The Cat Empire
Encyclopedia
The Cat Empire are an Australian ska
and jazz
band formed in 1999. Core members are Harry James Angus
(trumpet and vocals), Will Hull-Brown (drums), Jamshid "Jumps" Khadiwhala (decks, percussion), Ollie McGill
(keyboard and backing vocals), Ryan Monro
(bass and backing vocals) and Felix Riebl
(percussion and vocals). They are often supplemented by The Empire Horns (a brass
duo) and have recurring guest musicians. Their sound is a fusion of jazz, ska, funk
and rock
with heavy Latin influences.
on keyboards, Felix Riebl
on percussion and vocals and Ryan Monro
on double bass. The band's name was taken from the title of a drawing by Riebl's younger brother, Max, and its distinctive cat's eye icon, known as "Pablo", was created by Ian McGill, Ollie McGill's father. For a few months both groups performed alternate Thursdays at Dizzy's. The Cat Empire's sound is a fusion of jazz, ska, funk
and rock
with heavy Latin influences. They started playing a variety of gigs at other clubs including Bennett's Lane
. The band expanded in July 2001 by adding Harry James Angus
on trumpet, Will Hull-Brown (ex-Jazz Cat) on drums and Jamshid "Jumps" Khadiwala as a DJ on turntables (later on percussion).
In late 2001, the band appeared in the Spiegeltent
at the Melbourne Festival. By year's end, they had released an independent single "Feline" (October) and a live six-track extended play, Live @ Adelphia (December). In early 2002, the group played gigs at the Adelaide Festival of Arts
, and in March, they headlined the Melbourne International Comedy Festival
and St Kilda Film Festival. The ensemble commenced its first overseas tour on the West Coast of the United States playing at The Matrix
in San Francisco and at the Napa Valley Wine Auction in June. The band received a Music for the Future grant to fund the recording of a live album, The Sun, at Melbourne's Adelphia studio. At the Edinburgh Festival
, they played sixteen successive shows in the Late 'n' Live slot between 3am and 5am. They performed at the 2002 Melbourne Festival and a series of local gigs; Kate Ceberano
appeared as a guest vocalist at their final show for the year.
, in seven months during 2003 with producer Andy Baldwin in Melbourne. Between recording sessions they toured Australia, including appearing at the St Kilda Festival
with Ceberano, and at the East Coast Blues & Roots Music Festival
in April. The ensemble was nominated in two categories at the Australian Jazz Bell Awards
. They successfully applied for an International Pathways grant from The Australian Arts Council. The band was featured on BBC Television 4 performing at the 2003 WOMAD Festival. The lead single, "Hello", was placed on high rotation on BBC Radio 1
in August. The group's growing live and critical reputation enabled them to approach record companies for a deal to issue the album in August. They signed with EMI
and Virgin Records
, and, in the UK, with an independent label.
on 19 April 2005. It was recorded in Havana
, Cuba, at Egrem Studios, late in 2004, with production by The Cat Empire, Riebl and Jerry Boys. It debuted at number 1 and remains their only number-one album to date. The tracks were more Latin in flavour, with a higher proportion written by Angus than on the first album. Allmusic's Jeff Tamarkin wrote "Skipping merrily from alt-rock crunch to hip-hop beats, landing on reggae/ska, Latin jazz, and points in between, Two Shoes is clever and brainy, danceable and absorbing". The Australian version contains a hidden track
, called "1001", which is coupled with the track, "The Night That Never End". The lead single, "Sly", was issued ahead of the album on 28 March and reached the top 30. The song appeared on EA Sports' FIFA 08 soundtrack. "The Car Song
", written by Angus, was released as the second single in July, and peaked in the top 50.
In July, the band played two sets at the Cambridge Folk Festival
(Cambridge, United Kingdom). Later in the month, they performed a set on Sunday evening of Sheep Music
(Presteigne
, Wales) Festival for World music
. In October, Two Shoes Deluxe Edition DVD was released, which contained live footage of Lullaby and The Car Song, a documentary on the making of the album in Cuba, the original video clips created for the album, and behind-the-scenes footage. The ensemble also featured on a Triple J CD entitled Like a Version
, featuring cover versions of songs performed by artists on Mel Bampton
's show, Mel In The Morning. Their track was a version of "Hotel California
" (originally by the Eagles), sung in French by Angus. By the end of 2005, The Cat Empire achieved double platinum certificate and Two Shoes achieved platinum status.
