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Tripod (band)
Encyclopedia
Tripod is an Australian musical comedy act, specialising in improv, parody
and satire
. As its name suggests, the band is a trio; it comprises Scod (Scott Edgar), Yon (Simon Hall) and Gatesy (Steven Gates). The trio cover a wide variety of performance styles, from soft ballads to hard rock, performing these songs with only the aid of Scod (and, at times, Gatesy) playing acoustic guitar.
. During their shows, they have made passing references to their history of busking
in Melbourne malls. The band got their first break appearing on Hey Hey It's Saturday
' s "Red Faces" contest, where they performed a parodic medley of Oasis
hits that demonstrated similarities between the songs.
The band gained further fame performing in the Melbourne International Comedy Festival
, and making various radio appearances. On the Triple J
drive-time show Merrick and Rosso
, they had a weekly spot where they were challenged to write a song in an hour, with the topic and style chosen by the hosts. This format was continued from 2002–2004, when they appeared on the Triple J breakfast show with Wil Anderson
and Adam Spencer
, with the Song in an Hour Challenge. Two CDs containing some of the finest examples of these sessions have been released, each including recordings taken from live Song-In-An-Hour challenges featured in Tripod's Pod August Nights concerts. In late 2005, they moved to Fox FM
where they could be heard on Peter Helliar
's weekly Friday morning show, Pete's Show. Recently they performed at the Microsoft CES Keynote.
In 2005, Tripod performed the show "Lady Robots v1.1" at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival: a musical/comedy type stage-show telling the story of three men, hurled into space where they come across a planet populated only by Lady Robots. This is a slightly different version than the original Lady Robots first previewed at the 2002 Adelaide Fringe, then performed at the MICF of the same year. Both versions of Lady Robots have toured Australia since 2002. Tripod began touring their latest show "Tripod are Self Saucing" in 2004, continuing into the 2006 MICF.
The band are regular performers at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival
, and featured in Network Ten
's sketch comedy
television show skitHOUSE
.
Tripod's first DVD release was a live recording of their show "POD August Nights
" and is regarded as a showcase of "the Best of Tripod". The DVD includes numerous special features, including a music video for one of their songs, "Gonna Make You Happy Tonight" that was featured on their album, "Middleborough Rd.".
A DVD version of their show, "Tosswinkle the Pirate" has recently been released following the original 2001 VHS release, as well as a live recording of one of their live shows at the 2006 Melbourne International Comedy Festival, titled "Songs from Self Saucing."
Tripod were core cast performers on the ABC
program The Sideshow
, and performed a number of their songs on the show, including "Gonna Make You Happy Tonight", "Krap Karate", and "Snapshots".
Tripod performed during Microsoft
's keynote address at the 2009 Consumer Electronics Show
.
On January 30, 2010 Tripod held the world premiere of their comic musical Tripod versus the Dragon at the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art
in North Adams, Massachusetts, United States. Elana Stone
co-starred in the production in the role of "The Dungeon Master/Dragon". The production is based on the Dungeons and Dragons role-playing game
. Tripod went on to perform this show at the Adelaide Fringe Festival, Melbourne International Comedy Festival, Sydney Comedy Festival, and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival of 2010. They also released a "bootleg" CD of songs from the musical.
Tripod are self-professed geeks, and also reference video games and Star Wars
in many of their songs. They were also honoured with a reference in the Star Wars novel Force Heretic II
. On Page 223 of the paperback version, the names Yon, Gaitzi and Scod were used, as well as the name Tripod. Their canonical standing is still being disputed.
Parody
A parody , in current usage, is an imitative work created to mock, comment on, or trivialise an original work, its subject, author, style, or some other target, by means of humorous, satiric or ironic imitation...
and satire
Satire
Satire is primarily a literary genre or form, although in practice it can also be found in the graphic and performing arts. In satire, vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, ideally with the intent of shaming individuals, and society itself, into improvement...
. As its name suggests, the band is a trio; it comprises Scod (Scott Edgar), Yon (Simon Hall) and Gatesy (Steven Gates). The trio cover a wide variety of performance styles, from soft ballads to hard rock, performing these songs with only the aid of Scod (and, at times, Gatesy) playing acoustic guitar.
History
Tripod formed when the three members were attending University of MelbourneUniversity of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne is a public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. Founded in 1853, it is the second oldest university in Australia and the oldest in Victoria...
. During their shows, they have made passing references to their history of busking
Busking
Street performance or busking is the practice of performing in public places, for gratuities, which are generally in the form of money and edibles...
in Melbourne malls. The band got their first break appearing on Hey Hey It's Saturday
Hey Hey It's Saturday
Hey Hey It's Saturday was a long-running variety television program on Australian television. It initially ran for 27 years , debuting on the Nine Network on 9 October 1971 and broadcasting its last episode on 20 November 1999. Its host throughout its entire run was Daryl Somers, who would later...
