Powderfinger
Encyclopedia
Powderfinger was an Australian rock band that formed in Brisbane
in 1989. From 1992 until their breakup the band lineup consisted of vocalist Bernard Fanning
, guitarists Darren Middleton
and Ian Haug
, bassist John Collins
, and drummer Jon Coghill
.
Powderfinger became a commercial success with their third studio album Internationalist
in 1998. They followed up that success with several hit singles and award-winning works, earning a total of eighteen ARIA Awards
and making them the most awarded band behind Silverchair
. Numerous Powderfinger albums have reached multiple-platinum
status, as well as top 5 rankings in the weekly Australian music charts
. Odyssey Number Five
, Powderfinger's most successful album earned over eight platinum certifications and ARIA Awards in five different categories.
After the release of their first DVD These Days: Live in Concert and a "best of" release, Powderfinger announced a hiatus in 2005. The announcement of a two-month-long nationwide tour with Silverchair
titled Across the Great Divide
followed the release of their sixth studio album, Dream Days at the Hotel Existence
in June 2007.
Powderfinger was actively involved in philanthropic causes. In 2005, they performed at a WaveAid
concert in Sydney, to help raise funds for areas affected by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake
. Another performance at the Sydney Opera House
in October 2007 raised funds for breast cancer
victims and their families. The aim of their recent Across the Great Divide tour
was to promote the efforts of Reconciliation Australia
, and to promote awareness of the gap in life expectancy between Indigenous and non-Indigenous children.
On the morning of Friday 9 April 2010 Powderfinger announced at a press conference that they would be breaking up after their "Sunsets" tour, saying it would be their last ever as the band had musically said everything they wanted to say. On 13 November 2010, Powderfinger played their last concert as a band, signifying their departure and the splitting of Powderfinger.
, who took their band's name from the Neil Young
song "Powderfinger
". Before the band's formation, the members had all played in other Brisbane-based outfits. The band later sought an extra guitarist, Bernard Fanning, who Haug had met in a university class. Fanning took over the role of lead vocals from Haug, and at the same time Jon Coghill joined the band, replacing Bishop after a "mutual leaving." Powderfinger's final lineup change came with the addition of guitarist Darren Middleton into the band. The group consisting of Fanning, Collins, Haug, Middleton and Coghill remained as such since 1992.
Powderfinger initially performed cover version
s of other artists' songs, but gradually developed into writing and performing their own material. Playing a heavy metal
show in Newcastle
in 1990, Powderfinger was booed off the stage. In 1992, the group self-funded a recording of their early works and released them as a self-titled
extended play
, more commonly known as the Blue EP. The EP became successful and the group was signed by Polydor Records
. Upon its release in 1993, Transfusion
reached the #1 spot on the Alternative
ARIA Charts
, replacing Nirvana
's "Heart-Shaped Box
". The group recorded their first music video for the EP's lead track "Reap What You Sow". It was directed by David Barker, who went on to direct the next seven videos for the group.
under Polydor on 18 July 1994. The album, which Fanning describes as the band's "dark days," received limited radio coverage. Following the release, the band toured heavily appearing at the Livid
and Homebake
music festivals, including an appearance at one of Australia's largest music festivals, Big Day Out
, in 1994. Three singles were released from the album – "Tail
", "Grave Concern
", and "Save Your Skin
". Following the album's release, and lukewarm reception, the group recorded and released another EP entitled Mr Kneebone in 1995.
The band released the highly successful Double Allergic
on 2 September 1996. This, their second album, reached double platinum status in Australia. Four singles were released from the album – "Pick You Up
", "D.A.F.
", "Living Type
" and "Take Me In
". "Take Me In" was released as a video single featuring several other music videos by the group. Double Allergic debuted at #7 on the Australian charts and remained in the top 20 for seven weeks. A reviewer for FasterLouder, a music review web site, commented that "when Double Allergic was released in 1996, it showed the band were here for the long haul to become arguably one of the best of the decade."
, their third studio album. It propelled Powderfinger to a prominent position on the Australian music scene, reaching #1 and later spending 100 weeks on the ARIA Albums Chart. The album, which sold over 280,000 copies and went over five times platinum domestically, reached European audiences for the first time. Internationalist was the first Powderfinger album to win the ARIA Music Awards
. In 1999, it won "Album of the Year", "Best Rock Album" and "Best Cover Art", and "The Day You Come
" won "Single of the Year". "Passenger
", which was among the singles released from Internationalist, was also nominated for three other ARIA Awards in 2000.
The band received much praise and criticism for their political views on several tracks on Internationalist. In an interview with Benedict Watts, guitarist Ian Haug said that the political messages in "The Day You Come
" were not something they were just preaching about, but rather were something they saw as a responsibility.
Powderfinger's fourth studio album, Odyssey Number Five
, was released in September 2000, shortly after they were asked to write songs for the soundtracks of two films; Two Hands and Mission: Impossible II
. The song "These Days
" was written for Two Hands and "My Kind of Scene
" was written for Mission: Impossible II. Odyssey Number Five was Powderfinger's most successful album to date, selling 560,000 copies. "My Kind of Scene" was also released as a single from the album, as were "My Happiness", "Like a Dog", "The Metre
", and "Waiting for the Sun
". Odyssey Number Five won "Album of the Year", "Highest Selling Album", "Best Rock Album", "Best Cover Art", and "Best Group" at the ARIA Awards in 2001. "My Happiness" was also awarded "Single of the Year", and other songs were nominated for ARIA Awards in various other categories.
Many songs from this era of Powderfinger were ranked on Triple J
's Hottest 100
list. "These Days", "Already Gone", "Good-Day Ray
", and "Passenger
" were ranked in 1999
, and "My Happiness" and "My Kind of Scene" in 2000
.
In 2009 "These Days" was voted number 21 and "My Happiness" number 27 in Triple J
Hottest 100 of all time, ranking them as the second and fourth highest Australian songs in the countdown after the Hilltop Hoods' "Nosebleed Section".
Vulture Street
was released on 4 July 2003. The album, recorded in January and February 2003, was named after a street in West End, Queensland
, which was the location of the band's first recording room. The album was described by critics as "a rawer, louder, but by no means unrefined, album", and that it featured guitarists Middleton and Haug dominating in a way they had not since their 1994 debut. Simon Evans of musicOMH.com described the band as having "opted for a visceral live feel, adding a real punch to songs".
"(Baby I've Got You) On My Mind
", "Since You've Been Gone
", "Love Your Way
", and "Sunsets
" from Vulture Street were released as singles. Like earlier Powderfinger albums, Vulture Street won several ARIA Awards. It won "Album of the Year", "Best Group", "Best Rock Album" and "Best Cover Art" in 2003. Several songs on the album were also nominated for awards in 2003 and 2004.
These Days: Live in Concert was the first live release by Powderfinger. Both the CD and DVD
versions were released in late-2004. One single,"Stumblin'
" a song which originally appeared on Vulture Street as a normal track, was also released from the album. Powderfinger released a "best of" album entitled Fingerprints: The Best of Powderfinger, 1994-2000 a few weeks later. It included many of the band's singles to-date as well as non-singles "Thrilloilogy" and "Belter" and a re-release of "These Days
". "These Days", although never officially released as a single, was ranked at #1 on the Triple J Hottest 100 poll of 1999. The album also included two new songs; "Bless My Soul
" and "Process This", although only "Bless My Soul" was released as a single.
Following the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake, Powderfinger appeared at the WaveAid fund raising concert in Sydney, to raise funds for aid organisations working in the disaster affected areas. Fanning sang for The Wrights
when they performed "Evie
" at the concert and released a studio version of the song as a single, with the proceeds from the sale also going to tsunami relief efforts.
Middleton and his side project Drag
released their debut album, a follow-up to their 2002 EP Gas Food Lodging
. The album, titled The Way Out, was released on 10 July 2005. Shortly after this, guitarist Ian Haug and bassist John Collins formed the group The Predators with Powderfinger's former drummer, Steven Bishop, on drums and lead vocals. The group released a six-track EP, Pick Up the Pace
, in 2005 and performed a short tour around Australia.
Bernard Fanning released his solo album, Tea & Sympathy, in October 2005, reaching the top of the Australian charts and earning Fanning numerous ARIA Music Awards, including the coveted award for "Album of the Year". The lead single from album, "Wish You Well
", was ranked at #1 on the Triple J Hottest 100 poll in 2005.
