Ivy and the Big Apples

Last updated

Ivy and the Big Apples
Ivyandthebigapples.gif
Studio album by
Released14 October 1996
RecordedMarch and August 1996
Studio
Genre
Length52:52
Label Polydor
Producer
Spiderbait chronology
The Unfinished Spanish Galleon of Finley Lake
(1995)
Ivy and the Big Apples
(1996)
Live In Canada And Australia!!
(1997)
Singles from Ivy and the Big Apples
  1. "Buy Me a Pony"
    Released: September 1996
  2. "Hot Water & Milk"
    Released: December 1996
  3. "Calypso"
    Released: April 1997
  4. "Joyce's Hut"/"Horschack Army"
    Released: September 1997
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [1]

Ivy and the Big Apples is the third studio album by Australian rock band Spiderbait. It became a double platinum-selling record that reached the top 10 of the albums chart in Australia and won the 1997 ARIA Award for Best Alternative Release. [2] It features the single "Buy Me a Pony", which was voted in at number one on the Triple J Hottest 100, 1996. The third single "Calypso" peaked at number 13 on the Australian singles chart [3] and was notably featured in the movie 10 Things I Hate About You , despite not being included on the soundtrack. Speaking to Double J in 2016, English explained that the group's success was as surprising as it was improbable. In an interview with Rolling Stone Australia, English remarked, "We were a pretty unlikely hit band," and "[We had] two singers and this genre spread where people couldn't quite pin down what we were doing." [4]

Contents

Recording

The album was both recorded at Studios 301 in Sydney and Rockinghorse Studios in Byron Bay. The album's title was named after a lady named Ivy who lived in Finley, New South Wales and sold big apples. Tracks 1 to 6 and 12 to 16 were recorded at Studio 301 in Sydney by Phil McKellar, assisted by Aaron Pratley and produced by Phil and Spiderbait. At Studio 301 the Neve desk and many of the old microphones remained from the studios origins. The room itself was big and beautifully designed. Thus the sounds had more presence and clarity than in previous recordings. A good example of this is the track "Goin Off" where Janet's vocals were done with an old German AKG mike that dated back to the 1950s. Kram's drum sounds and Whit's guitar in "Chest Hair" and "Driving Up the Ceiling" not only reflects the warm ambience of the room but also illustrates how the studio's equipment and Phil's production improved the overall sound of the record. Tracks 7 to 11 tell a different story.

Recorded at Rockinghorse Studios in Byron Bay by Paul McKercher and produced by Paul and Spiderbait. The band wanted to provide the record with more dynamics. A rawer more abrasive sound was achieved from Rockinghorse Studios. Paul's production on "Don't Kill Nipper" and "Conjunctivitis" show the trashy side of the band. Also, from these sessions came Whit's looped-based tracks "Horschack Army" and "Joyce's Hut". In between the recordings, the band embarked on their first overseas tour through Canada and the U.S.

Legacy

Ivy was definitely a turning point for the group. Ivy and the Big Apples became Spiderbait's most successful album, selling almost 250,000 copies. The album's first single Buy Me a Pony was voted Triple J's Hottest 100 and received over 300,000 votes in December 1996. It was the first ever Australian release to be voted #1 song of the year.[ citation needed ] The album peaked at #2 on the national charts, and the third single Calypso became the band's largest seller, going gold in 1997.

The record also won Spiderbait's first ARIA award in October 1997 for Best Alternative Release. Radio airplay became more prominent than ever before, even commercial rock stations like Triple M picked up on the singles.

In 2021, Rolling Stone Australia called the album the 72nd greatest Australian album on their 200 Greatest Australian Albums list. [5] In 2016, the band announced the first vinyl issue of the album, along with this, they announced a national tour celebrating 20 years of Ivy & The Big Apples. In 2021, in celebration of the album's 25th anniversary, the album was reissued on red vinyl.

