Snowman (band)
Encyclopedia
Snowman were a band originally from Perth
, Western Australia
. They relocated to London in 2008, and disbanded in 2011.
The band won The Next Big Thing competition in 2003 and began recording an EP later that year. Zombies On The Airwaves Of Paris was finally released in September 2004 via Shock Records in Australia. It garnered positive reviews nationally. Lead single, 'Lost In The Woods' was placed on high rotation on national youth broadcaster, Triple J. National tours with Interpol
, Regurgitator
, The Mint Chicks
and Wolfmother
soon followed, as well as a publishing deal with Mushroom Music Publishing
.
In 2005 the band were nominated for six WAMi
Awards: 'Most Popular Act', 'Most Popular Single / EP', 'Most Popular Live Act', 'Favourite Newcomer', and 'Most Promising New Act & Best Punk Act', winning the 'Favourite Newcomer' award. In 2006 the band were nominated for two WAMi
Awards: 'Most Popular Live Act' and 'Best Male Vocalist', with Citawarman winning the 'Best Male Vocalist Award'. 2006 also saw them sign a record deal with Melbourne-based indie label Dot Dash
.
Snowman began recording their self-titled debut album in December 2005 with Perth Producer David Parkin
at Blackbird Studios. Snowman
was released on 23 September 2006 on Dot Dash
Recordings to very positive reviews. Singles, 'Smoke & Mirrors', 'You Are A Casino' and 'Swimming With Sharks' were all added to high rotation on Triple J
. The album was a local music feature on community radio stations RTRfm in Perth and FBI in Sydney. They toured Australia extensively in the year that followed, playing the national Big Day Out
tour, Meredith Music Festival, Laneway Festivals ., and supported Liars
, Wolf & Cub
and The Drones
on their respective national tours. Several headline tours soon followed with supports from (the then lesser known) Temper Trap, and New Zealanders, Batrider.
At the 2007 WAMi Awards
Snowman won three WAMI awards for 'Most Popular Album' (Snowman
), 'Most Popular Music Video' ("You Are A Casino") and 'Best Rock Act'.
"You Are A Casino" was released as a limited 7" single in the UK on 25 June 2007 on the Passport Label, through Forte Distribution
In January 2008, Snowman announced that they were recording their second album with David Parkin.
On 1 May 2008, Dot Dash released a news article about the new Snowman album, releasing its album cover, track listing, and release date. The Horse, The Rat and The Swan
was released on 24 May 2008. It received critical acclaim throughout Australia, polling at number one on the Mess and Noise end of year critic's poll.
and receiving a positive review and honorable mention in Pitchfork Media
's end of year poll. It was a local feature album on RTR fm, RRR in Melbourne and FBI community radio stations and was included in several end of year critics polls.
After a national album launch and farewell tour of Australia, Snowman relocated to London in late 2008. They toured the UK and France with the likes of The Drones and PVT. The next two years saw Snowman write and record their follow up to The Horse, The Rat and The Swan with Australian producer Aaron Cupples.
On 23 November 2010, Snowman announced the title, Absence, and track listing of their upcoming album. The album was released on the 3rd of June 2011. Upon it's release Snowman formally announced that they had split up.
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
, 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...
. They relocated to London in 2008, and disbanded in 2011.
History
Snowman began playing together in various incarnations and under different names during their high school years. Joseph McKee and Andy Citawarman met when they were fourteen years old; they began writing music together almost immediately. Olga Hermanniusson soon joined on Bass guitar and saxophone. After a few line-up and name changes, the band settled on Snowman with new drummer Ross DiBlasio joining in 2002. In 2003 they began playing live around Australia.The band won The Next Big Thing competition in 2003 and began recording an EP later that year. Zombies On The Airwaves Of Paris was finally released in September 2004 via Shock Records in Australia. It garnered positive reviews nationally. Lead single, 'Lost In The Woods' was placed on high rotation on national youth broadcaster, Triple J. National tours with Interpol
Interpol (band)
Interpol is an American indie rock and post-punk revival band from New York City. Formed in 1997, the band's original line-up consisted of Paul Banks , Daniel Kessler , Carlos Dengler and Greg Drudy . Drudy left the band in 2000 and was replaced by Sam Fogarino...