, playing their own compositions for approximately an hour as the Games' athletes entered the stadium, introducing the group to an estimated worldwide audience of one billion. The band signed an American record deal with Velour Recordings
, which released a modified version of the second Australian album, Two Shoes with different tracks.
On 1 April 2006, the group issued their third studio album, Cities (aka Cities: The Cat Empire Project) in Australia, which peaked at number 11. Described by the group as "between a tribute to our own city and an experiment in sounds that we've found abroad". A limited edition of 10,000 individually-numbered copies were made available. At the ARIA Music Awards of 2006
, they won the 'Best World Music Album' category and received a nomination for 'Engineer of the Year' for Adam Rhodes' work.
The band toured extensively over the year, visiting Asia, America and Europe and playing over 45 gigs in 12 countries.
The ensemble started 2007 with a busy touring schedule and US TV appearances including the Late Show with David Letterman
in February, followed by The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson
in March. Angus' side project, Jackson Jackson
, released their first album, The Fire Is on the Bird that month. In May, The Cat Empire performed on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. In June, on the group's European tour they appeared on the Avalon Stage at the Glastonbury Festival, where the mud was so deep that Riebl and Khadiwhala performed the "gumboot shuffle".
The Cat Empire released their fourth album, So Many Nights
in Australia on 22 September, it was produced by John Porter
and reached number two. The lead single, "No Longer There
", was issued two weeks earlier and peaked at number 12. "So Many Nights
" was listed at number 50 on the Triple J Hottest 100 for 2007
, while "No Longer There" finished at number 62.
In February 2008, the band concluded their Outdoor Australian Tour, with performances in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Newcastle, Canberra, Geelong, Townsville and Launceston. The group later played at a Melbourne Grand Prix event, sharing the stage with KISS
. In March, the band headlined on the Sunday night at the East Coast Blues & Roots Music Festival in Byron Bay
.
In January 2009, the ensemble opened the Sydney Festival 2009 at The Domain
. In early February, they performed at Hisense Arena as part of the Australian Open
for A Day on the Baseline. Also in February, the group issued Live on Earth – a live album featuring 22 songs recorded around the world – and a DVD Live at the Bowl of their Sidney Myer Music Bowl
performance, with others shows and on-the-road videos. They issued a box set which was limited to 2000 copies. It contained the Live on Earth CD and DVD as well as a tour diary written by Monro, and band memorabilia. On 28 February, the band played two free shows at Bondi Beach and Circular Quay, welcoming donations, in an effort to raise funds to be put towards the Victorian Bushfire Appeal
.
In March, the group played at the annual Bass in the Grass festival in Darwin to a crowd of 5000. They returned to the WOMADelaide Festival for a second time. After touring Australia, the ensemble completed a tour of the UK with Balkan support act, Paprika Balkanicus. The tour started in July at O2 Academy Oxford. The band then performed a range of shows in Melbourne, Brisbane and the Northern Territory, before heading off to Canada for a short tour.
, was issued on 25 June 2010 in Australia, followed by releases in Canada, the US, and then Europe. It was produced by Steve Schram and reached number three. The track, "Beyond All", was featured on Triple J's New Music with Richard Kingsmill in April. However, the lead single, "Feeling's Gone", was released in May.
A promotional copy of Cinema had been leaked to eBay about three weeks before its due date and sold for $200, EMI provided a statement regarding the leak. In October, the ensemble played their 800th show at the O2 Academy Bournemouth in front of a sell out crowd. In April 2011, they performed at the West Coast Blues & Roots Festival
in Fremantle
.
The Empire Horns
An auxiliary group of brass
musicians.
Empirical Strings
Touring string
musicians during 2008:
The Empire Dancers
Ska
Ska |Jamaican]] ) is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s, and was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae. Ska combined elements of Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues...
and jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
band formed in 1999. Core members are Harry James Angus
Harry James Angus
Harry James Angus is an Australian singer-songwriter, trumpet player and guitarist. He is one of the lead vocalists in the Melbourne band The Cat Empire along with Felix Riebl. He joined the group in early 2000...
