The Axis of Awesome
Encyclopedia
The Axis of Awesome is an Australian musical comedy act. The band's members are Jordan Raskopoulos
, Lee Naimo and Benny Davis. The trio cover a wide variety of performance styles, and perform a combination of original material and pop parodies.
" used by United States
President
George W. Bush
. The trio were heavily involved in improv
theatre at university in Sydney and decided to try something different. The band played at a few stand up comedy nights and improv events in Sydney and performed a fortnightly segment on FBi Radio
, but got their first big break when they released a number of rap parodies lampooning the 2007 Australian Federal Election.
The band gained further success performing in the Melbourne International Comedy Festival
and making television and radio appearances. Their 2008 Melbourne International Comedy Festival show, titled "The Axis of Awesome Comeback Spectacular", received a Moosehead Award. They took the show to the Edinburgh Fringe
in 2008 where it was received with critical and audience acclaim.
After the Edinburgh festival, The Axis of Awesome's song "4 Chords", a medley of 36 pop songs that all contain the same basic chord structure, received airplay on BBC Radio 1
. This airplay drove listeners to the internet and "4 Chords" went viral, receiving millions of hits on YouTube
. The success on YouTube prompted increased interest, both home and abroad, and the Axis performed the song on many radio and television programs, including Nova 969, Triple M
, The Footy Show, Good News Week
and 9am with David and Kim
.
In April 2009, the Axis of Awesome performed at The Melbourne International Comedy Festival
with a new show, The Axis of Awesome vs Bee. The show wove the bands songs into a narrative involving a giant bee. The Axis of Awesome vs Bee was also performed at the Sydney Comedy Festival (formerly The Cracker Comedy Festival) in May 2009.
The Axis toured regional Queensland and New South Wales as part of The Melbourne Comedy festival roadshow and performed at the Adelaide Cabaret Festival
in May and June. They returned to The Edinburgh fringe in August with a new sell-out show "The Axis of Awesome: Infinity Rock Explosion" and appeared at the World's Funniest Island
festival in Sydney in October.
In February 2010, The Axis of Awesome released their second album Infinity Rock Explosion! and performed sold out seasons at The Adelaide Fringe Festival, The Melbourne International Comedy Festival, The Sydney Comedy Festival and The Singapore Flipside Festival. They received The Time Out award for best local talent at the Sydney comedy festival and recorded their first DVD "The Axis of Awesome Live" which was released in Australia on 6 October 2010 by Punchline and Beyond Entertainment.
, are written I - V - vi - IV. Since these four chords are played as an ostinato
, the band also uses a vi - IV - I - V, usually from the song "Save Tonight
" to the song "Torn". The band plays the song in the key of E so the progression they use is E-B-C♯m-A. Many of the songs featured in the medley have been transposed from their original keys.
The medley of songs that composes the "Four Chords" song is continually varied, often incorporating new releases. The Axis' song "Birdplane" (itself a parody of the Five for Fighting
song "Superman
") is always included, as well as Australian folk song "Waltzing Matilda
" and "Down Under" by the Australian band Men at Work
. The melody usually starts with Journey
's "Don't Stop Believin'".
In 2011, Axis of Awesome played a version of this song at Red Nose Day 2011
.
On 20 July 2011, Axis of Awesome released an official music video for "Four Chords" on their YouTube channel.
Jordan Raskopoulos
Jordan Raskopoulos is an Australian comedian, actor and singer best known for his role as a writer and performer on the Network Ten sketch comedy show The Ronnie Johns Half Hour as lead singer for the comedy rock group, The Axis of Awesome and as a team captain on the SBS sports panel show The...
, Lee Naimo and Benny Davis. The trio cover a wide variety of performance styles, and perform a combination of original material and pop parodies.
History
The Axis of Awesome formed in 2006, their name being a play on the phrase "axis of evilAxis of evil
"Axis of evil" is a term initially used by the former United States President George W. Bush in his State of the Union Address on January 29, 2002 and often repeated throughout his presidency, describing governments that he accused of helping terrorism and seeking weapons of mass destruction...