Track listing

No.TitleLength
1."Chest Hair"3:28
2."Hot Water & Milk"1:56
3."Buy Me a Pony"1:44
4."When Fusion Ruled the Earth"6:20
5."Calypso"1:51
6."Goin' Off"1:02
7."Don't Kill Nipper"2:25
8."Horschack Army"3:37
9."Conjunctivitis"1:25
10."Joyce's Hut"3:41
11."Jasper"3:02
12."Goosh"1:45
13."Should Have Done What My Mum Always Told Me To"3:15
14."Hey"1:19
15."Hawaiian Nights"2:52
16."Driving Up the Ceiling" (The song "Driving Up the Ceiling" ends at 6:45. After one minute of silence (6:45 - 7:45) there are two hidden tracks: the first hidden track, "Big Furry Green Monster", begins at 7:45 and ends at 10:45; the second hidden track, "Sprinkler", begins at 10:50 and ends at 13:10.)13:10

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1996/97)Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA) [6] 3

Year-end charts

Chart (1996)Rank
Australian Albums Chart [7] 68
Chart (1997)Rank
Australian Albums Chart [8] 37
Australian Artist Albums Chart [8] 11

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA) [9] 2× Platinum140,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Release history

CountryRelease dateFormatLabelCatalogue
Australia14 October 1996CD, Cassette Polydor 529155-2
Australia2016LP Polydor 4783638
Australia2021LP Universal Music Australia 4783638

Related Research Articles

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

Spiderbait is an Australian alternative rock band from Finley, New South Wales, formed in 1989 by bass guitarist and singer Janet English, drummer and singer Kram, and guitarist Damian Whitty. In 2004, the group's cover version of the 1930s Lead Belly song "Black Betty" reached number one on the ARIA Singles Chart. They have five top 20 albums: The Unfinished Spanish Galleon of Finley Lake (1995), Ivy and the Big Apples (1996), Grand Slam (1999), Tonight Alright (2004), and Greatest Hits (2005). The group have won two ARIA Music Awards with the first in 1997 as 'Best Alternative Release' for Ivy and the Big Apples and the second in 2000 as 'Best Cover-Art' for their single "Glockenpop". In November 2013, the band released its first studio album in nine years, Spiderbait.

<i>Frogstomp</i> 1995 album by Silverchair

Frogstomp is the debut studio album by Australian rock band Silverchair. It was released on 27 March 1995, when the band members were only 15 years of age, by record label Murmur. The album features the band's commercially most successful single, "Tomorrow", which was first released on the band's extended play of the same name on 16 September 1994. Music videos were made for the album's four singles: "Tomorrow", "Pure Massacre", "Israel's Son", and "Shade".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">You Am I</span> Australian punk rock band

You Am I are an Australian power pop band, fronted by its lead singer-songwriter and guitarist, Tim Rogers. They formed in December 1989 and are the first Australian band to have released three successive albums that have each debuted at the number-one position on the ARIA Albums Chart: Hi Fi Way, Hourly, Daily and #4 Record. Nine of their tracks appeared on the related ARIA Singles Chart top 50 with "What I Don't Know 'bout You", their highest charting, at No. 28. You Am I have received ten ARIA Music Awards from thirty-one nominations. The band have supported international artists such as the Who, the Rolling Stones, Sonic Youth and Oasis.

<i>Unit</i> (album) 1997 studio album by Regurgitator

Unit is the second studio album by Australian rock band Regurgitator, released in November 1997. Its style is a mixture of 1980s style synthesised pop music and alternative rock, with some hip hop influences. The album debuted and peaked at number 4 on the ARIA Charts. At the ARIA Music Awards of 1998, the album won five ARIA Music Awards; including Album of the Year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Rolling Stones discography</span> Catalogue of published recordings by the Rolling Stones

The English rock group the Rolling Stones have released 31 studio albums, 13 live albums, 28 compilation albums, 3 extended plays, 122 singles, 31 box sets, 51 video albums, 2 video box sets and 77 music videos. Throughout their career, they have sold over 200 million records worldwide, making them one of the best-selling music artists of all time. Billboard ranked them as the 2nd Greatest artist of all time. The Rolling Stones have scored 38 top-10 albums on the Billboard 200 and 8 No. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100. According to the Recording Industry Association of America, they have sold 66.5 million albums in the US, making them the 16th best-selling group in history.

