Rogue Traders
Encyclopedia
Rogue Traders are an Australia
n electronic
pop rock
band fronted by Melinda "Mindi" Jackson with James Ash
on keyboards, Tim Henwood on guitars and Peter Marin on drums. The group's original members (James Ash and Steve Davis) met in London in 1989. Before forming Rogue Traders, Ash and Davis worked together on many projects, most notably as dance act Union State. Davis still contributes to the band and is still an active part of the songwriting process. The band's name comes from the film Rogue Trader
.
The Rogue Traders have enjoyed major success, with over a dozen internationally recognised hit singles, including "Voodoo Child", "In Love Again
" and "Watching You
". The group's third studio album Better in the Dark
was released in Australia on 13 October 2007.
To date, Rogue Traders have been nominated for 10 ARIA Awards
, three MTV AVMA Award, one The Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards, one Inside Film Award and five APRA
Awards
On 25 June 2008, it was announced that lead singer Natalie Bassingthwaighte
had quit the band to focus on acting and a solo career. http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,23919479-2902,00.html In July 2008 it was reported that Bassingthwaighte's bandmate and boyfriend Cameron McGlinchey
had also left the band.http://www.themusic.com.au/imm.php?s=christie#Take%20This%20Job%20and%20Love%20It
On 13 August 2009, Ash revealed that Tim Henwood had returned to the band and Danny Spencer had left the band.
On 14 November 2009, Mindi Jackson was revealed as the new lead singer to replace Natalie Bassingthwaighte.
", under the Vicious Grooves label, which failed to chart in the top 100; however, it did reach #16 in the Top 50 Club Chart. It was originally intended to be the lead single from their debut album, however it was cut from the track listing shortly after its release.
Half a year later, the proper first single from their debut album, "Give in to Me
", was released on 14 October 2002. The song performed significantly better, peaking at #67 on the top 100. The band's first real success came in 2003 when "One of My Kind
", a cover of INXS
's "Need You Tonight", was released on 23 February 2003, and peaked at #10 on the Top 100, and spent 9 weeks inside the top 50. The single brought proper recognition for the band, and was nominated for two 2003 ARIAs, "Breakthrough Artist – Single" and "Best Video", and actually won "Best Dance Release".
Their debut album, We Know What You're Up To
, was finally released on 5 May 2003, and disappointingly failed to chart in the top 100. It also received generally positive reception from critics who reviewed it. The third and final single from the album, "Stay?
", was released on 2 June 2003, and performed somewhat mediocre, peaking at #60.
The Rogue Traders performed at the 2005 NRL Grand Final
shortly before the release of new album album Here Come the Drums
, signing a new record contract with Sony BMG and sporting new band member Natalie Bassingthwaighte. The first single "Voodoo Child", reached number four in Australia, number seven in New Zealand and number three in the UK. The second single from the album, "Way to Go!
" reached number seven in Australia, while "Watching You", which was their second single to reach the top five, peaked at number five in Australia. Like many other modern mainstream music acts, the Rogue Traders use elements of old songs in their music. However, rather than sampling
the original songs, they re-record the relevant parts. "Voodoo Child" contains a re-recorded riff from "Pump It Up
" by Elvis Costello
, "Watching You" contains re-recorded elements of "My Sharona
" by The Knack
and "In Love Again" contains re-recorded elements of "Head over Heels
" by Tears for Fears
.
2006 saw the Rogue Traders' continuing success in Australia as their second album and its singles continued to do well in the Australian charts. Amongst rumours of Natalie Bassingthwaighte planning to leave her role as Izzy Hoyland in Neighbours
, the band revealed a deal with the UK arm of Sony BMG, intending to release music in the country in the summer of 2006. They also won the 2006 MTV
Australian Video Music Award for Best Dance Video for "Voodoo Child".
In June 2006 the Rogue Traders won their first APRA Award, with "Way to Go!" taking out the "Most Performed Dance Work" category. They had previously been nominated for two APRA awards in the same category, in 2003 for their single "Give in to Me" and in 2004 for "One of My Kind", which also won an ARIA award. Also in June 2006, the Rogue Traders announced they were releasing their second album Here Come the Drums again, as a Limited Edition two-CD remix set. The second CD contained remixes of all their hit singles and the album included new artwork. It was released on 10 June, the same day as their fourth single "We're Coming Home
". On 18 June 2006, Natalie Bassingthwaighte and James Ash announced on Video Hits
that the band were currently in the process of writing their third studio recorded album.
The Rogue Traders announced in early 2006 that they had signed with the European division of Sony BMG and were to be releasing their second album Here Come the Drums and singles from the album later in the year. It was later announced that "Voodoo Child" was to be again the first single in the UK as it was in Australia. "Voodoo Child" was then given a UK release of 10 July and the album 24 July. A gig was also announced for the UK at Shepherds Bush Empire in London for 11 July—one day after the release of "Voodoo Child", intending to make "Voodoo Child" debut high in the charts. Many radio stations across the UK started to play "Voodoo Child" six weeks before its release.
The video clip for "Voodoo Child" began to receive airplay on programs across UK such as The Box, The Hits and MTV Dance. The clip stayed the same as the Australian version. It reached top 5 positions on programs and number-one on some radio stations as well. The song received numerous positive reviews from radio stations, TV programs and music critics. Some called it a 'Summer anthem for 2006' and some named it either 'Record of the Week/Month'. The video and single was then put onto iTunes UK for purchase. The video reached number two on the iTunes Video Chart and stayed in the top five for several days, while the single was selling itself into the top ten and days later into the top five.