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Powderfinger's sixth studio album, Dream Days at the Hotel Existence
was released on 2 June 2007. Debuting at #1 on the ARIA Albums Chart, it broke the Australian digital sales record, with over 3000 copies sold online. Reviewers, however, did not rate it as highly as its predecessor, Vulture Street, with Cameron Adams of the Herald Sun
HiT describing it as "consistent." Bernard Zuel, who reviewed Vulture Street in 2003, described Dream Days at the Hotel Existence as "Powderfinger's first dull album", but the band as "the biggest rock band in the country."
On 12 June 2007, Powderfinger and Australian rock group Silverchair
announced a nine-week tour titled Across the Great Divide tour
, an effort to promote reconciliation with Indigenous Australians
. The tour appeared in all state capital cities and fourteen regional centres across Australia, and included four performances in New Zealand. The first single from the album, "Lost and Running
", was released on 12 May 2007, and reached #5 on the ARIA Singles Chart on 21 May 2007. A second single, "I Don't Remember
", was released on 4 August 2007. A song from the album, "Black Tears
", was amended following concerns that it could prejudice a trial over the 2004 Palm Island death in custody
case. Bernard Fanning said in a statement that an alternative version of the song would now be featured on the album as a result of the claims.
Dream Days at the Hotel Existence was the recipient of the ARIA Award for "Best Cover Art" in 2007
. It was nominated for "Album of the Year", "Best Rock Album" and "Best Group", while "Lost and Running" received nominations for "Single of the Year" and "Best Video". The album failed to win any of the awards it was nominations for, losing to Silverchair, who won all five awards they were nominated for. The awards were announced at the Acer Arena
in Sydney on 28 October, and Powderfinger performed their single "Lost and Running".
On 18 August 2007, Powderfinger performed a concert in Karratha
, Western Australia
, to thousands of fans as part of Triple J's AWOL Series. The band was accompanied by performances from Australian bands The Grates
and Muph N Plutonic and other local acts. While in Karratha, Fanning and Coghill visited Gumala Mirnuwarni, a local school in Roebourne that encourages children to stay in school. On 27 September 2008, Powderfinger performed "(Baby I've Got You) On My Mind" and AC/DC
's "Long Way to the Top
" at the AFL Grand Final
.
Their song "Drifting Further Away" features on the fifth season Grey's Anatomy
episode 'Stairway to Heaven', which aired on 21 January 2009.
On 16 June 2009, the following announcement was made on MySpace: "Saddle up 'Finger fans, it's the news you've been waiting for! This coming Monday 22 June Powderfinger are returning to the studio! Taking the helms for this album will again be Nick DiDia, responsible for Internationalist, Odyssey Number 5 and Vulture St! After recording their last album Dream Days at the Hotel Existence in LA, the band are looking forward to recording the new album in Australia. While we don't have a release date as yet, you can expect to see the new album out at the end of 2009". On Thursday 10 September they announced that new album was to be called Golden Rule and was set to be released on 13 November 2009.
In July 2009, Bernard Fanning spoke to Triple J radio to confirm the band as the 2009 Homebake Festival headline act, which sees the band return to the festival after a 10 year absence. He also suggested that the new album may include cameo performances from other Australian musicians. The album was recorded in Byron Bay on the New South Wales north coast. The band announced in early September that the title of their upcoming seventh album was Golden Rule and it was subsequently released on 13 November 2009.
The album's first single was released to radio on 25 September 2009, and was titled "All of the Dreamers
". Burn Your Name, the second single from the album, was released on 18 December 2009, just before they began touring at the 2010 Big Day Out. The third single from the album, Sail The Widest Stretch, was released on 30 April 2010.
Golden Rule debuted at number 1 on the ARIA albums chart.
On 9 April 2010, Powderfinger announced before media, and on their website that after 21 years, the group will disband as a touring and recording band following their Sunsets Farewell Tour
in September and October 2010. In a statement read by Bernard Fanning, the band said:
In April 2010, radio station Nova106.9 revealed Brisbane's favourite Powderfinger song to the band in an interview about the farewell tour. The result was These Days and surprised Bernard Fanning who thought it was going to be My Happiness (that was second).
During an interview with 'Australian Times' band drummer Jon Coghill said that the final tour “is going to be great fun, but it’s also going to be sad.” He confirmed that there are not any plans for starting up a new band, or embarking on a solo project. Instead he will be going back to study to finish his degree. “Once I’m done with that, I might put the feelers out and see what’s happening. I don’t think I’d be doing anything solo, but I might look to join other bands, just to have a chance to keep playing. I’m just not keen to be off touring the world anymore.”
Powderfinger played their final show at the River Stage in Brisbane on 13 November 2010 in front of 10,000 fans. The last song they played was 'These Days'
On 25 January 2011, the band released a previously unreleased song as a fund raiser for the Premier's Flood Appeal as a result of the major flooding in the band's home state of Queensland. The song, "I'm on your side" was released through the band's website with all proceeds going towards the cause.
On 8 November 2011, the band will release Footprints: The Best of Powderfinger, 2001-2011
, a follow-up to their first greatest hits compilation, containing two new tracks. There will also be a 2-disc release titled Fingerprints & Footprints - The Ultimate Collection, bringing together the individual discs of Fingerprints and Footprints in one set.
Bernard Zuel of The Sydney Morning Herald
reviewed both of Powderfinger's more recent albums. Describing Vulture Street as "a rawer, louder" album in comparison to Odyssey Number Five, Zuel highlighted Fanning's "talent as a lyricist" and stated that it featured guitarists Haug and Middleton "dominating in a way they haven't since their 1994 debut." Zuel stated that there is a "real energy here that has some connections to early Powderfinger," and described "On My Mind" as having "AC/DC
meatiness", and "Love Your Way" as "acoustic tumbling into weaving Zeppelin
lines."
In his review of Dream Days at the Hotel Existence, Zuel described it as "[having] high-gloss and muscular framework," and stated that that was what "American radio considers serious rock."
Clayton Bolger of Allmusic stated in his review of Dream Days at the Hotel Existence that Powderfinger "largely revisit the sound of their Internationalist album, leaving behind much of the glam and swagger of 2003's Vulture Street." He commented on Fanning's "commanding and distinctive vocals," the "twin-guitar attack" of Middleton and Haug, Collins' "innovative basslines," and the "powerhouse drum work" of Coghill.
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In their time as a band, Powderfinger have been active in supporting causes or opposing actions taken in charitable, philanthropic, disaster, and political circumstances.
In 1996, Crowded House
decided to break up, and organised a farewell concert as a charity event for the Sydney Children's Hospital
, to be held on 24 November 1996. They approached Powderfinger and Australian acts Custard
and You Am I
to contribute by appearing in the concert to be held on the steps of the Sydney Opera House
. The concert, which was recorded and later released as a live album titled Farewell to the World
, was believed to be the largest Australian live concert, with estimates of between 100,000 and 250,000 people in attendance.
In the wake of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake, also known as the Boxing Day Tsunami
, Powderfinger performed at the WaveAid
fund-raising concert in Sydney in January 2005. The disaster killed more than 225,000 people from 11 countries in the area. The total profit from the funds raised from ticket sales and donations was A$2,300,000.
The song "Black Tears
" from the album Dream Days at the Hotel Existence featured the lyric An island watchhouse bed, a black man's lying dead which sparked fears that it might prejudice the trial of the former Senior Sergeant Chris Hurley over the 2004 Palm Island death in custody
case. The band claimed that the lyrics were primarily based on the climbing of Uluru
by tourists despite requests from the Indigenous people of the area to not do so. The original version of the song was retracted from the album, and replaced with an alternate version with the criticised material removed.
The legal team for Hurley, who was charged with manslaughter over the death of Mulrunji in 2004, referred the song to the Attorney-General of Queensland
, Kerry Shine
, in their attempt at altering the track. Lawyer Glen Cranny stated that "the content and proposed timing of the song's release raises some serious concerns regarding Mr Hurley's trial." Powderfinger's band manager, Paul Piticco
, stated that Fanning had confirmed that the song was related to the case. However, he added that the lyric in question could refer to "a watchhouse in The Bahamas
or something."
In June 2007, Powderfinger announced a nationwide tour featuring Australian rock band Silverchair
titled the Across the Great Divide Tour
. The tour was an attempt to promote the efforts of Reconciliation Australia, a foundation helping to improve the welfare of the Indigenous people of Australia and to "show [that] both bands are behind the idea of reconciliation." Reconciliation Australia
aims to promote awareness of the 17-year difference in life expectancy between the Indigenous and non-Indigenous children of Australia.
