Alston Koch | |
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![]() Koch delivers a speech at 11th IIFA Awards | |
Background information | |
Born | Colombo, Sri Lanka(then Ceylon) |
Genres | Ambient, pop, jazz, blues, folk, trance |
Occupation(s) | Film Producer, Actor, Singer-songwriter, composer & entrepreneur |
Years active | 1975–present |
Website | alstonkoch.com Alston Koch Facebook |
Alston Koch is a Sri Lanka born Australian - Sri Lankan singer-songwriter, film producer, record producer and actor. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9]
After gaining international success in the late 1970s, he was often described in the Australian and Asian media as "Asia's King of Pop" or "Pop King of Asia". [10] [11] He has performed worldwide and achieved success in countries including Australia, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, India and Sri Lanka. [12]
He received certificates of recognition from the California State Senate and United States Congress for improving the lives of communities in America. [13]
He migrated to Sydney, Australia, where he was successful in the music industry while recording for RCA/Laser Records and the TV network Channel 9's "Living Sound" recording label. [14] [15] [16] [17]
In Australia, he formed his band Dark Tan and recorded three international hits on the RCA label. He has performed internationally with Dark Tan, S-witch, and as a solo artist. One notable appearance was during The Stars & Stripes Concert in 1976, performing under the Sydney Harbour Bridge on a floating pontoon for Radio 2SM. Rock Brains Of The Universe and music historian Glenn A. Baker have said that Koch and Dark Tan were the originators of disco music in Australia. Since 1975 Koch has released 21 singles and 4 albums through record labels such as RCA, BMG, EMI and Sony. [14] [15] [16] [17]
In 1986 Koch was selected and commissioned by the Australian Task Force to write, produce and perform the America's Cup album The Kookaburra Connection. Its theme song "Kookaburra" was released as a single and music video broadcast during the race. [14] [15] [16] [17]
His first self written major hit, "Disco Lady", earned him his first gold record. The song also won him and Dark Tan the Best New Talent at the 1979 International Disc Jockey Association Awards. In the same year, Dark Tan also won Australia's Observer newspaper's Best Disco Band award. [14] [15] [16] [17]
The Daily Mirror (Australia) presented them with the Best Disco Band Award in 1978 and the producers of the Channel 10 TV show Thank God it's Friday presented the band with a gold disc during the performance of "Disco Lady". [14] [15] [16] [17]
Koch received his first ARIA accredited award for Melissa's "Read My Lips" (1990).[ why? ] He also received three gold awards and one platinum award from ARIA and a gold disc from RCA/Laser Records in 1978 for "Disco Lady".
Since 2007, he has been the Ambassador for Tourism for Sri Lanka. [18] In the same year, Koch wrote and performed an official song for the Sri Lankan cricketer Muttiah Muralitharan. [19]
In 2008, Koch wrote a song about climate change for a World Trade Organization presentation in London. The song was also presented by Geoffrey Lipman Chairman of ICTP[ clarification needed ] to world leaders at the 'Live the Deal Climate Change' conference in Copenhagen. Koch was the goodwill ambassador for the campaign, and the song was promoted globally by ICTP in their campaign for green growth. Barbara Follett, a UK government minister, described it as a "gift in song to the world suffering due to climate change".[ citation needed ]
Koch has sung the national anthem at One Day International cricket matches and the Boxing Day Test. [14] [15] [16] [17] In 2009, he was appointed to the committee for the 2011 Cricket World Cup tournament staged in India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, and was the official goodwill ambassador for the tournament. [14] [15] [16] [17]
In 2010, he was inducted into the Hard Rock Hotel's Hall of Fame at a ceremony in Pattaya, Thailand, when the album, Kookaburra was installed on the venue's 'Golden Wall of Memorabilia'.
In April 2012 his latest album Don't Funk With Me, written and produced by Alston & the Sherifs, debuted at No. 42 on the ARIA Top 50 Albums chart, eventually peaking at No.16. He became the first Australian artist to launch a single at an international cricket final when his song "Soul Sounds" (from Don't Funk with Me) was launched during the Australia vs. Sri Lanka final. [20] [21] [22] [23] [24] [25] [26] [27]
Member of The Grammy Academy (U.S.A)
Member of The Australian Performing Right Association.(APRA)
Ambassador for Climate Change (I.C.T.P)
Ambassador for Sri Lanka Tourism
Member of PPCA (Performing & Publishing Copyright Association of Australia)
Member of AMCOS (Australasian Mechanical Copyright Organisation)
Ambassador for FAMILY FILM AWARDS (USA) for Australia
Ambassador for The ARTS FOR PEACE FOUNDATION (U.S.A)
Award for the Global Entertainer of the Year 2018 - Ada Derana Sri Lankan of the Year. [29]
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