"Voodoo Child" was released on 10 July in the UK but debuted in the chart the week before at number eighteen due to download sales. After its official release, "Voodoo Child" rocketed into the top ten at number three with sales of over 21,000. Due to its success, "Voodoo Child" was then released in several European countries including the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg. "Watching You" was released in the UK as the band's second single from the album on 16 October 2006 and peaked at number thirty-three on the singles chart. A new video clip was filmed, along with a new remix track, and the third single to be released in the UK from Here Come the Drums was "Way to Go!". At the last minute it was decided that it would only be released as a digital download track.
Rogue Traders were also a surprise inclusion to the 2006 season of Big Brother Australia, entering the house and playing a "concert" for housemates. The event was also streamed to Big Brother audiences from the program's website.
The Rogue Traders' song, "Fashion" was also used as the theme tune to Gok Wan
's Channel 4
television programme called Gok's Fashion Fix.
In 2006, Rogue Traders went on a national tour around Australia, playing in various cities around the country. They performed songs from Here Come the Drums, kicking off each show with "Believer" and ending with an encore of "Voodoo Child". The band also previewed songs, including "Better in the Dark", "What You're On" and "Shout Out" which would be included on their then-upcoming third album, Better in the Dark (2007).
In January 2007, Rogue Traders performed at the opening of the Australian Jamboree
at Elmore, Victoria
in front of a crowd of over 10,000.
Rogue Traders announced on 11 February 2007 that they would support British girl group Girls Aloud
on their The Sound of Girls Aloud: The Greatest Hits Tour
in May 2007. The Sunday Telegraph reported that "The group's management confirmed the band had been in discussions with a major US label." The Rogue Traders flew to the US in July 2007 where they launched their first single into the American music scene. The group then signed with major US label Universal Music. Unfortuantely, the song failed to gain much attention in the US.
Rogue Traders performed at the Melbourne Crown Casino in April, previewing some of their new songs.
In May 2007, Old Navy, a division of Gap, Inc. in North America, featured "Believer", "Watching You", and later, "World Go 'Round" in their Summerland commercials.
In the 24 June edition of The Sunday Telegraph, it was said that the Rogue Traders had just completed touring the UK and were now back in Australia finishing up their new album, with a new single out in September 2007, with the album due to be released in October 2007.
During mid-2007, the band's song "Voodoo Child" was featured in the Doctor Who
episode, "The Sound of Drums
". The song was preceded by the episode's villain, The Master
, proclaiming "Here come the drums!" The song's lyrics echo the title of the episode, which refers to the drumming the Master hears in his head.
It was announced on 2 August that the lead single from the new album would be "Don't You Wanna Feel
" and would be released on 29 September. On 8 August, it was revealed that their third studio album would be called Better in the Dark and would be released on 13 October. It was released in two forms; the standard form and a limited CD/DVD edition.
"Don't You Wanna Feel" premiered at 7am on Friday, 7 September, on Nova radio station. Following that, on 13 September, "Don't You Wanna Feel" reached a peak of number 2 on the Hot 30 Countdown less than a week after its debut on radio. The following week, it reached number 1 on the Hot 30 Countdown. One week after the single's release, it debuted on the ARIA singles chart at number 10, and on the ARIA dance chart at number 1.
The corresponding album, Better in the Dark
, was released in Australia on 13 October, with international imports available later the following week.
With the release of Better in the Dark, Here Come the Drums re-entered the charts at #40, two years after its initial release. Better in the Dark made its debut into the charts at number 63, just hours after its release.
Better in the Dark made it to number 4 in the Australian ARIA Albums Chart, and number 1 in the Australian Artists chart in the week after its release.
On 8 November 2007, James Ash confirmed on the official forum that the next single from Better in the Dark would be "I Never Liked You".
Shortly afterwards James informed the members on the official forum that "Shout Out", a song which was performed on tour but never released on Better in the Dark, was to be a B-side on the single "I Never Liked You" which would be released on 12 January 2008.
"Don't You Wanna Feel
" was certified Gold (35,000+ copies sold) by ARIA
. It was the group's third single to go Gold. Better in the Dark was also certified Platinum. Their second single, "Voodoo Child", went Platinum (70,000+ copies sold) and their second album, Here Come the Drums, went 4× Platinum (280,000+ copies sold).
On Friday, 1 February 2008, Rogue Traders performed "Don't You Wanna Feel" and "I Never Liked You" at the Melbourne Cricket Ground
Twenty/20 Cricket match as part of the half-time entertainment in front of a crowd of over 84,000.
The third single from Better in the Dark became "What You're On
". It debuted on radio on 15 March 2008 and was released on 19 April. A fourth single was planned, linked with a competition involving Ford. The competition was to answer in 25 words or less why they should feature in the new Rogue Traders video. The single was confirmed to be "On Your Way to the Disco", but was never officially released as lead singer Natalie Bassingthwaighte left the group.
The Better in the Dark Tour was announced in early March. Rogue Traders toured from 29 April to the beginning of June, playing at many venues around the country. It was the last chance for fans to see them on tour for approximately two years, due to the solo career Natalie Bassingthwaighte focused on in the next year. James Ash dismissed ideas about Bassingthwaighte's departure signalling the end of the band, stating that he has already started working on the next album, the fourth for the band.
"What You're On
" debuted in the ARIA Singles Chart on 26 April at number 30. That same week it reached number 18 on the Physical Singles Chart, #9 in the Australian Artists Singles Chart and number 3 in the Dance Chart.
The tour kicked off on 29 April at the Regent Theatre in Yarram, Victoria
. The group played songs from all three albums: We Know What You're Up To
, Here Come the Drums and Better in the Dark. Rogue Traders surprised many of their fans, playing their first top 10 single "One of My Kind", a re-working of the INXS
classic "Need You Tonight", but this time sung live by Natalie Bassingthwaighte. They also perform a cover of Sinéad O'Connor
's hit "Nothing Compares 2 U
".