, Regurgitator
Regurgitator
Regurgitator are an Australian rock band from Brisbane, currently consisting of Quan Yeomans , Ben Ely and Peter Kostic . The band formed in 1994, its original line-up consisting of Yeomans, Ely and drummer Martin Lee...
, The Mint Chicks
The Mint Chicks
The Mint Chicks were an experimental noise rock/power pop group originally from Auckland, New Zealand, who relocated to Portland, Oregon, USA in 2007...
and Wolfmother
Wolfmother
Wolfmother is an Australian rock band from Erskineville, Sydney. Formed in 2000, the group was originally a trio composed of vocalist and guitarist Andrew Stockdale, bassist and keyboardist Chris Ross and drummer Myles Heskett. Wolfmother released their self-titled debut album in October 2005,...
soon followed, as well as a publishing deal with Mushroom Music Publishing
Mushroom Records
Mushroom Records is an Australian recoJrd company formed by Michael Gudinski and Ray Evans in Melbourne in 1972. After its sale in 1998, it merged into Festival Mushroom Records. From 2005 to 2009, it is one of the record labels operated by Warner Bros...
.
In 2005 the band were nominated for six WAMi
West Australian Music Industry Awards
The Western Australian Music Industry Awards are annual awards presented to the local contemporary music industry, put on by the Western Australian Music Industry Association Inc...
Awards: 'Most Popular Act', 'Most Popular Single / EP', 'Most Popular Live Act', 'Favourite Newcomer', and 'Most Promising New Act & Best Punk Act', winning the 'Favourite Newcomer' award. In 2006 the band were nominated for two WAMi
West Australian Music Industry Awards
The Western Australian Music Industry Awards are annual awards presented to the local contemporary music industry, put on by the Western Australian Music Industry Association Inc...
Awards: 'Most Popular Live Act' and 'Best Male Vocalist', with Citawarman winning the 'Best Male Vocalist Award'. 2006 also saw them sign a record deal with Melbourne-based indie label Dot Dash
Dot Dash
Dot Dash Recordings is a collaboration between the two companies - Remote Control Records which provides publicity, marketing and label management while Inertia Distribution looks after distribution and sales...
.
Snowman began recording their self-titled debut album in December 2005 with Perth Producer David Parkin
David Parkin
David Parkin is a former Australian rules footballer and four-time premiership coach.- Pre-football career :He attended Melbourne High School and during his time there, was the school vice-captain and captain of football....
at Blackbird Studios. Snowman
Snowman (album)
Snowman is the self-titled debut album, released by the Australian band Snowman on 23 September 2006. All the words and music were written by Snowman....
was released on 23 September 2006 on Dot Dash
Dot Dash
Dot Dash Recordings is a collaboration between the two companies - Remote Control Records which provides publicity, marketing and label management while Inertia Distribution looks after distribution and sales...
Recordings to very positive reviews. Singles, 'Smoke & Mirrors', 'You Are A Casino' and 'Swimming With Sharks' were all added to high rotation 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...
. The album was a local music feature on community radio stations RTRfm in Perth and FBI in Sydney. They toured Australia extensively in the year that followed, playing the national 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, Meredith Music Festival, Laneway Festivals ., and supported Liars
Liars (band)
Liars is a three-piece band formed in 2000 consisting of Angus Andrew , Aaron Hemphill , and Julian Gross...
, Wolf & Cub
Wolf & Cub
Wolf & Cub are a band from Adelaide, Australia. Three of the original members hail from Port Augusta, South Australia. Their music is predominantly psychedelic with elements of Rock. The four-piece were signed to record label 4AD. An aspect of the bands music that makes them unique is their use of...
and The Drones
The Drones
The Drones are an Australian rock group who rose to prominence during the early 2000s. They are influenced by a variety of bands and soloists including Neil Young, The Velvet Underground, Bad Brains, Suicide, Green on Red, The Birthday Party, Van Morrison, Bob Dylan and Nina Simone.- The Sound...
on their respective national tours. Several headline tours soon followed with supports from (the then lesser known) Temper Trap, and New Zealanders, Batrider.
At the 2007 WAMi Awards
West Australian Music Industry Awards
The Western Australian Music Industry Awards are annual awards presented to the local contemporary music industry, put on by the Western Australian Music Industry Association Inc...
