Angus & Julia Stone

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Angus & Julia Stone
Angus & Julia Stone performing at Falls Festival, 2007
Background information
Origin	Sydney, Australia
Genres	Folk, blues, acoustic
Instruments	Vocals, guitar, harmonica, trumpet, cello, mandolin, drums
Years active	2006–present
Labels	EMI, Flock Music/PIAS, Nettwerk, Discograph
Website	www.angusandjuliastone.com
Members
Angus Stone Julia Stone

Angus & Julia Stone are an Australian brother-sister duo from Newport on the Northern Beaches of Sydney. Forming in 2005, their parents are both musical and played as a folk duo before Angus and Julia were born.^[1]

History

Early years and musical style

Angus and Julia began to collaborate on their musical endeavours in early 2006.^[2] Prior to that, both performed as solo artists, principally at open mic nights, but with each using the other as a backing partner. They first performed together at the Coogee Bay hotel in Sydney in 2005 with Angus performing and Julia singing back-up.^[3] In terms of composing material, they write on their own, then work together on structure and harmonies.

Both Angus and Julia have distinctive vocal styles. The Sydney Morning Herald's Bernard Zuel described their vocals as such: "Her voice has a fractured feel like Jolie Holland; his has a smoke-on-the-beach drawl." UK journalist Johnny Sharp of Mojo stated, "Most impressive, though, are the songs – simple but blindingly effective acoustic compositions, warm boy-girl harmonies and delicate, less-is-more arrangements. Resistance is surely futile."

2006: Chocolates and Cigarettes and Heart Full of Wine EPs

Angus and Julia began recording their first EP Chocolates and Cigarettes in March 2006. It was officially released on 26 August 2006. Their first single "Paper Aeroplane" was played on Australian radio in April on local radio station FBI. That same month Angus and Julia played at The Great Escape Festival in Sydney, Australia.

At the end of July 2006, the Stones played to two hundred people packed in a tiny tent at the Splendour in the Grass festival in Byron Bay, Australia. By August they had signed a two-EP distribution deal with EMI Music in Australia and independent label Independiente Records in the UK and had packed their bags and headed for London to live.^[4]

While in the UK, they were invited into Chris Potter's studio (The Verve/Richard Ashcroft) to record. Fran Healy from UK band Travis had also just heard their debut EP and also invited them to his house to record. The result of these two matchups was the duo's second EP, Heart Full of Wine.

During their time together, Healy also helped the brother and sister with material which would later become a part of their debut album A Book Like This. With a producer to guide them, Angus & Julia sat on Fran's lounge-room floor, continuing to record songs, using vintage guitars and microphones.^[5] The rest of the songs from the album would be recorded in their mother's lounge room back in Newport with producer and friend, Ian Pritchett.^[6]

At the end of 2006, Angus & Julia signed a worldwide publishing deal with Sony/ATV Music Publishing and CAA came on board as their UK/Europe agent.

2007–2009: A Book Like This and Lady of the Sunshine's Smoking Gun

Angus & Julia Stone

The year 2007 commenced with Angus & Julia at home in Australia playing at January's Big Day Out Festival.^[7] Their single "Paper Aeroplane" reached No. 43 on the Triple J Hottest 100, 2006,^[8] and the duo signed an album deal with EMI Music Australia.

In February they played their first national Australian tour which sold out. In the same month, Chocolates and Cigarettes and Heart Full of Wine were double-packed and released in Australia and the UK. The double EP rocketed to No. 12 on UK iTunes and their single "Private Lawns" was Single of the Week on BBC Radio 2, the UK's largest radio station, and received great reviews – "Their finest track, it's cheeky toe-taping rhythm impossible to resist" by London's^[9] . The double EP has sold over 35,000 copies in Australia.^[10]

In late March 2007 the Stones' signed on with the William Morris Agency as their US agent. In May 2007 they played at The Great Escape Festival in Brighton. The Evening Standard said, "Potentially chart-bound tracks were in far greater supply when Angus and Julia Stone took to the stage".

