Ezekiel Ox

Last updated

Ezekiel Ox
Ezekiel Ox (2021).jpg
Ezekiel Ox performing at a rally in Melbourne in 2021.
Background information
Birth nameAlan James Davies
Bornc. 1980
Colac, Victoria, Australia
Genres Hard rock, funk, alternative metal, musical theatre, folk
Occupation(s)Singer, songwriter, actor, political activist
Years active1998–present
Website ezekielox.com

Ezekiel Ox (born Alan James Davies; c. 1980) [1] is an Australian musician. He is currently the singer for Mammal, Ezekiel Ox & The Evidence, Full Scale, and Over-Reactor. He was previously the singer of The Ox and The Fury, Superheist, and The Nerve. He is currently enrolled in his last year of the Juris Doctor programme at the University of Newcastle, NSW, Australia, and volunteering at the Aboriginal Legal Service, Newcastle.

Contents

Early life

Born Alan James Davies in Colac, Victoria, he relocated to Geelong at age six. [2] [3] He has a background in opera and musical theatre and studied for three years at Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts in its musical theatre course. [4] He starting performing at the age of twelve, "because I wanted to". [5]

Music career

Full Scale

Ox was the lead singer for punk rock/alternative-metal band Full Scale. [6] Starting out as Full Scale Deflection in 1998 in Perth, Western Australia, Full Scale relocated to Melbourne in 2001, then they were based in Los Angeles, United States, from late 2003. After a series of EPs they released their full length debut, Full Scale , in March 2005 and broke up a year later after touring the United States for six months. [1] Ox re-formed Full Scale under the name Full Scale Revolution in December 2009 with Crutey, Tristan Ross and Ben Brennan, who had all played with Full Scale at different times, but not together. Ox and original FSD guitarist Jimmy Tee have begun writing new songs, with Leigh Miller. Recently, Jimmy Tee has taken on the producer role, and Ezekiel Ox is in conversation with Jay Baumgardner about mixing. There are plans for Ezekiel to fly to Perth in 2023 to perform live and recdord vocals for the new album.

Mammal

Ox formed Mammal in Melbourne in March 2006, with guitarist Pete Williamson (formerly part of Pete Murray’s touring band), bassist Nick Adams, and former Jika drummer Zana Rosanoski. [1] [7] They released one studio and two live albums. Mammal broke up on 1 November 2009, but have since reformed and are playing shows again in 2017. Since reforming the band has released five new songs. In order, they are: Community, Virtue Signaling, Dead, Crime Scene and The War, the last two mentioned hailing the introduction of Kade Turner on bass guitar. The band is currently working on 17 songs for their second studio album.

Solo

In 2003 Ox released an EP called Winter in Suburbia. It featured seven tracks, most were Ox on acoustic guitar with some backing vocals and occasional percussion. One track, "The Bottle", featured Clint Boge (The Butterfly Effect) on lead vocals, with Ox providing backing vocals and guitar. The song's lyrics showed a more introspective persona for Ox, probably due to the divorce he was going through when he recorded it (though a few did feature politically/socially inspired lyrics). He occasionally does live solo performances, at which he performs a cover of Bob Dylan's "Masters of War", as well as songs also performed by him and the Fury. From 2014, he has a brand new solo show – a cyber-cabaret – with a loop station, his voice and a guitar. He has also taken to the streets to busk his show on the streets to the people of Australia. In November 2011, he signed with Cross-Section Management (Ted Gardner and Scott Mesiti), but moved to Pricewar Music Management (Tim Price – Sydonia, The Blackwater Fever) in 2013. [8] He was fully independent from record labels from 1 November 2009 until May 2013, when The Nerve signed with Sydney's Birds Robe Collective. [9] His first single "The Past, Present and Future" was released in early 2014, [10] and received airplay on Triple J's Hip Hop Show. Ox released the EP Raw Styles in 2014 via Bird's Robe Records, followed by a tour of Australia. [9] [11] [12] In 2016, Ox announced a three date solo rock tour, with full band, in Newcastle, Sydney and Melbourne, in late November. His debut solo rock band included Drew Goddard, guitar player from Karnivool.

