Karma County

Last updated

Karma County
OriginSydney, New South Wales, Australia
Genres
Years active1995 (1995)–present
Labels
Website karmacounty.com.au
Members
  • Stuart Eadie
  • Michael Galeazzi
  • Brendan Gallagher

Karma County are an Australian country, pop music trio which formed in 1995. They comprise Stuart Eadie on drums, percussion and backing vocals; Michael Galeazzi on bass guitar, double bass and backing vocals; and Brendan Gallagher on lead guitar, lead vocals, keyboards, bouzouki, percussion, drums and bass guitar. They have released five studio albums, Last Stop Heavenly Heights (1996), Olana (March 1998), Into the Land of Promise (September 1999), Happy Birthday Dear Customer (November 2001) and Pacifico (August 2004). At the ARIA Music Awards of 2000, Into the Land of Promise won Best Adult Contemporary Album.

Contents

History

Karma County were formed in 1995 in Sydney as a country, pop music project by Brendan Gallagher on lead guitar and lead vocals (ex-the Leisuremasters). [1] Gallagher, as Karma County, released a single, "She Never Loved You", which was co-written by him with the Leisuremasters bass guitarist, Brett Jackson. [1] [2] That group had also included Damon Davies on guitar and vocals; and Liz Smith on drums. [1] They performed, "a mix of American-influenced roots music (New Orleans R&B, Tex Mex, Cajun, jazz) and British-styled pop." [1] The Leisuremasters released two extended plays, Unhappy Hour (December 1992) and Water Moves (May 1994), before disbanding. [1]

By October 1995 Gallagher was joined in Karma County by Stuart Eadie on drums, percussion and backing vocals (ex-the Clouds, Died Pretty, the Whitlams) and Michael Galeazzi on double bass, bass guitar and backing vocals (ex-Brookes). [1] [3] Australian musicologist, Ian McFarlane, described their sound, "a diverse musical palette, taking in country-tinged Oz rock, pop, blues and jazz with strong, varied songs, crooning vocals, lap steel, and unusual instrumentation (such as bouzouki, violin and cello)." [1]

The group's first album, Last Stop Heavenly Heights (1996), was re-released in 1997 via TWA Records with the associated single, "Postcard". [1] [3] [4] The album was co-produced by Gallagher with Sean Kennedy, Keith Walker, Jeremy Allom and Phil McKellar. [1] [3] Iain Clacher of Green Left Weekly observed, "a striking debut CD for Sydney band Karma County, a strange bar-band which seems to inhabit its very own original space in Australian music... [their] appeal revolves around its ability masterfully to grip hold of disparate styles... [with] a kind of soft-edged mellow tinge to [the album], which helps blend together all the sources and inspirations into a seamless and gratifying whole." [5]

Olana, their second album, appeared in March 1998 with co-production by Allom, Gallagher and Kennedy, as well as Don Bartley, Adrian Grigorieff and Dave Rashleigh. [1] [3] [6] It was followed in the next month by the related single, "Told You So". McFarlane felt, "[both] were stronger efforts." [1] They supported gigs by international act, Michelle Shocked, in April on an Australia tour. [1] At the ARIA Music Awards of 1998 Olana was nominated for Best Independent Release. [7] The album provided two more singles, "Good Things Come to Me Now" (July 1998) and "This Is not the Real World" (November). [1] Bruce Reid had joined as an auxiliary member on lap steel guitar, in July, for performances and recording sessions. [1] [8]

In early 1999 the band signed a deal with Melody Management and Universal Music Group. [1] [8] In September of that year their third album, Into the Land of Promise, was released via Warner Music Australasia. [1] [8] [9] It was produced and recorded by Gallagher with Tim Whitten. McFarlane noticed it was, "a subtle blend of roots music, soulful ballads and country-flavoured pop, the album was the band's strongest release to date." [1] It yielded two singles "Secret Country", featuring Jimmy Little, (August 1999) and "The Men Who Ran Away from the Circus" (December). [1] Both gained airplay on national youth radio, Triple J. At the ARIA Music Awards of 2000, Into the Land of Promise, won Best Adult Contemporary Album. [10] Gallagher had also produced the 1999 winner, Jimmy Little's album, Messenger, which had been recorded with Karma County as the studio band. [1] [3] [11]

