Decoder Ring
Decoder Ring | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |
| Genres | Electronica, post rock, experimental rock, alternative rock |
| Years active | 2001–present |
| Labels | Hello Cleveland!, NO, Inertia, Bella Union |
| Members | Matt Fitzgerald Pete Kelly Xavier Fijac Matthew Steffen Simon Killalea |
| Past members | Kenny Davis Jr Ben Ely Geoff Towner Lenka Kripac Tom Schutzinger |
| Website | www.decoderring.com.au |
Decoder Ring is an experimental electronic-rock crossover group from Australia.
Biography
Decoder Ring was formed in 2001, in Sydney, Australia. The original line-up consisted of Matt Fitzgerald (keyboards, guitar) Geoff Towner (bass, El Mopa), Pete Kelly (guitar, Sea Life Park), Kenny Davis Jr (keyboards, piano, The Jackson Code, The Blackeyed Susans) & Tom Schutzinger (Keyboards, drums). This line-up recorded the EP Spooky Action at a Distance (2002) and the album Decoder Ring (2002). Geoff Towner departed in 2003 and was replaced by Ben Ely (Regurgitator).
The track "Night Shift" from Spooky Action at a Distance, featuring vocals by Jodi Phillis (Clouds), was featured in the soundtrack to the Alex Proyas film Garage Days (2002).
The band wrote the soundtrack for the 2004 Australian film Somersault, for which they won an AFI Award for 'Best Original Music Score', an Australian Screen Sound Guild Award for 'Soundtrack of the Year', a Lexus IF (Inside Film) Award for 'Best Music', 'Best Original Song Composed for a Feature Film, Telemovie, TV Series or Mini-Series' at the APRA/Australian Screen Music Awards, a Jackson Hole Film Festival Award for 'Best Score' and was nominated for an ARIA Award in the category of 'Best Soundtrack/Cast/Show Recording'.
Kenny Davis Jr & Ben Ely departed after the recording of Somersault in 2004, the band subsequently reconfiguring with new members Lenka (vocals, keyboards), Xavier Fijac (keyboards, samples) & Matthew Steffen (bass, [la Huva]).
The band wrote the soundtrack for the 2005 short feature Jewboy by writer/director Tony Krawitz, which was presented in 2006 at the Sundance Film Festival. All the band's performances are accompanied by film projections put on by Simon Killalea who, while not playing an instrument, is considered a member of the band. Both of the films were shown at the Cannes Film Festival.
2005 saw the release of the band's third full-length album Fractions, as well as performances at Homebake, the Big Day Out concerts, Splendour in the Grass, Cockatoo Island Festival and the Perth International Arts Festival.
In March 2006 Decoder Ring performed at the St Jerome’s Laneway Festival in Sydney. A US tour saw them play shows in Los Angeles and New York, as well as at the SXSW music festival in Austin, Texas. Upon their return home they played at The Great Escape Festival and Splendour in the Grass, as well as completing a national tour of Australia.
In 2007 a short film by Stephen Lance, Yolk, with music by Decoder Ring was screened as part of the Sydney Film Festival.
Recently 'Decoder Ring's remix of the song "Yama Yama" featured on an Australian Television advertisement for Tooheys Extra Dry beer.[1][2] The song is adapted from Le Monde Fabuleux Des Yamasuki, a pseudo-Japanese concept album produced by French duo Jean Kluger and Daniel Vangarde (also known as The Yamasuki Singers) in 1972.
In 2009 key song writer Tom Schutzinger left the group. Decoder Ring toured Australia with Coldplay as part of the Viva La Vida World Tour. In July of that year the band released their fourth full-length album They Blind the Stars, And the Wild Team through Inertia Recordings.
In January 2010 the band played in Hobart as part of the MONA FOMA festival. In December that year, the band performed at Peats Ridge Festival.
The track More than Scarlet was used in the 2013 Italian film The Great Beauty.
Discography
- Spooky Action at a Distance (2002, EP)
- Decoder Ring (2002, LP)
- Somersault (2004, LP)
- Fractions (2005, LP) #80 AUS[3]
- They Blind the Stars, And the Wild Team (2009, LP)
References
- ^ "BMF helps Toohey's get HarvesTED". adland.tv. Retrieved 23 March 2012.
- ^ "Tooheys Extra Dry Harvested". YouTube. Retrieved 23 March 2012.
- ^ "The ARIA Report: Week Commencing 19 September 2005" (PDF) (812). Pandora Archive. 20 October 2005. Retrieved 10 September 2014.
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External links
- Decoder Ring Official website
- Decoder Ring MySpace website
- "With this Ring". The Sydney Morning Herald. 8 October 2004. Retrieved 9 November 2006.
- A sample of Lenka Kripac's music on Lost At E Minor
- Decoder Ring's album Somersault was released on Bella Union/Worlds Fair in 2006
- Tom Schutzinger
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