Angus and Julia released their debut album A Book Like This in Australia on 8 September 2007. The album debuted at #6 and has since reached Platinum plus sales in Australia.

The Stones spent the rest of 2007 dividing their time between Australia and the UK. They toured nationwide around Australia and gigged extensively in the UK, Ireland and Scotland including support slots with The Magic Numbers and a winning display at the Latitude Festival.

They welcomed in 2008 performing at the end of year Falls Festival in Australia before heading back to the UK to support Newton Faulkner and David Gray as well as playing their own sold-out London shows at Scala in London.^[11] Two of their songs again made the Triple J Hottest 100, 2007, with "Wasted" coming in at #31 and "The Beast" at #45.^[12]

A Book Like This was released in the UK in March 2008. The UK press lauded the duo; Uncut magazine said they performed "Fragile, beautiful songs"; a reviewer for The Guardian said "Angus and Julia Stone fill [my] heart to bursting point with joy".

The second half of 2008 was filled with more touring including a support spot with Martha Wainwright across the UK and Europe playing to over 25,000 people.

In March 2009, A Book Like This was released in the USA. The brother and sister supported Brett Dennen around the US and also performed on the KCRW stage at SXSW as well as playing their own US shows being represented by William Morris Agency.

In April 2009, Angus released a solo album, Smoking Gun, under the name Lady of the Sunshine.^[13]

2009–2010: Down the Way

Angus and Julia Stone spent most of 2009 writing, recording and self-producing Down the Way. The album was mixed by Kieran Kelly at The Buddy Project^[14] in Astoria Queens, NY.

On 18 November 2009, Angus and Julia appeared on triple j's Dools show with Scott Dooley and premiered the single "And the Boys". They stated their forthcoming album would be called Down the Way and it would be released in March 2010 with a coinciding Australian tour.^[15] After six months apart (Angus back in Australia, Julia in New York), they recorded the album in studios in Sawmills Cornwall England, Brooklyn in New York and with Govinda Doyle^[16] in Coolangatta, Queensland. About the new album, Angus stated: "All the songs were written so far [apart] that the styles and moods are really different." The album debuted at number 1 on the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) albums chart.

The first single "And the Boys" became Angus & Julia Stone's second single to chart in the top 50 of the ARIA Charts. The first single to chart was "The Beast", which charted in September 2007. "Big Jet Plane" also peaked at #33 on the ARIA chart.

2010: "Big Jet Plane" and Julia's The Memory Machine

In May 2010, the "Big Jet Plane EP" was released that featured Julia singing a cover version of "You're the One That I Want" from Grease.^[17]

In an interview with the Australian edition of Rolling Stone magazine, Julia revealed she recorded a solo album in New York in late 2008. Her song "This Love" appears in the Australian film The Waiting City.^[18] The album, The Memory Machine, was released in a low-key fashion in October 2010. She has described the album as mellow but darker and spookier in tone.^[19]

In 2010 they won three ARIA Awards for Album of the year, Best Adult Alternative Album and Single of the year for "Big Jet Plane" in addition to Artisan Awards for Producer of the Year and Best Cover Art.^[20]

2011–present: Touring Australia, the US, UK and Europe

Their song "Big Jet Plane" was announced as #1 on Triple J Hottest 100 on 26 January Australia Day 2011.

In an interview with Rolling Stone, the duo confirmed they were already writings songs for their third album with Angus stating "I want to write stuff that makes me wanna move, more groove-based stuff.".^[21]

They performed at the 2011 Falls Festivals^[22] and Big Day Out festivals in Australia, followed by the Coachella festival in California. During July 2011, the band toured for a month visiting six different countries: Portugal, Holland, Belgium, France, Switzerland and Italy.^[23] The pair have planned to travel and holiday overseas for the rest of the year, while also writing and recording. According to Triple J, Angus & Julia aim to release new music at the end of 2012.^[24]

On 26 September 2011 Angus & Julia's song "Love Will Take You" was announced as the second track on the soundtrack for the Twilight Saga's latest film, Breaking Dawn – Part 1.^[25] On the same day, the band was selected as a top ten finalist in MTV Iggy's "Best New Band in the World!" 2011 competition.^[26][27]

In an interview with Rolling Stone Australia, Julia revealed she and Angus started recording songs for a third album in January 2011, but shelved them indefinitely. She said: "It was too much to think we could only pick six songs each… We were both in a place where we really wanted creative space to go in whatever direction we wanted so we were like 'let’s just take a year out.'"

