Operator Please

Last updated

Operator Please
OperatorPleasePRphotoByDanielBoud.jpg
Operator Please in 2008. L–R: Henderson, McConnell, Wilkinson, Commandeur, Gardiner
Background information
Origin Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
Genres Indie rock, indie pop, pop rock, new wave, dance-punk, teen pop
Years active2005–2011
Labels Virgin
EMI Music Australia
Past members Amandah Wilkinson
Taylor Henderson
Tim Commandeur
Chris Holland
Ashley McConnell
Sarah Gardiner
Stephanie Joske
Kieran Richards
Blake Ross

Operator Please were an Australian pop band, originating in the Gold Coast, Queensland, in 2005. Their final line-up consisted of vocalist and guitarist Amandah Wilkinson, drummer Tim Commandeur, keyboardist Chris Holland, bassist Ashley McConnell and violinist Taylor Henderson. They are best known for their 2007 single "Just a Song About Ping Pong", which won an ARIA Music Award at the 2007 ceremony. [1]

Contents

History

2005–2011

Operator Please formed in early 2005 by lead singer and guitarist Amandah Wilkinson and students of Elanora State High School in an attempt to compete in the high school's annual "Battle of the Bands" competition, which they went on to win. [2]

After winning the contest, the five members, aged 17 to 19, recorded and self-released the EP On the Prowl in 2006, limited to 300 handmade copies. The EP included an early version of the song "Just a Song About Ping Pong". The band released a second EP, Cement Cement, in 2006, which generated interest both locally and internationally from a combination of word of mouth and exposure on the Australian youth radio network Triple J, and the band were signed to Virgin Records. [3] The band opened for Arctic Monkeys and Kaiser Chiefs on their 2007 Australian tours. [4]

In July 2007, the band released a re-recorded version of "Just a Song About Ping Pong" as their debut single. The song peaked at number 12 on the ARIA Charts and at the ARIA Music Awards of 2007; the song won the ARIA Award for Breakthrough Artist – Single. [5] Celebrity blogger Perez Hilton labelled Operator Please as "our favourite new band" and "the next big thing". [6] [7]

In October 2007, the band released "Get What You Want", which peaked at number 27 on the ARIA Charts. [8] This was followed by the band's debut studio album, Yes Yes Vindictive , in November 2007, which peaked at number 28 on the ARIA album chart. [8]

In 2008, the band toured throughout Europe and Asia [9] and released Yes Yes Vindictive in the UK on 17 March 2008.

Operator Please spent 2009 composing their second album. On 8 February 2010, the band released the album's lead single, "Logic". The band's second album, Gloves , was released on 23 April 2010 in Australia and 31 May 2010 in the rest of the world. The album peaked at number 20 on the ARIA album chart. [8]

In June 2010, the band completed their first headlining tour since late 2008; they were supported by Perth band Tim & Jean and Sydney band Chaingang. Shortly afterwards, they would play a variety of festivals, including Splendour in the Grass and Canberra festival Stonefest. They also played the Australian leg of the 2011 Big Day Out festival. March and April 2011 saw the band tour Australia, this time as the main support for Sydney musician Sparkadia. "Catapult" was released in January 2011 as the fifth and final single from Gloves.

2012–present

Although the band have not officially split, [10] they have been inactive since 2011, and the band members are currently part of other projects. Wilkinson has adopted the moniker Bossy Love, collaborated with John Baillie Jnr of Dananananaykroyd, and released her debut EP Me + You in October 2013; [11] Holland and Commandeur formed the duo Colour Coding and released their debut EP Proof in March 2012, later announcing a hiatus for that project in November 2013. [12]

Discography

Studio albums

List of studio albums, with selected chart positions and certifications
TitleDetailsPeak chart positions
AUS
[8]
UK
[13]
Yes Yes Vindictive
  • Released: November 2007
  • Label: Virgin (5137072)
  • Format: CD
28157
Gloves
  • Released: 23 April 2010
  • Label: Virgin, EMI Music (50999 6290472 8)
  • Format: CD, DD
20

Extended plays

List of EPs, with selected details
TitleDetails
On the Prowl
  • Released: 2006
  • Label: Operator Please
  • Format: CD
Cement Cement
  • Released: 2006
  • Label: Scorpio Management, Virgin (3864422)
  • Format: CD, DD

Singles

List of singles, with selected chart positions
TitleYearPeak chart positionsAlbum
AUS
[8]
UK
[13]
"Just a Song About Ping Pong"200712 Yes Yes Vindictive
"Get What You Want"27121
"Leave It Alone"62133
"Two for My Seconds"200893
"Logic"201047 Gloves
"Back and Forth"84
"Like Magic"
"Volcanic"
"Catapult"2011

Awards and nominations

ARIA Awards

The ARIA Music Awards is an annual awards ceremony that recognises excellence, innovation, and achievement across all genres of Australian music.

