Skulker
Encyclopedia
Skulker was an ARIA
Award-nominated rock
band from Sydney
, Australia
that originally formed in 1994. After two albums, the group parted ways in 2005
in 1994 and decided to form a band. The line-up at the time was Greer Skinner on lead vocals and guitar
, Annette Harada on bass guitar
, Naomi "Batti" Battah on guitar and occasional lead vocals and drummer
Angela Blackshaw.
After an initial period establishing itself on the Sydney live circuit the band came to the attention of independent label Chatterbox Records
and in 2000 Skulker released the album Too Fat for Tahiti. The title was apparently inspired by the band being rejected for a gig as a house band at a resort in Tahiti
because they were "too fat".
Too Fat for Tahiti spawned the tracks "Naughty" and "Hëj" that received considerable support from the national youth radio station Triple J
and both were voted into the networks annual listeners' poll, The Hottest 100, at number 50 and 80 respectively. The album was subsequently nominated for Best Independent Album at the ARIA Awards and Skulker was nominated for Best New Live Act at the Australian Music Awards.
Skulker then toured Australia exhaustively before recording a new album The Double Life that was released in early 2003. A free download-only single "Rock Nugget" was released and received high rotation on Triple J. The album received feature album status on the network, however sales of The Double Life were disappointing compared to those of the debut. The band went on to release the singles "Coming Home" and "In Your Arms" and played the Big Day Out
tour in 2004. Early 2004 also found the band opening for Pink
in Sydney
and Newcastle
.
At this point Batti decided to depart the band and moved to Canada
to pursue other interests. She is now engaged and lives in London, Ontario
.
Following the replacement of Batti with new guitarist Gregory Boulting, Skulker toured the east coast of Australia and recorded extensive demos of new material that have never been released. The band members have since decided to go their own ways and pursue further interests. Annette Harada has relocated to London, England. Angela Blackshaw is now in the Sydney band Boston Shaker.
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...
Award-nominated rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band from Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
that originally formed in 1994. After two albums, the group parted ways in 2005
History
The group's original members met at Cheltenham Girls High School, North SydneyNorth Sydney, New South Wales
North Sydney is a suburb and commercial district on the Lower North Shore of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. North Sydney is located 3 kilometres north of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre for the local government area of North Sydney...
in 1994 and decided to form a band. The line-up at the time was Greer Skinner on lead vocals and guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, Annette Harada on bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, Naomi "Batti" Battah on guitar and occasional lead vocals and drummer
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
Angela Blackshaw.
After an initial period establishing itself on the Sydney live circuit the band came to the attention of independent label Chatterbox Records
Chatterbox Records
Chatterbox Records was an independent record label based in Sydney, Australia, founded in 1997 by musician Nik Tropiano and Sebastian Chase of Phantom Records. The label boasts an eclectic mixture of artists across various genres. Its first release was a vinyl EP from Sydney electro-goth band Cult 45...
and in 2000 Skulker released the album Too Fat for Tahiti. The title was apparently inspired by the band being rejected for a gig as a house band at a resort in Tahiti
Tahiti
Tahiti is the largest island in the Windward group of French Polynesia, located in the archipelago of the Society Islands in the southern Pacific Ocean. It is the economic, cultural and political centre of French Polynesia. The island was formed from volcanic activity and is high and mountainous...
because they were "too fat".
Too Fat for Tahiti spawned the tracks "Naughty" and "Hëj" that received considerable support from the national youth radio station 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...
and both were voted into the networks annual listeners' poll, The Hottest 100, at number 50 and 80 respectively. The album was subsequently nominated for Best Independent Album at the ARIA Awards and Skulker was nominated for Best New Live Act at the Australian Music Awards.
Skulker then toured Australia exhaustively before recording a new album The Double Life that was released in early 2003. A free download-only single "Rock Nugget" was released and received high rotation on Triple J. The album received feature album status on the network, however sales of The Double Life were disappointing compared to those of the debut. The band went on to release the singles "Coming Home" and "In Your Arms" and played the Big Day Out
Big Day Out
The Big Day Out is an annual music festival held in several cities in Australia and New Zealand in late January. It started in Sydney in 1992, spread to Adelaide, Melbourne and Perth by 1993, with the Gold Coast and Auckland joining in 1994...
tour in 2004. Early 2004 also found the band opening for Pink
Pink (singer)
Alecia Beth Moore , better known by her stage name Pink , is an American singer-songwriter, musician and actress....
in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
and 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...
.
At this point Batti decided to depart the band and moved to Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
to pursue other interests. She is now engaged and lives in London, Ontario
London, Ontario
London is a city in Southwestern Ontario, Canada, situated along the Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. The city has a population of 352,395, and the metropolitan area has a population of 457,720, according to the 2006 Canadian census; the metro population in 2009 was estimated at 489,274. The city...
.
Following the replacement of Batti with new guitarist Gregory Boulting, Skulker toured the east coast of Australia and recorded extensive demos of new material that have never been released. The band members have since decided to go their own ways and pursue further interests. Annette Harada has relocated to London, England. Angela Blackshaw is now in the Sydney band Boston Shaker.
Singles
- Bittersweet (1998)
- Hëj (2000)
- Naughty (2000)
- Newport Nightmare / Strawberry Deluxe (2001)
- Rock Nugget (2001)
- Coming Home (2003)
- In Your Arms (2003)