She said those songs were unlikely to be heard, but maintained she and Angus will reunite after their solo projects.^[28]

Discography

Albums

• A Book Like This (2007) AUS #6^[29]
• Down the Way (2010) AUS #1^[29]
• "For You" Boxset (2010) containing A Book Like This, Down The Way and Memories of An Old Friend

EPs

• Chocolates and Cigarettes EP (26 August 2006)
• Heart Full of Wine EP (2007)
• The Beast EP (2007; the single "The Beast" is taken from the album A Book Like This) AUS #40^[29]
• Hollywood EP (2008; the single "Hollywood" is taken from the album A Book Like This)
• Live Session (iTunes Exclusive) (2009)
• And the Boys EP (12 December 2009) AUS #44^[29]
• Big Jet Plane EP (Exclusive with September concert ticket sale; May 2010) AUS #21^[29]
• iTunes Live: Live from Sydney (October 2010) AUS #26

Compilations

• Memories of an Old Friend (2010) AUS #69^[30]

Videos

• Chocolates & Cigarettes EP
  • "Paper Aeroplane" – Directed by Angus and Julia Stone
  • "Mango Tree" – Directed by Angus and Julia Stone, edited and animated by Richard Cullen^[31]
  • "Private Lawns" – Directed by Angus and Julia Stone
  • "Chocolates & Cigarettes" – Directed by Angus and Julia Stone
  • "Babylon" – Directed by Josh Groom

• Heart Full of Wine EP
  • "What You Wanted" – Directed by Angus and Julia Stone
  • "Heart Full of Wine" – Directed by Angus and Julia Stone
  • "I'm Yours" – Directed by Angus and Julia Stone

• A Book Like This
  • "The Beast" – Directed by Angus and Julia, illustrated by Caroline Pedler, produced by Molotov Productions
  • "Wasted" – Directed by Angus and Julia, filmed by Cameron McNee and edited/animated by Molotov Productions
  • "Just a Boy" – Directed by Angus & Julia and Josh Groom and Andrew Yoole
  • "Hollywood" – Directed by Angus & Julia, animated by Andrew Yoole

• Down the Way
  • "Black Crow" – Directed and animated by Nick Murray Willis
  • "And The Boys" – Directed by Kiku Ohe
  • "Big Jet Plane" – Directed by Kiku Ohe, featuring Emily Barclay
  • "Hold On" – Directed by Kiku Ohe
  • "I'm Not Yours" – Directed and animated by Nick Murray Willis

• Solo projects
  • "River" – Joni Mitchell cover by Angus Stone for compilation No Man's Woman, released in October 2007
  • Lady of the Sunshine – pseudonym for Angus's solo album titled Smoking Gun, released in April 2009
  • "Four Seasons in One Day" by Angus Stone and Paul Kelly for He Will Have His Way: The Songs of Tim & Neil Finn, released on 12 November 2010
  • The Memory Machine – Julia's solo album released in October 2010

TV

This unreferenced section requires citations to ensure verifiability.

Angus and Julia Stone songs that have been played on TV shows, in films and featured in advertisements worldwide include:

• "Paper Aeroplane"
  • 90210 (Season 2)
  • David Blaine TV special
  • Peace Corps spot
  • Telekom Austria Group ad

• "Mango Tree"
  • Life (Season 2, episode 6)
  • Raising the Bar (Season 2, episode 15)
  • Good Morning America
  • Hung

• "What You Wanted"
  • Lipstick Jungle (Season 2, episode 1)

• "The Beast"
  • Privileged

• "And the Boys"
  • Skins (Season 5, episode 7)
  • Young Soldiers (The song was sampled during BBC Three advertisements for the show)