(trumpet and vocals), Will Hull-Brown (drums), Jamshid "Jumps" Khadiwhala (decks, percussion), Ollie McGill
Ollie McGill
Oliver "Ollie" McGill is an Australian keyboardist best known for his role as the keyboard player and backing vocalist for The Cat Empire...
(keyboard and backing vocals), Ryan Monro
Ryan Monro
Ryan Monro is an Australian bassist, known for playing with Australian ska/jazz band The Cat Empire. He has been bassist for The Cat Empire since its inception and also plays in jazz trio "The Genie", which includes fellow Cat Empire members, Ollie McGill on keyboards and Will Hull Brown on...
(bass and backing vocals) and Felix Riebl
Felix Riebl
Felix Riebl is an Australian singer-songwriter and percussionist. He is one of the lead vocalists in the Melbourne band The Cat Empire along with Harry James Angus...
(percussion and vocals). They are often supplemented by The Empire Horns (a brass
Brass instrument
A brass instrument is a musical instrument whose sound is produced by sympathetic vibration of air in a tubular resonator in sympathy with the vibration of the player's lips...
duo) and have recurring guest musicians. Their sound is a fusion of jazz, ska, funk
Funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid-late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground...
and 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...
with heavy Latin influences.
Beginnings
The Cat Empire's origins are traced back to Jazz Cat, a Melbourne-based band, led by Steve Sedergreen in 1999. Jazz Cat was a nine-piece group from different schools and backgrounds which debuted at the Manly Jazz Festival in Sydney. They gigged around Melbourne's jazz club scene including at Dizzy's (Sedergreen was a part-owner). Late that year, Jazz Cat spawned The Cat Empire, originally as a three-piece, with Ollie McGillOllie McGill
Oliver "Ollie" McGill is an Australian keyboardist best known for his role as the keyboard player and backing vocalist for The Cat Empire...
on keyboards, Felix Riebl
Felix Riebl
Felix Riebl is an Australian singer-songwriter and percussionist. He is one of the lead vocalists in the Melbourne band The Cat Empire along with Harry James Angus...
on percussion and vocals and Ryan Monro
Ryan Monro
Ryan Monro is an Australian bassist, known for playing with Australian ska/jazz band The Cat Empire. He has been bassist for The Cat Empire since its inception and also plays in jazz trio "The Genie", which includes fellow Cat Empire members, Ollie McGill on keyboards and Will Hull Brown on...
on double bass. The band's name was taken from the title of a drawing by Riebl's younger brother, Max, and its distinctive cat's eye icon, known as "Pablo", was created by Ian McGill, Ollie McGill's father. For a few months both groups performed alternate Thursdays at Dizzy's. The Cat Empire's sound is a fusion of jazz, ska, funk
Funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid-late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground...
and 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...
with heavy Latin influences. They started playing a variety of gigs at other clubs including Bennett's Lane
Bennetts Lane Jazz Club
The Bennetts Lane Jazz Club is a music venue, located off Little Lonsdale Street, in the Melbourne CBD. The club hosts local and international musicians. Lonely Planet has called Bennett's "the world's best jazz club". Bennetts Lane has been hosting musicians for 17 years The venue hosts musicians...
. The band expanded in July 2001 by adding Harry James Angus
Harry James Angus
Harry James Angus is an Australian singer-songwriter, trumpet player and guitarist. He is one of the lead vocalists in the Melbourne band The Cat Empire along with Felix Riebl. He joined the group in early 2000...
on trumpet, Will Hull-Brown (ex-Jazz Cat) on drums and Jamshid "Jumps" Khadiwala as a DJ on turntables (later on percussion).
In late 2001, the band appeared in the Spiegeltent
Spiegeltent
A Spiegeltent is a large travelling tent, constructed in wood and canvas and decorated with mirrors and stained glass, intended as an entertainment venue...
at the Melbourne Festival. By year's end, they had released an independent single "Feline" (October) and a live six-track extended play, Live @ Adelphia (December). In early 2002, the group played gigs at the Adelaide Festival of Arts
Adelaide Festival of Arts
The Adelaide Festival of Arts is an arts festival held biennially in the South Australian capital of Adelaide. Although locally considered to be one of the world's greatest celebrations of the arts, that is internationally renowned and the pre-eminent cultural event in Australia, it is actually...