The Across the Great Divide tour, which included 34 concerts in 26 towns across Australia, lasted over two months with an estimated 220,000 people in attendance. Powderfinger and Silverchair announced the release of a limited edition tour DVD, featuring two Melbourne concerts and a 90-minute documentary following both bands during each concert. The DVD was released on 1 December 2007, and shared its release date with that of the third single from Dream Days at the Hotel Existence, "Nobody Sees
".
In October 2007, during Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Powderfinger performed at a concert on the steps of the Sydney Opera House
. The concert was for invitees only – only breast cancer patients and survivors and their families were eligible to attend. Powderfinger performed alongside Silverchair, Missy Higgins
, and other artists to an audience of 700. The concert was filmed and later broadcast as a MAX Session
on Foxtel
channel MAX on 3 November.
For the Sunsets tour
in September 2010, the band's final outing, Powderfinger will promote another indigenous cause, the Yalari organisation. The organisation provides indigenous children with opportunities to get a proper education.
In January 2011, following the Queensland flood disaster
, [undercover.fm] reported that Powderfinger has announced that they will not reform for a benefit concert but instead will donate a never before released song to help raise money for the victims.
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Powderfinger consisted of five members: vocalist, guitarist, keyboardist and harmonicist Bernard Fanning, bass guitarist John Collins, guitarist and backing vocalist Ian Haug, guitarist, keyboardist and backing vocalist Darren Middleton, and drummer and percussionist Jon Coghill. This has remained the lineup of the band since 1992. Steven Bishop had been the group's drummer before this, but had left wanting to focus on his studies. The band often refers to one another with partial pseudonyms. Most notably John Collins and Jon Coghill, presumably to avoid confusion, are referred to as JC and Cogsy respectively.
Powderfinger have collaborated with few artists, but have had pianist Benmont Tench
play on Dream Days at the Hotel Existence. For their second album, Double Allergic, the group enlisted producer Tim Whitten
. Powderfinger approached American expatriate Nick DiDia
as their producer for Internationalist, and recorded with him at Sing Sing Studios in Melbourne. DiDia also produced the following two albums. In 2007 Rob Schnapf
, producer for Beck
, was asked to produce their sixth studio album in Los Angeles
.
Powderfinger's first music video for the song "Reap What You Sow" in 1993 was directed by David Barker, an award-winning director. Film companies who directed other videos of the group include Fifty Fifty Films, and Head Pictures.
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
in 1989. From 1992 until their breakup the band lineup consisted of vocalist Bernard Fanning
Bernard Fanning
Bernard Joseph Fanning is a musician and singer-songwriter. He is best known as the lead singer and frontman of Australian alternative rock band Powderfinger from its formation in 1989 to its dissolution in 2010....
, guitarists Darren Middleton
Darren Middleton
Darren Stuart Middleton is an Australian lead guitarist for alternative rock band Powderfinger. He is also the lead singer for Drag....
and Ian Haug
Ian Haug
Ian David Haug is a lead guitarist and backing vocalist in the Australian rock band Powderfinger. Mainstays Haug and bass guitarist John Collins formed the band in Brisbane in 1989. During a hiatus in Powderfinger's career, Haug worked on a side project, The Predators, with Collins and original...
, bassist John Collins
John Collins (Australian musician)
John Andrew Collins is the mainstay bass guitarst for Australian rock band Powderfinger since 1989. He is one of the founding members of the band, along with guitarist Ian Haug, forming at their high school, Brisbane Grammar School as a three piece. Powderfinger has released seven studio albums, a...
, and drummer Jon Coghill
Jon Coghill
Jon Coghill is an Australian drummer best known for his work with Australian rock band, Powderfinger, although he has also toured with Regurgitator. Coghill replaced Powderfinger's original drummer Steven Bishop in 1991 when Bishop wanted to pursue further studies...
.
Powderfinger became a commercial success with their third studio album Internationalist
Internationalist (album)
Internationalist is the third studio album by Australian alternative rock band, Powderfinger. The album was released on 7 September 1998 and was often labelled Powderfinger's most adventurous work, with greater experimentation than in previous works....
in 1998. They followed up that success with several hit singles and award-winning works, earning a total of eighteen ARIA Awards
ARIA Music Awards
The Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards is an annual series of awards nights celebrating the Australian music industry, put on by the Australian Recording Industry Association...
and making them the most awarded band behind Silverchair
Silverchair
Silverchair were an Australian rock band, which formed in 1992 as Innocent Criminals in Merewether, Newcastle with the line-up of Ben Gillies on drums, Chris Joannou on bass guitar and Daniel Johns on vocals and guitars. The group got their big break in mid-1994 when they won a national demo...
. Numerous Powderfinger albums have reached multiple-platinum
Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
status, as well as top 5 rankings in the weekly Australian music 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...
. Odyssey Number Five
Odyssey Number Five
Odyssey Number Five is the fourth studio album by Australian rock band Powderfinger, produced by Nick DiDia and released on 4 September 2000. The album was the band's shortest yet, focusing on social, political, and emotional issues that had appeared in prior works, especially Internationalist.The...
, Powderfinger's most successful album earned over eight platinum certifications and ARIA Awards in five different categories.
After the release of their first DVD These Days: Live in Concert and a "best of" release, Powderfinger announced a hiatus in 2005. The announcement of a two-month-long nationwide tour with Silverchair
Silverchair
Silverchair were an Australian rock band, which formed in 1992 as Innocent Criminals in Merewether, Newcastle with the line-up of Ben Gillies on drums, Chris Joannou on bass guitar and Daniel Johns on vocals and guitars. The group got their big break in mid-1994 when they won a national demo...
titled Across the Great Divide
Across the Great Divide tour
The Across the Great Divide tour was a concert tour by Australian alternative rock bands Powderfinger and Silverchair in 2007. The tour featured concerts in 26 towns across Australia and multiple shows in New Zealand...
followed the release of their sixth studio album, Dream Days at the Hotel Existence
Dream Days at the Hotel Existence
Dream Days at the Hotel Existence is the sixth studio album by Australian rock band Powderfinger, released by Universal Music on 2 June 2007 in Australia, 19 November 2007 in the United Kingdom, and 11 November 2008 in the United States on the Dew Process label...
in June 2007.
Powderfinger was actively involved in philanthropic causes. In 2005, they performed at a WaveAid
WaveAid
WaveAid was a fund raising concert held on Saturday the 29th of January 2005 as a means for raising funds for the victims of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake, known as the Boxing Day Tsunami. It was held at the Sydney Cricket Ground and broadcast on television by Channel [V] and MTV, and on radio...
concert in Sydney, to help raise funds for areas affected by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake
2004 Indian Ocean earthquake
The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake was an undersea megathrust earthquake that occurred at 00:58:53 UTC on Sunday, December 26, 2004, with an epicentre off the west coast of Sumatra, Indonesia. The quake itself is known by the scientific community as the Sumatra-Andaman earthquake...
. Another performance at the Sydney Opera House
Sydney Opera House
The Sydney Opera House is a multi-venue performing arts centre in the Australian city of Sydney. It was conceived and largely built by Danish architect Jørn Utzon, finally opening in 1973 after a long gestation starting with his competition-winning design in 1957...
in October 2007 raised funds for breast cancer
Breast cancer
Breast cancer is cancer originating from breast tissue, most commonly from the inner lining of milk ducts or the lobules that supply the ducts with milk. Cancers originating from ducts are known as ductal carcinomas; those originating from lobules are known as lobular carcinomas...
victims and their families. The aim of their recent Across the Great Divide tour
Across the Great Divide tour
The Across the Great Divide tour was a concert tour by Australian alternative rock bands Powderfinger and Silverchair in 2007. The tour featured concerts in 26 towns across Australia and multiple shows in New Zealand...
was to promote the efforts of Reconciliation Australia
Reconciliation Australia
Reconciliation Australia is the non-government, not-for-profit foundation established in January 2001 to provide a continuing national focus for reconciliation. It was established by the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation...
, and to promote awareness of the gap in life expectancy between Indigenous and non-Indigenous children.
On the morning of Friday 9 April 2010 Powderfinger announced at a press conference that they would be breaking up after their "Sunsets" tour, saying it would be their last ever as the band had musically said everything they wanted to say. On 13 November 2010, Powderfinger played their last concert as a band, signifying their departure and the splitting of Powderfinger.
Formation and early releases (1989–1993)
Powderfinger was formed in 1989 by vocalist and guitarist Ian Haug, bassist John Collins and drummer Steven BishopSteven Bishop
Stephen Bishop is an Australian drummer, formerly of Australian band Powderfinger though he left the band before their rise to prominence because of illness. Later, while working in the UK for two years he played in London based bands...