<i>Internationalist</i> (album) 1998 studio album by Powderfinger

Internationalist is the third studio album by Australian alternative rock band Powderfinger. The album was released on 7 September 1998 and was often labelled Powderfinger's most adventurous work, with greater experimentation than in previous works.

<i>Guide to Better Living</i> Debut album by Australian rock band Grinspoon

Guide to Better Living is the debut studio album by Australian rock band Grinspoon. It was released on 16 September 1997 on the Grudge Records label and was produced by Phil McKellar. The album reached number 11 on the ARIA Albums Chart and spent 36 weeks on the national charts. The album peaked at number 8 when re-released in 2017.

<i>Odyssey Number Five</i> 2000 studio album by Powderfinger

Odyssey Number Five is the fourth studio album by the Australian rock band Powderfinger, produced by Nick DiDia and released on 4 September 2000 by Universal Music. It won the 2001 ARIA Music Award for Highest Selling Album, Best Group and Best Rock Album. The album is the band's shortest yet, focusing on social, political, and emotional issues that had appeared in prior works, especially Internationalist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Presets</span> Australian electronic music duo

The Presets are an Australian electronic music duo of Julian Hamilton and Kim Moyes. Formed in 2003 and signed to Modular Records, The Presets released two EPs in advance of their debut album, Beams, released in 2005 to positive critical response. After two years of touring, including as the Australian support for Daft Punk, the band's 2008 release, Apocalypso, debuted at number one on the ARIA Albums Chart, and went on to win six awards at ARIA Awards 2008, including Album of the Year.

Happyland were an Australian punk rock duo formed in Brisbane, Queensland in 1997 as a side project by Janet English on bass guitar and lead vocals and her then-boyfriend, Quan Yeomans on lead guitar and vocals. They were originally named, The Shampoodles, but decided on Happyland. Their only album, Welcome to Happyland, was released on 25 August 1998, via the Polydor Australia label, which reached No. 18 on the ARIA Albums Chart. It provided the single, "Don't You Know Who I Am?", which peaked at No. 24 on the ARIA Singles Chart.

<i>Wolfmother</i> (album) 2005 studio album by Wolfmother

Wolfmother is the debut studio album by Australian rock band Wolfmother, originally released on 31 October 2005 in Australia. The album was later released internationally at various dates in 2006, with the addition of "Love Train" and a rearranged track listing. Wolfmother peaked at number three on the Australian ARIA Albums Chart and was certified five times platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association. Six singles were released from Wolfmother's debut album: "Mind's Eye", "White Unicorn", "Dimension", "Woman", "Love Train" and "Joker & the Thief", the latter of which charted the highest at number eight on the ARIA Singles Chart. The album cover, which is taken from The Sea Witch by Frank Frazetta, shows a nymph standing against a blue/orange sky, on a rock, though because it displays nudity the album is sold in Wal-Mart stores with an alternate cover featuring simply the band's white logo against a black background. It is the only album to feature co-founding members Chris Ross and Myles Heskett, who left the band in August 2008.

