Grinspoon are an Australian rock band from Lismore, New South Wales fronted by Phil Jamieson on vocals and guitar with Pat Davern on guitar, Joe Hansen on bass guitar and Kristian Hopes on drums.[1][2][3] Founded in 1995, they won the Triple J-sponsored Unearthed competition for Lismore, with their post-grunge song "Sickfest".[1] Their name was taken from Dr. Lester Grinspoon an Associate Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School,[4] who supports marijuana for medical use.[1]
Grinspoon changed their sound to more mainstream rock by their 2002 album New Detention gaining fans and peaking at #2 on the ARIA Albums Charts and 2007's Alibis & Other Lies also reaching #2.[5] Their 2004 album, Thrills, Kills & Sunday Pills, which peaked at #4,[5] won the 2005 'Best Rock Album Award' at the ARIA Music Awards.[6]
The band has releases in United States, with the songs "Champion", which featured in Gran Turismo 3, "Post Enebriated Anxiety", which was on the international version of Guide to Better Living, "Chemical Heart", via the internet, and a cover of the Prong song "Snap Your Fingers, Snap Your Neck", originally from their Pushing Buttons EP, which was included on ECW: Extreme Music.
History
Early years
In July 1995, Pat Davern (guitar), Joe Hansen (bass guitar), Kristian Hopes (drums) and Phil Jamieson (vocals, guitar) met at a Lismore hotel, The Gollan, for a jam night—they decided to form a band and enter the Triple J-sponsored Unearthed competition.[1] Their name was taken from Dr. Lester Grinspoon, an Associate Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, who supports marijuana for medical use.[1] After winning the competition, with their post-grunge song "Sickfest", they gained considerable airplay and used this to secure gigs.[1] They developed a strong following among the Australian "alternative" and "mosh pit crowd." Their debut was the six-track EP, Grinspoon (aka Green Album), which was released in 1995 through the independent Oracle Records.[1][2] It contained the post-grunge songs "Sickfest" and "More Than You Are" that became popular with fans and were rerecorded on later releases.
Grinspoon's second EP, Licker Bottle Cozy, recorded in June 1996 and produced by Phil McKellar, was released by Grudge Records in December.[1][2] It had a slightly heavier sound than their earlier EP with five tracks including the songs "Champion" and "Pig Pen". In July 1997 they released their first full length album, Guide to Better Living, also produced by McKellar.[2] It represents the sound and variety of their early career. Heavier songs like "Pressure Tested 1984" open the album, whilst in the middle are more classic rock songs like "Repeat" and "Don't Go Away" and then towards the end the ballad "Bad Funk Stripe." The Australian version of the album features five live songs—illustrating the band's sense of humour and ability to play live—and a hidden track, the acoustic "Protest".
Whilst in America touring, in September 1998, Grinspoon released a six track EP, Pushing Buttons, which featured the popular heavy song "Black Friday", and the lighter songs "Busy" and "Explain". After heavy touring Grinspoon released their second album, Easy in September 1999, which peaked at #4,[5] and contained the singles "Ready 1" and "Rock Show" which went platinum.
Changing direction
After a long break to reconsider their direction and sound the band released the much more commercial 2002 album New Detention, which debuted and peaked at #2 on the Australian Albums Charts.[5] The first single from the album, "Chemical Heart", caused a stir when it was released among long term fans and the media because it was so different from their usual grunge sound, and signalled a change in style for the band. The band insisted the change was a natural one and was made in the interests of improving their sound. Having said that, the band still performs a significant amount of older tracks in their live shows.
They also released an EP in 2003 titled Panic Attack (containing a cover of INXS's song "Don't Change"), which debuted and peaked at #13 on the ARIA Singles Chart.[5]
In 2004, they released a new single, "Hard Act To Follow", which reached the top 30 in the singles chart.[5] It was from the album Thrills, Kills & Sunday Pills, which peaked at #4 in the charts.[5] A second single, "Better Off Alone", was later issued, also reaching the top 30.[5] The third single was "Hold on Me". This time around, the band agreed that they were deliberately seeking a new audience, claiming they wrote a number of songs for the release and rejected the songs that sounded like their earlier work.
The band has recently completed a new studio album, Alibis & Other Lies, their final album for Universal. The album was co-produced by the band and Ramesh Sathiah, who worked with the band on their earliest recordings. The first single from the album, "Black Tattoo", has been released as a digital download on 23 June, 2007 and on CD on 30 June, 2007. The album was released in Australia by Universal on 21 July. It debuted in the ARIA Charts at number two on 29 July 2007,[5] their highest chart position since New Detention in 2002.