In mid-2000 Karma County toured Australia from Cairns to Albany before undertaking a seven-week tour of continental Europe, United Kingdom and North America, from July. [12] Performances included appearances at WOMAD festivals in Hanover, Reading and Seattle; opening the Australian Film Festival in Rome and guesting, with Jimmy Little, at Shakespeare's Globe Theatre in London. [12]

In 2001 the band completed a four state tour promoting, "Where Could I Go but Home", the lead single ahead of their fourth album, Happy Birthday Dear Customer (November 2001). [1] [3] [12] It was produced by Whitten and released via Shock Records. [3] The album's title refers to a birthday cake for Eadie at a Japanese food restaurant in Toronto – where the staff did not know his name. [8] After a tour with auxiliary members, Lindsay Page on piano and Cameron Bruce on keyboards, they formed the backing band for a Carole King Tribute show, Tapestry, using vocals by Jenny Morris, Vika & Linda Bull, and Jodi Phillis. With Galeazzi as musical director, the show played theatres in state capital cities, during September 2001. Karma County then toured with auxiliary members Reid and Bruce, adding Lachlan Doley on keyboards, into early 2002. Subsequently they resumed working as a trio.

In August 2004 Karma County released their fifth studio album, Pacifico, including the track, "Dexter & Sinistra" – a song and related music video – recorded with Australian actor, Bryan Brown, providing spoken vocals. [13] Brown summarised Gallagher's instructions, "You want me to say this just like I'm tellin' a story, right?" [13] According to The Age 's Michael Dwyer, "Combined with Karma County's coastal spaghetti-western atmosphere and one of Gallagher's cooler guitar riffs, the track became a highlight of the Sydney trio's new album." [13] The album re-united the band with recording engineer, Whitten and mixer, Allom, on the independent label, Littoral Records. They toured Australian capital cities and some regional centres.

After 2004 they played occasional festival and corporate shows while recording little new material and mostly re-visiting their back catalogue. In October 2008 they issued a 36-track double compilation album, Headland, through Vitamin Records. [14] It has two new tracks, and uses tracks re-mixed and re-mastered from each of their five studio albums, live tracks and some rarities. [14] They undertook a brief east coast Australian tour. Karma County play occasional gigs – the latest, as from August 2019, was in March 2017 at Port Fairy. [15] The original members pursue solo ventures – Galeazzi with the Java Quartet and music education; Eadie with a graphics business and drum duties with various bands in Byron Bay, including occasional Uke Nights; and Gallagher with his solo career and music production.

Members

Auxiliary members

Discography

Albums

List of studio albums and Australian chart positions
TitleAlbum detailsPeak chart
positions
AUS [16]
Last Stop Heavenly Heights
  • Released: 1996
  • Label: Laughing Boy Records
  • Formats: CD
Olana
  • Released: March 1998
  • Label: TWA Records (TWAD447)
  • Formats: CD
Into the Land of Promise
  • Released: September 1999
  • Label: WEA Records (3984295112)
  • Formats: CD
96
Happy Birthday Dear Customer
  • Released: November 2001
  • Label: Karma County Studios (KCP008)
  • Formats: CD
Pacifico
  • Released: August 2004
  • Label: Vitamin Records (LIT001)
  • Formats: CD

Compilations

List of Compilations albums
TitleAlbum details
This Tin Stardom
  • Released: 2000 [17]
  • Label: Karma Country (TND 204)
  • Formats: CD
Headland
  • Released: October 2008 [17]
  • Label: Vitamin Records (kc009)
  • Formats: CD, Digital download

Singles

Related Research Articles

<i>Birrkuta – Wild Honey</i> 1996 studio album by Yothu Yindi

Birrkuta – Wild Honey is the fourth studio album by Australian band, Yothu Yindi. It was released in November 1996 via Mushroom Records. It was co-produced by Lamar Lowder and Andrew Farriss.