, who took their band's name from the Neil Young
Neil Young
Neil Percival Young, OC, OM is a Canadian singer-songwriter who is widely regarded as one of the most influential musicians of his generation...
song "Powderfinger
Powderfinger (song)
"Powderfinger" is a song written by Neil Young, first released on his 1979 album Rust Never Sleeps. It subsequently appeared on several of Young's live recordings, and has been covered by several bands, including Cowboy Junkies, Beat Farmers, Rusted Root, and Jazz Mandolin Project...
". Before the band's formation, the members had all played in other Brisbane-based outfits. The band later sought an extra guitarist, Bernard Fanning, who Haug had met in a university class. Fanning took over the role of lead vocals from Haug, and at the same time Jon Coghill joined the band, replacing Bishop after a "mutual leaving." Powderfinger's final lineup change came with the addition of guitarist Darren Middleton into the band. The group consisting of Fanning, Collins, Haug, Middleton and Coghill remained as such since 1992.
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
s of other artists' songs, but gradually developed into writing and performing their own material. Playing a heavy metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
show in Newcastle
Newcastle, New South Wales
The Newcastle metropolitan area is the second most populated area in the Australian state of New South Wales and includes most of the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie Local Government Areas...
in 1990, Powderfinger was booed off the stage. In 1992, the group self-funded a recording of their early works and released them as a self-titled
Powderfinger (EP)
Powderfinger is the eponymous first studio recording by Australian rock group Powderfinger. Many refer to it as The Blue EP. The EP launch was at the Orient Hotel, Friday the 21st of August 1992; the band were supported by local act Lolita Carbine...
extended play
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...
, more commonly known as the Blue EP. The EP became successful and the group was signed by Polydor Records
Polydor Records
Polydor is a record label owned by Universal Music Group, headquartered in the United Kingdom.-Beginnings:Polydor was originally an independent branch of the Deutsche Grammophon Gesellschaft. Its name was first used as an export label in 1924, the British and German branches of the Gramophone...
. Upon its release in 1993, Transfusion
Transfusion (EP)
Transfusion is the second EP by Australian rock group Powderfinger. It was released on 27 September 1993 by Polydor. The album was the group's first recording with Polydor, as the group had signed with the label due to the success of the prior EP by the band, the eponymous Powderfinger.The EP's...
reached the #1 spot on the 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...
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...
, replacing Nirvana
Nirvana (band)
Nirvana was an American rock band that was formed by singer/guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic in Aberdeen, Washington in 1987...
's "Heart-Shaped Box
Heart-Shaped Box
"Heart-Shaped Box" is a song by the American grunge band Nirvana, written by vocalist and guitarist Kurt Cobain. The song was released as the first single from the group's third and final studio album, In Utero, in 1993. It was one of two songs from the album mixed by Scott Litt in order to augment...
". The group recorded their first music video for the EP's lead track "Reap What You Sow". It was directed by David Barker, who went on to direct the next seven videos for the group.
Early albums (1994–98)
Powderfinger released their debut studio album Parables for Wooden EarsParables for Wooden Ears
Parables for Wooden Ears was the debut studio album released by the Australian band Powderfinger. It was released on 18 July 1994 by Polydor Records, after recording at Melbourne's Metropolis Studios in February 1994....
under Polydor on 18 July 1994. The album, which Fanning describes as the band's "dark days," received limited radio coverage. Following the release, the band toured heavily appearing at 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...
and 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...
music festivals, including an appearance at one of Australia's largest music festivals, 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...
, in 1994. Three singles were released from the album – "Tail
Tail (song)
"Tail" is the first single by Powderfinger from their debut album Parables for Wooden Ears. The music video for "Tail" appeared on the bonus DVD of Dream Days at the Hotel Existence. The version used in the video is shorter and slightly different in instrumentation.-Track listing:All songs composed...
", "Grave Concern
Grave Concern
"Grave Concern" is the second single by Powderfinger from their debut album Parables for Wooden Ears.-Track listing:"Grave Concern" and "Blind to Reason" music by Powderfinger. Lyrics by Bernard Fanning. "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" lyrics and music by George Harrison.# "Grave Concern"# "Blind to...
", and "Save Your Skin
Save Your Skin
"Save Your Skin" is the third single by Powderfinger from their debut album Parables for Wooden Ears. The song is the also the only song from Parables for Wooden Ears to have been previously released on an EP, with a much shorter version at 1:50 appearing on the group's debut EP Powderfinger, also...
". Following the album's release, and lukewarm reception, the group recorded and released another EP entitled Mr Kneebone in 1995.
The band released the highly successful Double Allergic
Double Allergic
Double Allergic is the second studio album by Australian alternative rock band Powderfinger. Released in Australia on 2 September 1996 Polydor, the album was produced by Tim Whitten and widely considered Powderfinger's mainstream breakthrough....
on 2 September 1996. This, their second album, reached double platinum status in Australia. Four singles were released from the album – "Pick You Up
Pick You Up
"Pick You Up" is the first single released from Powderfinger's second album Double Allergic. The single was released on 13 April 1996, and was Powderfinger's first moderate success both on commercial and Indie radio stations, and the most successful single from the album reaching #23 on the ARIA...
", "D.A.F.
D.A.F. (song)
"D.A.F." is a song by Australian alternative rock band Powderfinger, released as a single from their second studio album, Double Allergic, on 5 August 1996."D.A.F." reached #39 on the Australian music chart...
", "Living Type
Living Type
"Living Type" is the third single released from Powderfinger's second album Double Allergic. The single was released on 11 November 1996. The song, written by Bernard Fanning, the band's lead singer, concerned the victims of Charles Manson. The song was well received by the public, who voted it...
" and "Take Me In
Take Me In
"Take Me In" is the fourth and final single released from Powderfinger's second album Double Allergic. The single was released on 12 May 1997 , and received a warm response from fans, although it was not as successful as the prior singles from the album...
". "Take Me In" was released as a video single featuring several other music videos by the group. Double Allergic debuted at #7 on the Australian charts and remained in the top 20 for seven weeks. A reviewer for FasterLouder, a music review web site, commented that "when Double Allergic was released in 1996, it showed the band were here for the long haul to become arguably one of the best of the decade."
Critical acclaim and chart success (1998–2003)
In September 1998, Powderfinger released InternationalistInternationalist (album)
Internationalist is the third studio album by Australian alternative rock band, Powderfinger. The album was released on 7 September 1998 and was often labelled Powderfinger's most adventurous work, with greater experimentation than in previous works....
, their third studio album. It propelled Powderfinger to a prominent position on the Australian music scene, reaching #1 and later spending 100 weeks on the ARIA Albums Chart. The album, which sold over 280,000 copies and went over five times platinum domestically, reached European audiences for the first time. Internationalist was the first Powderfinger album to win the ARIA Music Awards
ARIA Music Awards
The Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards is an annual series of awards nights celebrating the Australian music industry, put on by the Australian Recording Industry Association...
. In 1999, it won "Album of the Year", "Best Rock Album" and "Best Cover Art", and "The Day You Come
The Day You Come
"The Day You Come" is a song from Powderfinger's third studio album Internationalist. It was released as a single on 10 August 1998.-History:...
" won "Single of the Year". "Passenger
Passenger (Powderfinger song)
"Passenger" is a song from Powderfinger's third studio album Internationalist. It was released as a single on 9 August 1999, and reached #30 on the Australian music chart. The single was nominated for Single of the year in 2000 at the Australian ARIA Music Awards...
", which was among the singles released from Internationalist, was also nominated for three other ARIA Awards in 2000.
The band received much praise and criticism for their political views on several tracks on Internationalist. In an interview with Benedict Watts, guitarist Ian Haug said that the political messages in "The Day You Come
The Day You Come
"The Day You Come" is a song from Powderfinger's third studio album Internationalist. It was released as a single on 10 August 1998.-History:...
" were not something they were just preaching about, but rather were something they saw as a responsibility.
Powderfinger's fourth studio album, Odyssey Number Five
Odyssey Number Five
Odyssey Number Five is the fourth studio album by Australian rock band Powderfinger, produced by Nick DiDia and released on 4 September 2000. The album was the band's shortest yet, focusing on social, political, and emotional issues that had appeared in prior works, especially Internationalist.The...
, was released in September 2000, shortly after they were asked to write songs for the soundtracks of two films; Two Hands and Mission: Impossible II
Mission: Impossible II
Mission: Impossible II is a 2000 action film directed by John Woo, and starring Tom Cruise, who also served as the film's producer...