Phillip Jeffrey McKellar is an Australian record producer and audio engineer. At the ARIA Music Awards McKellar has received nine nominations in the categories of either Producer of the Year or Engineer of the Year. These include You Am I's "Good Mornin'", "Tuesday" and Spiderbait's Ivy and the Big Apples, The Cruel Sea's "Hard Times", Spiderbait's Grand Slam, Grinspoon's New Detention, Sunk Loto's Between Birth and Death, and Something with Numbers' Perfect Distraction.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bluejuice</span>

Bluejuice was an Australian band based in Sydney, active between 2000 and 2014. The group's final line-up consisted of lead vocalist Jake Stone, backing vocalist Stavros Yiannoukas, bassist Jamie Cibej and drummer James Hauptmann. The band released three studio albums Problems, Head of the Hawk and Company as well as a greatest hits album in 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pollyanna (band)</span>

Pollyanna was an indie rock band that formed in Sydney, Australia in early 1992.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Rubens</span> Australian alternative rock band

The Rubens are an award winning 5 piece alternative rock band from Menangle, Australia. The band comprises the three Margin brothers, Izaac, Sam and Elliott, and friends Scott Baldwin and William Zeglis. Their debut self-titled album The Rubens gained them domestic success with it reaching number 3 on the ARIA Charts and being nominated for a J Award for Album of the Year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">DMA's</span> Australian band

DMA's are an Australian rock band formed in 2012 in Sydney, New South Wales. The band is composed of lead vocalist Tommy O'Dell, lead guitarist Matt Mason, and rhythm guitarist Johnny Took. They originally gained popularity for their debut single "Delete" and for their self-titled EP, which were both released in 2014. The band have since gone on to release four studio albums: Hills End (2016), For Now (2018), The Glow (2020) and How Many Dreams? (2023). All four albums have peaked within the top 10 of the ARIA Albums Chart, with the latter two also reaching the top five in the UK and Scotland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Buy Me a Pony</span> 1996 single by Spiderbait

"Buy Me a Pony" is a song by Australian alternative rock band, Spiderbait and was released in September 1996 as the lead single from the band's third studio album Ivy and the Big Apples. "Buy Me a Pony" peaked at number 45 on the Australian chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Calypso (Spiderbait song)</span> 1997 single by Spiderbait

"Calypso" is a song by Australian alternative rock band Spiderbait. It was released in April 1997 as the third single from the band's third studio album, Ivy and the Big Apples (1996). "Calypso" peaked at number 13 on the Australian ARIA Singles Chart, and it was ranked at number 23 on Triple J's Hottest 100 for 1997.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Middle Kids</span> Australian indie rock band

Middle Kids are an Australian alternative indie rock band from Sydney. The group consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Hannah Joy, bass guitarist Tim Fitz, and drummer Harry Day. Since forming in 2016, the band has released their eponymous debut EP (2017), the album Lost Friends (2018), the New Songs for Old Problems EP (2019), and their second studio album, Today We're the Greatest (2021). In February 2024, they released their third album, Faith Crisis Pt 1.

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

Ocean Alley is an Australian alternative psychedelic rock band from the Northern Beaches. The band is made up of Baden Donegal, Angus Goodwin, Lach Galbraith, Mitch Galbraith (guitar), Nic Blom (bass) and Tom O'Brien (drums). Their style of music has been described as "cruisey psych, rock and reggae fusion".

References

  1. Jonathan Lewis. "Ivy and the Big Apples - Spiderbait". AllMusic. Retrieved 6 September 2011.
  2. "1997: 11th Annual ARIA Awards". ariaawards.com. Archived from the original on 11 February 2009. Retrieved 12 August 2011.
  3. "Discography Spiderbait". Australian Charts Portal (Hung Medien). Retrieved 6 September 2011.
  4. "Rolling Stone's 200 Greatest Australian Albums of All Time". Rolling Stone Australia. Retrieved 11 June 2024.
  5. Tyler Jenke. "200 Greatest Australian Albums of All Time". Rolling Stone Australia.
  6. "Australiancharts.com – Spiderbait – Ivy and the Big Apples". Hung Medien. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
  7. Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010. Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing.
  8. 1 2 "ARIA Charts - End Of Year Charts - Top 100 Albums 1997". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 7 October 2019.
  9. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 1997 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association . Retrieved 7 October 2019.