Schnell Fenster were an Australian pop, rock band formed in 1986 by Noel Crombie on drums and percussion, Nigel Griggs on bass guitar and backing vocals, Phil Judd on lead vocals and guitar, and Eddie Rayner on keyboards and piano – who were all former members of New Zealand-formed rock group, Split Enz. Fellow founder, Michael den Elzen on lead guitar had worked with Tim Finn Band, another band formed by a Split Enz alumnus. Judd's band were briefly named The Wanx: but Rayner soon left and they changed their name to faux-German for "quick window", because it "appealed to [their] perversity". The group formed the core members of Noel's Cowards, a short-term ensemble, whose sole output was six tracks for the soundtrack of a feature film, Rikky and Pete, in 1988. Schnell Fenster released two studio albums, The Sound of Trees (1988) and Ok Alright a Huh Oh Yeah (1990), before disbanding in 1992. At the ARIA Music Awards of 1989 they were nominated for Breakthrough Artist – Album for The Sound of Trees, Breakthrough Artist – Single for "Whisper" and Best Cover Art for Judd's graphic art.

Things of Stone and Wood or ToSaW are an Australian folk-rock band which formed in 1989. The original line-up was Michael Bruce Allen on bass guitar and backing vocals; Greg Arnold on lead vocals and acoustic guitar; Justin Brady on violin, mandolin and harmonica; and Tony Floyd on drums and percussion. Two of their albums, The Yearning and Junk Theatre peaked at No. 8 on the ARIA Albums Chart. Their 1992 single, "Happy Birthday Helen" reached No. 9 on the ARIA Singles Chart, which was written by Arnold for his then-girlfriend, whom he later married. At the ARIA Music Awards of 1993 the group won ARIA Award for Best New Talent for "Share This Wine". Arnold won 'Songwriter of the Year' at the 1993 APRA Awards.

Leonardo's Bride was an Australian pop band that formed in 1992. It consisted of Abby Dobson on lead vocal and acoustic guitar; Dean Manning on electric guitar, piano, wurlitzer and hammond; Jon Howell on drums; and Patrick Wong on bass guitar, backing vocals and cello. They released two EPs, Debut and Temperamental Friend and two albums, Angel Blood and Open Sesame, before disbanding in 2001.

My Friend the Chocolate Cake are an Australian chamber pop group formed in 1989 by mainstays David Bridie on vocals and keyboards and Helen Mountfort on cello and backing vocals. They have released seven studio albums with two reaching the ARIA Albums Chart top 50, Brood (1994) and Good Luck (1997). These two album have both won the ARIA Award for Best Adult Contemporary Album; in 1995 and 1997.

For the American band with a similar name, see Blackeyed Susan.

<i>A Box of Birds</i> 1999 studio album by The Church

A Box of Birds is the twelfth album by the Australian psychedelic rock band The Church, released in September 1999. It consists of cover versions of tracks by artists who were influential on the group's music.

<i>Sidewalk</i> (album) 1984 studio album by Icehouse

Sidewalk is the third studio album by Australian rock band Icehouse. It was originally released in June 1984, on the labels Chrysalis, Regular, and reached No. 8 on the National albums chart with singles "Taking the Town", "Don't Believe Anymore" and "Dusty Pages". Founding member Iva Davies used the Fairlight CMI digital sampling synthesizer on this more sombre and reflective album.. This is the first album bassist Guy Pratt worked on as a member of the band. Pratt would later become a session musician, and go on to work with artists such as Pink Floyd, Roxy Music, David Bowie, Madonna and Michael Jackson.

<i>Measure for Measure</i> (album) 1986 studio album by Icehouse

Measure for Measure is the fifth studio album by Australian rock/synthpop band Icehouse and was the third album in the world to be recorded entirely digitally. The album's title refers to the Shakespearean play of the same name.