YearAwardWorkResultRef.
2007 ARIA Award for Breakthrough Artist – Single "Just a Song About Ping Pong"Won [14]
ARIA Award for Best Pop Release "Just a Song About Ping Pong"Nominated
ARIA Award for Engineer of the Year Magoo for "Just a Song About Ping Pong"Nominated
2008 ARIA Award for Breakthrough Artist – Album Yes Yes Vindictive Nominated [15]
Best Pop ReleaseYes Yes VindictiveNominated

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Living End</span> Australian band

The Living End is an Australian punk rockabilly band from Melbourne, formed in 1994. Since 2002, the line-up consists of Chris Cheney, Scott Owen, and Andy Strachan (drums). The band rose to fame in 1997 after the release of their EP Second Solution / Prisoner of Society, which peaked at No. 4 on the Australian ARIA Singles Chart. They have released eight studio albums, two of which reached the No. 1 spot on the ARIA Albums Chart: The Living End and State of Emergency. They have also achieved chart success in the U.S. and the United Kingdom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Clouds (Australian band)</span>

The Clouds are an indie rock band from Sydney, Australia formed in December 1989. The core of the group consisted of frontwomen Jodi Phillis and Patricia "Trish" Young. The line-up of The Clouds has changed several times with different drummers and lead guitarists. The Clouds' music is distinguished by rapid and unusual chord changes, creative bass guitar, and Phillis and Young's vocal harmonies. They released 4 albums and numerous EPs and singles before breaking up in 1997. They reformed in 2011.

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

Frente! is an Australian folk-pop and indie pop group which originally formed in 1989. The original line-up consisted of Simon Austin on guitar and backing vocals, Angie Hart on lead vocals, Tim O'Connor on bass guitar, and Mark Picton on drums.

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

Faker are an Australian alternative rock band, formed in 1996 by mainstay Nathan Hudson on lead vocals, piano and guitar. They have released three studio albums, Addicted Romantic, Be the Twilight and Get Loved. Their highest charting single, "This Heart Attack" (2007), peaked at No. 9 on the ARIA Singles Chart. The group disbanded in December 2013, but they announced their reformation in October 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Birds of Tokyo</span> Australian alternative rock band

Birds of Tokyo are an Australian alternative rock band from Perth, Western Australia. Their debut album, Day One, gained them domestic success, reaching number three on the AIR Independent Album charts and spending a total of 36 consecutive weeks in the top ten.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elanora State High School</span> Secondary school

Elanora State High School is the high school serving the Elanora area of the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. Founded in 1990, it currently has a student body of 950.

<i>On the Prowl</i> (EP) 2006 EP by Operator Please

On the Prowl is the debut extended play by the Australian rock band, Operator Please, self-released in 2006. It was recorded and produced by the band's drummer, Roulf Commandeur, at his father's home studio, Musical Solutions, in the Gold Coast, Queensland. It was limited to a release of about 300 handmade copies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Just a Song About Ping Pong</span> 2007 single by Operator Please

"Just a Song About Ping Pong" is a song by Australian rock band Operator Please. The song was first included on the band's debut extended play, On the Prowl, in 2006. The band later re-recorded the song after signing with Virgin Records and released this version in July 2007 as the lead single from their debut studio album, Yes Yes Vindictive. The song peaked at number 12 on the Australian ARIA Singles Chart. At the ARIA Music Awards of 2007, the song was nominated for three awards, winning ARIA Award for Breakthrough Artist - Single.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amandah Wilkinson</span> New Zealand-born musician

Amandah Wilkinson, is a New Zealand-Australian pop musician from the Gold Coast, Queensland. She was the founding mainstay lead singer and guitarist of Operator Please from 2005 to 2011, which released two studio albums before splitting. Wilkinson went solo as Bossy Love in 2011 and used the same name when forming a duo in 2013 with John Baillie Jnr, ex-lead vocalist and drummer of Scottish pop-rock group Dananananaykroyd (2006–2011). As from 2016 they are based in Glasgow and released their debut album, Me + U, in October 2019 via Double-A Side Records.

The 21st Annual Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards were held on 28 October 2007 at the Acer Arena at the Sydney Olympic Park complex. Rove McManus was the host of the event. The nominees for all categories were announced on 19 September, while the winners of the Artisan Awards were announced on that same day.

CDB are an Australian R&B, dance and vocal harmony quartet formed in 1991 with Andrew De Silva, Brad Pinto and his brother Gary Pinto, as well as Danny Williams. CDB is an initialism which stands for Central Dandenong Boys. Their highest charting single was a cover version of Earth, Wind & Fire's "Let's Groove", which peaked at number two on the ARIA Singles Chart and number one on the New Zealand Singles Chart. "Hey Girl " also reached number one in New Zealand. Their debut studio album, Glide with Me was released in November 1995. The group disbanded in 1999.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Get What You Want</span> 2007 single by Operator Please

"Get What You Want" is a song by Australian band Operator Please. The song was first recorded in 2006 and featured on the band's second Extended Play Cement Cement. The song was re-recorded and released in Australia on 29 October 2007 as the second single their debut album, Yes Yes Vindictive. The song peaked at number 27 on the ARIA Singles Chart.