On the night of Saturday, 14 November 2009, Ash revealed via Twitter the name of the new singer, Melinda "Mindi" Jackson and new drummer, Peter Marin
.
"Love Is a War
" became the next release by the group, released as a digital download on 25 December 2009 (Christmas Day) and the physical single on 8 January 2010.
It performed poorly, peaking at just #90. "Would You Raise Your Hands?" was released as the follow-up single from the album on 12 March 2010, and also performed poorly, peaking at a slightly lower #95. "Hearts Beat as One
" was released as the third single on 11 June 2011, and was written for the Socceroos as the official national anthem for the 2010 FIFA World Cup
. However, despite this, the song completely failed to chart, the Rogue Traders' first single to do so since 2002's "Need You to Show Me".
Night of the Living Drums, the band's fourth studio album, was set for release on 25 June 2010, according to the band's official website. However it was pushed back for unknown reasons. In December 2010 it was revealed the band had left their record label Sony Music, after the label refused to release the album.
On 24 October, the Rogue Traders announced that they will release Night of the Living Drums on 11 November 2011. On 11 November 2011 The Sound of Drums
was released, The Sound of Drums is a double album that includes The Greatest Hits and the fourth studio album Night of the Living Drums.
.
During the first album, there were recordings by Ash's wife Melinda Richards, including the single "Give in to Me", and recordings by René Kisseih ("Take It Deeper"), although neither were members of the band. Richards also did backing vocals on Here Come the Drums and Better in the Dark.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n electronic
Electronic music
Electronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means and that produced using electronic technology. Examples of electromechanical sound...
pop rock
Pop rock
Pop rock is a music genre which mixes a catchy pop style and light lyrics in its guitar-based rock songs. There are varying definitions of the term, ranging from a slower and mellower form of rock music to a subgenre of pop music...
band fronted by Melinda "Mindi" Jackson with James Ash
James Ash
James Ash , is an English-born Australian musician, songwriter and record producer. He is the co-founder and keyboardist of Australian electro-rock group, the Rogue Traders...
on keyboards, Tim Henwood on guitars and Peter Marin on drums. The group's original members (James Ash and Steve Davis) met in London in 1989. Before forming Rogue Traders, Ash and Davis worked together on many projects, most notably as dance act Union State. Davis still contributes to the band and is still an active part of the songwriting process. The band's name comes from the film Rogue Trader
Rogue Trader (film)
Rogue Trader is a 1999 drama film directed by James Dearden about former derivatives broker Nick Leeson and the 1995 collapse of Barings Bank...
.
The Rogue Traders have enjoyed major success, with over a dozen internationally recognised hit singles, including "Voodoo Child", "In Love Again
In Love Again
"In Love Again" is the fifth and final single released by Australian electro-rock group Rogue Traders from their second album Here Come the Drums. It was released for digital download in Australia in 2006. At the time of its release, digital downloads were not included as part of the main singles...
" and "Watching You
Watching You
"Watching You" is the third song released by Australian band Rogue Traders from their second album Here Come the Drums. The song was released as their second single in the United Kingdom in late 2006....
". The group's third studio album Better in the Dark
Better in the Dark
Better in the Dark is the third studio album by Australian dance group Rogue Traders. It was released in Australia by Columbia Records on 13 October 2007...
was released in Australia on 13 October 2007.
To date, Rogue Traders have been nominated for 10 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...
, three MTV AVMA Award, one The Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards, one Inside Film Award and five APRA
Australasian Performing Right Association
The Australasian Performing Right Association is a copyright collective representing New Zealand and Australian composers, lyricists and music publishers. The association's head offices located in Sydney Australia, and it has branch offices in Auckland, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth...
Awards
On 25 June 2008, it was announced that lead singer Natalie Bassingthwaighte
Natalie Bassingthwaighte
Natalie Bassingthwaighte is an Australian actress, singer-songwriter and television personality. She began her career as an actress on the television series All Saints. She then starred in the American television movie Counterstrike...
had quit the band to focus on acting and a solo career. http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,23919479-2902,00.html In July 2008 it was reported that Bassingthwaighte's bandmate and boyfriend Cameron McGlinchey
Cameron McGlinchey
Cameron McGlinchey is the former drummer of the Australian band Rogue Traders. He originally was just part of the live band, and then joined as an official member in 2005. He was a member of Maeder and has previously toured with NoKTuRNL and former Young Talent Time singer Natalie Miller....
had also left the band.http://www.themusic.com.au/imm.php?s=christie#Take%20This%20Job%20and%20Love%20It
On 13 August 2009, Ash revealed that Tim Henwood had returned to the band and Danny Spencer had left the band.
On 14 November 2009, Mindi Jackson was revealed as the new lead singer to replace Natalie Bassingthwaighte.
We Know What You're Up To: 2002–2004
On 11 April 2002, Rogue Traders released their debut single, "Need You to Show MeNeed You to Show Me
"Need You to Show Me" is the debut single of Australian band Rogue Traders. It was planned to be the lead single from We Know What You're Up To, but it was deleted from the album. It failed to chart on the official ARIA charts but gave the band some minor success...
", under the Vicious Grooves label, which failed to chart in the top 100; however, it did reach #16 in the Top 50 Club Chart. It was originally intended to be the lead single from their debut album, however it was cut from the track listing shortly after its release.
Half a year later, the proper first single from their debut album, "Give in to Me
Give in to Me (Rogue Traders song)
"Give in to Me" is the first single released by the Rogue Traders for their debut album We Know What You're Up To...
", was released on 14 October 2002. The song performed significantly better, peaking at #67 on the top 100. The band's first real success came in 2003 when "One of My Kind
Need You Tonight
"Need You Tonight" is the fourth song on INXS's 1987 album Kick as well as the first single from the album released worldwide. It is the only INXS single to reach #1 on the Billboard Hot 100...
