The Sleepy Jackson

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The Sleepy Jackson is an alternative rock band from Perth, Western Australia. The band's name was inspired by a former drummer who was narcoleptic. The band revolves around the distinctive vocal style of multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Luke Steele. Stemming from a musical family, Luke's father Rick Steele is a local blues musician, and two of Luke's siblings are also musicians, with brother Jesse a former member of The Sleepy Jackson (and currently performing with father Rick in The Hot Biscuit Band), and sister Katy, who fronts another Perth rock band, Little Birdy. While a series of acclaimed EPs brought The Sleepy Jackson to a broader musical attention of Australia, it was the release of their 2003 album Lovers and 2006 sophomore album Personality - One Was a Spider, One Was a Bird that directed significant international focus upon the band.

Biography

The Sleepy Jackson formed in 1998 with the original lineup featuring Luke Steele (vocals and guitars), Jesse Steele (drums), and Matthew O'Connor (bass). This lineup recorded a self-titled debut EP and a subsequent single titled "Miniskirt." Both recordings were independently released. In 2000, as a result of non-musical commitments, Luke suggested that his brother should redirect his attentions and concentrate on other happenings in his life which ultimately resulted in Jesse following his advice and departing the band.

The void created by Jesse Steele's departure was filled by Paul Keenan (who later drummed with Eskimo Joe at their live performances). Along with numerous shows in their hometown of Perth, in late 2000 The Sleepy Jackson toured nationally with Jebediah. In March 2001, on the eve of the band's signing with EMI Records, the band toured with Magic Dirt and Motor Ace with Ronan Charles on keyboards joining Steele, O'Connor and Keenan. Five weeks into the tour, with the band broke, exhausted, and sleeping in caravan parks rather than enjoying the luxuries their touring partners were enjoying, O'Connor, Keenan and Charles quit, leaving Luke Steele to complete the tour solo.

Upon signing to EMI, pressure was soon placed on Steele to produce a recording. The result was the 2001 EP titled Caffeine in the Morning Sun, which Steele recorded in Sydney with a collection of session musicians. In addition to playing solo, Steele recruited drummer Malcolm Clark into The Sleepy Jackson fold and, when some serious touring was required in support of the release, the services of Justin Burford (guitar) and Rodney Aravena (bass) were enlisted. In addition to The Sleepy Jackson, Steele's three colleagues were also playing around their hometown with Jonathon Dudman under the name End of Fashion.

The Sleepy Jackson relocated to Sydney where they recorded another EP, Let Your Love Be Love, in late 2002. Songs from this EP and Caffeine in the Morning Sun were compiled together to form a self-titled mini-album for release in the UK market in February 2003. A period of extensive touring quickly followed, which saw the band playing in Australia, the United States, and Europe. The latter brought the band some very enthusiastic attention from UK music magazine NME. In between live appearances, The Sleepy Jackson worked on recordings that were to become their debut album Lovers. During a series of UK appearances in 2003, Burford and Aravena left the band. With a support slot for Silverchair's Diorama tour looming back in Australia, replacements were quickly sought. Clarke ironically called upon the only other End of Fashion member not previously part of The Sleepy Jackson, Jonathon Dudman.

Dudman joined the band in Sydney, where he took over bass duties, and the second guitarist position was filled by session musician Ben Nightingale. The Sleepy Jackson's revolving door continued when Nightingale was ultimately replaced by Jonathon Dudman's brother, Julian Dudman. But the Dudmans consequently left the band, leaving Luke Steele and Malcolm Clark as the only official members of The Sleepy Jackson.

The Sleepy Jackson released their second full-length album Personality - One Was a Spider, One Was a Bird in Australia on July 1, 2006, where it debuted at #10 on the ARIA Albums Charts the following week. Later that July, the album was nominated for a J Award by Australian radio station Triple J. With Personality's predecessor Lovers also receiving generous support from both critics and radio alike, the band supported the new album's worldwide release with a series of live appearances in select markets. Joining Steele and Clark were Dave Symes and Felix Bloxsom, who both worked on the album, and Lee Jones who was formerly in the Perth band Spencer Tracy. Bloxsom has since been replaced by Luke's brother Jake and Luke's wife Jodi, a.k.a. "Snappy Dolphin," which also brought a change from organic percussion instruments to computer samples backing the band.

In 2007, The Sleepy Jackson performed at the 2007 Big Day Out, the Southbound festival, the Falls Festival and the St. Jerome's Laneway festivals in Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane. Also in 2007, Luke provided slide guitar to the song "Waiting All Day" by Silverchair on their fifth album Young Modern. Luke also appeared on the Pnau single "With You Forever," leading Nick Littlemore to state on Pnau's website "...working with Luke Steele... it was amazing, that inspired [me] to work on a separate project with him all together. It's another album we're doing." Steele and Littlemore subsequently formed the electroacoustic pop outfit Empire of the Sun in 2008.

