Soulscraper were an Australian based 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...

 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...

-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 based in Melbourne

Melbourne

Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...

. The band formed circa 1991 by ex-members of an alternative / industrial

Industrial music

Industrial music is a style of experimental music that draws on transgressive and provocative themes. The term was coined in the mid-1970s with the founding of Industrial Records by the band Throbbing Gristle, and the creation of the slogan "industrial music for industrial people". In general, the...

 influenced band called The Prostitutes.

Soulscraper combined samplers

Sampler (musical instrument)

A sampler is an electronic musical instrument similar in some respects to a synthesizer but, instead of generating sounds, it uses recordings of sounds that are loaded or recorded into it by the user and then played back by means of a keyboard, sequencer or other triggering device to perform or...

 and audio loops played live with acoustic drums and aggressive punk

Punk rock

Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...

 influenced guitars. The sound was influenced by alternative, industrial, goth

Goth subculture

The goth subculture is a contemporary subculture found in many countries. It began in England during the early 1980s in the gothic rock scene, an offshoot of the post-punk genre. The goth subculture has survived much longer than others of the same era, and has continued to diversify...

, punk

Punk rock

Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...

, and dance music

Dance music

Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement...

, combined with an Australian Pub rock

Pub rock (Australia)

Pub rock is a style of Australian rock and roll popular throughout the 1970s and 1980s, and still influencing contemporary Australian music today....

 live music sensibility.

The band released two EP’s, “Heard it all before” (1992) and “Neo-Anarcho” (1993) and both received considerable national airplay on 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...

 as well as Australian alternative clubs and community radio stations such as 3RRR

3RRR

3RRR is a popular Australian community radio station, based in Melbourne. It is the largest per capita subscribed radio station in the world....

.

The band played many live shows across Australia, including tours with Pop Will Eat Itself

Pop Will Eat Itself

Pop Will Eat Itself are an English alternative rock band, originally formed in Stourbridge in 1986, with members from Birmingham, Coventry and the Black Country. Initially known as a Grebo act, their style changed to incorporate sample driven indie and industrial rock...

, Neds Atomic Dustbin, and The Shamen

The Shamen

The Shamen were an experimental electronic music band, from 1985–1999, initially formed in Aberdeen, Scotland, as a psychedelic-influenced indie rock act. The founding members are Colin Angus , Derek McKenzie and Keith McKenzie...

. Soulscraper also played at the first Melbourne 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...

 festival in 1993.

The band split in 1993 and members went on to form and play in many bands including Discordia

Discordia (band)

Discordia was an industrial band from Melbourne in the mid 90s. Formed from the ashes of Soulscraper. Discordia were set to be the first Australian band signed to Roadrunner records, but the volatile nature of the group cause it to implode. Discordia began life when Sade met James at Relic Records,...

, Insurge

Insurge

Insurge, commonly typeset iNsuRge, were a political industrial rock band based in Sydney, Australia . The band was founded in 1993 by singer / guitarist Chris Dubrow formerly of Soulscraper...

, Sobriquet

Elenor Rayner

Elenor Rayner is a singer, musician and producer. She was a member of Melbourne electro-industrial band Soulscraper who released two eps. Rayner went on to join Ragewar and released one album, "Backlash", with them. She has a solo project Sobriquet, is a member of The Crystalline Effect and...

, Snog

Snog

Snog is a band formed by Australian musician David Thrussell, along with fellow art school friends, Tim McGrath and Julia Bourke, in 1989. The band's music is a fusion of many different styles, including industrial, techno, ambient, experimental, funk and even some of the social commentary of...

, The Crystalline Effect

Elenor Rayner

Elenor Rayner is a singer, musician and producer. She was a member of Melbourne electro-industrial band Soulscraper who released two eps. Rayner went on to join Ragewar and released one album, "Backlash", with them. She has a solo project Sobriquet, is a member of The Crystalline Effect and...

 and Shreen

Shreen (band)

Shreen is a band from Melbourne. They formed after the breakup of Nursery Crimes. They released one full length album, the 11 track Accelerate . Their single "Beautiful Loser" achieved high rotation on Triple J.-Members:...

.

MEMBERS

Chris Dubrow (guitar, vocals),

Sarah Lord (bass),

James Lynch (drums),

Elanor Rayner (keyboard samplers)

Jim Shnookal (keyboard samplers).


DISCOGRAPHY

(1992) “Heard it all before” EP.

Produced by Kalju Tonuma

Kalju Tonuma

Kalju Tonuma is a music producer, engineer, mixer, and occasional performer based in Melbourne, Australia. He played guitar as a member of Deadstar in 1998...

,

Tracks: 1. Heard it all before, 2. Manic, 3. Days they rise, 4. American war.
With remixes by Ollie Olsen

Ollie Olsen

Ollie Olsen 1958, Melbourne, Australia) is an Australian composer, synthesist and sound designer who has been producing and performing rock, electronic and experimental music for the past thirty years...

of tracks 1 and 2.

(distributed by ‘ID’ through PolyGram)

(1993) “Neo-Anarcho” EP.

Produced by Matt Thomas and Soulscraper.

Tracks: 1.Neo Anarcho, 2.Fight, 3.Preacher Man, 4.Motivator, 5. Designer Rebellion.

(distributed through MDS)

(1993) “3RRR Live in your Lounge Room.” - Fight (Single)