Harlequin League

Harlequin League
Harlequin League playing the Amplifier Bar in Perth in July 2009
Harlequin League playing the Amplifier Bar in Perth in July 2009
Background information
OriginPerth, Western Australia, Australia
GenresRock/Indie Rock
Years active2007–present
LabelsGood Cop Bad Cop
MembersDan Gavin
James Rogers
Ben Pooley
Chris James
Past membersMiles Lisman
Sebastian Astone
WebsiteMySpace website

Harlequin League is a Perth-based rock band[1] formed in 2007.

Biography

Harlequin League was the winner of the 2007 The Next Big Thing competition[2] (previously won by John Butler and Snowman).[3][4]

Harlequin League first came together in March 2007 and in its first twelve months it performed at the Perth leg of the 2008 Big Day Out,[5] embarked on a handful of East Coast tours and supported The Freestylers (UK), The Whip (UK), The Cops, Regurgitator, Expatriate, The Panda Band, Dardanelles, The Paper Scissors, Bluejuice and The Checks. In November 2007 it released its debut single, "Hole in the Heart".[6]

The band was nominated for two WAMi awards in 2008,[7] winning in the category of 'Favourite Newcomer'.[8] Its song "Bones" was a Triple J's Ausmusic Month featured track.[9] The band has also performed on Triple J’s ‘Live At The Wireless’ with Birds of Tokyo and Abbe May.

In August 2008 the band released its debut EP, We Used To Be Gods, Now We're So Plain,[10] which was produced by Melbourne producer Woody Annison (Children Collide, Red Riders, Rocket Science, Dardanelles). Since its release the band has toured the eastern states of Australia, supporting End of Fashion[11] and Grafton Primary. The first track lifted from the EP, "Again and Again", received airplay on national youth broadcaster Triple J.[12]

Harlequin League was also nominated for the 2008 Unearthed J Award in November, 2008[13] and in January 2009 it performed at Southbound.[14]

The band released its second EP, I Don't Do Friends, on 28 March 2009.[15]

Harlequin League[16] released a one-off single: "Won't Change The World", which was added to the band's MySpace page in early September 2009. After the tour in support of the "Won't Change The World", Drummer Miles Lisman left the band and was replaced in November 2009 by Chris James (Streetlight).[16] Harlequin League, throughout the writing period for the debut album, participated in the One Movement for Music festival in October 2009, played the SummerSounds Festival with End of Fashion in January 2010 and the Groovin' The Moo Festival in Bunbury alongside Vampire Weekend, Silverchair and Spoon.

Harlequin League completed its debut album with Perth producer Andy Lawson (End of Fashion, Eskimo Joe). The first single from the debut album, "Charlatan", was released at Amplifier Bar in July 2010 and was recorded at Blackbird Studio's by Andy Lawson, mixed in the U.K by mix engineer Adrian Bushby (Muse, Foo Fighters, The Kooks, My Bloody Valentine) and mastered by Leon Zervis at 301 Studios Sydney (previously of Sterling Sound) and gained airplay on Triple J. Harlequin League's self-titled debut album was released in October 2011.

Members

  • Dan Gavin — guitars
  • Benjamin Pooley — organs, synths, guitar
  • James Rogers — bass, vocals
  • Chris James — drums, percussion

Former members

  • Miles Lisman — drums
  • Sebastian Astone — guitar, vocals

Discography

Albums

Title Details
Harlequin League
  • Released: 2011
  • Label: Good Cop Bad Cop
  • Format: CD, digital download

Extended plays

Title Details
We Used to Be Gods, Now We're So Plain
  • Released: August 2008
  • Label: Good Cop Bad Cop (GCBC005)
  • Format: CD, digital download
I Don't Do Friends
  • Released: May 2009[17]
  • Label: Good Cop Bad Cop (GCBC010)
  • Format: CD, digital download

Awards and nominations

J Award

The J Awards are an annual series of Australian music awards that were established by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's youth-focused radio station Triple J. They commenced in 2005.

Year Nominee / work Award Result
J Awards of 2008[18] themselves Unearthed Artist of the Year Nominated

West Australian Music Industry Awards

The West Australian Music Industry Awards (WAMIs) are annual awards presented to the local contemporary music industry, put on annually by the Western Australian Music Industry Association Inc (WAM).[19] The winners of the 2008 WAMi's were:[20]

Year Nominee / work Award Result (wins only)
2008 Harlequin League Favourite Newcomer Won

References

  1. ^ Mandurah Coastal Times, 24 September 2008, "League to tour"
  2. ^ Kretowicz, Steph. "The Big Come Up" (PDF). Drum magazine. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2008-07-19. Retrieved 6 January 2009.
  3. ^ Eastern Suburbs Reporter, 31 March 2009, "Local musos can go Big"
  4. ^ The West Australian, 26 March 2009, "The Next Big Thing" by Matt Giles
  5. ^ "Local acts confirmed for BDO". FasterLouder.com. 5 December 2007. Retrieved 6 January 2009.
  6. ^ "Harlequin League @Amplifier Bar, Perth". FasterLouder.com. 23 November 2007. Retrieved 6 January 2009.
  7. ^ "WAMI Awards '08 nominees" (PDF). West Australian Music Industry. Retrieved 6 January 2009.
  8. ^ Bridges, Alicia (2008-02-22). "WAMi Awards at Beck's Music Box, Esplanade". Perth Now. Retrieved 2009-01-05.
  9. ^ "Triple J Next Crop interview". Triple J. Retrieved 6 January 2009.
  10. ^ "Harlequin League - We Used To Be Gods, Now We're So Plain". Inertia. Archived from the original on 20 November 2008. Retrieved 6 January 2009.
  11. ^ The West Australian, 18 September 2008, "Harlequins in big league"
  12. ^ "Harlequin League@J Play". Triple J. Retrieved 6 January 2009.
  13. ^ "2008 J Awards nominations". Triple J. Archived from the original on 9 December 2008. Retrieved 6 January 2009.
  14. ^ "Southbound 2009 lineup". Sunset Events. Archived from the original on 7 January 2009. Retrieved 6 January 2009.
  15. ^ "Harelquin League". FasterLouder.com.au. 2009-03-17. Retrieved 12 March 2009.
  16. ^ a b Coufos, Polly (13 September 2009). "League of their own". STM. Sunday Times. p. 15.
  17. ^ Stirling Times, 12 May 2009, I Dont Do Friends review by Christian Wilkinson
  18. ^ "The J Award 2008". Triple J. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 2008. Retrieved 15 August 2020.
  19. ^ Panic Stations : thewest.com.au[permanent dead link‍]
  20. ^ 2008 West Australian Music Industry Award Winners Archived 28 June 2008 at the Wayback Machine
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