Rattling Sabres were an Australian country rock group formed in 1986 by Leyton Greening on drums, Lindsay Hodgson on bass guitar, Robert Price on lead vocals and Kerryn Tolhurst on lead guitar. Greening was soon replaced on drums by John Lee. They issued a single, "All Fired Up", in 1987 which had been written by Tolhurst. It peaked in the lower reaches of the Kent Music Report's top 100 singles chart. Pat Benatar released her own version of "All Fired Up", after some rewriting, in the following year, which reached No. 2 on the Australian chart and the top 20 in America, Canada, New Zealand and United Kingdom. The Rattling Sabres moved to the States but disbanded within six months.

<i>El Momento Descuidado</i> 2004 studio album by The Church

El Momento Descuidado is the eighteenth album by the Australian psychedelic rock band The Church, released in November 2004.

Lisa Anne Edwards is an Australian solo and session singer and musician. In July 1992 she had a top 5 hit on the ARIA Singles Chart with her cover version of Godley and Creme's "Cry". Edwards is primarily a backing vocalist and has worked for fellow Australian and international artists, including John Farnham and Kylie Minogue. She also provided vocals on Real Life's "Send Me an Angel" and Olivia Newton-John's "Stronger Than Before". As a solo artist, Edwards has issued two studio albums, Thru the Hoop (1993) and State of the Heart (2005).

Steve Balbi Australian musician and record producer

Stephen Vert Balbi is an Australian musician and record producer. He was the founding bass guitarist in pub rockers, Noiseworks in 1986 and formed a psychedelic pop group and production duo, Electric Hippies in 1993 with fellow Noiseworks member, Justin Stanley. He joined Mi-Sex in 2011. Balbi issued his debut solo album, Black Rainbow, in October 2013.

<i>After Everything Now This</i> 2002 studio album by The Church

After Everything Now This is the thirteenth album by the Australian alternative rock band The Church, released in early 2002. It was produced by group member Tim Powles and the rest of the band.

The Dukes were an Australian rock band active from 1991 to 1994. Initially called Sean Kelly and the Iron Dukes, they were formed by Sean Kelly on vocals and keyboards; and Geoffrey Stapleton on keyboards and guitar. They were soon joined by Michael Armiger on bass guitar; Michael King on guitar and backing vocals; and John Mackay on drums and percussion.

TimGaze is an Australian rock and blues guitarist, songwriter, singer and producer. He was a member of several Australian groups from the 1960s to 1990s including Tamam Shud, Kahvas Jute (1970), Ariel (1973–74) and Rose Tattoo (1985–87). He also had a solo music career and released the albums, Band on the Run, Rough Trade (1992), Blue Sierra (1996) and Blues Remedy (1998). In April 2008 he issued a retrospective compilation covering both his group and solo work, Reckless Love: the Tim Gaze Anthology.

The Monitors were an Australian pop band of the early 1980s. They were primarily a studio group which involved a collaboration between Terry McCarthy on vocals and keyboards, and Mark Moffatt on guitar, bass guitar and keyboards. They used various guest vocalists. Their debut single, "Singin' in the '80s", was released in 1980 and reached No. 16 on the Kent Music Report singles chart. A second single, "Nobody Told Me", peaked in the top 40. The Monitors issued a sole album, Back from Their Recent Illness, for which Ricky Fataar had joined on drums, percussion, guitar and keyboards. The group disbanded in 1982.

Michael William Armiger is an English-born Australian guitarist and teacher. He has been a member of various groups including Paul Kelly Band (1983–84), Paul Kelly and the Coloured Girls (1985–86), John Kennedy's Love Gone Wrong (1987–88), The Johnnys, The Go-Betweens (1989), and Sean Kelly and the Iron Dukes (1990).