" used by United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
. The trio were heavily involved in improv
Improvisational theatre
Improvisational theatre takes many forms. It is best known as improv or impro, which is often comedic, and sometimes poignant or dramatic. In this popular, often topical art form improvisational actors/improvisers use improvisational acting techniques to perform spontaneously...
theatre at university in Sydney and decided to try something different. The band played at a few stand up comedy nights and improv events in Sydney and performed a fortnightly segment on FBi Radio
FBi Radio
FBi is an independent, not-for-profit community radio station in Sydney, Australia. FBi places a heavy emphasis on local alternative music: it has a policy that at least 50 per cent of its music content is to be Australian, of which at least half comes from Sydney musicians.FBi began 'test...
, but got their first big break when they released a number of rap parodies lampooning the 2007 Australian Federal Election.
The band gained further success performing in the Melbourne International Comedy Festival
Melbourne International Comedy Festival
The Melbourne International Comedy Festival is the third-largest international comedy festival in the world and the largest cultural event in Australia. Established in 1987, it takes place annually in Melbourne over four weeks in April typically opening on or around April Fool's Day...
and making television and radio appearances. Their 2008 Melbourne International Comedy Festival show, titled "The Axis of Awesome Comeback Spectacular", received a Moosehead Award. They took the show to the Edinburgh Fringe
Edinburgh Fringe
The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is the world’s largest arts festival. Established in 1947 as an alternative to the Edinburgh International Festival, it takes place annually in Scotland's capital, in the month of August...
in 2008 where it was received with critical and audience acclaim.
After the Edinburgh festival, The Axis of Awesome's song "4 Chords", a medley of 36 pop songs that all contain the same basic chord structure, received airplay on BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
. This airplay drove listeners to the internet and "4 Chords" went viral, receiving millions of hits on YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
. The success on YouTube prompted increased interest, both home and abroad, and the Axis performed the song on many radio and television programs, including Nova 969, Triple M
Triple M
The Triple M Network is an active rock radio network in Australia owned by media company Austereo, who also own the Today Network.- History :...
, The Footy Show, Good News Week
Good News Week
Good News Week is an Australian satirical panel game show hosted by Paul McDermott that initially aired from 19 April 1996 to 27 May 2000, and resumed on 11 February 2008 to 9 May 2011. The show aired first on ABC TV before it was bought by Network Ten in 1999...
and 9am with David and Kim
9am with David and Kim
9am with David & Kim was an Australian morning show which premiered on Monday 30 January 2006 on Network Ten. It aired live from 9am - 11am weekday mornings, and was hosted by former National Nine News presenter Kim Watkins and former Getaway reporter David Reyne...
.
In April 2009, the Axis of Awesome performed at The Melbourne International Comedy Festival
Melbourne International Comedy Festival
The Melbourne International Comedy Festival is the third-largest international comedy festival in the world and the largest cultural event in Australia. Established in 1987, it takes place annually in Melbourne over four weeks in April typically opening on or around April Fool's Day...
with a new show, The Axis of Awesome vs Bee. The show wove the bands songs into a narrative involving a giant bee. The Axis of Awesome vs Bee was also performed at the Sydney Comedy Festival (formerly The Cracker Comedy Festival) in May 2009.
The Axis toured regional Queensland and New South Wales as part of The Melbourne Comedy festival roadshow and performed at the Adelaide Cabaret Festival
Adelaide Cabaret Festival
The Adelaide Cabaret Festival is an annual cabaret festival held in the South Australian capital of Adelaide. It is the largest festival of its type in the world, with more than 48,000 attendees....
in May and June. They returned to The Edinburgh fringe in August with a new sell-out show "The Axis of Awesome: Infinity Rock Explosion" and appeared at the World's Funniest Island
World's Funniest Island
World’s Funniest Island was an Australian comedy event held on the third weekend in October on Cockatoo Island, in Sydney Harbour. The first World’s Funniest Island event took place 17–18 October 2009...
festival in Sydney in October.