", a cover of INXS
INXS
INXS are an Australian rock band, formed as The Farriss Brothers in 1977 in Sydney, New South Wales. Mainstays are Garry Gary Beers on bass guitar, Andrew Farriss on guitar/keyboards, Jon Farriss on drums, Tim Farriss on lead guitar and Kirk Pengilly on guitar/sax...
's "Need You Tonight", was released on 23 February 2003, and peaked at #10 on the Top 100, and spent 9 weeks inside the top 50. The single brought proper recognition for the band, and was nominated for two 2003 ARIAs, "Breakthrough Artist – Single" and "Best Video", and actually won "Best Dance Release".
Their debut album, We Know What You're Up To
We Know What You're up To
We Know What You're Up To is the debut album by Australian dance group Rogue Traders. It was released by Vicious Grooves, Virgin in Australia on 5 May 2003 . After disappointing sales and poor publicity, Rogue Traders was dropped from the label...
, was finally released on 5 May 2003, and disappointingly failed to chart in the top 100. It also received generally positive reception from critics who reviewed it. The third and final single from the album, "Stay?
Stay?
"Stay?" is the third single released by the Rogue Traders for their debut album We Know What You're Up To. The single was released on two different formats, a limited edition and a standard edition.-Music video:...
", was released on 2 June 2003, and performed somewhat mediocre, peaking at #60.
Here Come the Drums: 2005–2006
2005 NRL Grand Final
The 2005 NRL Grand Final was the conclusive and premiership-deciding game of the 2005 National Rugby League season. It was played on the night of Sunday, 2 October at Sydney's Telstra Stadium between 4th-placed Wests Tigers and 5th-placed North Queensland Cowboys, the only two clubs in the...
shortly before the release of new album album Here Come the Drums
Here Come the Drums
Here Come the Drums is the second studio album by Australian dance rock act Rogue Traders, released in Australia on 23 October 2005 by Columbia Records. The album features the Rogue Traders with the new and then vocalist Natalie Bassingthwaighte and has a genre of dance pop songs — mainly...
, signing a new record contract with Sony BMG and sporting new band member Natalie Bassingthwaighte. The first single "Voodoo Child", reached number four in Australia, number seven in New Zealand and number three in the UK. The second single from the album, "Way to Go!
Way to Go!
"Way to Go!" is the second single by Rogue Traders from their second album Here Come the Drums, released in 2005. It was released as the third single in the United Kingdom in May mainly as a download release. It is the first release under the famous "Rogue Traders" logo. In the UK, the single had a...
" reached number seven in Australia, while "Watching You", which was their second single to reach the top five, peaked at number five in Australia. Like many other modern mainstream music acts, the Rogue Traders use elements of old songs in their music. However, rather than sampling
Sampling (music)
In music, sampling is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or a different sound recording of a song or piece. Sampling was originally developed by experimental musicians working with musique concrète and electroacoustic music, who physically...
the original songs, they re-record the relevant parts. "Voodoo Child" contains a re-recorded riff from "Pump It Up
Pump It Up (Elvis Costello song)
"Pump It Up" is a song by Elvis Costello. It originally appeared on Costello's second album This Year's Model which was the first he recorded with The Attractions.- Lyrics :...
" by Elvis Costello
Elvis Costello
Elvis Costello , born Declan Patrick MacManus, is an English singer-songwriter. He came to prominence as an early participant in London's pub rock scene in the mid-1970s and later became associated with the punk/New Wave genre. Steeped in word play, the vocabulary of Costello's lyrics is broader...
, "Watching You" contains re-recorded elements of "My Sharona
My Sharona
"My Sharona" is the debut single by The Knack, released in 1979 from their album Get the Knack. It reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart where it remained for six weeks and was #1 on Billboards Top Pop Singles of 1979 year-end chart. It was certified gold by the Recording Industry...
" by The Knack
The Knack
The Knack was an American New Wave rock quartet based in Los Angeles that rose to fame with their first single, "My Sharona", an international number one hit in 1979.-Founding :...
and "In Love Again" contains re-recorded elements of "Head over Heels
Head over Heels (Tears for Fears song)
"Head over Heels" is a song by the British New Wave band Tears for Fears.It was the band's tenth single release in the United Kingdom and eighth UK Top 40 hit, peaking at #12 in July 1985...
" by Tears for Fears
Tears for Fears
Tears for Fears are an English new wave band formed in the early 1980s by Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith.Founded after the dissolution of their first band, the mod-influenced Graduate, they were initially associated with the New Wave synthesiser bands of the early 1980s but later branched out into...
.
2006 saw the Rogue Traders' continuing success in Australia as their second album and its singles continued to do well in the Australian charts. Amongst rumours of Natalie Bassingthwaighte planning to leave her role as Izzy Hoyland in Neighbours
Neighbours
Neighbours is an Australian television soap opera first broadcast on the Seven Network on 18 March 1985. It was created by TV executive Reg Watson, who proposed the idea of making a show that focused on realistic stories and portrayed adults and teenagers who talk openly and solve their problems...
, the band revealed a deal with the UK arm of Sony BMG, intending to release music in the country in the summer of 2006. They also won the 2006 MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
Australian Video Music Award for Best Dance Video for "Voodoo Child".
In June 2006 the Rogue Traders won their first APRA Award, with "Way to Go!" taking out the "Most Performed Dance Work" category. They had previously been nominated for two APRA awards in the same category, in 2003 for their single "Give in to Me" and in 2004 for "One of My Kind", which also won an ARIA award. Also in June 2006, the Rogue Traders announced they were releasing their second album Here Come the Drums again, as a Limited Edition two-CD remix set. The second CD contained remixes of all their hit singles and the album included new artwork. It was released on 10 June, the same day as their fourth single "We're Coming Home
We're Coming Home
"We're Coming Home" is the fourth single released by Rogue Traders from their second album Here Come the Drums. Release in the UK and Ireland was cancelled after the poor performance of "Watching You" and "Way to Go!".-Track listing:Promo Slipcase...