In 2005, Grinspoon won their first ARIA award, winning the category for "Rock Album of the Year" with Thrills, Kills & Sunday Pills.[6] They had previously been nominated 9 times.[6]
Grinspoon released a 2-disc best-of compilation entitled Best in Show. The first disc featured all of their hits, and several of their older classic songs, like "Champion", which the success of, and popularity, landed the song on Gran Turismo 3. The second disc is a bonus which includes a collection of covers recorded over the years.
Grinspoon built a strong local following after their rise, they were regulars at Australian music festivals. On 26 March 2006, Grinspoon performed "Hard Act To Follow" and "Better Off Alone" at the 2006 Commonwealth Games Closing Ceremony in Melbourne. Grinspoon headlined the inaugural "Thank God It's Over" in Melbourne and then at "BOBFest '06" in South Australia in October. They also headlined the first ever Odyssey 2006 at Dreamworld for New Year's Eve.
In February 2007, Phil Jamieson admitted himself to rehab due to addiction to crystal methamphetamine.[7] In an interview with Andrew Denton on Enough Rope in July, Jamieson discussed how the drugs had led him to have an affair and steal money from his bandmates as well as his detox experience and rehabilitation. He said that he is still recovering emotionally and is not sure how others should now take him because he might seem more boring.
Jamieson on stage, 31 December 2007
On 14 July, Grinspoon's final Universal album, Alibis & Other Lies, was released, showing a change of style for the band. Their albums before this were pop-oriented rock, while Easy and Alibis & Other Lies were more rock. Recently, in the United States, all of the Grinspoon LPs have been released on iTunes other online music stores. The first ones were Guide To Better Living, Best In Show, Thrills, Kills, and Sunday Pills, and New Detention. Easy and Alibis & Other Lies didn't come until 31 October 2007.
Hiatus
On 5 February, 2008, Jamieson announced via the band's official website that Grinspoon were on a hiatus following their appearance at the Big Day Out. It was unknown how long until the band planned on returning to the studio or if they would record again, until Jamieson changed his mind and booked more Grinspoon shows. Grinspoon also headlined the gravity-fuelled festival Newton's Playground, held atop Bathurst's famous Mount Panorama in March. Their song 'Lost Control' was also the song associated with the festival, as it was played in advertisements for the festival as well as the Newton's Playground Bebo page.
On 1 May, Grinspoon announced that they would be completing a couple more shows before beginning to write a new album. On 18 August it was announced that Grinspoon will be headlining Macquarie University's Conception Day festival, alongside Butterfingers, on 19 September. It has also been announced they will headline the University of Canberra's annual 'Stonefest' alongside The Dandy Warhols on the weekend of 31 October – 1 November as well as headlining the inauguaral "Open Arms Festival" in Coffs Harbour on 29 November.
In September it was announced that Grinspoon would contribute a track to a tribute of the Australian band The Easybeats titled "Easy Fever". Grinspoon recorded the track "St. Louis" along with a video that was posted on the Easy Fever myspace site. The band is also set to contribute the track Blind Lead Blind, A B side from Minute by minute that was previously only available on iTunes, to a compilation CD for the Buttery rehabilitation clinic titled "Caution: Life Ahead" that will see other Australian bands such as Powderfinger, Midnight Oil and The Living End contribute as well.
Grinspoon have confirmed their spot at 2009's Splendour in the Grass Festival in Byron Bay.
Jamieson will be touring with a super group comprised also of The Living End’s Chris Cheney, You Am I’s Tim Rogers and Josh Pyke with a 17-piece band in August 2009. The group are performing a tribute to one of the true milestones in rock & roll, The Beatles’ ‘White’ album. The group will play almost every song from the album at shows along the East and West Coast.[8]
Six to Midnight
Grinspoon's new album, titled Six to Midnight, was released on 11 September 2009 on the band's imprint Chk Chk Boom Records, distributed by Universal Records. Two tracks, "Dogs" and the first single from the album, "Comeback", were released to radio before the album's release. For promotion of the album, the band decided to tour in a more intimate setting than most of their concerts. On 6 November, Grinspoon played live on Triple J radio and confirmed that "Summer" was the second single from the album.
Awards
ARIA Awards
Grinspoon has won an Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) Music Award from 13 nominations.[6]
Discography
References
External links
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Grinspoon |
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| Phil Jamieson · Pat Davern · Joe Hansen · Kristian Hopes |
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| DVDs |
Grinspoon: 23 Hours of Waiting Around
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| Singles |
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