Oasis (band)
Oasis were an English rock band formed in Manchester in 1991. Originally known as The Rain, the group was formed by Liam Gallagher , Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs , Paul "Guigsy" McGuigan and Tony McCarroll , who were soon joined by Liam's older brother Noel Gallagher...
hits that demonstrated similarities between the songs.
The band gained further fame 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 various radio appearances. On the 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...
drive-time show Merrick and Rosso
Merrick and Rosso
Merrick and Rosso are an Australian comedy duo, Merrick Watts and Tim Ross. The duo began in stand up comedy and first came together when they teamed up for a one off comedy show in 1996...
, they had a weekly spot where they were challenged to write a song in an hour, with the topic and style chosen by the hosts. This format was continued from 2002–2004, when they appeared on the Triple J breakfast show with Wil Anderson
Wil Anderson
William James "Wil" Anderson is an Australian comedian, writer, performing stand-up, and television and radio presenter and personality.- Early life :...
and Adam Spencer
Adam Spencer
Adam Barrington Spencer is an Australian radio presenter, comedian, and media personality. He first came to fame when he won his round of the comedic talent search Raw Comedy in the mid-1990s...
, with the Song in an Hour Challenge. Two CDs containing some of the finest examples of these sessions have been released, each including recordings taken from live Song-In-An-Hour challenges featured in Tripod's Pod August Nights concerts. In late 2005, they moved to Fox FM
FOX FM (Melbourne)
Fox FM is a radio station that serves the Melbourne, Australia, broadcasting on the FM band at a frequency of 101.9 MHz. Licensed to Mount Dandenong, Victoria, the station is currently owned by the Austereo Radio Network. The station's transmitter is located on the ATV-10 transmission tower on top...
where they could be heard on Peter Helliar
Peter Helliar
Peter Jason Matthew Helliar is an Australian comedian, actor and writer. Most famous for his work on television as Rove McManus' sidekick on The Loft Live from 1997 to 1998 and on Rove from 1999 and 2009...
's weekly Friday morning show, Pete's Show. Recently they performed at the Microsoft CES Keynote.
In 2005, Tripod performed the show "Lady Robots v1.1" at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival: a musical/comedy type stage-show telling the story of three men, hurled into space where they come across a planet populated only by Lady Robots. This is a slightly different version than the original Lady Robots first previewed at the 2002 Adelaide Fringe, then performed at the MICF of the same year. Both versions of Lady Robots have toured Australia since 2002. Tripod began touring their latest show "Tripod are Self Saucing" in 2004, continuing into the 2006 MICF.
The band are regular performers 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...
, and featured in Network Ten
Network Ten
Network Ten , is one of Australia's three major commercial television networks. Owned-and-operated stations can be found in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, while affiliates extend the network to cover most of the country...
's sketch comedy
Sketch comedy
A sketch comedy consists of a series of short comedy scenes or vignettes, called "sketches," commonly between one and ten minutes long. Such sketches are performed by a group of comic actors or comedians, either on stage or through an audio and/or visual medium such as broadcasting...
television show skitHOUSE
SkitHOUSE
skitHOUSE was an Australian sketch comedy television series that ran on Network Ten from 9 February, 2003 to 28 July, 2004. The series was produced by Roving Enterprises. It featured many well-known Australian comedians, including comedy-band Tripod. Reruns can now be seen on The Comedy Channel on...
.
Tripod's first DVD release was a live recording of their show "POD August Nights
Pod August Night
Tripod: Pod August Night is a DVD recording of the last performance of 'The Triumphant Return Of Pod August Nights' by the Australian comedy act Tripod...
" and is regarded as a showcase of "the Best of Tripod". The DVD includes numerous special features, including a music video for one of their songs, "Gonna Make You Happy Tonight" that was featured on their album, "Middleborough Rd.".
A DVD version of their show, "Tosswinkle the Pirate" has recently been released following the original 2001 VHS release, as well as a live recording of one of their live shows at the 2006 Melbourne International Comedy Festival, titled "Songs from Self Saucing."
Tripod were core cast performers on the ABC
ABC Television
ABC Television is a service of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation launched in 1956. As a public broadcasting broadcaster, the ABC provides four non-commercial channels within Australia, and a partially advertising-funded satellite channel overseas....
program The Sideshow
The Sideshow
The Sideshow was an Australian television programme that was broadcast on ABC TV in 2007. The show was a mixture of stand-up comedy, sketches, live music, circus stunts, cabaret and burlesque. The hour long show was hosted by Paul McDermott...
, and performed a number of their songs on the show, including "Gonna Make You Happy Tonight", "Krap Karate", and "Snapshots".