The Ox and the Fury

The Ox and the Fury
OriginMelbourne, Victoria, Australia
Genres Folk, acoustic, alternative rock
Years active2008–present
MembersEzekiel Ox
Lucius Borich
Ben Brennan
Dom Italiano
Website theoxandthefury.com

Ox formed The Ox and the Fury (initially known as Ezekiel Ox and the Fury) in Melbourne in 2008. The band comprised Ox on lead vocals and acoustic guitar, Lucius Borich (from bands Cog, Juice, The Hanging Tree, Borich x Borich and Floating Me) on drums, Ben Brennan, Natalie K Marsland and Dom Italiano. [13]

Their debut album, Guitars Die in Hot Cars was released in April 2010. As from May that year they had a weekly residency at the Espy. [14]

Another album was planned for release in late 2010, but did not appear, likely due to Ox’s commitment to his new project Over-Reactor. [13] In September 2011 the Ox and the Fury played a gig in Wollongong to support Rock the Vote, and Dallas Frasca sang with the band. [15]

Over-Reactor

Over-Reactor is a 'death-hop' band made up of two members, singer Ezekiel Ox and multi-instrumentalist Cory Blight. [16] [17] They have released two full length albums. A third album called "Cocaine Headdress" is to be released in July 2017 through Bird's Robe Records. It took 6 years for the duo to complete this album.

The Nerve

Ox formed rock band The Nerve with Borich, Davarj Thomas, and Glenn Proudfoot. [16] In 2013 they signed with Bird's Robe Records [18] releasing an album called "Audiodacity" later that year. [19]

Other work

Ox performed a series of spoken word shows called RANT! in 2006 and then BLOWTORCH in 2012. [5] He has appeared in plays and musicals such as Tartuffe, [20] Mamma Mia! and Shane Warne: The Musical . [4] He has authored one self-published book, The Pub. Ox was the subject of David Krebelj's documentary, Colour, Light, Movement, Sound, which described his career in Full Scale. He has directed his own film clips, as well as co-directing the short The Boy (with Krebelj). Ox acted in feature films Blockhouse Blues and the Elmore Beast (2011) and The Real Thing.

Political activism

Ox is a former member of both the Australian Labor Party and Socialist Alternative. [6] In 1994 he was involved in the campaign to stop the One Nation party forming in Geelong, and also marched for teachers' conditions, and in the Reclaim the Night Rallies held in his teenage years. Ox is a prominent speaker at rallies against racism and is often interviewed by mainstream print and television news as a spokesperson for various social justice campaigns. He has been involved in fund raising for Community Legal Centre funds, as well as No Room For Racism. He has debated the Deputy Commissioner of Victoria Police Andrew Crisp on National Youth Radio Station JJJ. He was a founding member of the committee for Musicians Against Police Violence (MAPV) and COPWATCH in Melbourne. [21]

Discography

with Full Scale
with Mammal
The Ox and the Fury
  1. "Easy" - 4:16
  2. "Lifetimes" - 5:05
  3. "Christmas in California" - 4:54
  4. "Worried" - 3:38
  5. "The 35th of May" - 4:06
  6. "Satellites" - 3:28
  7. "Those Words" - 3:21
  8. "We'll Never Know" - 4:41
  9. "Doorlist Miracles" - 4:04
  10. "Machines" - 3:56
  11. "Evolving" - 5:01

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Superheist</span> Australian nu metal band

Superheist is an Australian nu metal band formed in 1993. They have released two EPs, thirteen singles, one compilation/live album and five studio albums, two of which, 2001's The Prize Recruit and 2002's Identical Remote Controlled Reactions, reached the top 20 on the ARIA Albums Chart. After a twelve-year hiatus, their 2016 comeback album "Ghosts of the Social Dead" reached No. 3 on the AIR Charts and remained in the Top 10 for four weeks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Magic Dirt</span> Australian rock band