, and in March, they headlined 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 St Kilda Film Festival. The ensemble commenced its first overseas tour on the West Coast of the United States playing at The Matrix
The Matrix (club)
The Matrix, a renovated former pizza shop, was a nightclub in San Francisco from 1965 to 1972 and was one of the keys to what eventually became known as the "San Francisco Sound" in rock music...
in San Francisco and at the Napa Valley Wine Auction in June. The band received a Music for the Future grant to fund the recording of a live album, The Sun, at Melbourne's Adelphia studio. At the Edinburgh Festival
Edinburgh Festival
The Edinburgh Festival is a collective term for many arts and cultural festivals that take place in Edinburgh, Scotland each summer, mostly in August...
, they played sixteen successive shows in the Late 'n' Live slot between 3am and 5am. They performed at the 2002 Melbourne Festival and a series of local gigs; Kate Ceberano
Kate Ceberano
Kate Ceberano is an Australian singer. She achieved success in the soul, jazz and pop genres as well as in her brief forays into musicals with Jesus Christ Superstar and film...
appeared as a guest vocalist at their final show for the year.
Debut album
The Cat Empire recorded its debut studio album, The Cat EmpireThe Cat Empire (album)
The Cat Empire is the eponymous studio debut album of Melbourne band The Cat Empire. Released in October 2003 in Australia, it went platinum in Australia in February 2004.-Recording of the album:...
, in seven months during 2003 with producer Andy Baldwin in Melbourne. Between recording sessions they toured Australia, including appearing at the St Kilda Festival
St Kilda Festival
The St Kilda Festival is a popular community festival held in the Melbourne suburb of St Kilda. Traditionally held on the second Sunday in February, the festival is about showcasing live Australian music, family and children's entertainment, beach activities and much more all presented in a...
with Ceberano, and at the East Coast Blues & Roots Music Festival
East Coast Blues & Roots Music Festival
The East Coast International Blues & Roots Music Festival, also known as Byron Bay Bluesfest, is an annual music festival held for five days over the Easter long weekend at Byron Bay, New South Wales, Australia...
in April. The ensemble was nominated in two categories at the Australian Jazz Bell Awards
Australian Jazz Bell Awards
Australian Jazz Bell Awards, also known just as the Bell Awards or The Bells, are annual music awards for the jazz music genre in Australia...
. They successfully applied for an International Pathways grant from The Australian Arts Council. The band was featured on BBC Television 4 performing at the 2003 WOMAD Festival. The lead single, "Hello", was placed on high rotation 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...
in August. The group's growing live and critical reputation enabled them to approach record companies for a deal to issue the album in August. They signed with EMI
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
and Virgin Records
Virgin Records
Virgin Records is a British record label founded by English entrepreneur Richard Branson, Simon Draper, and Nik Powell in 1972. The company grew to be a worldwide music phenomenon, with platinum performers such as Roy Orbison, Devo, Genesis, Keith Richards, Janet Jackson, Culture Club, Lenny...
, and, in the UK, with an independent label.
Two Shoes
The Cat Empire released their second album, Two ShoesTwo Shoes
Two Shoes is the second studio album by Australian band The Cat Empire, the follow-up to the wildly successful self-titled first album, The Cat Empire...
on 19 April 2005. It was recorded in Havana
Havana
Havana is the capital city, province, major port, and leading commercial centre of Cuba. The city proper has a population of 2.1 million inhabitants, and it spans a total of — making it the largest city in the Caribbean region, and the most populous...
, Cuba, at Egrem Studios, late in 2004, with production by The Cat Empire, Riebl and Jerry Boys. It debuted at number 1 and remains their only number-one album to date. The tracks were more Latin in flavour, with a higher proportion written by Angus than on the first album. Allmusic's Jeff Tamarkin wrote "Skipping merrily from alt-rock crunch to hip-hop beats, landing on reggae/ska, Latin jazz, and points in between, Two Shoes is clever and brainy, danceable and absorbing". The Australian version contains a hidden track
Hidden track
In the field of recorded music, a hidden track is a piece of music that has been placed on a CD, audio cassette, vinyl record or other recorded medium in such a way as to avoid detection by the casual listener...