". On 18 June 2006, Natalie Bassingthwaighte and James Ash announced on Video Hits
Video Hits (Australian TV series)
Video Hits was an Australian music video program that first aired on 15 February 1987. From 7 May 2011 it broadcasted on Network Ten for two hours each Saturday and Sunday morning: 10am – 12pm on Saturdays and 8am – 10am on Sundays. Video Hits was the world's second longest running music show...
that the band were currently in the process of writing their third studio recorded album.
The Rogue Traders announced in early 2006 that they had signed with the European division of Sony BMG and were to be releasing their second album Here Come the Drums and singles from the album later in the year. It was later announced that "Voodoo Child" was to be again the first single in the UK as it was in Australia. "Voodoo Child" was then given a UK release of 10 July and the album 24 July. A gig was also announced for the UK at Shepherds Bush Empire in London for 11 July—one day after the release of "Voodoo Child", intending to make "Voodoo Child" debut high in the charts. Many radio stations across the UK started to play "Voodoo Child" six weeks before its release.
The video clip for "Voodoo Child" began to receive airplay on programs across UK such as The Box, The Hits and MTV Dance. The clip stayed the same as the Australian version. It reached top 5 positions on programs and number-one on some radio stations as well. The song received numerous positive reviews from radio stations, TV programs and music critics. Some called it a 'Summer anthem for 2006' and some named it either 'Record of the Week/Month'. The video and single was then put onto iTunes UK for purchase. The video reached number two on the iTunes Video Chart and stayed in the top five for several days, while the single was selling itself into the top ten and days later into the top five.
"Voodoo Child" was released on 10 July in the UK but debuted in the chart the week before at number eighteen due to download sales. After its official release, "Voodoo Child" rocketed into the top ten at number three with sales of over 21,000. Due to its success, "Voodoo Child" was then released in several European countries including the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg. "Watching You" was released in the UK as the band's second single from the album on 16 October 2006 and peaked at number thirty-three on the singles chart. A new video clip was filmed, along with a new remix track, and the third single to be released in the UK from Here Come the Drums was "Way to Go!". At the last minute it was decided that it would only be released as a digital download track.
Rogue Traders were also a surprise inclusion to the 2006 season of Big Brother Australia, entering the house and playing a "concert" for housemates. The event was also streamed to Big Brother audiences from the program's website.
The Rogue Traders' song, "Fashion" was also used as the theme tune to Gok Wan
Gok Wan
Gok Wan is a British fashion consultant, author and television presenter of British Chinese heritage. He is known for his appearances on many television programmes , for providing fashion advice to celebrities and for contributing his views to fashion magazines published internationally.-Early...
's Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
television programme called Gok's Fashion Fix.
In 2006, Rogue Traders went on a national tour around Australia, playing in various cities around the country. They performed songs from Here Come the Drums, kicking off each show with "Believer" and ending with an encore of "Voodoo Child". The band also previewed songs, including "Better in the Dark", "What You're On" and "Shout Out" which would be included on their then-upcoming third album, Better in the Dark (2007).
Better in the Dark: 2007–2008
Australian Scout Jamboree
The Australian Scout Jamboree is a jamboree which is held every three years by Scouts Australia. The Jamboree is traditionally held in early January and typically runs for 10 nights....
at Elmore, Victoria
Elmore, Victoria
Elmore is a small town in Victoria north-east of Bendigo on the Campaspe River. Elmore is close to the Whipstick State Park.At the 2006 census, Elmore had a population of 694.-History:...
in front of a crowd of over 10,000.
Rogue Traders announced on 11 February 2007 that they would support British girl group Girls Aloud
Girls Aloud
Girls Aloud are a British and Irish pop girl group based in London. They were created through the ITV1 talent show Popstars The Rivals in 2002. The group consists of Cheryl Cole , Nadine Coyle, Sarah Harding, Nicola Roberts and Kimberley Walsh. They are signed to Fascination Records, a Polydor...
on their The Sound of Girls Aloud: The Greatest Hits Tour
The Sound of Girls Aloud: The Greatest Hits Tour
The Sound of Girls Aloud: The Greatest Hits Tour is Girls Aloud's third concert tour, in support of the group's first greatest hits album The Sound of Girls Aloud: The Greatest Hits...
in May 2007. The Sunday Telegraph reported that "The group's management confirmed the band had been in discussions with a major US label." The Rogue Traders flew to the US in July 2007 where they launched their first single into the American music scene. The group then signed with major US label Universal Music. Unfortuantely, the song failed to gain much attention in the US.
Rogue Traders performed at the Melbourne Crown Casino in April, previewing some of their new songs.
In May 2007, Old Navy, a division of Gap, Inc. in North America, featured "Believer", "Watching You", and later, "World Go 'Round" in their Summerland commercials.
In the 24 June edition of The Sunday Telegraph, it was said that the Rogue Traders had just completed touring the UK and were now back in Australia finishing up their new album, with a new single out in September 2007, with the album due to be released in October 2007.
During mid-2007, the band's song "Voodoo Child" was featured in the Doctor Who
Doctor Who
Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
episode, "The Sound of Drums
The Sound of Drums
"The Sound of Drums" is an episode of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was broadcast on BBC One on 23 June 2007, and is the twelfth episode of Series 3 of the revived Doctor Who series...
". The song was preceded by the episode's villain, The Master
Master (Doctor Who)
The Master is a recurring character in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. He is a renegade Time Lord and the archenemy of the Doctor....
, proclaiming "Here come the drums!" The song's lyrics echo the title of the episode, which refers to the drumming the Master hears in his head.