. The song "These Days
These Days (Powderfinger song)
"These Days" is an alternative rock song from Powderfinger's fourth studio album, Odyssey Number Five, which was released in 2000. The song was also released on Powderfinger's 2004 compilation album Fingerprints: The Best of Powderfinger, 1994-2000....
" was written for Two Hands and "My Kind of Scene
My Kind of Scene
"My Kind of Scene" is a song by Australian rock band Powderfinger. the song was initially written for their fourth studio album Odyssey Number Five however the band was requested to contribute a song to the soundtrack for the 2000 film Mission: Impossible 2...
" was written for Mission: Impossible II. Odyssey Number Five was Powderfinger's most successful album to date, selling 560,000 copies. "My Kind of Scene" was also released as a single from the album, as were "My Happiness", "Like a Dog", "The Metre
The Metre/Waiting for the Sun
"The Metre" and "Waiting for the Sun" are two songs released together as a double A-Side single by Powderfinger in support of their fourth studio album Odyssey Number Five. It was released on 27 August 2001 and reached #31 on the Australian music chart. "The Metre" and "Waiting For The Sun" both...
", and "Waiting for the Sun
The Metre/Waiting for the Sun
"The Metre" and "Waiting for the Sun" are two songs released together as a double A-Side single by Powderfinger in support of their fourth studio album Odyssey Number Five. It was released on 27 August 2001 and reached #31 on the Australian music chart. "The Metre" and "Waiting For The Sun" both...
". Odyssey Number Five won "Album of the Year", "Highest Selling Album", "Best Rock Album", "Best Cover Art", and "Best Group" at the ARIA Awards in 2001. "My Happiness" was also awarded "Single of the Year", and other songs were nominated for ARIA Awards in various other categories.
Many songs from this era of Powderfinger were ranked 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...
's 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...
list. "These Days", "Already Gone", "Good-Day Ray
Don't Wanna Be Left Out/Good-Day Ray
"Don't Wanna Be Left Out" and "Good-Day Ray" are songs from Powderfinger's third studio album Internationalist. These songs were released together as a single on 9 November 1998.-Music video:...
", and "Passenger
Passenger (Powderfinger song)
"Passenger" is a song from Powderfinger's third studio album Internationalist. It was released as a single on 9 August 1999, and reached #30 on the Australian music chart. The single was nominated for Single of the year in 2000 at the Australian ARIA Music Awards...
" were ranked in 1999
Triple J Hottest 100, 1999
The 1999 Triple J Hottest 100, announced in January, 2000, was the eighth such countdown of the most popular songs of the year, according to listeners of the Australian radio station Triple J...
, and "My Happiness" and "My Kind of Scene" in 2000
Triple J Hottest 100, 2000
The 2000 Triple J Hottest 100, announced in January 2001, was the eighth such countdown of the most popular songs of the year, according to listeners of the Australian radio station Triple J. As in previous years, a CD featuring 37 songs was released...
.
In 2009 "These Days" was voted number 21 and "My Happiness" number 27 in 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...
Hottest 100 of all time, ranking them as the second and fourth highest Australian songs in the countdown after the Hilltop Hoods' "Nosebleed Section".
Rock resurgence (2003–05)
Vulture Street
Vulture Street is the fifth studio album by Australian alternative rock band Powderfinger, released by Universal Music on 29 July 2003. Produced by Nick DiDia, Vulture Street was certified platinum, and spent 47 weeks on the ARIA Charts and peaked at #1...
was released on 4 July 2003. The album, recorded in January and February 2003, was named after a street in West End, Queensland
West End, Queensland
West End is an inner-city suburb of southern Brisbane.-History:West End was named by early English settlers who found the area reminiscent of the West End of London....
, which was the location of the band's first recording room. The album was described by critics as "a rawer, louder, but by no means unrefined, album", and that it featured guitarists Middleton and Haug dominating in a way they had not since their 1994 debut. Simon Evans of musicOMH.com described the band as having "opted for a visceral live feel, adding a real punch to songs".
"(Baby I've Got You) On My Mind
(Baby I've Got You) On My Mind
" On My Mind" is a song on Powderfinger's fifth studio album Vulture Street. It was released as a single in 2003 and reached #9 on the Australian music chart, the band's third highest charting single to date.-Background:After two albums of Powderfinger releasing singles that were either acoustic...
", "Since You've Been Gone
Since You've Been Gone (Powderfinger song)
"Since You've Been Gone" is a 2004 single from Powderfinger's fifth studio album Vulture Street. It was the fourth single released from Vulture Street and reached #51 on the Australian music chart. It was a limited edition single, hence no video or puzzle piece on the spine of the single...
", "Love Your Way
Love Your Way
"Love Your Way" is a 2004 single from Powderfinger's fifth studio album Vulture Street. It was the second single released from Vulture Street and reached #37 on the Australian music chart....
", and "Sunsets
Sunsets
"Sunsets" is a song released as the third single from Australian rock band Powderfinger's fifth studio album, Vulture Street. The single was released on 4 January 2004 in Australia and New Zealand....
" from Vulture Street were released as singles. Like earlier Powderfinger albums, Vulture Street won several ARIA Awards. It won "Album of the Year", "Best Group", "Best Rock Album" and "Best Cover Art" in 2003. Several songs on the album were also nominated for awards in 2003 and 2004.
These Days: Live in Concert was the first live release by Powderfinger. Both the CD and DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
versions were released in late-2004. One single,"Stumblin'
Stumblin'
"Stumblin" is a song released as a promotional single from Australian rock group Powderfinger's first live album These Days: Live in Concert...
" a song which originally appeared on Vulture Street as a normal track, was also released from the album. Powderfinger released a "best of" album entitled Fingerprints: The Best of Powderfinger, 1994-2000 a few weeks later. It included many of the band's singles to-date as well as non-singles "Thrilloilogy" and "Belter" and a re-release of "These Days
These Days (Powderfinger song)
"These Days" is an alternative rock song from Powderfinger's fourth studio album, Odyssey Number Five, which was released in 2000. The song was also released on Powderfinger's 2004 compilation album Fingerprints: The Best of Powderfinger, 1994-2000....
". "These Days", although never officially released as a single, was ranked at #1 on the Triple J Hottest 100 poll of 1999. The album also included two new songs; "Bless My Soul
Bless My Soul
"Bless My Soul" is a single from Powderfinger's first "best of" album, Fingerprints: The Best of Powderfinger, 1994-2000. The other new song on the album, "Process This," was not released as a single...
" and "Process This", although only "Bless My Soul" was released as a single.
Following the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake, Powderfinger appeared at the WaveAid fund raising concert in Sydney, to raise funds for aid organisations working in the disaster affected areas. Fanning sang for The Wrights
The Wrights
The Wrights were a one-off Australian rock music "supergroup". They consisted of Nic Cester , Bernard Fanning , Phil Jamieson , Kram , Chris Cheney , Davey Lane and Pat Bourke...
when they performed "Evie
Evie (song)
Evie is an Australian rock song released as a single in 1974 by Australian music legend and former frontman of The Easybeats, Stevie Wright.It was written by Harry Vanda and George Young...
" at the concert and released a studio version of the song as a single, with the proceeds from the sale also going to tsunami relief efforts.
Era of side projects (2005–07)
Powderfinger had a period of hiatus after the release of Fingerprints: The Best of Powderfinger in 2005. During that time, several band members pursued other musical projects. Darren Middleton and Ian Haug both had children during this time and Fanning married his girlfriend Andrea.Middleton and his side project Drag
Drag (band)
Drag is an Australian rock band led by Darren Middleton, most known as the lead guitarist from highly successful Australian group Powderfinger.-History:...
released their debut album, a follow-up to their 2002 EP Gas Food Lodging
Gas Food Lodging (EP)
Gas Food Lodging is the debut EP from Australian rock band Drag released in 2002. The track "Take Me With You" received extensive airplay on Triple J radio after the EP was released.-Track listing:# "Nowhere But Here" - 4:55# "Secret Design" - 3:26...
. The album, titled The Way Out, was released on 10 July 2005. Shortly after this, guitarist Ian Haug and bassist John Collins formed the group The Predators with Powderfinger's former drummer, Steven Bishop, on drums and lead vocals. The group released a six-track EP, Pick Up the Pace
Pick Up the Pace
Pick Up the Pace is the debut EP by Australian alternative rock band The Predators. It was released on 1 July 2006 through Dew Process and Universal Music Australia. The EP was produced after Powderfinger entered a hiatus, and several of its band members sought work with side projects...
, in 2005 and performed a short tour around Australia.