Magic Dirt is an Australian rock band, which formed in 1991 in Geelong, Victoria, with Daniel Herring on guitar, Adam Robertson on drums, Adalita Srsen on vocals and guitar, and Dean Turner on bass guitar. Initially forming an alternative underground band called Deer Bubbles which split and formed into the much heavier, rock based group called The Jim Jims, they were renamed as Magic Dirt. Their top 40 releases on the ARIA Albums Chart are Friends in Danger (1996), What Are Rock Stars Doing Today (2000), Tough Love (2003) and Snow White (2005). They have received nine ARIA Music Award nominations including four at the ARIA Music Awards of 1995 for Life Was Better – their second extended play. Turner died in August 2009 of dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans. From 2010 to November 2018, the band were on hiatus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cog (band)</span> Australian progressive rock band

Cog are an Australian progressive rock band that formed in 1998. Their debut album, The New Normal, was nominated for Triple J's 2005 J Award. The band's music is influenced by Tool, Isis, Nina Simone, Bob Marley, Leftfield, Deftones and Helmet.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Australian Crawl</span> Australian rock band

Australian Crawl were an Australian rock band founded by James Reyne, Brad Robinson, Paul Williams (bass), Simon Binks and David Reyne (drums) in Melbourne in 1978. David Reyne soon left and was replaced by Bill McDonough. They were later joined by his brother Guy McDonough. The band was named after the front crawl swimming style also known as the Australian crawl.

Full Scale is an Australian alternative metal band that formed in Perth, Western Australia during 1998. The band relocated to Melbourne in 2001.

Kevin Nicholas Borich is a New Zealand-born Australian guitarist and singer-songwriter. He was the mainstay of the La De Da's, the leader of Kevin Borich Express, and a founding member of the Party Boys, as well as a session musician for numerous acts.

Mondo Rock are an Australian rock band, formed in November 1976 in Melbourne, Victoria. Singer-songwriter Ross Wilson founded the band, following the split of his previous band Daddy Cool. Guitarist Eric McCusker, who joined in 1980, wrote many of the band's hits, and along with Wilson formed the core of the group. They are best known for their second album, Chemistry, which was released in July 1981 and peaked at number 2 on the Australian Kent Music Report. Their song "Come Said the Boy" peaked at number 2 in Australia in 1983.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The La De Da's</span> New Zealand rock band

The La De Da's were a New Zealand rock band from 1963 to 1975. They were formed as a mod-ish group, the Mergers, in Te Atatū, by long-term members Kevin Borich on lead guitar and vocals, Phil Key on lead vocals and guitar and Trevor Wilson on bass guitar. In mid-1968 they relocated to Australia. Their popular singles in New Zealand were "How Is the Air Up There?", "On Top of the World", "Hey! Baby", "All Purpose Low" and "Rosalie", while their hits on Australia's Go-Set National Top 40 were "Gonna See My Baby Tonight" (1971), "Morning, Good Morning" (1972) and "Too Pooped to Pop" (1974). The group released one of the first Australasian rock music concept albums, The Happy Prince (1969).

The Party Boys was an Australian rock supergroup with a floating membership commencing in 1982. Created by Mondo Rock's bass guitarist, Paul Christie, with founding member Kevin Borich as a part-time venture for professional musicians with downtime from their other projects; the group had temporary members from Status Quo, the Angels, Sherbet, Skyhooks, Rose Tattoo, the Choirboys, Australian Crawl, Divinyls, Models, Dragon and Swanee, plus international stars such as Joe Walsh, Eric Burdon, Alan Lancaster, and Graham Bonnet.