Snowman won three WAMI awards for 'Most Popular Album' (Snowman
Snowman (album)
Snowman is the self-titled debut album, released by the Australian band Snowman on 23 September 2006. All the words and music were written by Snowman....
), 'Most Popular Music Video' ("You Are A Casino") and 'Best Rock Act'.
"You Are A Casino" was released as a limited 7" single in the UK on 25 June 2007 on the Passport Label, through Forte Distribution
In January 2008, Snowman announced that they were recording their second album with David Parkin.
On 1 May 2008, Dot Dash released a news article about the new Snowman album, releasing its album cover, track listing, and release date. The Horse, The Rat and The Swan
The Horse, The Rat and The Swan
The Horse, The Rat and The Swan is the second studio album for Perth band, Snowman. It was released on 24 May 2008 on Dot Dash Recordings...
was released on 24 May 2008. It received critical acclaim throughout Australia, polling at number one on the Mess and Noise end of year critic's poll.
and receiving a positive review and honorable mention in Pitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media, usually known simply as Pitchfork or P4k, is a Chicago-based daily Internet publication established in 1995 that is devoted to music criticism and commentary, music news, and artist interviews. Its focus is on underground and independent music, especially indie rock...
's end of year poll. It was a local feature album on RTR fm, RRR in Melbourne and FBI community radio stations and was included in several end of year critics polls.
After a national album launch and farewell tour of Australia, Snowman relocated to London in late 2008. They toured the UK and France with the likes of The Drones and PVT. The next two years saw Snowman write and record their follow up to The Horse, The Rat and The Swan with Australian producer Aaron Cupples.
On 23 November 2010, Snowman announced the title, Absence, and track listing of their upcoming album. The album was released on the 3rd of June 2011. Upon it's release Snowman formally announced that they had split up.
Band members
- Andy Citawarman (b. IndonesiaIndonesiaIndonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
, 1984) - guitar/vocals/violin/keys - Joseph McKee (b. EnglandEnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, 1984) - guitar/vocals/gammalan - Olga Hermanniusson (b. AustraliaAustraliaAustralia , 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...
, 1983) - bass/vocals/saxophone - Ross DiBlasio (b. AustraliaAustraliaAustralia , 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...
1985) - drums/percussion
Albums/EPs
- Zombies on the Airwaves of ParisZombies on the Airwaves of ParisZombies on the Airwaves of Paris is the first release by the Australian band Snowman released in September 2004. It is abundant with haunting guitar riffs, powerful walking bass lines, and crisp, experimental drums. Over the top of the horrorful melodies, high falsetto vocals crack across the...
(EPExtended playAn 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...
) - Shock RecordsShock RecordsShock Records is Australia's largest independent record label. It helps distribute records from overseas records labels such as Epitaph Records, and also for small record labels designed specifically for that band such as Cement Records...
(2004) - SnowmanSnowman (album)Snowman is the self-titled debut album, released by the Australian band Snowman on 23 September 2006. All the words and music were written by Snowman....
- Dot DashDot DashDot Dash Recordings is a collaboration between the two companies - Remote Control Records which provides publicity, marketing and label management while Inertia Distribution looks after distribution and sales...
/Inertia Records (2006) - The Horse, The Rat and The SwanThe Horse, The Rat and The SwanThe Horse, The Rat and The Swan is the second studio album for Perth band, Snowman. It was released on 24 May 2008 on Dot Dash Recordings...
- Dot Dash (2008) - AbsenceAbsence (Snowman album)Absence is the third and final album for Australian band, Snowman. It was released on 3 June 2011 via Dot Dash Recordings. It was produced by Snowman and Aaron Cupples at various locations around London...
- Dot Dash (2011)
Compilations
- WAMiWest Australian Music Industry AwardsThe Western Australian Music Industry Awards are annual awards presented to the local contemporary music industry, put on by the Western Australian Music Industry Association Inc...
Weekender Compilation CD - Lost in the Woods (2004) - Home And Hosed Volume 3: Ripe N Ready - Lost In The Woods (2005)
- Kiss My WAMiWest Australian Music Industry AwardsThe Western Australian Music Industry Awards are annual awards presented to the local contemporary music industry, put on by the Western Australian Music Industry Association Inc...
2006 - Blood Money (2006)