Bernard Fanning released his solo album, Tea & Sympathy, in October 2005, reaching the top of the Australian charts and earning Fanning numerous ARIA Music Awards, including the coveted award for "Album of the Year". The lead single from album, "Wish You Well
Wish You Well
"Wish You Well" is the first single from Bernard Fanning's solo debut album Tea and Sympathy, released in 2005 and was voted number 1 on the Triple J Hottest 100 of 2005.-Music video:...
", was ranked at #1 on the Triple J Hottest 100 poll in 2005.
Return from hiatus (2007–2010)
Dream Days at the Hotel Existence
Dream Days at the Hotel Existence is the sixth studio album by Australian rock band Powderfinger, released by Universal Music on 2 June 2007 in Australia, 19 November 2007 in the United Kingdom, and 11 November 2008 in the United States on the Dew Process label...
was released on 2 June 2007. Debuting at #1 on the ARIA Albums Chart, it broke the Australian digital sales record, with over 3000 copies sold online. Reviewers, however, did not rate it as highly as its predecessor, Vulture Street, with Cameron Adams of the Herald Sun
Herald Sun
The Herald Sun is a morning tabloid newspaper based in Melbourne, Australia. It is published by The Herald and Weekly Times, a subsidiary of News Limited, itself a subsidiary of News Corporation. It is available for purchase throughout Melbourne, Regional Victoria, Tasmania, the Australian Capital...
HiT describing it as "consistent." Bernard Zuel, who reviewed Vulture Street in 2003, described Dream Days at the Hotel Existence as "Powderfinger's first dull album", but the band as "the biggest rock band in the country."
On 12 June 2007, Powderfinger and Australian rock group Silverchair
Silverchair
Silverchair were an Australian rock band, which formed in 1992 as Innocent Criminals in Merewether, Newcastle with the line-up of Ben Gillies on drums, Chris Joannou on bass guitar and Daniel Johns on vocals and guitars. The group got their big break in mid-1994 when they won a national demo...
announced a nine-week tour titled Across the Great Divide tour
Across the Great Divide tour
The Across the Great Divide tour was a concert tour by Australian alternative rock bands Powderfinger and Silverchair in 2007. The tour featured concerts in 26 towns across Australia and multiple shows in New Zealand...
, an effort to promote reconciliation with Indigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands. The Aboriginal Indigenous Australians migrated from the Indian continent around 75,000 to 100,000 years ago....
. The tour appeared in all state capital cities and fourteen regional centres across Australia, and included four performances in New Zealand. The first single from the album, "Lost and Running
Lost and Running
"Lost and Running" is a song by Australian rock group Powderfinger. It was released as the first single from the group's sixth studio album Dream Days at the Hotel Existence. It is the band's twenty-second single and peaked at No. 5 on the Australian chart, the group's second highest charting...
", was released on 12 May 2007, and reached #5 on the ARIA Singles Chart on 21 May 2007. A second single, "I Don't Remember
I Don't Remember
"I Don't Remember" is a song by Australian alternative rock band Powderfinger, from the album Dream Days at the Hotel Existence. It made its radio debut on 9 July 2007 on Australian radio stations, and was subsequently released as a single and digital download on 4 August 2007 in Australia, 3...
", was released on 4 August 2007. A song from the album, "Black Tears
Black Tears
"Black Tears" is a song by Australian alternative rock band Powderfinger, from their sixth studio album Dream Days at the Hotel Existence. The song is an acoustic ballad in a folk music style, beginning with one guitar and a lead vocal, later introducing a guitar with a synthesised effect from the...
", was amended following concerns that it could prejudice a trial over the 2004 Palm Island death in custody
2004 Palm Island death in custody
The 2004 Palm Island death in custody incident relates to the death of Palm Island, Queensland resident, Mulrunji on Friday, 19 November 2004 in a police cell. The death of Mulrunji led to civic disturbances on the island and a legal, political and media sensation that continued for three years...
case. Bernard Fanning said in a statement that an alternative version of the song would now be featured on the album as a result of the claims.
Dream Days at the Hotel Existence was the recipient of the ARIA Award for "Best Cover Art" in 2007
ARIA Music Awards of 2007
The 21st Annual Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards were held on 28 October 2007 at the Acer Arena at the Sydney Olympic Park complex. Rove McManus was the host of the event...
. It was nominated for "Album of the Year", "Best Rock Album" and "Best Group", while "Lost and Running" received nominations for "Single of the Year" and "Best Video". The album failed to win any of the awards it was nominations for, losing to Silverchair, who won all five awards they were nominated for. The awards were announced at the Acer Arena
Acer Arena
The Allphones Arena is a large entertainment and sporting complex located in Sydney, Australia. It is situated in Sydney Olympic Park, and was completed in 1999 as part of the facilities for the 2000 Summer Olympics....
in Sydney on 28 October, and Powderfinger performed their single "Lost and Running".
On 18 August 2007, Powderfinger performed a concert in Karratha
Karratha, Western Australia
-Facilities:A range of hotel, motel, B&B and caravan/RV accommodation is available for visitors. However, as the town is booming, accommodation is often hard to come by.The town has restaurants, a tavern, two hotels and two night clubs...
, Western Australia
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...
, to thousands of fans as part of Triple J's AWOL Series. The band was accompanied by performances from Australian bands The Grates
The Grates
The Grates are a two-piece band from Brisbane, Australia, comprising Patience Hodgson and John Patterson . They have been lauded for their catchy songs and enthusiastic and energetic live shows, as Patience spends much of the time bouncing around, even while singing...
and Muph N Plutonic and other local acts. While in Karratha, Fanning and Coghill visited Gumala Mirnuwarni, a local school in Roebourne that encourages children to stay in school. On 27 September 2008, Powderfinger performed "(Baby I've Got You) On My Mind" and AC/DC
AC/DC
AC/DC are an Australian rock band, formed in 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. Commonly classified as hard rock, they are considered pioneers of heavy metal, though they themselves have always classified their music as simply "rock and roll"...
's "Long Way to the Top
Long Way To The Top
Long Way To The Top was an Australian Broadcasting Corporation documentary on the history of Australian rock and roll from 1956 to the modern era.-Production:...
" at the AFL Grand Final
2008 AFL Grand Final
The 2008 AFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football match contested between the Geelong Football Club and the Hawthorn Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on the 27th of September 2008...
.
Their song "Drifting Further Away" features on the fifth season Grey's Anatomy
Grey's Anatomy
Grey's Anatomy is an American medical drama television series created by Shonda Rhimes. The series premiered on March 27, 2005 on ABC; since then, seven seasons have aired. The series follows the lives of interns, residents and their mentors in the fictional Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital in...
episode 'Stairway to Heaven', which aired on 21 January 2009.
Golden Rule & The End (2010)
On 4 December 2008, the band announced on their official website that they were currently writing material for their 7th studio album.On 16 June 2009, the following announcement was made on MySpace: "Saddle up 'Finger fans, it's the news you've been waiting for! This coming Monday 22 June Powderfinger are returning to the studio! Taking the helms for this album will again be Nick DiDia, responsible for Internationalist, Odyssey Number 5 and Vulture St! After recording their last album Dream Days at the Hotel Existence in LA, the band are looking forward to recording the new album in Australia. While we don't have a release date as yet, you can expect to see the new album out at the end of 2009". On Thursday 10 September they announced that new album was to be called Golden Rule and was set to be released on 13 November 2009.
In July 2009, Bernard Fanning spoke to Triple J radio to confirm the band as the 2009 Homebake Festival headline act, which sees the band return to the festival after a 10 year absence. He also suggested that the new album may include cameo performances from other Australian musicians. The album was recorded in Byron Bay on the New South Wales north coast. The band announced in early September that the title of their upcoming seventh album was Golden Rule and it was subsequently released on 13 November 2009.
The album's first single was released to radio on 25 September 2009, and was titled "All of the Dreamers
All of the Dreamers
"All of the Dreamers" is an alternative rock song recorded by Australian alternative rock band Powderfinger. The song was written by Powderfinger and produced by Nick DiDia...
". Burn Your Name, the second single from the album, was released on 18 December 2009, just before they began touring at the 2010 Big Day Out. The third single from the album, Sail The Widest Stretch, was released on 30 April 2010.
Golden Rule debuted at number 1 on the ARIA albums chart.
