-era Motown soul album and it was quick to earn rave reviews from press around the country as well as a publishing deal with Mushroom. "Moment" has enjoyed good radio play on triple j. Kid Confucius is set to release its third album in October 2008. The first single from this album, "Good Luck", is out now.
Kid C has also gained a stellar live reputation with many sold out appearances at various 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...
venues. The band has been touring nationally since 2004 as well as performing at big festivals such as Splendour in the Grass
Splendour in the Grass
Splendour in the Grass is an annual Australian music festival held in July at Woodford, Queensland, and previously held at Belongil Fields, outside Byron Bay...
, Homebake
Homebake
Homebake is an annual Australian rock festival, featuring an all-Australian lineup . The festival was first held on 4 January 1996 at Belongil Fields in Byron Bay, on the far north coast of New South Wales...
, The Great Escape
The Great Escape (festival)
The Great Escape was a music festival held at Newington Armory, located within Sydney Olympic Park that took place in 2006 and 2007. Initially held over the Easter long weekend for the first two events, in 2008 it was announced the festival would take place on the Labour Day weekend, however the...
, Groovin' The Moo
Groovin' the Moo
Groovin' The Moo is an annual music festival held at various 'regional centres' across Australia during the middle of the year.-History:The first incarnation of the festival occurred on the 24th of April 2005 at the Gloucester Showgrounds with crowds of over 1400, continuing to Narrandera with...
, Festival Of The Sun
Festival of the Sun
Festival of the Sun is an annual outdoor music festival held in December at the Sundowner Breakwall Tourist Park[1], Port Macquarie, New South Wales, Australia...
and more.
Taking a break from touring in early 2008, the band set its sights on writing and recording a new album - its third in as many years. The new album marks a dramatic and radical shift in style and sound for the band. With newfound influences such as Kings Of Leon
Kings of Leon
Kings of Leon is an American rock band that originated in Albion, Oklahoma but formed in Nashville, Tennessee in 1999. The band is composed of brothers Anthony Caleb Followill , Ivan Nathan Followill and Michael Jared Followill Kings of Leon is an American rock band that originated in Albion,...
, The Strokes
The Strokes
The Strokes are an American indie rock band formed in 1999 in New York City. Consisting of Julian Casablancas , Nick Valensi , Albert Hammond, Jr. , Nikolai Fraiture and Fabrizio Moretti ....
, Phoenix
Phoenix (band)
Phoenix is a Grammy Award winning French indie rock band from Versailles, founded by Thomas Mars, Deck d'Arcy, Christian Mazzalai and Laurent Brancowitz.-Formation and early years:...
and The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
meeting older influences such as Marvin Gaye
Marvin Gaye
Marvin Pentz Gay, Jr. , better known by his stage name Marvin Gaye, was an American singer-songwriter and musician with a three-octave vocal range....
and Otis Redding
Otis Redding
Otis Ray Redding, Jr. was an American soul singer-songwriter, record producer, arranger and talent scout. He is considered one of the major figures in soul and R&B...
, the new Kid Confucius is more of a live garage soul experience.
Band Split
On 29 March 2010, Kid Confucius announced on their website that they would be splitting. They advised it was an amicable split and that they were going to pursue other musical projects.Sound and Influences
Kid Confucius draws an eclectic mix of old soul from Curtis MayfieldCurtis Mayfield
Curtis Lee Mayfield was an American soul, R&B, and funk singer, songwriter, and record producer.He is best known for his anthemic music with The Impressions during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960's and for composing the soundtrack to the blaxploitation film Super Fly, Mayfield is highly...
, Marvin Gaye
Marvin Gaye
Marvin Pentz Gay, Jr. , better known by his stage name Marvin Gaye, was an American singer-songwriter and musician with a three-octave vocal range....
, Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...
, Sly & The Family Stone
Sly & the Family Stone
Sly and the Family Stone were an American rock, funk, and soul band from San Francisco, California. Active from 1966 to 1983, the band was pivotal in the development of soul, funk, and psychedelic music...
and Otis Redding
Otis Redding
Otis Ray Redding, Jr. was an American soul singer-songwriter, record producer, arranger and talent scout. He is considered one of the major figures in soul and R&B...