Daddy Cool is an Australian rock band formed in Melbourne, Victoria, in 1970 with the original line-up of Wayne Duncan, Ross Hannaford, Ross Wilson and Gary Young. Their debut single "Eagle Rock" was released in May 1971 and stayed at number 1 on the Australian singles chart for ten weeks. Their debut, July 1971's LP Daddy Who? Daddy Cool, also reached number 1 and became the first Australian album to sell more than 100,000 copies. The group's name came from the 1957 song "Daddy Cool" by US rock group The Rays. Daddy Cool included their version of this song on Daddy Who? Daddy Cool.

Lucius Borich is an Australian musician, best known as the drummer for the band Cog, and previously the drummer in funk metal band Juice and in The Hanging Tree as well as Floating Me. He currently plays and is working on new rock outfit The Nerve.

Mammal are an Australian band that formed in March 2006. Mammal rose up the ranks of the Australian music scene very quickly. Their first self-titled EP was recorded soon after the band came together. Their debut live album "Vol:1 The Aural Underground" was recorded just 4 months after the band started touring at a sold-out show at The Evelyn Hotel on 2 February 2007. Mammal also released a single titled "Slaves/Nagasaki in Flames" AA side, featuring 3 songs. Mammal entered the studio on 21 April 2008 to begin recording their debut studio album, The Majority which was released in August 2008. It peaked at No. 51 on the ARIA Albums Chart in early September. Some of the band's songs, including Hell Yeah!, New Breed Judas and Slaves, received regular airplay on Australian radio station Triple J.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Closure in Moscow</span> Australian rock band

Closure in Moscow is an Australian progressive rock band that formed in Melbourne, Victoria in 2006. The group is composed of guitarist-singer Mansur Zennelli, guitarist Michael Barrett, drummer Salvatore Aidone, bassist Duncan Millar and lead singer Christopher de Cinque. To date they have released one extended-play and three full-length studio albums: The Penance and the Patience (2008), First Temple (2009), Pink Lemonade (2014), and Soft Hell (2023) respectively. The band has reached notable success throughout the international rock circuit for their live performances and avant garde sound.

<i>The Majority</i> 2008 studio album by Mammal

The Majority is the only full-length studio album by Mammal, released after a live album, Vol 1: The Aural Underground and a self-titled EP. Work began on the album on 20 November 2007 and recording commenced on 20 April 2008 with American producer/engineer Eric Sarafin who is known for his work with Ben Harper, Spearhead & Pharcyde. The first single, "Smash the Piñata", was released a month prior to the album. The Majority peaked at No. 51 on the ARIA Albums Chart and reached No. 1 on the related Hitseekers Albums and No.48 on the Top 100 Physical Albums charts in early September. For the album the group consisted of Nick Adams on bass guitar, Ezekiel Ox on vocals, Zane Rosanoski on drums and Pete Williamson on guitar.

<i>Mammal</i> (EP) 2006 EP by Mammal

Mammal is the self-titled debut extended play (EP) by Australian hard rock band, Mammal from 2006. The band sold the EP independently at their live shows and on their website until early 2007 when they signed with Metropolitan Groove Merchants (MGM) to distribute it independently. The original version was replaced by the MGM version, released in March. The EP peaked into the top 20 of the AIR Charts.

pre.shrunk were an Australian rock band, which formed in March 1996 with two bass guitarists, Dave Morris and David "Davarj"/"Davage" Thomas, and a drummer, Justin Dwyer. At the ARIA Music Awards of 1999 they were nominated in the Best Independent Release category for their single, "Triple A Side" (1998). In 2001 they were nominated in the same category for their debut album, Digital Sunset (2000). Thomas left in 2003 and the group continued until late the following year as a duo.

Paul Adrian Christie is an Australian rock bassist and vocalist. He was a member of various groups including Kevin Borich Express (1978–79), Mondo Rock (1980–82) and the Party Boys. As a member of Mondo Rock he performed on the tracks, "State of the Heart", "Cool World", "Summer of '81", "Chemistry", "No Time", "The Queen and Me" and "In Another Love".