On 9 April 2010, Powderfinger announced before media, and on their website that after 21 years, the group will disband as a touring and recording band following their Sunsets Farewell Tour
Sunsets Farewell Tour
The Sunsets Farewell Tour was a 2010 concert tour of Australian rock band Powderfinger. This was their last concert tour following the announcement on 9 April 2010, that they would be breaking-up after their "Sunsets" tour, saying it would be their last ever as the band had musically said...
in September and October 2010. In a statement read by Bernard Fanning, the band said:
"With the completion of our last album, Golden Rule, we feel that we have said all that we want to say as a musical group. We firmly believe that it is our most complete and satisfying album and can't think of a better way to farewell our fans than with music that we all believe in and also with, hopefully, our best tour to date."
In April 2010, radio station Nova106.9 revealed Brisbane's favourite Powderfinger song to the band in an interview about the farewell tour. The result was These Days and surprised Bernard Fanning who thought it was going to be My Happiness (that was second).
During an interview with 'Australian Times' band drummer Jon Coghill said that the final tour “is going to be great fun, but it’s also going to be sad.” He confirmed that there are not any plans for starting up a new band, or embarking on a solo project. Instead he will be going back to study to finish his degree. “Once I’m done with that, I might put the feelers out and see what’s happening. I don’t think I’d be doing anything solo, but I might look to join other bands, just to have a chance to keep playing. I’m just not keen to be off touring the world anymore.”
Powderfinger played their final show at the River Stage in Brisbane on 13 November 2010 in front of 10,000 fans. The last song they played was 'These Days'
On 25 January 2011, the band released a previously unreleased song as a fund raiser for the Premier's Flood Appeal as a result of the major flooding in the band's home state of Queensland. The song, "I'm on your side" was released through the band's website with all proceeds going towards the cause.
On 8 November 2011, the band will release Footprints: The Best of Powderfinger, 2001-2011
Footprints: The Best of Powderfinger, 2001-2011
Footprints: The Best of Powderfinger, 2001 - 2011 is the second greatest hits album by Australian alternative rock band Powderfinger, released on 5 November 2011 in Australia....
, a follow-up to their first greatest hits compilation, containing two new tracks. There will also be a 2-disc release titled Fingerprints & Footprints - The Ultimate Collection, bringing together the individual discs of Fingerprints and Footprints in one set.
Musical style
In an interview with Paul Cashmere after the release of Vulture Street, guitarist Darren Middleton stated that a couple of songs they had written "were just too Odyssey Number Five based," and that the first track, "Rockin' Rocks", was "probably the start of where we were heading" with the album. Cashmere stated in the interview that the album was "the toughest [he has] heard Powderfinger sound".Bernard Zuel of The Sydney Morning Herald
The Sydney Morning Herald
The Sydney Morning Herald is a daily broadsheet newspaper published by Fairfax Media in Sydney, Australia. Founded in 1831 as the Sydney Herald, the SMH is the oldest continuously published newspaper in Australia. The newspaper is published six days a week. The newspaper's Sunday counterpart, The...
reviewed both of Powderfinger's more recent albums. Describing Vulture Street as "a rawer, louder" album in comparison to Odyssey Number Five, Zuel highlighted Fanning's "talent as a lyricist" and stated that it featured guitarists Haug and Middleton "dominating in a way they haven't since their 1994 debut." Zuel stated that there is a "real energy here that has some connections to early Powderfinger," and described "On My Mind" as having "AC/DC
AC/DC
AC/DC are an Australian rock band, formed in 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. Commonly classified as hard rock, they are considered pioneers of heavy metal, though they themselves have always classified their music as simply "rock and roll"...
meatiness", and "Love Your Way" as "acoustic tumbling into weaving 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...
lines."
In his review of Dream Days at the Hotel Existence, Zuel described it as "[having] high-gloss and muscular framework," and stated that that was what "American radio considers serious rock."
Clayton Bolger of Allmusic stated in his review of Dream Days at the Hotel Existence that Powderfinger "largely revisit the sound of their Internationalist album, leaving behind much of the glam and swagger of 2003's Vulture Street." He commented on Fanning's "commanding and distinctive vocals," the "twin-guitar attack" of Middleton and Haug, Collins' "innovative basslines," and the "powerhouse drum work" of Coghill.
Philanthropy
In 1996, 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...
decided to break up, and organised a farewell concert as a charity event for the Sydney Children's Hospital
Sydney Children's Hospital
Sydney Children's Hospital is an Australian children's hospital located in the eastern suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales.On 1 July 2010 it became part of the newly formed 'Sydney Children's Hospital Network incorporating the Royal Alexandra Hospital for Children'.The Sydney Children's Hospital is...
, to be held on 24 November 1996. They approached Powderfinger and Australian acts Custard
Custard (band)
-Overview:The band were originally known as Custard Gun and featured David McCormack on vocals and guitar, Paul Medew on bass, James Straker on guitar and Shane Brunn on drums. After a few shows and line up changes Custard Gun morphed into Custard...
and You Am I
You Am I
You Am I are an Australian alternative rock band, fronted by vocalist/guitarist and main songwriter Tim Rogers. They were the first Australian band to have three albums successively debut at #1 on the ARIA Charts, and are renowned for their live performances.-History:Tim Rogers formed the first...
to contribute by appearing in the concert to be held on the steps of the Sydney Opera House
Sydney Opera House
The Sydney Opera House is a multi-venue performing arts centre in the Australian city of Sydney. It was conceived and largely built by Danish architect Jørn Utzon, finally opening in 1973 after a long gestation starting with his competition-winning design in 1957...
. The concert, which was recorded and later released as a live album titled Farewell to the World
Farewell to the World
Farewell to the World is a 1996 concert by rock group Crowded House. The concert was recorded on the outside footsteps of the famed Sydney Opera House as a charity event to raise funds for the Sydney Children's Hospital. The event was originally scheduled to occur on the night of the 23 November...
, was believed to be the largest Australian live concert, with estimates of between 100,000 and 250,000 people in attendance.
In the wake of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake, also known as the Boxing Day Tsunami
2004 Indian Ocean earthquake
The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake was an undersea megathrust earthquake that occurred at 00:58:53 UTC on Sunday, December 26, 2004, with an epicentre off the west coast of Sumatra, Indonesia. The quake itself is known by the scientific community as the Sumatra-Andaman earthquake...
, Powderfinger performed at the WaveAid
WaveAid
WaveAid was a fund raising concert held on Saturday the 29th of January 2005 as a means for raising funds for the victims of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake, known as the Boxing Day Tsunami. It was held at the Sydney Cricket Ground and broadcast on television by Channel [V] and MTV, and on radio...
fund-raising concert in Sydney in January 2005. The disaster killed more than 225,000 people from 11 countries in the area. The total profit from the funds raised from ticket sales and donations was A$2,300,000.
The song "Black Tears
Black Tears
"Black Tears" is a song by Australian alternative rock band Powderfinger, from their sixth studio album Dream Days at the Hotel Existence. The song is an acoustic ballad in a folk music style, beginning with one guitar and a lead vocal, later introducing a guitar with a synthesised effect from the...
" from the album Dream Days at the Hotel Existence featured the lyric An island watchhouse bed, a black man's lying dead which sparked fears that it might prejudice the trial of the former Senior Sergeant Chris Hurley over the 2004 Palm Island death in custody
2004 Palm Island death in custody
The 2004 Palm Island death in custody incident relates to the death of Palm Island, Queensland resident, Mulrunji on Friday, 19 November 2004 in a police cell. The death of Mulrunji led to civic disturbances on the island and a legal, political and media sensation that continued for three years...
case. The band claimed that the lyrics were primarily based on the climbing of Uluru
Uluru
Uluru , also known as Ayers Rock, is a large sandstone rock formation in the southern part of the Northern Territory, central Australia. It lies south west of the nearest large town, Alice Springs; by road. Kata Tjuta and Uluru are the two major features of the Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park....
by tourists despite requests from the Indigenous people of the area to not do so. The original version of the song was retracted from the album, and replaced with an alternate version with the criticised material removed.
The legal team for Hurley, who was charged with manslaughter over the death of Mulrunji in 2004, referred the song to the Attorney-General of Queensland
Attorney-General of Queensland
The Attorney-General of Queensland is a ministry of the Government of Queensland with responsibility for the state's legal and justice system.The current Attorney-General of Queensland is Paul Lucas.-List of Attorneys-General of Queensland:-References:...
, Kerry Shine
Kerry Shine
Kerry Gerard Shine is the Australian Labor Party representative of the seat of Toowoomba North in the Queensland Legislative Assembly.He first ran for election in the 1998 state election...
, in their attempt at altering the track. Lawyer Glen Cranny stated that "the content and proposed timing of the song's release raises some serious concerns regarding Mr Hurley's trial." Powderfinger's band manager, Paul Piticco
Paul Piticco
Paul Piticco is the founder of Secret Service Artist Management, a musician management company and live music organiser, as well as the director of Dew Process, an independent record label...