In February 2010, The Axis of Awesome released their second album Infinity Rock Explosion! and performed sold out seasons at The Adelaide Fringe Festival, The Melbourne International Comedy Festival, The Sydney Comedy Festival and The Singapore Flipside Festival. They received The Time Out award for best local talent at the Sydney comedy festival and recorded their first DVD "The Axis of Awesome Live" which was released in Australia on 6 October 2010 by Punchline and Beyond Entertainment.
Discography
- Scissors, Paper, ROCK! (2007)
- Infinity Rock Explosion! (2010)
- Animal Vehicle (2011)
Awards
- Melbourne International Comedy Festival Moosehead Award 2008
- Time Out Sydney Comedy Festival Best Australian Act Award 2010
- Time Out Sydney Best Comedy Show 2010-2011
Four Chords Song
"Four Chords" is one of The Axis of Awesome's best-known works. It is a medley of popular songs that all follow the pop-punk chord progression. The work is an attempt to outline the perceived formulaic nature of popular music. The "Four Chords", in Roman numeral analysisRoman numeral analysis
In music, roman numeral analysis is the use of roman numeral symbols in the musical analysis of chords. In music theory related to or derived from the common practice period, arabic numerals with carets are used to designate scale degrees themselves , whereas in theory related to or derived from...
, are written I - V - vi - IV. Since these four chords are played as an ostinato
Ostinato
In music, an ostinato is a motif or phrase, which is persistently repeated in the same musical voice. An ostinato is always a succession of equal sounds, wherein each note always has the same weight or stress. The repeating idea may be a rhythmic pattern, part of a tune, or a complete melody in...
, the band also uses a vi - IV - I - V, usually from the song "Save Tonight
Save Tonight
"Save Tonight" is a song by Swedish rock musician Eagle-Eye Cherry and the lead single from his 1997 debut album, Desireless. It is the album's opening track and gained substantial radio success, reaching #3 in Ireland, #5 in the US, #6 in the UK, and #2 in Cherry's native Sweden...
" to the song "Torn". The band plays the song in the key of E so the progression they use is E-B-C♯m-A. Many of the songs featured in the medley have been transposed from their original keys.
The medley of songs that composes the "Four Chords" song is continually varied, often incorporating new releases. The Axis' song "Birdplane" (itself a parody of the Five for Fighting
Five for Fighting
Five for Fighting is the stage name of American singer-songwriter John Ondrasik. He is best known for his piano-based rock, such as the Top 40 songs "Superman " , "100 Years" , and "The Riddle" .-Early years:...
song "Superman
Superman (It's Not Easy)
"Superman " is the title of a song written and recorded by American singer-songwriter Five for Fighting . It was released in April 2001 as the second single from his album America Town...
") is always included, as well as Australian folk song "Waltzing Matilda
Waltzing Matilda
"Waltzing Matilda" is Australia's most widely known bush ballad. A country folk song, the song has been referred to as "the unofficial national anthem of Australia"....
" and "Down Under" by the Australian band Men at Work
Men at Work
Men at Work are an Australian rock band who achieved international success in the 1980s. They are the only Australian artists to have a simultaneous #1 album and #1 single in the United States . They achieved the same distinction of a simultaneous #1 album and #1 single in the United Kingdom...
. The melody usually starts with Journey
Journey (band)
Journey is an American rock band formed in 1973 in San Francisco by former members of Santana. The band has gone through several phases; its strongest commercial success occurred between the 1978 and 1987, after which it temporarily disbanded...
's "Don't Stop Believin'".
In 2011, Axis of Awesome played a version of this song at Red Nose Day 2011
Red Nose Day 2011
Red Nose Day 2011 was a fundraising event organised by Comic Relief. There was a live telethon broadcast on BBC One and BBC Two from the evening of 18 March 2011 to early the following morning as well as a number of run-up events...
.
On 20 July 2011, Axis of Awesome released an official music video for "Four Chords" on their YouTube channel.