The Zimmermen were an Australian rock and country music group, which formed in June 1983. Members included John Dowler on vocals, Mick Holmes on guitar and vocals, Graeme Perry on drums, and Peter Tulloch on guitar. They released two albums, Rivers of Corn, Way Too Casual, before disbanding in 1990. Former guitarist, Steve Connolly died in 1995.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 McFarlane, Ian (2017). "Encyclopedia entry for 'Karma County'". The Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and Pop . Jenkins, Jeff (Foreword) (2nd ed.). Gisborne, VIC: Third Stone Press. p. 254. ISBN   978-0-9953856-0-3.
  2. "'She Never Loved You' at APRA search engine". Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) | Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society (AMCOS). Retrieved 24 August 2019. Note: For additional work user may have to select 'Search again' and then 'Enter a title:' &/or 'Performer:'
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Related entries at the Australian Rock Database:
    • Karma County: Holmgren, Magnus. "Karma County". hem2.passagen.se. Australian Rock Database (Magnus Holmgren). Archived from the original on 5 August 2011. Retrieved 24 August 2019.
    • The Clouds: Holmgren, Magnus; Jones, Brendan C. "Clouds". hem2.passagen.se. Australian Rock Database (Magnus Holmgren). Archived from the original on 5 August 2011. Retrieved 24 August 2019.
    • Died Pretty: Holmgren, Magnus. "Died Pretty". hem2.passagen.se. Australian Rock Database (Magnus Holmgren). Archived from the original on 5 August 2011. Retrieved 24 August 2019.
    • The Whitlams: Holmgren, Magnus. "The Whitlams". hem2.passagen.se. Australian Rock Database (Magnus Holmgren). Archived from the original on 5 August 2011. Retrieved 24 August 2019.
    • Jimmy Little: Holmgren, Magnus. "Jimmy Little". hem2.passagen.se. Australian Rock Database (Magnus Holmgren). Archived from the original on 30 September 2013. Retrieved 24 August 2019.
  4. Karma County (1996), Last Stop Heavenly Heights, TWA Records, retrieved 24 August 2019, Performer: Michael Galeazzi – double bass, b/vocal; Stuart Eadie – drums/percussion, b/vocal; Brendan Gallagher – vocal, guitars, keyboards, bouzouki, percussion, add/drums, bass
  5. Clacher, Iain (18 June 1997). "Good karma". Green Left Weekly . Retrieved 24 August 2019.
  6. Karma County (1998), Olana, TWA Records, retrieved 24 August 2019
  7. "ARIA Awards – History: Winners by Year 1998: 12th Annual ARIA Awards". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Archived from the original on 27 September 2011. Retrieved 24 August 2019.
  8. 1 2 3 4 Macgregor, Jody. "Karma County | Biography & History". AllMusic . Retrieved 24 August 2019.
  9. Karma County (1999), Into the Land of Promise, Warner Music Australia , retrieved 24 August 2019
  10. "ARIA Awards – History: Winners by Year 2000". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Archived from the original on 26 September 2007. Retrieved 24 August 2019.
  11. "ARIA Awards – History: Winners by Year 1999". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Archived from the original on 19 May 2011. Retrieved 24 August 2019.
  12. 1 2 3 "Karma County". Australian Music Online . Archived from the original on 1 September 2007. Retrieved 25 August 2019 via National Library of Australia.
  13. 1 2 3 Dwyer, Michael (5 November 2004). "Karma Drama". The Age . Fairfax Media . Retrieved 25 August 2019.
  14. 1 2 Karma County (2008), Headland, Distributed by Vitamin Records , retrieved 25 August 2019, Summary: Headland is a must have collection of 36 tracks across 2 discs with songs from all 5 albums including 2000 ARIA winner Into the Land of Promise. Plus previously unreleased tracks and live performances – remixed, revisited and remastered... Performer: Karma County: Michael Galeazzi, electric & double bass, backing vocals; Brendan Gallagher, vocal, electric & acoustic guitars, keyboards, bouzouki, percussion; Stuart Eadie, drums, percussion, programming.
  15. "Karma County – Shows". Karma County Official Website. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
  16. Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (pdf ed.). Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing.
  17. 1 2 Karma County (2000), This Tin Stardom, Independent, retrieved 25 August 2019