, stated that Fanning had confirmed that the song was related to the case. However, he added that the lyric in question could refer to "a watchhouse in The Bahamas
The Bahamas
The Bahamas , officially the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, is a nation consisting of 29 islands, 661 cays, and 2,387 islets . It is located in the Atlantic Ocean north of Cuba and Hispaniola , northwest of the Turks and Caicos Islands, and southeast of the United States...
or something."
In June 2007, Powderfinger announced a nationwide tour featuring Australian rock band Silverchair
Silverchair
Silverchair were an Australian rock band, which formed in 1992 as Innocent Criminals in Merewether, Newcastle with the line-up of Ben Gillies on drums, Chris Joannou on bass guitar and Daniel Johns on vocals and guitars. The group got their big break in mid-1994 when they won a national demo...
titled the Across the Great Divide Tour
Across the Great Divide tour
The Across the Great Divide tour was a concert tour by Australian alternative rock bands Powderfinger and Silverchair in 2007. The tour featured concerts in 26 towns across Australia and multiple shows in New Zealand...
. The tour was an attempt to promote the efforts of Reconciliation Australia, a foundation helping to improve the welfare of the Indigenous people of Australia and to "show [that] both bands are behind the idea of reconciliation." Reconciliation Australia
Reconciliation Australia
Reconciliation Australia is the non-government, not-for-profit foundation established in January 2001 to provide a continuing national focus for reconciliation. It was established by the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation...
aims to promote awareness of the 17-year difference in life expectancy between the Indigenous and non-Indigenous children of Australia.
The Across the Great Divide tour, which included 34 concerts in 26 towns across Australia, lasted over two months with an estimated 220,000 people in attendance. Powderfinger and Silverchair announced the release of a limited edition tour DVD, featuring two Melbourne concerts and a 90-minute documentary following both bands during each concert. The DVD was released on 1 December 2007, and shared its release date with that of the third single from Dream Days at the Hotel Existence, "Nobody Sees
Nobody Sees
"Nobody Sees" is a song by Powderfinger from their sixth album Dream Days at the Hotel Existence. It is the third single from the album and was released in Australia on 1 December 2007...
".
In October 2007, during Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Powderfinger performed at a concert on the steps of the Sydney Opera House
Sydney Opera House
The Sydney Opera House is a multi-venue performing arts centre in the Australian city of Sydney. It was conceived and largely built by Danish architect Jørn Utzon, finally opening in 1973 after a long gestation starting with his competition-winning design in 1957...
. The concert was for invitees only – only breast cancer patients and survivors and their families were eligible to attend. Powderfinger performed alongside Silverchair, Missy Higgins
Missy Higgins
Melissa "Missy" Morrison Higgins is an Australian pop singer-songwriter, musician and actor. Her No. 1 albums in Australia are The Sound of White and On a Clear Night , and her Top Ten singles are "Scar", "The Special Two", "Steer" and "Where I Stood". From a musical family in...
, and other artists to an audience of 700. The concert was filmed and later broadcast as a MAX Session
The MAX Sessions
The MAX Sessions is an Australian television program broadcast on MAX. It features intimate performances, by both Australian and over-seas artists, played mostly acoustically in a live set up, similar to MTV Unplugged.-History:...
on Foxtel
Foxtel
Foxtel is an Australian pay television company, operating cable, direct broadcast satellite television and IPTV services. It was formed in 1995 through a joint venture established between Telstra and News Corporation....
channel MAX on 3 November.
For the Sunsets tour
Sunsets Farewell Tour
The Sunsets Farewell Tour was a 2010 concert tour of Australian rock band Powderfinger. This was their last concert tour following the announcement on 9 April 2010, that they would be breaking-up after their "Sunsets" tour, saying it would be their last ever as the band had musically said...
in September 2010, the band's final outing, Powderfinger will promote another indigenous cause, the Yalari organisation. The organisation provides indigenous children with opportunities to get a proper education.
In January 2011, following the Queensland flood disaster
2010–2011 Queensland floods
A series of floods hit Australia, beginning in December 2010, primarily in the state of Queensland including its capital city, Brisbane. The floods forced the evacuation of thousands of people from towns and cities. At least seventy towns and over 200,000 people were affected. Damage initially was...
, [undercover.fm] reported that Powderfinger has announced that they will not reform for a benefit concert but instead will donate a never before released song to help raise money for the victims.
Personnel
Powderfinger have collaborated with few artists, but have had pianist Benmont Tench
Benmont Tench
Benjamin Montmorency Tench, III is an American keyboardist best known as a founding member of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.-Early years:...
play on Dream Days at the Hotel Existence. For their second album, Double Allergic, the group enlisted producer Tim Whitten
Tim Whitten
Tim Whitten is an Australian record producer, audio engineer, and mixer. He has worked with numerous successful Australian musicians, in a career spanning 1990—present. Whitten's first recording was Boxcar's Vertigo, where he joined Adrian Bolland as engineer...
. Powderfinger approached American expatriate Nick DiDia
Nick DiDia
Nick DiDia is an American record producer mostly known for his work with Australian rock group Powderfinger and American pop-rock group Nine Days...
as their producer for Internationalist, and recorded with him at Sing Sing Studios in Melbourne. DiDia also produced the following two albums. In 2007 Rob Schnapf
Rob Schnapf
Rob Schnapf is an American record producer and musician. He was the co-producer of Elliott Smith's albums Either/Or, XO , Figure 8 and From a Basement on the Hill, for which he was recruited by Smith's family to complete after Smith's death.Schnapf, along with Rothrock and partner...
, producer for Beck
Beck
Beck Hansen is an American musician, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, known by the stage name Beck...
, was asked to produce their sixth studio album in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
.
Powderfinger's first music video for the song "Reap What You Sow" in 1993 was directed by David Barker, an award-winning director. Film companies who directed other videos of the group include Fifty Fifty Films, and Head Pictures.
Discography
- 1994: Parables for Wooden EarsParables for Wooden EarsParables for Wooden Ears was the debut studio album released by the Australian band Powderfinger. It was released on 18 July 1994 by Polydor Records, after recording at Melbourne's Metropolis Studios in February 1994....
- 1996: Double AllergicDouble AllergicDouble Allergic is the second studio album by Australian alternative rock band Powderfinger. Released in Australia on 2 September 1996 Polydor, the album was produced by Tim Whitten and widely considered Powderfinger's mainstream breakthrough....
- 1998: InternationalistInternationalist (album)Internationalist is the third studio album by Australian alternative rock band, Powderfinger. The album was released on 7 September 1998 and was often labelled Powderfinger's most adventurous work, with greater experimentation than in previous works....
- 2000: Odyssey Number FiveOdyssey Number FiveOdyssey Number Five is the fourth studio album by Australian rock band Powderfinger, produced by Nick DiDia and released on 4 September 2000. The album was the band's shortest yet, focusing on social, political, and emotional issues that had appeared in prior works, especially Internationalist.The...
- 2003: Vulture StreetVulture StreetVulture Street is the fifth studio album by Australian alternative rock band Powderfinger, released by Universal Music on 29 July 2003. Produced by Nick DiDia, Vulture Street was certified platinum, and spent 47 weeks on the ARIA Charts and peaked at #1...
- 2007: Dream Days at the Hotel ExistenceDream Days at the Hotel ExistenceDream Days at the Hotel Existence is the sixth studio album by Australian rock band Powderfinger, released by Universal Music on 2 June 2007 in Australia, 19 November 2007 in the United Kingdom, and 11 November 2008 in the United States on the Dew Process label...
- 2009: Golden Rule
Awards and accolades
Powderfinger is highly successful in the Australian recording industry, being a recipient of the industry's flagship awards, the ARIA Music Awards, fifteen times. "These Days" and "My Happiness" were ranked #1 on the Triple J Hottest 100 list in 1999 and 2000 respectively, and 21 other Powderfinger tracks have ranked on the list in other years.See also
- Music of AustraliaMusic of AustraliaThe music of Australia is the music produced in the area of, on the subject of, or by the people of modern Australia, including its preceding Indigenous and colonial societies. Indigenous Australian music is a part of the unique heritage of a 40–60,000 year history which produced the iconic...
- Popular entertainment in BrisbanePopular entertainment in BrisbaneIn 1975 Brisbane's first FM radio station began broadcasting from a studio at the University of Queensland Student Union. 4ZZ became a catalyst for the development of original music in the city...
External links
- Official website
- Discography on official website
- Powderfinger interview with Audio Addiction Magazine