It was announced on 2 August that the lead single from the new album would be "Don't You Wanna Feel
Don't You Wanna Feel
"Don't You Wanna Feel" is a dance-pop-rock song written by James Ash and Natalie Bassingthwaighte for the Rogue Traders' third studio album Better in the Dark. It was released on schedule as the album's first single on 29 September 2007...
" and would be released on 29 September. On 8 August, it was revealed that their third studio album would be called Better in the Dark and would be released on 13 October. It was released in two forms; the standard form and a limited CD/DVD edition.
"Don't You Wanna Feel" premiered at 7am on Friday, 7 September, on Nova radio station. Following that, on 13 September, "Don't You Wanna Feel" reached a peak of number 2 on the Hot 30 Countdown less than a week after its debut on radio. The following week, it reached number 1 on the Hot 30 Countdown. One week after the single's release, it debuted on the ARIA singles chart at number 10, and on the ARIA dance chart at number 1.
The corresponding album, Better in the Dark
Better in the Dark
Better in the Dark is the third studio album by Australian dance group Rogue Traders. It was released in Australia by Columbia Records on 13 October 2007...
, was released in Australia on 13 October, with international imports available later the following week.
With the release of Better in the Dark, Here Come the Drums re-entered the charts at #40, two years after its initial release. Better in the Dark made its debut into the charts at number 63, just hours after its release.
Better in the Dark made it to number 4 in the Australian ARIA Albums Chart, and number 1 in the Australian Artists chart in the week after its release.
On 8 November 2007, James Ash confirmed on the official forum that the next single from Better in the Dark would be "I Never Liked You".
Shortly afterwards James informed the members on the official forum that "Shout Out", a song which was performed on tour but never released on Better in the Dark, was to be a B-side on the single "I Never Liked You" which would be released on 12 January 2008.
"Don't You Wanna Feel
Don't You Wanna Feel
"Don't You Wanna Feel" is a dance-pop-rock song written by James Ash and Natalie Bassingthwaighte for the Rogue Traders' third studio album Better in the Dark. It was released on schedule as the album's first single on 29 September 2007...
" was certified Gold (35,000+ copies sold) by ARIA
Australian Recording Industry Association
The Australian Recording Industry Association is a trade group representing the Australian recording industry which was established in 1983 by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing the Association of Australian Record Manufacturers which was formed in 1956...
. It was the group's third single to go Gold. Better in the Dark was also certified Platinum. Their second single, "Voodoo Child", went Platinum (70,000+ copies sold) and their second album, Here Come the Drums, went 4× Platinum (280,000+ copies sold).
On Friday, 1 February 2008, Rogue Traders performed "Don't You Wanna Feel" and "I Never Liked You" at the Melbourne Cricket Ground
Melbourne Cricket Ground
The Melbourne Cricket Ground is an Australian sports stadium located in Yarra Park, Melbourne and is home to the Melbourne Cricket Club. It is the tenth largest stadium in the world, the largest in Australia, the largest stadium for playing cricket, and holds the world record for the highest light...
Twenty/20 Cricket match as part of the half-time entertainment in front of a crowd of over 84,000.
The third single from Better in the Dark became "What You're On
What You're On
"What You're On" is a dance-pop song written by James Ash, Natalie Bassingthwaighte and Steve Davis, and produced by Ash for the Rogue Traders's third studio album Better in the Dark . Co-writer, Ash, states the song deals with addiction...
". It debuted on radio on 15 March 2008 and was released on 19 April. A fourth single was planned, linked with a competition involving Ford. The competition was to answer in 25 words or less why they should feature in the new Rogue Traders video. The single was confirmed to be "On Your Way to the Disco", but was never officially released as lead singer Natalie Bassingthwaighte left the group.
The Better in the Dark Tour was announced in early March. Rogue Traders toured from 29 April to the beginning of June, playing at many venues around the country. It was the last chance for fans to see them on tour for approximately two years, due to the solo career Natalie Bassingthwaighte focused on in the next year. James Ash dismissed ideas about Bassingthwaighte's departure signalling the end of the band, stating that he has already started working on the next album, the fourth for the band.
"What You're On
What You're On
"What You're On" is a dance-pop song written by James Ash, Natalie Bassingthwaighte and Steve Davis, and produced by Ash for the Rogue Traders's third studio album Better in the Dark . Co-writer, Ash, states the song deals with addiction...
" debuted in the ARIA Singles Chart on 26 April at number 30. That same week it reached number 18 on the Physical Singles Chart, #9 in the Australian Artists Singles Chart and number 3 in the Dance Chart.
The tour kicked off on 29 April at the Regent Theatre in Yarram, Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
. The group played songs from all three albums: We Know What You're Up To
We Know What You're up To
We Know What You're Up To is the debut album by Australian dance group Rogue Traders. It was released by Vicious Grooves, Virgin in Australia on 5 May 2003 . After disappointing sales and poor publicity, Rogue Traders was dropped from the label...
, Here Come the Drums and Better in the Dark. Rogue Traders surprised many of their fans, playing their first top 10 single "One of My Kind", a re-working of the INXS
INXS
INXS are an Australian rock band, formed as The Farriss Brothers in 1977 in Sydney, New South Wales. Mainstays are Garry Gary Beers on bass guitar, Andrew Farriss on guitar/keyboards, Jon Farriss on drums, Tim Farriss on lead guitar and Kirk Pengilly on guitar/sax...
classic "Need You Tonight", but this time sung live by Natalie Bassingthwaighte. They also perform a cover of Sinéad O'Connor
Sinéad O'Connor
Sinéad Marie Bernadette O'Connor is an Irish singer-songwriter. She rose to fame in the late 1980s with her debut album The Lion and the Cobra and achieved worldwide success in 1990 with a cover of the song "Nothing Compares 2 U"....