, pop from The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
and The Beach Boys
The Beach Boys
The Beach Boys are an American rock band, formed in 1961 in Hawthorne, California. The group was initially composed of brothers Brian, Dennis and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and friend Al Jardine. Managed by the Wilsons' father Murry, The Beach Boys signed to Capitol Records in 1962...
to the Neptunes, and rock from groups such as Kings Of Leon
Kings of Leon
Kings of Leon is an American rock band that originated in Albion, Oklahoma but formed in Nashville, Tennessee in 1999. The band is composed of brothers Anthony Caleb Followill , Ivan Nathan Followill and Michael Jared Followill Kings of Leon is an American rock band that originated in Albion,...
, The Strokes
The Strokes
The Strokes are an American indie rock band formed in 1999 in New York City. Consisting of Julian Casablancas , Nick Valensi , Albert Hammond, Jr. , Nikolai Fraiture and Fabrizio Moretti ....
, Phoenix
Phoenix (band)
Phoenix is a Grammy Award winning French indie rock band from Versailles, founded by Thomas Mars, Deck d'Arcy, Christian Mazzalai and Laurent Brancowitz.-Formation and early years:...
and The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
. The band's older sound also nods to great hip-hop and new soul makers such as The Roots
The Roots
The Roots is an American hip hop/neo soul band formed in 1987 by Tariq "Black Thought" Trotter and Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are famed for beginning with a jazzy, eclectic approach to hip hop which still includes live instrumentals...
, Common and D'Angelo
D'Angelo
Michael Eugene Archer , better known by his stage name D'Angelo, is an American R&B and neo soul singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and record producer. He is known for his production and songwriting talents as much as for his vocal abilities, and often draws comparisons to his influences,...
.
Line up
The bands line up is as follows:- Rob Hezkial
Lead Vocals
- Andrew Guirguis
Backup Vocals, Rhythm Guitar
Rhythm guitar
Rhythm 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...
- James Manson
Lead Guitar
Lead guitar
Lead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
- Bart Denaro
drums
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
- Nathan Murray
Bass
Bass (instrument)
Bass describes musical instruments that produce tones in the low-pitched range. They belong to different families of instruments and can cover a wide range of musical roles...
- Benn Chapman
Trombone
Trombone
The trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate...
- James Blaxland
Tenor Saxophone
Tenor saxophone
The tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor, with the alto, are the two most common types of saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B, and written as a transposing instrument in the treble...
- Michael Lion
Alto Saxophone
Alto saxophone
The alto saxophone is a member of the saxophone family of woodwind instruments invented by Belgian instrument designer Adolphe Sax in 1841. It is smaller than the tenor but larger than the soprano, and is the type most used in classical compositions...
, Flute
Flute
The flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
Discography
Albums- Kid Confucius, 2005
- Stripes, 2007
- The Let Go, 2008
Singles
- Words, 2005
- Skintight, 2005
- Last Straw, 2006
- Closer, 2006
- Moment, 2007
- Good Luck, 2008
Charts and Awards
- Words, Triple JTriple Jtriple 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...
Net 50 - Words filmclip was on most requested clips list on Channel VChannel VChannel [V] is the brand name for multiple international music television networks owned by STAR TV and Fox International Channels, fully owned subsidiaries of News Corporation.-Channel [V] International:...
for over two months. - the album was featured as album of the week on FBi RadioFBi RadioFBi is an independent, not-for-profit community radio station in Sydney, Australia. FBi places a heavy emphasis on local alternative music: it has a policy that at least 50 per cent of its music content is to be Australian, of which at least half comes from Sydney musicians.FBi began 'test...
and SBSSpecial Broadcasting ServiceThe Special Broadcasting Service is a hybrid-funded Australian public broadcasting radio and television network. The stated purpose of SBS is "to provide multilingual and multicultural radio and television services that inform, educate and entertain all Australians and, in doing so, reflect...
Alchemy. - Skintight film clip won a high commendation in cinematography from the Australian Cinematographers SocietyAustralian Cinematographers SocietyThe Australian Cinematographers Society is an Australian organisation established in 1958 for cinematographers to meet and discuss the issues that affected them...
in 2005. - Words nominated for a 2006 Urban Music Award.
- Won title Best Urban Act at Australian Dance Music Awards in November 2006
- Won title Best R&B Band at Australian Urban Music Awards in August 2007