Tripod performed during Microsoft
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
's keynote address at the 2009 Consumer Electronics Show
Consumer Electronics Show
The International Consumer Electronics Show is a major technology-related trade show held each January in the Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nevada, United States. Not open to the public, the Consumer Electronics Association-sponsored show typically hosts previews of products and new...
.
On January 30, 2010 Tripod held the world premiere of their comic musical Tripod versus the Dragon at the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art
Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art
The Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art, commonly referred to as MASS MoCA, is a museum in a converted factory building located in North Adams, Massachusetts, USA. It is one of the largest centers for contemporary visual art and performing arts in the country.MASS MoCA opened with 19...
in North Adams, Massachusetts, United States. Elana Stone
Elana Stone
Elana Stone is a vocalist, songwriter, pianist, accordion player, and band leader based in Sydney, Australia. Described by John Bailey from Sunday Age as 'One of the most impressive singing voices in the country' , her album In the Garden of Wild Things was released in 2006 on the Jazzgroove label...
co-starred in the production in the role of "The Dungeon Master/Dragon". The production is based on the Dungeons and Dragons role-playing game
Role-playing game
A role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...
. Tripod went on to perform this show at the Adelaide Fringe Festival, Melbourne International Comedy Festival, Sydney Comedy Festival, and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival of 2010. They also released a "bootleg" CD of songs from the musical.
Style
Tripod's songs are spread across a number of different styles. At times they use humorous sounds, such as "Yon and his Flute" from the Open Slather album, but their particular brand of humour stems from the lyrics of their songs and the comedic timing between the three men, often including scripted bickering on stage. The lyrics are often satirical, or use off-beat humour. Topics have included movie-style martial arts, stalking, interesting Shakespearean-era words, and counterterrorism.Tripod are self-professed geeks, and also reference video games and Star Wars
Star Wars
Star Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year...
in many of their songs. They were also honoured with a reference in the Star Wars novel Force Heretic II
Force Heretic: Refugee
Force Heretic: Refugee is the second novel in a three-part story by Sean Williams and Shane Dix, the other two being Remnant , and Reunion...
. On Page 223 of the paperback version, the names Yon, Gaitzi and Scod were used, as well as the name Tripod. Their canonical standing is still being disputed.
Discography
- Box Set (1997, out of production)
- Open Slather (April 2000)
- Open Slather Special Christmas Edition feat. Tripod Live April 2000 (November 2000, out of production)
- Tripod tells the tale of the Adventures of Tosswinkle the Pirate (Not Very Well) (2001) (VHSVHSThe Video Home System is a consumer-level analog recording videocassette standard developed by Victor Company of Japan ....
) - About An Hour of Song-In-An-Hour (2002)
- About An Hour of Song-In-An-Hour ... Again (2003)
- Fegh MahaFegh MahaFegh Maha is the fifth album released by Australian comedy trio Tripod, and their second live album. It was nominated in 2004 for the ARIA category Best Comedy Release....
(2004) - Middleborough RdMiddleborough RdMiddleborough Rd is the sixth album released by Australian comedy trio Tripod. It was released on 11 October 2004.It consists of many songs previously heard on the Australian television show skitHOUSE, on which Tripod feature...
(2004) - Pod August NightPod August NightTripod: Pod August Night is a DVD recording of the last performance of 'The Triumphant Return Of Pod August Nights' by the Australian comedy act Tripod...
(2006) (DVDDVD-VideoDVD-Video is a consumer video format used to store digital video on DVD discs, and is currently the dominant consumer video format in Asia, North America, Europe, and Australia. Discs using the DVD-Video specification require a DVD drive and a MPEG-2 decoder...
) - Tripod tells the tale of the Adventures of Tosswinkle the Pirate (Not Very Well) (2006) (DVDDVD-VideoDVD-Video is a consumer video format used to store digital video on DVD discs, and is currently the dominant consumer video format in Asia, North America, Europe, and Australia. Discs using the DVD-Video specification require a DVD drive and a MPEG-2 decoder...
) - Perfectly Good Songs (Mini Album) (2006)
- Songs from Self SaucingSongs from Self SaucingSongs from Self Saucing is the seventh album released by Australian comedy bandTripod, and their third live album. The album was recorded April 2006, duringthe last “Tripod are: Self Saucing’ show at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, in...
(2006) - For The Love of God!: A Tripod Christmas Album (2008)
- Live At Woodford (2009) (DVD)
- Tripod Versus The Dragon (2010)
Awards
- The album Middleborough RdMiddleborough RdMiddleborough Rd is the sixth album released by Australian comedy trio Tripod. It was released on 11 October 2004.It consists of many songs previously heard on the Australian television show skitHOUSE, on which Tripod feature...
won the award for Best Comedy Release at the 2005 ARIAAustralian Recording Industry AssociationThe Australian Recording Industry Association is a trade group representing the Australian recording industry which was established in 1983 by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing the Association of Australian Record Manufacturers which was formed in 1956...
Awards.