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The Sharp

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The Sharp
OriginMelbourne, Victoria, Australia
GenresRock, pop, rockabilly
Years active1991 (1991)–1995 (1995), 2000, 2010
LabelsEast West/Warner
Past members
  • Allan Catlin
  • Piet Collins
  • Charlie Rooke
  • Adam May

The Sharp were a three-piece pop, rockabilly band which formed in 1991 with Allan Catlin on double bass and lead vocals, Piet Collins on drums and Charlie Rooke on guitar and lead vocals. They issued two studio albums, This Is the Sharp (1993) and Sonic Tripod (1994). Their highest charting single, "Alone Like Me" (1994), reached the ARIA Singles Chart top 20. They disbanded in October 1995.

History

1991-1992: Formation and Spinosity

In 1991 the Sharp were formed as a three-piece rockabilly, pop group in the Melbourne suburb of Collingwood by Allan Catlin on double bass and lead vocals, Piet Collins on drums and Charlie Rooke on guitar and lead vocals.[1][2] Rooke had formed 59 Sharp, a "good-time bar-band",[1] in 1988; he was later joined by Catlin, and alternating drummers Danny Simcic (also a member of Real Life, a new wave-synth pop band) and Tony Day (Broderick Smith Band).[3] They "played 1950s rock'n'roll and rockabilly covers to a hardcore Melbourne following."[1]

Piet Collins, who was writing Neighbours episodes at the time,[4] joined on drums in 1991 due to other commitments for both Day and Simcic.[3] The group were renamed as the Sharp, which according to Australian musicologist, Ian McFarlane "Boasting double bass, stand-up drums, rockabilly-tinged guitar licks and musicians dressed in all black... [they] presented a united front and an interesting twist on 1990s pop... [their] aesthetic push incorporated frisky pop melodies, tight arrangements, strong harmonies and grungy guitar riffs."[1] For the Sharp Catlin and Rooke wrote original tracks, both individually and jointly. The group acknowledged the influence of the Kinks, the Beatles and the Easybeats.[1]

In June 1992 they issued their debut CD three-track single "Love Your Head", on Mushroom Distribution Services.[1] It was produced by Nick Mainsbridge (The Triffids, Tall Tales and True, Ratcat).[5] They were signed to East West Music/Warner Music Australasia later that year. Their first hit single, "Talking Sly" (from the Spinosity EP), was written and sung jointly by Rooke and Catlin, which "received plenty of radio support and high critical acclaim."[6] The associated EP reached the ARIA Singles Chart top 30.

1993: This Is the Sharp

In May 1993, the band released "Train of Thought", the lead single from their debut studio album. It was co-produced by Mainsbridge with Peter Farnan (of Boom Crash Opera).[1][7]

The Sharp released their debut album, This Is the Sharp, in September 1993, which was co-produced by Farnan, Mainsbridge and the group.[1][5] It peaked at No. 13 on the ARIA Albums Chart. They promoted the album with an Australian tour as a support act for United States group, Spin Doctors.[1] At the ARIA Awards of 1993 the Sharp received two nominations for "Talking Sly", ARIA Award for Breakthrough Artist – Single and Best Video (directed by Chris Langman).[6][8]

Further singles reached the top 50 of the ARIA Singles Chart including "Scratch My Back" and "Yeah I Want You". The latter had four cover version of work by The Cure ("The Love Cats"), Blondie ("Hangin' on the Telephone"), Lou Reed ("Vicious") and The Violent Femmes ("Add It Up").[2] Collins explained "We've been playing these songs in our live set on and off for the past two years and we've created our own versions of them."[2]

1994-1995: Sonic Tripod

A world tour followed in 1994 across the US, the United Kingdom, Sweden and Germany. At the 1994 ARIA Awards they received two further nominations, ARIA Award for Breakthrough Artist – Album for This Is the Sharp and ARIA Award for Engineer of the Year for its tracks, "Scratch My Back", "Yeah I Want You" and "Train of Thought" by Mainsbridge and Kalju Tonuma.[8]

In August 1994, the bands's second album Sonic Tripod, was released. It also reached No. 13 and was co-produced by Farnan, Mainsbridge and the group.[1][5] Jacqueline Fuller of The Canberra Times felt it was "a foray into the new lyrical themes of social comment and psychological turmoil rather than The Sharp's typical love and party songs."[9] It provided their highest charting single "Alone Like Me", which peaked at No. 20. The group were known for their image of black high neck skivvies,[6] and energetic live shows,[3] including Catlin balancing on his double bass while playing, and Rooke leaping off the drum kit mid-guitar solo.[citation needed]

Early in 1995 Adam May replaced Collins on drums, however in August the group announced their proposed disbandment due to burn out.[1][3] Rooke explained to Liz Armitage of The Canberra Times in that month how the Sharp had decided to break up: "It was a round-table discussion. A lot of people like to think there was (a conflict) but there wasn't, otherwise we wouldn't be doing a tour."[10] Rooke reflected on their legacy "I think people will remember us for being a bit different... I'm sticking with the simplicity... I seemed to go for that vibe in the first, and I've always believed in it. I think you can do so much with that approach, but most groups these days are into bigger production."[10] According to Armitage "Both Catlin and Rooke are expected to release something (separately) at the start of next year."[10]

A compilation album, Single File (The Best of the Sharp), was released in September.[1] They performed their last gig on 22 October 1995 at the Hallam Hotel.[11]

1996-present

A posthumous collection, Skeletons in the Closet, of previously unreleased studio tracks was released in 1996.[3]

Caitlin formed a group, the Rush Effect and wrote music for ads; Collins took up a career in journalism and writing; Rooke formed a group, Earlobe.[3] Rooke was later a studio session guitarist for Cezary Skubiszewski.[12]

In 2000 the Sharp performed a sole reunion gig in Melbourne,[3] and in July 2010 they reunited for a series of shows playing in Melbourne and Adelaide.