Current band members

• Luke Steele – vocals, guitar (1998-present)
• Malcolm Clark – drums, backing vocals (2001-present)
• Lee Jones – guitar, keyboards, backing vocals (2006-present)
• Dave Symes – bass, backing vocals (2006-present)
• Jake Steele – computer samples (2007-present)
• Jodi "Snappy Dolphin" Steele – computer samples (2007-present)

Past members

• Jesse Steele – drums (1998-2000)
• Matt O'Connor (deceased) – bass (1998-2001)
• Paul Keenan – drums (2000-2002)
• Ronan Charles – keyboards (2001)
• Justin Burford – guitar (2001-2004)
• Rodney Aravena – bass (2001-2004)
• Ben Nightingale – guitar (2003)
• Jonathan Dudman – bass (2003-2005)
• Julian Dudman – guitar (2004-2005)
• Felix Bloxsom – percussion, acoustic guitar, synthesizer (2006-2008)

Discography

Albums

• Lovers - June 30, 2003 - #21 Australia, #69 UK, #117 France
• Personality - One Was a Spider, One Was a Bird - July 1, 2006 - #10 Australia, #42 Sweden

Singles

• From Lovers:
  • "Vampire Racecourse" (July 7, 2003) - #71 Australia, #50 UK
  • "Good Dancers" (October 13, 2003 - UK; November 24, 2003 - Australia) - #71 UK
  • "Come to This" (February 23, 2004)
  • "This Day"/"Come to This" (March 22, 2004 - Australia)
• From Personality - One Was a Spider, One Was a Bird:
  • "God Lead Your Soul" (May 29, 2006 - Australia; July 17, 2006 - UK) - #25 Australia, #69 UK
  • "Devil Was in My Yard" (September 25, 2006 - Australia)
  • "I Understand What You Want but I Just Don't Agree" (October 16, 2006 - UK)

EPs

• The Sleepy Jackson EP (a.k.a. Glasshouses EP) (2000)
  1. "Glasshouses" – 3:45
  2. "Sunglass Man" – 4:56
  3. "Disco Song" – 3:16
  4. "A Cold War" – 2:35
  5. "Sleepy" – 4:28
  6. "Rich as a King, Weak as a Dead Fish" – 4:03

• Miniskirt EP (2000)
  1. "Miniskirt" – 4:04
  2. "Revolution" – 2:04
  3. "Techno Is Bad for Your Heart" – 1:42
  4. "Sunglass Man" (Edit) – 3:37

• Caffeine in the Morning Sun EP (November 12, 2001)
  1. "Not Crying (Just Standing in the Rain)" – 0:47
  2. "Good Dancers" – 4:10
  3. "Caffeine in the Morning Sun" – 4:20
  4. "Lung" – 0:41
  5. "Miniskirt" – 4:08
  6. "Brother/Birds" – 6:50

• Let Your Love Be Love EP (November 4, 2002)
  1. "This Day" – 3:47
  2. "Cavaties" – 4:07
  3. "Fill Me with Apples" – 1:07
  4. "Sunkids" – 3:17
  5. "Let Your Love Be Love" – 3:19
  6. "Pack of Nails" – 4:53
  7. "Now Your Spirit Drags the Pack" – 2:16

• The Sleepy Jackson (self-titled EP; also released on double 10" vinyl as Heart) (February 24, 2003)
  1. "Not Crying (Just Standing in the Rain)" – 0:47
  2. "Good Dancers" – 4:10
  3. "Sunkids" – 3:17
  4. "Lung" – 0:41
  5. "Now Your Spirit Drags the Pack" – 2:16
  6. "Caffeine in the Morning Sun" – 4:20
  7. "Miniskirt" – 4:08
  8. "Let Your Love Be Love" – 3:19

Awards & nominations

• 2003 ARIA Awards Album of the Year – Lovers
• 2003 ARIA Awards Best New Artist - single - "Vampire Racecourse"
• 2003 ARIA Awards Best New Artist - album - Lovers
• 2003 ARIA Awards Best Rock Album - Lovers
• 2003 WAMI Awards - Most Popular Local Original Single or EP - Let Your Love Be Love
• 2003 ARIA Awards Producer of the Year - Jonathan Burnside for Lovers
• 2006 ARIA Awards Album of the Year - Personality - One Was a Spider, One Was a Bird
• 2006 ARIA Awards Best Cover Art - Luke Steele and James Bellesini at "Love Police" for Personality
• 2006 J Award - Personality - One Was a Spider, One Was a Bird

References

This article includes a list of references, related reading or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. Please improve this article by introducing more precise citations where appropriate. (April 2009)

External links

• The Sleepy Jackson's official site
• The Sleepy Jackson at Musichead.com.au
• The Sleepy Jackson at MySpace
• The Sleepy Jackson on YouTube
• The Columns of Smoke - fansite
• The Sleepy Jackson at The Dwarf