<i>Yes Yes Vindictive</i> 2007 studio album by Operator Please

Yes Yes Vindictive is the debut studio album from Australian indie rock/pop-punk band, Operator Please. It was released on 10 November 2007, and on 17 March 2008 in the UK under Virgin/EMI. The album features the singles "Just a Song About Ping Pong", "Get What You Want", "Leave It Alone" and "Two for My Seconds". The album was recorded in the Grove Studios on the New South Wales Central Coast with UK producer Simon Barnicott. It debuted and peaked at No. 28 on the Australian ARIA Albums Chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leave It Alone (Operator Please song)</span> 2007 single by Operator Please

"Leave It Alone" is a song by Australian band Operator Please. It was released in the United Kingdom on 19 November 2007 as the third single from their debut album, Yes Yes Vindictive, and was released in Australia on 25 February 2008. The song peaked at number 62 on the Australian ARIA Singles Chart, number 32 on the Top 100 Physical chart, and number 14 on the Australian Artists chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tim Commandeur</span> Australian musician (born 1990)

Timothy Commandeur is an ARIA Award–winning Sydney-based drummer and producer, best known as the drummer in Operator Please and Panama.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Two for My Seconds</span> 2008 single by Operator Please

"Two for My Seconds" is a song by Australian band Operator Please, originally recorded for the band's second Extended Play Cement Cement, the song was re-recorded in 2007 and released as the fourth and final single from their debut album, Yes Yes Vindictive.

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

Fijian-born Australian singer and songwriter Paulini has released four studio albums, one extended play, nineteen singles, and twelve music videos. Paulini placed fourth on the first season of Australian Idol in 2003, and subsequently signed a recording contract with Sony BMG Australia. Her debut studio album, One Determined Heart (2004), debuted at number one on the ARIA Albums Chart, where it remained for two consecutive weeks, and was certified platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) for shipments of 70,000 copies. Its lead single "Angel Eyes" remained at number one on the ARIA Singles Chart for three consecutive weeks and was also certified platinum, while the second single "We Can Try" peaked at number 30. Paulini followed with the release of her debut EP, Amazing Grace: Songs for Christmas (2004), which peaked at number 70.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Logic (song)</span> 2010 single by Operator Please

"Logic" is a song by Australian band Operator Please, released on 16 February 2010 as the lead single from the band's second album, Gloves. The song peaked at number 47 on the ARIA charts.

Richard Arnold Pleasance is an Australian rock musician and producer. He was a founding member of Boom Crash Opera on guitar, bass guitar, vocals and as a songwriter in 1985; they released three albums before Pleasance left in 1992. Their hit Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) singles, "Great Wall" and "Onion Skin" were co-written by Pleasance, who also co-produced their second album, These Here Are Crazy Times. His debut solo release, Galleon received four nominations at the ARIA Music Awards for 1992. Pleasance composed the theme music for Australian television series, SeaChange (1998–2001), for 2006 feature film Kenny and more recently he composed the theme music for the prison drama series Wentworth. Pleasance is married to Michelle and, as from May 2009, he was living in Hepburn Springs, Victoria where he has a recording studio.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Back and Forth (Operator Please song)</span> 2010 single by Operator Please

"Back and Forth" is a song by the Australian band Operator Please, released in April 2010 as the second single from the band's second album, Gloves. The song peaked at number 84 on the ARIA Chart.

References

  1. Braithwaite, Alyssa (8 October 2007). "Ping Pong proves a winner for indie band Operator Please". News Limited. Retrieved 15 November 2007.
  2. "Operator Please". Triple J. Australian Broadcasting Corporation . Retrieved 15 November 2007.
  3. Mathewson, Catriona (2 August 2007). "Give us more Operator Please". The Courier Mail. Retrieved 21 August 2007.
  4. "Kaiser Chiefs / Wolf And Cub / Operator Please". Rave Magazine. Retrieved 22 July 2007.
  5. "ARIA Nominees Announced". SameSame.com.au. Retrieved 21 September 2007.
  6. "Listen To This: Our New Obsession". Perez Hilton. 15 July 2007. Retrieved 21 August 2007.
  7. "Listen To This: The New Wave!". Perez Hilton. 5 July 2007. Retrieved 21 August 2007.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 Australian chart peaks:
    • All top 50 peaks: "Discography Operator Please". australian-charts.com. Retrieved 4 September 2022.
    • Top 100 (ARIA) peaks to December 2010: Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 209.
  9. "All Shows for Operator Please". MySpace. Retrieved 21 August 2007.
  10. "Has Operator Please Called It Quits? No!". Home & Hosed - New Australian Music blog. ABC . Retrieved 12 December 2013.
  11. "Bossy Love Announces Debut Ep 'Me + You' Out October 21st 2013". Contactmusic. 17 September 2013. Retrieved 12 December 2013.
  12. "Colour Coding - It is a little sad to announce, but we..." Colour Coding on Facebook . Retrieved 12 December 2013.
  13. 1 2 "Chart Log UK 1994–2010: The O – Ozric Tentacles". zobbel.de. Retrieved 4 September 2022.
  14. "ARIA Awards – History: Winners by Year 2007: 21st Annual ARIA Awards". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Archived from the original on 18 November 2007. Retrieved 13 June 2012.
  15. "Winners by Year: 2008". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Archived from the original on 13 August 2009. Retrieved 5 June 2012.