• "Babylon"
  • House Rules pilot
  • The Slap (episode 8)

• "Draw Your Swords"
  • Grey's Anatomy

• "Hold On"
  • Grey's Anatomy
  • Life Unexpected (Season 2, episode 10)
  • Revenge (Season 1, episode 1)
  • The Client List (TV_series) (Season 1, episode 1)

• "The Devil's Tears"
  • Brothers & Sisters
  • Grey's Anatomy
  • Life Unexpected (Season 2, episode 11)

• "Santa Monica Dream"
  • Private Practice

• "Big Jet Plane"
  • One Tree Hill (Season 8, episode 22)
  • Verbotene Liebe
  • 90210
  • Don't Tell the Bride

• "Chocolates & Cigarettes"
  • Pretty Little Liars (Season 1, episode 10)

• "For You"
  • Hand Aufs Herz (Hand on Heart, German telenova; episode 153)
  • Revenge (Season 1, episode 1)
  • Pretty Little Liars (Season 2, episode 20)

• "Another Day"
  • Underbelly: Razor (Season 1, episode 2)

Cinema

• "Big Jet Plane"
  • Les émotifs anonymes (Romantics Anonymous, French film)
  • Easy A
  • What a Man (German film)

• "For You"
  • Death of a Superhero

• "Love Will Take You"
  • Breaking Dawn (2011)'"

Awards and nominations

Awards

• 2011 APRA Awards – Song of the Year, "Big Jet Plane"
• 2011 APRA Awards – Songwriter of the Year
• Number 1 song in Triple J's hottest 100 (2010), "Big Jet Plane"
• 2010 ARIA Awards – Album of the Year (Down the Way)
• 2010 ARIA Awards – Best Adult Alternative Album
• 2010 ARIA Awards – Single of the year, "Big Jet Plane"
• 2008 Inside Film Awards – Best Music Video, "Just a Boy"

Nominations

• Julia was nominated in the music category of YEN Magazine's^[32] Young Woman of the Year Awards which took place 25 November 2008.
• The video for "Just a Boy" also received a nomination at the 2008 J Awards
• 2008 ARIA Awards – Nominated for Best Group
• 2008 ARIA Awards – Nominated for Breakthrough Artist – Album
• 2008 ARIA Awards – Nominated for Breakthrough Artist – Single ("The Beast")
• 2008 ARIA Awards – Nominated for Best Blues and Roots Album
• 2008 ARIA Awards – Nominated for Best Cover Art
• 2008 ARIA Awards – Nominated for Best Video ("Just a Boy")

• 2010 ARIA Awards – Album of the Year (Down the Way)
• 2010 ARIA Awards – Most Popular Australian Album
• 2010 ARIA Awards – Nominated for Best Music Video ("Big Jet Plane")
• 2010 ARIA Awards – Best Adult Alternative Album
• 2010 ARIA Awards – Single of the Year ("Big Jet Plane")
• 2010 ARIA Awards – Nominated for Best Group

References

External links

This article's use of external links may not follow Wikipedia's policies or guidelines. Please improve this article by removing excessive or inappropriate external links, and converting useful links where appropriate into footnote references. (April 2012)

This article includes a list of references, but its sources remain unclear because it has insufficient inline citations. Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (August 2011)

• Angus and Julia Stone official website
• Angus and Julia Stone MySpace site
• Angus and Julia at muchmusic.com
• Review of Angus and Julia Stone, The Ruby Lounge Manchester, 21 April 2010
• Review vom Angus and Julia Stone Konzert in Berlin, 28. April 2010
• Live Chat on CanalChat.com with Angus & Julia Stone, Paris, France, 17 mai 2010
• http://musichead.com.au/site/artist.asp?actID=166741
• http://www.musictimes.com.au/angus-and-julia-stone/
• http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,23702347-5003421,00.html
• http://www.inthenews.co.uk/inconversation/entertainment/music/whos-next/angus-and-julia-stone-simplicity-beats-sibling-troubles-$1217610.htm
• http://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2008/05/25/2254929.htm