Discography

Studio albums

List of studio albums with chart positions and certifications
Title Details Peak chart positions
AUS
[13]
This Is the Sharp 13
Sonic Tripod 13

Compilation albums

List of live album with selected details
Title Details
Single File (The Best of the Sharp)
Skeletons in the Closet
  • Released: 1996
  • Label: WoW Management (SHARP0001)
  • Format: CD
  • Note: Compilation of unreleased tracks

Extended play

List of extended play with selected details
Title Details Peak chart positions
AUS
[13]
Spinosity
  • Released: September 1992
  • Label: East West (450990501-2)
  • Format: CD
 28
Thank You Good Night
  • Released: August 1995
  • Label: East West (063011387 -2)
  • Format: CD
 -

Singles

List of singles as lead artist and chart position
Title Year Peak chart positions Album
AUS[13]
"Love Your Head" 1992 - non album single
"Talking Sly" -[A] Spinosity
"Train of Thought" 1993 32 This Is the Sharp
"Scratch My Back" 40
"Yeah I Want You" 44
"Alone Like Me" 1994 20 Sonic Tripod
"Honest and Sober" 99
"Spider" -
"Nightclub"/"Where Am I Now" 1995 - Thank You Good Night

Notes

  1. ^ "Talking Sly" was released as a radio single only - and illegible to chart in 1992.

Awards and nominations

ARIA Music Awards

The ARIA Music Awards are a set of annual ceremonies presented by Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA), which recognise excellence, innovation, and achievement across all genres of Australian music. They commenced in 1987. The Sharp were nominated for four awards.

Year Nominee / work Award Result
1993 "Talking Sly" ARIA Award for Breakthrough Artist – Single Nominated
Chris Langman for "Talking Sly" ARIA Award for Best Video Nominated
1994 This Is the Sharp ARIA Award for Breakthrough Artist – Album Nominated
Nick Mainsbridge & Kalju Tonuma for The Sharp's "Scratch My Back", "Yeah I Want You", "Train Of Thought" ARIA Award for Engineer of the Year Nominated

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l McFarlane, Ian (1999). "Encyclopedia entry for 'The Sharp'". Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and Pop. St Leonards, NSW: Allen & Unwin. ISBN 1-86508-072-1. Archived from the original on 30 September 2004. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
  2. ^ a b c Leedham, Nicole (4 November 1993). "Good Times: Sharp's meteroic rise". The Canberra Times. Vol. 68, no. 21, 387. p. 3. Retrieved 11 April 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Macgregor, Jody. "The Sharp | Biography & History". AllMusic. All Media Guide. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
  4. ^ Donovan, Patrick (6 August 2003). "There goes the neighbourhood". The Age. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
  5. ^ a b c Australian Rock Database entries:
    • The Sharp: Holmgren, Magnus. "The Sharp". hem.passagen.se. Australian Rock Database (Magnus Holmgren). Archived from the original on 5 August 2011. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
    • Nick Mainsbridge: Holmgren, Magnus. "Nick Mainsbridge". hem.passagen.se. Australian Rock Database (Magnus Holmgren). Archived from the original on 5 August 2011. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
  6. ^ a b c "Entertainment: Sharp by Nature". Times. Vol. 88, no. 4, 128. Victor Harbor, SA. 14 May 1993. p. 8. Retrieved 10 April 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  7. ^ "Sharp sound on the airwaves". Times. Vol. 88, no. 4, 132. Victor Harbor, SA. 28 May 1993. p. 8. Retrieved 10 April 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  8. ^ a b ARIA Music Awards for the Sharp:
  9. ^ Fuller, Jacqueline (21 July 1994). "Backstage: The Sharp's test tube baby". The Canberra Times. Vol. 69, no. 21, 645. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. p. 30. Retrieved 11 April 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  10. ^ a b c Armitage, Liz (31 August 1995). "Backstage: Revenge sung sweetly". The Canberra Times. Vol. 70, no. 22, 050. p. 34. Retrieved 12 April 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  11. ^ "The Sharp: 'Alone Like Us'". The Sharp Official Website. Archived from the original on 7 August 2003. Retrieved 10 April 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  12. ^ Skubiszewski, Cezary; McKenzie, Daryl; Victorian Philharmonic Orchestra (2002), Black and white: original motion picture soundtrack, ABC Classics. Universal Classics & Jazz [distributor], retrieved 12 April 2016
  13. ^ a b c Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010. Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing.
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