, called "1001", which is coupled with the track, "The Night That Never End". The lead single, "Sly", was issued ahead of the album on 28 March and reached the top 30. The song appeared on EA Sports' FIFA 08 soundtrack. "The Car Song
The Car Song
"The Car Song" is the fourth track and second single from Two Shoes, the second album from the Australian band The Cat Empire. The single peaked at #46 in the Australian singles chart....
", written by Angus, was released as the second single in July, and peaked in the top 50.
In July, the band played two sets at the Cambridge Folk Festival
Cambridge Folk Festival
The Cambridge Folk Festival is an annual music festival held on the site of Cherry Hinton Hall in Cherry Hinton, one of the villages subsumed by the city of Cambridge, England. The festival is renowned for its eclectic mix of music and a wide definition of what might be considered folk. It occurs...
(Cambridge, United Kingdom). Later in the month, they performed a set on Sunday evening of Sheep Music
Sheep Music
Sheep Music is an internationally acclaimed three-day world music festival which takes place during July each year in Presteigne . It has more than 15 years of history to its name, starting as a party on The Warden around 1992. Since moving to its current site at Wentes Meadow in the mid 90’s it...
(Presteigne
Presteigne
Presteigne is a town and community in Powys, Wales. It was the county town of the historic county of Radnorshire, and is in the Diocese of Hereford...
, Wales) Festival for World music
World music
World music is a term with widely varying definitions, often encompassing music which is primarily identified as another genre. This is evidenced by world music definitions such as "all of the music in the world" or "somebody else's local music"...
. In October, Two Shoes Deluxe Edition DVD was released, which contained live footage of Lullaby and The Car Song, a documentary on the making of the album in Cuba, the original video clips created for the album, and behind-the-scenes footage. The ensemble also featured on a Triple J CD entitled Like a Version
Like A Version
Like a Version is a segment on the Australian radio station Triple J. It was created by Mel Bampton as part of the Mel in the Morning program. Currently the segment pops up whenever artists are available and willing to do it, though mainly on the Breakfast show...
, featuring cover versions of songs performed by artists on Mel Bampton
Mel Bampton
Melissa "Mel" Bampton is an Australian radio announcer, best known for her work on the Triple J network.She began at the station in 2000 as producer of the Drive show - with Costa Zouliou, Myf Warhurst, Nicole Fossati and Charlie Pickering at various times...
's show, Mel In The Morning. Their track was a version of "Hotel California
Hotel California (song)
"Hotel California" is the title song from the Eagles' album of the same name and was released as a single in February 1977. It is one of the best-known songs of the album-oriented rock era. Writing credits for the song are shared by Don Felder, Don Henley and Glenn Frey...
" (originally by the Eagles), sung in French by Angus. By the end of 2005, The Cat Empire achieved double platinum certificate and Two Shoes achieved platinum status.
Cities to So Many Nights
In March 2006, The Cat Empire participated in the opening ceremony of the Melbourne Commonwealth Games2006 Commonwealth Games
The 2006 Commonwealth Games were held in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia between 15 March and 26 March 2006. It was the largest sporting event to be staged in Melbourne, eclipsing the 1956 Summer Olympics in terms of the number of teams competing, athletes competing, and events being held.The site...
, playing their own compositions for approximately an hour as the Games' athletes entered the stadium, introducing the group to an estimated worldwide audience of one billion. The band signed an American record deal with Velour Recordings
Velour Recordings
Velour Recordings is an American record label founded in 1999 in New York by Jeff Krasno and Sean Hoess.-Signed artists include:* The Cat Empire* Soulive* Kaki King* Melissa Errico* Maktub* Topaz* Lettuce* Kudu* Baba* Sonya Kitchell...
, which released a modified version of the second Australian album, Two Shoes with different tracks.