Floating Me were a progressive rock group from Sydney, Australia, featuring Lucius Borich from Cog, Jon Stockman of Karnivool and Andrew Gillespie, Antony Brown and Tobias Messiter from the '90s grunge/metal band Scary Mother. Their 2011 debut album entered the ARIA album chart at #90.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sleepmakeswaves</span> Australian post-rock band

Sleepmakeswaves are an Australian post-rock band who formed in Sydney in December 2006. The group is currently composed of guitarist Otto Wicks-Green, drummer Tim Adderley, and bassist/keyboardist Alex Wilson. To date, they have released four full-length studio albums. The band have achieved notable success internationally for their energetic live performances and modern approach to the post-rock genre. They are currently released through Australian independent record label Bird's Robe Records, which is distributed through MGM in Australia and independently worldwide. In 2013, UK label Monotreme Records licensed their debut album for an international release across the UK, Europe, and North America.

Kevin Borich Express are an Australian rock band formed in 1976 by the New Zealand-born Kevin Borich.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Busby, Cec (2006) "Ezekiel Ox – Evolution of a revolutionary", fasterlouder.com.au, 5 June 2006. Retrieved 5 December 2015
  2. ↑ ""Winter in Suburbia" at APRA search engine". Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA). Retrieved 22 September 2016.
  3. ↑ "Mammal: live and dangerous". Geelong Advertiser . News Corporation. 28 August 2008. Retrieved 6 March 2010.
  4. 1 2 The Scene Archived 11 October 2007 at the Wayback Machine The thoughts of chairman Zeke
  5. 1 2 The Dwarf Ezekiel Ox Rants!
  6. 1 2 Winterford, Brett (2009) "Mammal", Sydney Morning Herald , 15 May 2009. Retrieved 5 December 2015
  7. ↑ Cleghorn, Justine (2007) "Mammal launch debut album and new tour!", fasterlouder.junkee.com, 2 August 2007. Retrieved 5 December 2015
  8. ↑ Eliezer, Christie "Sydonia, Ezekiel Ox, Sunbeam Sound Machine, land deals", Beat. Retrieved 5 December 2015
  9. 1 2 "Ezekiel Ox Announces National Tour, New Label Deal", themusic.com.au, 3 September 2014. Retrieved 5 December 2015
  10. ↑ McKelvey, Iain (2014) "Ezekiel Ox’s ‘The Past, The Present & The Future’ Single Archived 8 December 2015 at the Wayback Machine ", vulturemagazine.com.au, 28 February 2014. Retrieved 5 December 2015
  11. ↑ Gill, Lauren (2014) "Ezekiel Ox Announces 2014 Melbourne Album Launch Show", Beat. Retrieved 5 December 2015
  12. ↑ Rogers, Natalie (2014) "Ezekiel Ox", Forte, 14 November 2014. Retrieved 5 December 2015
  13. 1 2 The Ox and the Fury. Sputnikmusic.com. Accessed 29 April 2012.
  14. ↑ Harris, David (15 May 2010). "The Ox and the Fury". FasterLouder. Junkee Media . Retrieved 3 December 2015.
  15. ↑ "Ox and The Fury performing for Rock the Vote". What's on in Wollongong. 2 September 2011. Archived from the original on 8 December 2015. Retrieved 3 December 2015.
  16. 1 2 Lewis, Tammy (2014) "Full-of-life artist Ezekiel urges locals to support festival", Gladstone Observer , 20 February 2014. Retrieved 5 December 2015
  17. ↑ Whitfield, Rod "Over-Reactor Lose Your Delusion", Beat. Retrieved 5 December 2015
  18. ↑ Fitzsimons, Scott (2013) "EXCLUSIVE: Ezekiel Ox’s New Band Signs Label Deal", themusic.com.au, 6 May 2013. Retrieved 5 December 2015
  19. ↑ "Waterfront Records - Product".
  20. ↑ Beat Magazine [ permanent dead link ] Tartuffe
  21. ↑ Peterson, Chris (2014) "Ezekiel Ox adds energy to activism", Green Left Weekly, 1 November 2014. Retrieved 5 December 2015
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.