's hit "Nothing Compares 2 U
Nothing Compares 2 U
"Nothing Compares 2 U" is a pop song written by American recording artist Prince for one of his side-projects, The Family. However, it wasn't until Sinéad O'Connor recorded her version for the album I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got when it became a worldwide hit, topping charts in 15 countries,...
".
Night of the Living Drums: 2009–present
On 10 June 2009, Ash stated that the band had found and employed a new lead singer but he did not reveal who it was. On 13 August 2009, Ash revealed that Tim Henwood had returned to the band and Danny Spencer had left.On the night of Saturday, 14 November 2009, Ash revealed via Twitter the name of the new singer, Melinda "Mindi" Jackson and new drummer, Peter Marin
Peter Marin
Peter Marin is a drummer based in Melbourne, Australia.He has performed and recorded with the following acts:* Rogue Traders* Ross Hannaford...
.
"Love Is a War
Love Is a War
"Love Is a War" is a electro rock song written by Jamie Appleby, Melinda Appleby, Melinda Jackson and Elliot Gleave, and produced by Ash for the Rogue Traders's upcoming fourth studio album. It was as released as the album's first single in Australia as a digital download on 25 December 2009 and as...
" became the next release by the group, released as a digital download on 25 December 2009 (Christmas Day) and the physical single on 8 January 2010.
It performed poorly, peaking at just #90. "Would You Raise Your Hands?" was released as the follow-up single from the album on 12 March 2010, and also performed poorly, peaking at a slightly lower #95. "Hearts Beat as One
Hearts Beat as One
"Hearts Beat as One" is a pop rock song written by Jamie Appleby, Melinda Appleby, Melinda Jackson & Tim Henwood, and produced by Ash. It was released in Australia as a digital download on 24 May 2010 and as a CD single on 11 June 2010. The song contains heartbeats contributed by people from around...
" was released as the third single on 11 June 2011, and was written for the Socceroos as the official national anthem for the 2010 FIFA World Cup
2010 FIFA World Cup
The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
. However, despite this, the song completely failed to chart, the Rogue Traders' first single to do so since 2002's "Need You to Show Me".
Night of the Living Drums, the band's fourth studio album, was set for release on 25 June 2010, according to the band's official website. However it was pushed back for unknown reasons. In December 2010 it was revealed the band had left their record label Sony Music, after the label refused to release the album.
On 24 October, the Rogue Traders announced that they will release Night of the Living Drums on 11 November 2011. On 11 November 2011 The Sound of Drums
The Sound of Drums (album)
The Sound of Drums is the debut compilation album Australian electro dance rock act Rogue Traders. The Sound of Drums is a double album that includes The Greatest Hits and the fourth studio album Night of the Living Drums.-Track listing:...
was released, The Sound of Drums is a double album that includes The Greatest Hits and the fourth studio album Night of the Living Drums.
Members
The band first had two members: James Ash and Steve Davis. During the second album, two new members joined: Natalie Bassingwaigthe and Cameron McGlinchey. Before the UK releases, Steve Davis left the band and was replaced by Tim Henwood. However, he only stayed during the UK releases before he left the band and was replaced by Danny Spencer. After the third album, Natalie and Cameron left the band as well. When James Ash announced Danny Spencer had left he also announced that Tim Henwood was coming back. The current members are Tim Henwood, James Ash, Mindi Jackson and Peter MarinPeter Marin
Peter Marin is a drummer based in Melbourne, Australia.He has performed and recorded with the following acts:* Rogue Traders* Ross Hannaford...
.
During the first album, there were recordings by Ash's wife Melinda Richards, including the single "Give in to Me", and recordings by René Kisseih ("Take It Deeper"), although neither were members of the band. Richards also did backing vocals on Here Come the Drums and Better in the Dark.
Discography
- 2003: We Know What You're Up ToWe Know What You're up ToWe Know What You're Up To is the debut album by Australian dance group Rogue Traders. It was released by Vicious Grooves, Virgin in Australia on 5 May 2003 . After disappointing sales and poor publicity, Rogue Traders was dropped from the label...
- 2005: Here Come the DrumsHere Come the DrumsHere Come the Drums is the second studio album by Australian dance rock act Rogue Traders, released in Australia on 23 October 2005 by Columbia Records. The album features the Rogue Traders with the new and then vocalist Natalie Bassingthwaighte and has a genre of dance pop songs — mainly...
- 2007: Better in the DarkBetter in the DarkBetter in the Dark is the third studio album by Australian dance group Rogue Traders. It was released in Australia by Columbia Records on 13 October 2007...