On 1 April 2006, the group issued their third studio album, Cities (aka Cities: The Cat Empire Project) in Australia, which peaked at number 11. Described by the group as "between a tribute to our own city and an experiment in sounds that we've found abroad". A limited edition of 10,000 individually-numbered copies were made available. At the ARIA Music Awards of 2006
ARIA Music Awards of 2006
The 20th Annual Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards were held on 29 October 2006 at the Acer Arena at the Sydney Olympic Park complex...
, they won the 'Best World Music Album' category and received a nomination for 'Engineer of the Year' for Adam Rhodes' work.
The band toured extensively over the year, visiting Asia, America and Europe and playing over 45 gigs in 12 countries.
The ensemble started 2007 with a busy touring schedule and US TV appearances including the Late Show with David Letterman
Late Show with David Letterman
Late Show with David Letterman is a U.S. late-night talk show hosted by David Letterman on CBS. The show debuted on August 30, 1993, and is produced by Letterman's production company, Worldwide Pants Incorporated. The show's music director and band-leader of the house band, the CBS Orchestra, is...
in February, followed by The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson
The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson
The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson is a Peabody Award-winning American late-night talk show hosted by Scottish American comedian Craig Ferguson. Ferguson, the third regular host of the Late Late Show franchise, follows Late Show with David Letterman in the CBS late-night lineup...
in March. Angus' side project, Jackson Jackson
Jackson Jackson
Jackson Jackson is a hip-hop group from Melbourne, Australia consisting of Harry James Angus and Jan Skubiszewski .For live performances, they are joined by keyboards, bass, drums and backup vocalists.Jackson Jackson's first album,...
, released their first album, The Fire Is on the Bird that month. In May, The Cat Empire performed on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. In June, on the group's European tour they appeared on the Avalon Stage at the Glastonbury Festival, where the mud was so deep that Riebl and Khadiwhala performed the "gumboot shuffle".
The Cat Empire released their fourth album, So Many Nights
So Many Nights
So Many Nights is The Cat Empire's fourth studio album. On 30 July 2007, the band announced on their website and to their mailing list that the album has been released on 22 September. The release of the album was followed by an Australian tour in September and October. On 14 October, the band...
in Australia on 22 September, it was produced by John Porter
John Porter (musician)
John Porter is an English musician and record producer.-Biography:He attended St Michael's School, Allerton Grange School, King's College, and Newcastle University....
and reached number two. The lead single, "No Longer There
No Longer There
"No Longer There" is the first single to be taken from The Cat Empire's fourth album, So Many Nights. The single peaked at #12 in the Australian singles chart...
", was issued two weeks earlier and peaked at number 12. "So Many Nights
So Many Nights (song)
"So Many Nights" is the title track from The Cat Empire's 2007 album of the same name. It was the second single released from the album and was released as an EP on the iTunes Store...
" was listed at number 50 on the Triple J Hottest 100 for 2007
Triple J Hottest 100, 2007
The 2007 Triple J Hottest 100 was announced on Australia Day, 26 January 2008. It was the fifteenth countdown of the most popular songs of the year, as chosen by the listeners of Australian radio station Triple J....
, while "No Longer There" finished at number 62.
In February 2008, the band concluded their Outdoor Australian Tour, with performances in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Newcastle, Canberra, Geelong, Townsville and Launceston. The group later played at a Melbourne Grand Prix event, sharing the stage with KISS
KISS (band)
Kiss is an American rock band formed in New York City in January 1973. Well-known for its members' face paint and flamboyant stage outfits, the group rose to prominence in the mid to late 1970s on the basis of their elaborate live performances, which featured fire breathing, blood spitting,...
. In March, the band headlined on the Sunday night at the East Coast Blues & Roots Music Festival in Byron Bay
Byron Bay, New South Wales
Byron Bay is a beachside town located in the far-northeastern corner of the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is located north of Sydney and south of Brisbane. Cape Byron, a headland adjacent to the town, is the easternmost point of mainland Australia. At the 2006 Census, the town had a...
.
In January 2009, the ensemble opened the Sydney Festival 2009 at The Domain
The Domain, Sydney
The Domain is 34 hectares of open space in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It is located on the eastern edge of the Sydney central business district, near Woolloomooloo. The Domain adjoins the Royal Botanic Gardens and is managed by the Royal Botanic Gardens Trust, a division of the New South...
