The Cannanes
Encyclopedia
The Cannanes are a longstanding Australia
n indie pop
band formed in Sydney
in late 1984.
writing (typically hyperbolically) in the NME
. Bleach left in 1987; Susan Grigg joined briefly on violin, but she and Cannane left soon afterwards The band underwent several line-up changes over the years: Randall Lee (of Ashtray Boy
) was a member of the group in 1987-88 during which time they recorded their debut album, The African Man's Tomato and two singles, "Cardboard" and "I think the Weather's affected your brain".
The Cannanes released their second album, "A love affair with nature" in 1989, on their own label (or rather on no label at all). They toured the United States
for the first time in 1991, recording the Caveat Emptor album to coincide with it, although it was not released until 1993. Numerous other releases followed; core additional members in the early 1990s included bassist/vocalists Gavin Butler (on the albums Arty Barbecue and Short Poppy Syndrome) and Francesca Bussey (on a self-titled album and a long EP, Tiny Frown). Nichols left in the mid-1990s to form Driving Past with Gig Ryan
, Andrew Withycombe and Mia Schoen; his immediate replacement was Ivor Moulds. O'Neil and Gibson remained constant members, returning in early 1998 with the It's a Fine Line Between Pleasure and Pain EP, and an album, Living the Dream, later that year. In the 2000s, the band collaborated with electronica artist Explosion Robinson on the Felicity and Electro 2000 EPs and Trouble Seemed So Far Away album; and also collaborated with Steward (aka Stewart Anderson of Boyracer fame) on the Communicating at an Unknown Rate LP/CD and the Felicity EP. In 2011 it was announced that the band would release a new album, Howling at all Hours.
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 indie pop
Indie pop
Indie pop is a genre of alternative rock music that originated in the United Kingdom in the mid 1980s, with its roots in the Scottish post-punk bands on the Postcard Records label in the early '80s, such as Orange Juice, Josef K and Aztec Camera, and the dominant UK independent band of the mid...
band formed 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...
in late 1984.
History
The original line-up of the band was Stephen O'Neil (vocals, guitar), Annabel Bleach (vocals), Michelle Cannane (guitar and percussion), Frances Gibson (bass), and David Nichols (drums). The band released their first single "Life"/"It's Hardly Worth It" in a limited edition of just 12 cassettes in 1985, followed the same year by a cassette album, The Cannanes Come Across with the Goods. The band's first vinyl release was the Bored Angry & Jealous EP in 1986, which was proclaimed 'Single of the Year' by The LegendThe Legend
The Legend may refer to:* Fong Sai-yuk and its sequel, Fong Sai-yuk II* The Legend!, a band based around Everett True which has also included Alan McGee* The Legend, an opera by Joseph Carl Breil...
writing (typically hyperbolically) in the NME
NME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
. Bleach left in 1987; Susan Grigg joined briefly on violin, but she and Cannane left soon afterwards The band underwent several line-up changes over the years: Randall Lee (of Ashtray Boy
Ashtray Boy
Ashtray Boy is an indie-rock band based around peripatetic singer-songwriter Randall Lee.-History:The band has been active since c. 1984 and was originally founded as Ashtray Boy and his Country Cousin. During the band's history they have been based in Sydney, Chicago, Vancouver and Melbourne...
) was a member of the group in 1987-88 during which time they recorded their debut album, The African Man's Tomato and two singles, "Cardboard" and "I think the Weather's affected your brain".
The Cannanes released their second album, "A love affair with nature" in 1989, on their own label (or rather on no label at all). They toured the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
for the first time in 1991, recording the Caveat Emptor album to coincide with it, although it was not released until 1993. Numerous other releases followed; core additional members in the early 1990s included bassist/vocalists Gavin Butler (on the albums Arty Barbecue and Short Poppy Syndrome) and Francesca Bussey (on a self-titled album and a long EP, Tiny Frown). Nichols left in the mid-1990s to form Driving Past with Gig Ryan
Gig Ryan
Gig Ryan, born Elizabeth Anna Martina Ryan, 5 November 1956, is an Australian poet, and daughter of notable Australian surgeon Peter John Ryan...
, Andrew Withycombe and Mia Schoen; his immediate replacement was Ivor Moulds. O'Neil and Gibson remained constant members, returning in early 1998 with the It's a Fine Line Between Pleasure and Pain EP, and an album, Living the Dream, later that year. In the 2000s, the band collaborated with electronica artist Explosion Robinson on the Felicity and Electro 2000 EPs and Trouble Seemed So Far Away album; and also collaborated with Steward (aka Stewart Anderson of Boyracer fame) on the Communicating at an Unknown Rate LP/CD and the Felicity EP. In 2011 it was announced that the band would release a new album, Howling at all Hours.
Singles / EPs
- "Life" (1985) Happy Penis (cassette-only)
- The Cannanes Come across With the Goods EP (1985) (cassette-only)
- Bored Angry & Jealous EP (1986) Distant Violins
- No One EP (1987) K
- Happy Swing cassette -only EP (1987) KK RecordsK Records is an independent record label in Olympia, Washington, co-founded, owned, and operated by Calvin Johnson, formerly of the bands Cool Rays, Beat Happening, The Go Team, The Halo Benders and presently in the bands Dub Narcotic Sound System and The Hive Dwellers...
- "Cardboard" (1988)
- "I Think the Weather's Affected Your Brain" (1988)
- Stumpvision EP (1992) Ajax
- Frightening Thing EP (1994) K
- Prototype EP (1994) Little Teddy
- Simple Question EP (1996) Ajax
- Price You Pay EP (1996) H (split with Sleepy TownshipSleepy TownshipSleepy Township was an indie pop band which was formed in Perth in 1994 as a side project by Guy Blackman , Mia Schoen , and Paul Williams . The band moved the following year to Melbourne, Australia, with Gorman replacing Williams. Alison Bolger joined the group on bass in 1998...
) - It's a Fine Line Between Pleasure and Pain EP (1998) Harriet
- "Lamington Lane" (1998) Blackbean & Placenta (split with Timonium)
- Australian Tour EP (2000) Blackbean & Placenta
- "Miserable" (2000) 555/Yo-Yo
- Electro 2000 EP (2000)
- Felicity EP (2001) 555 (split with Steward & Explosion Robinson)
- Crank It Up! EP (2001) Blackbean & Placenta
- Grassy Flat EP (2008) Dark Beloved Cloud
Albums
- The African Man's Tomato (1987)
- A Love Affair With Nature (1989) No label (reissued 1990 on Feel Good All Over)
- A Love Affair With Nature (1995) Ajax (CD reissue with additional tracks)
- Caveat Emptor (1993) Feel Good All Over
- Short Poppy Syndrome (1994) Ajax
- Witchetty Pole (1994) Ajax (compilation of first EP and first album)
- The Cannanes (1996) Ajax
- Living the Dream (1998) Chapter
- Arty Barbecue (1998) Ajax
- Tiny Frown (1998) Yo-Yo
- Communicating at an Unknown Rate (2000) 555/Yo-Yo (with Steward)
- Trouble Seemed So Far Away (2002) Slabco (with Explosion Robinson)
External links
- Official website
- Cannanes MySpace website
- Sprague, David "Cannanes" at Trouser PressTrouser PressTrouser Press was a rock and roll magazine started in New York in 1974 as a mimeographed fanzine by editor/publisher Ira Robbins, fellow Who fan Dave Schulps and Karen Rose under the name "Trans-Oceanic Trouser Press" ...