- 2011: Night of the Living Drums
Awards and recognition
| Year | Award-giving body | Award | Result |
| 2003 ARIA Music Awards of 2003 The 17th Annual Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards were held on 21 October 2003 at the Sydney Superdome.-ARIA Awards:*Album of the Year**Powderfinger – Vulture Street... |
ARIA Award 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... |
Breakthrough Artist - Single (One of My Kind) | Nominated |
| 2003 | ARIA Award 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... |
Best Dance Release (One of My Kind) | Won |
| 2003 | ARIA Award 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... |
Best Video (One of My Kind) | Nominated |
| 2005 ARIA Music Awards of 2005 The 19th Annual Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards were held on 23 October 2005 at the Sydney Superdome at the Sydney Olympic Park complex, thus continuing the previous year's innovation of televising the awards on Sunday evening... |
ARIA Award 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... |
Best Dance Release (Voodoo Child) | Nominated |
| 2005 | ARIA Award 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... |
Engineer of the Year (Voodoo Child) | Nominated |
| 2005 | ARIA Award 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... |
Best Video (Voodoo Child) | Nominated |
| 2006 | MTV AVMA Award | Spankin' New Aussie Artist | Nominated |
| 2006 | MTV AVMA Award | Best Dance Video (Voodoo Child) | Won |
| 2006 ARIA Music Awards of 2006 The 20th Annual Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards were held on 29 October 2006 at the Acer Arena at the Sydney Olympic Park complex... |
ARIA Award 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... |
Breakthrough Artist - Album (Here Come the Drums) | Nominated |
| 2006 | ARIA Award 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... |
Best Pop Release (Here Come the Drums) | Nominated |
| 2006 | ARIA Award 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... |
Highest Selling Album (Here Come the Drums) | Nominated |
| 2006 | ARIA Award 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... |
Best Group (Here Come the Drums) | Nominated |
| 2006 APRA Awards of 2006 The Australasian Performing Right Association Awards of 2006 are a series of awards which include the APRA Music Awards, Classical Music Awards, and Screen Music Awards. The APRA Music Awards ceremony occurred on 5 June at the Sydney Four Seasons Hotel, they were presented by APRA and the... |
APRA Australasian Performing Right Association The Australasian Performing Right Association is a copyright collective representing New Zealand and Australian composers, lyricists and music publishers. The association's head offices located in Sydney Australia, and it has branch offices in Auckland, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth... |
Most Performed Dance Work ("Way to Go! Way to Go! "Way to Go!" is the second single by Rogue Traders from their second album Here Come the Drums, released in 2005. It was released as the third single in the United Kingdom in May mainly as a download release. It is the first release under the famous "Rogue Traders" logo. In the UK, the single had a... ") |
|
| 2007 | MTV AVMA Award | Best Dance Video (In Love Again In Love Again "In Love Again" is the fifth and final single released by Australian electro-rock group Rogue Traders from their second album Here Come the Drums. It was released for digital download in Australia in 2006. At the time of its release, digital downloads were not included as part of the main singles... ) |
Nominated |
| 2007 | The Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards | Fave Band | Nominated |
| 2007 | The Will Styles Humpty Dumpty Award | Nick Thayer sound-alike | Co-Winner with Rush |
| 2007 | The Hot Hits | Best Homegrown Artist | Nominated |
| 2007 APRA Awards of 2007 The Australasian Performing Right Association Awards of 2007 are a series of awards which include the APRA Music Awards, Classical Music Awards, and Screen Music Awards. The APRA Music Awards ceremony occurred on 16 June at the Sydney Hilton, they were presented by APRA and the Australasian... |
APRA Australasian Performing Right Association The Australasian Performing Right Association is a copyright collective representing New Zealand and Australian composers, lyricists and music publishers. The association's head offices located in Sydney Australia, and it has branch offices in Auckland, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth... |
Most Performed Dance Work ("Way to Go! Way to Go! "Way to Go!" is the second single by Rogue Traders from their second album Here Come the Drums, released in 2005. It was released as the third single in the United Kingdom in May mainly as a download release. It is the first release under the famous "Rogue Traders" logo. In the UK, the single had a... ") |
|
| 2007 APRA Awards of 2007 The Australasian Performing Right Association Awards of 2007 are a series of awards which include the APRA Music Awards, Classical Music Awards, and Screen Music Awards. The APRA Music Awards ceremony occurred on 16 June at the Sydney Hilton, they were presented by APRA and the Australasian... |
APRA Australasian Performing Right Association The Australasian Performing Right Association is a copyright collective representing New Zealand and Australian composers, lyricists and music publishers. The association's head offices located in Sydney Australia, and it has branch offices in Auckland, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth... |
Most Performed Dance Work ("We're Coming Home We're Coming Home "We're Coming Home" is the fourth single released by Rogue Traders from their second album Here Come the Drums. Release in the UK and Ireland was cancelled after the poor performance of "Watching You" and "Way to Go!".-Track listing:Promo Slipcase... ") |
|
| 2008 | Inside Film awards 2008 | Best Music Video (What You're On What You're On "What You're On" is a dance-pop song written by James Ash, Natalie Bassingthwaighte and Steve Davis, and produced by Ash for the Rogue Traders's third studio album Better in the Dark . Co-writer, Ash, states the song deals with addiction... ) |
|
| 2008 APRA Awards of 2008 The Australasian Performing Right Association Awards of 2008 are a series of awards which include the APRA Music Awards, Classical Music Awards, and Screen Music Awards. The APRA Music Awards ceremony occurred on 16 June at the Sydney Hilton, they were presented by APRA and the Australasian... |
APRA Australasian Performing Right Association The Australasian Performing Right Association is a copyright collective representing New Zealand and Australian composers, lyricists and music publishers. The association's head offices located in Sydney Australia, and it has branch offices in Auckland, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth... |
Dance Work of the Year ("In Love Again In Love Again "In Love Again" is the fifth and final single released by Australian electro-rock group Rogue Traders from their second album Here Come the Drums. It was released for digital download in Australia in 2006. At the time of its release, digital downloads were not included as part of the main singles... ") |
|
| 2009 APRA Awards of 2009 The Australasian Performing Right Association Awards of 2009 are a series of awards which include the APRA Music Awards, Classical Music Awards, and Screen Music Awards. The APRA Music Awards ceremony occurred on 23 June at the Peninsula in Melbourne, they were presented by APRA and the... |
APRA Australasian Performing Right Association The Australasian Performing Right Association is a copyright collective representing New Zealand and Australian composers, lyricists and music publishers. The association's head offices located in Sydney Australia, and it has branch offices in Auckland, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth... |
Dance Work of the Year ("Don't You Wanna Feel Don't You Wanna Feel "Don't You Wanna Feel" is a dance-pop-rock song written by James Ash and Natalie Bassingthwaighte for the Rogue Traders' third studio album Better in the Dark. It was released on schedule as the album's first single on 29 September 2007... ") |
External links
- roguetraders.net – official website