. In early February, they performed at Hisense Arena as part of the Australian Open
Australian Open
The Australian Open is the only Grand Slam tennis tournament held in the southern hemisphere. The tournament was held for the first time in 1905 and was last contested on grass in 1987. Since 1972 the Australian Open has been held in Melbourne, Victoria. In 1988, the tournament became a hard court...
for A Day on the Baseline. Also in February, the group issued Live on Earth – a live album featuring 22 songs recorded around the world – and a DVD Live at the Bowl of their Sidney Myer Music Bowl
Sidney Myer Music Bowl
The Sidney Myer Music Bowl is an outdoor performance venue in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It is located in the lawns and gardens of Kings Domain, close to the Arts Centre and the Southbank entertainment precinct...
performance, with others shows and on-the-road videos. They issued a box set which was limited to 2000 copies. It contained the Live on Earth CD and DVD as well as a tour diary written by Monro, and band memorabilia. On 28 February, the band played two free shows at Bondi Beach and Circular Quay, welcoming donations, in an effort to raise funds to be put towards the Victorian Bushfire Appeal
Responses to the Black Saturday bushfire crisis
The Black Saturday bushfires were a series of bushfires that ignited across the Australian state of Victoria during extreme weather conditions on 7 February 2009...
.
In March, the group played at the annual Bass in the Grass festival in Darwin to a crowd of 5000. They returned to the WOMADelaide Festival for a second time. After touring Australia, the ensemble completed a tour of the UK with Balkan support act, Paprika Balkanicus. The tour started in July at O2 Academy Oxford. The band then performed a range of shows in Melbourne, Brisbane and the Northern Territory, before heading off to Canada for a short tour.
Cinema
The Cat Empire's fifth studio album, CinemaCinema (The Cat Empire album)
Cinema is the fifth studio album of eclectic Melbourne-based band The Cat Empire. It was released in Australia on 25 June 2010 by EMI.-Track listing:-External links:**...
, was issued on 25 June 2010 in Australia, followed by releases in Canada, the US, and then Europe. It was produced by Steve Schram and reached number three. The track, "Beyond All", was featured on Triple J's New Music with Richard Kingsmill in April. However, the lead single, "Feeling's Gone", was released in May.
A promotional copy of Cinema had been leaked to eBay about three weeks before its due date and sold for $200, EMI provided a statement regarding the leak. In October, the ensemble played their 800th show at the O2 Academy Bournemouth in front of a sell out crowd. In April 2011, they performed at the West Coast Blues & Roots Festival
West Coast Blues & Roots Festival
The West Coast Blues 'n' Roots Festival is an annual music festival held in Fremantle, Western Australia. It features many blues and roots performers, both international and local.-History:...
in Fremantle
Fremantle
Freemantle is a suburb of Southampton in England.Fremantle or Freemantle may also refer to:- Places :* Fremantle, the port city to the capital Perth, Western Australia...
.
Band members
Core members- Ollie McGillOllie McGillOliver "Ollie" McGill is an Australian keyboardist best known for his role as the keyboard player and backing vocalist for The Cat Empire...
– pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, keyboardKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, recorder, tubular bellTubular bellTubular bells are musical instruments in the percussion family. Each bell is a metal tube, 30–38 mm in diameter, tuned by altering its length. Its standard range is from C4-F5, though many professional instruments reach G5 . Tubular bells are often replaced by studio chimes, which are a smaller...
s, backing vocals, MelodicaMelodicaThe melodica, also known as the "blow-organ" or "key-flute", is a free-reed instrument similar to the melodeon and harmonica. It has a musical keyboard on top, and is played by blowing air through a mouthpiece that fits into a hole in the side of the instrument. Pressing a key opens a hole,...
(1999–present) - Ryan MonroRyan MonroRyan Monro is an Australian bassist, known for playing with Australian ska/jazz band The Cat Empire. He has been bassist for The Cat Empire since its inception and also plays in jazz trio "The Genie", which includes fellow Cat Empire members, Ollie McGill on keyboards and Will Hull Brown on...
– double bassDouble bassThe double bass, also called the string bass, upright bass, standup bass or contrabass, is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra, with strings usually tuned to E1, A1, D2 and G2...
, bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, backing vocals (1999–present) - Felix RieblFelix RieblFelix Riebl is an Australian singer-songwriter and percussionist. He is one of the lead vocalists in the Melbourne band The Cat Empire along with Harry James Angus...
– lead vocals, percussionPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
(1999–present) - Harry James AngusHarry James AngusHarry James Angus is an Australian singer-songwriter, trumpet player and guitarist. He is one of the lead vocalists in the Melbourne band The Cat Empire along with Felix Riebl. He joined the group in early 2000...
– trumpetTrumpetThe trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
and lead vocals; recorderRecorderThe recorder is a woodwind musical instrument of the family known as fipple flutes or internal duct flutes—whistle-like instruments which include the tin whistle. The recorder is end-blown and the mouth of the instrument is constricted by a wooden plug, known as a block or fipple...
and resonatorResonatorA resonator is a device or system that exhibits resonance or resonant behavior, that is, it naturally oscillates at some frequencies, called its resonant frequencies, with greater amplitude than at others. The oscillations in a resonator can be either electromagnetic or mechanical...
(2001–present) - Will Hull-Brown – drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
(2001–present) - Jamshid "DJ Jumps" Khadiwhala – turntablesPhonographThe phonograph record player, or gramophone is a device introduced in 1877 that has had continued common use for reproducing sound recordings, although when first developed, the phonograph was used to both record and reproduce sounds...
, tambourineTambourineThe tambourine or marine is a musical instrument of the percussion family consisting of a frame, often of wood or plastic, with pairs of small metal jingles, called "zils". Classically the term tambourine denotes an instrument with a drumhead, though some variants may not have a head at all....
, claveClavesClaves are a percussion instrument , consisting of a pair of short Claves (Anglicized pronunciation: clah-vays, IPA:[ˈklαves]) are a percussion instrument (idiophone), consisting of a pair of short Claves (Anglicized pronunciation: clah-vays, IPA:[ˈklαves]) are a percussion instrument (idiophone),...
, also dances (2001–present)
The Empire Horns
An auxiliary group of brass
Brass instrument
A brass instrument is a musical instrument whose sound is produced by sympathetic vibration of air in a tubular resonator in sympathy with the vibration of the player's lips...
musicians.
- Kieran Conrau – trombone
- Ross Irwin – trumpet, flugelhorn, backing vocals
- Ari Farrar – trumpet, backing vocals) [When Irwin is unavailable]
- Carlo Barbaro – Tenor Saxophone) [Played with the band until the So Many Nights period]
Empirical Strings
Touring string
String instrument
A string instrument is a musical instrument that produces sound by means of vibrating strings. In the Hornbostel-Sachs scheme of musical instrument classification, used in organology, they are called chordophones...
musicians during 2008:
- Jonny Ng (violin)
- Adam Cadell (violin)
- Neil Thompson (viola)
- Dale Rickert (cello)
- Fran Haysey (triangle)
- Paul Cashmere (tubular bells)
The Empire Dancers
- Fai Khadiwhala
- Anthony (Bboy Lamaroc)
- Carlos (Bboy Pepito)
- DJ Rude Bouy
- Benny 'BJ' Riley
- John Hurle
Discography
Studio albums- The Cat EmpireThe Cat Empire (album)The Cat Empire is the eponymous studio debut album of Melbourne band The Cat Empire. Released in October 2003 in Australia, it went platinum in Australia in February 2004.-Recording of the album:...
(2003) - Two ShoesTwo ShoesTwo Shoes is the second studio album by Australian band The Cat Empire, the follow-up to the wildly successful self-titled first album, The Cat Empire...
(2005) - Cities: The Cat Empire Project (2006)
- So Many NightsSo Many NightsSo Many Nights is The Cat Empire's fourth studio album. On 30 July 2007, the band announced on their website and to their mailing list that the album has been released on 22 September. The release of the album was followed by an Australian tour in September and October. On 14 October, the band...
(2007) - CinemaCinema (The Cat Empire album)Cinema is the fifth studio album of eclectic Melbourne-based band The Cat Empire. It was released in Australia on 25 June 2010 by EMI.-Track listing:-External links:**...
(2010)