Philadelphia Grand Jury

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Philadelphia Grand Jury
Philadelphia Grand Jury performing live in January 2011. L-R: Simon Berckelman and Joel Beeson
Philadelphia Grand Jury performing live in January 2011. L-R: Simon Berckelman and Joel Beeson
Background information
Also known asThe Philly Jays
OriginSydney, New South Wales, Australia
GenresIndie rock, punk, soul
Years active2008–2011
LabelsNormal People Making Hits/Boomtown Records
Past membersSimon Berckelman
Joel Beeson
Susanna Patten
Dan Williams
Calvin Welch
Ivan Lisyak
Websitehttp://www.philadelphiagrandjury.com.au

Philadelphia Grand Jury (The Philly Jays) are an Australian trio from Sydney, New South Wales. The bands final lineup featured of Joel "MC Bad Genius" Beeson on bass, keyboard and guitar, Simon "Berkfinger" Berckelman on vocals and guitar and Susanna "Susie Dreamboat" Patten on drums. They played a mix of indie, punk and soul.[1]

Biography

Beeson originally formed a band called Johnson in 2001 with his friend Berckelman, before creating the indie band label Motherlovin' Records in 2004. Subsequent bands included Malcolm X & the Black Auditorium and Berkfinger and The Sweats, the latter combining to form Philadelphia Grand Jury in early 2008.

In May 2009, the band signed a joint venture deal with Boomtown Records to release their records, on their own label, Normal People Making Hits, with distribution through Shock Records.[2]

In June 2009, the band released "Going to the Casino (Tomorrow Night)" as a 7" vinyl EP. The EP was self-recorded, produced and released.[3] "Going to the Casino" received significant airplay on Triple J[4] and featured on the television mini-series Underbelly: A Tale of Two Cities, also appearing on the soundtrack album.[5][6]

The band's debut album, Hope Is for Hopers, was released on 25 September 2009,[7][8] reaching No. 34 on the ARIA Albums Chart.[9]

Berckelman is an engineer at BJB Studios and has worked on projects for Architecture in Helsinki, Wolfmother, Dappled Cities, Mercy Arms, Silverchair, The Temper Trap, Tim Finn, Bluejuice and Van She, amongst others.

Dan Williams (aka Dan W Sweat) was the band's original drummer before departing from the group in September 2009.[10] Williams currently plays drums for Art vs. Science.[11] Williams' position was temporarily filled by Ivan Lisyak 'Emergency Ivan' before a permanent replacement, American session musician, Calvin Welch (Earth, Wind and Fire, Sonny Stitt), joined the band.[10][12]

At the fourth annual AIR Awards, held on 22 November 2009, Philadelphia Grand Jury won an award for 'Best Independent Single or EP' with their single Going To The Casino.[13][14]

The video for "The Good News" was filmed in North Sydney and at Parsley Bay, Rowe Street-Bondi Junction & Lighthouse Reserve-Vaucluse.

In October 2010, the band announced that Welch had left the band, as the 'rigours of the road have proved too arduous for the 55-year-old drummer'. Welch's replacement was Berlin-based, Brisbane-born Susanna "Susie Dreamboat" Patten ( of I Heart Hiroshima),[15] who performed with the band on their tour of the United Kingdom, the United States and Australia. Patten finished touring with the band in January 2011, but still considers herself a part of the band.

In March 2011, news surfaced that the band had abandoned work on the follow up to Hope is for Hopers.[16] When FasterLouder sought a follow-up, they were met with the following statement in regards to the band's current status.[17]

Philadelphia Grand Jury are on something of a hiatus. No need to make it a bigger deal than it is. Creative individuals tend to have more than one project and Philadelphia Grand Jury is just one of Berkfinger’s musical personas. Berkfinger is currently focusing on other projects, including moving his recording gear to Berlin to finish the recordings that he has been working on in the various incarnations of studios that he has built over the years.

On 2 November 2011 the band posted on their Facebook page that the band had broken up.

After playing a "secret show" ah Ahlambra Lounge in Brisbane, Australia in September for the Big Sound music festival, the Philadelphia Grand Jury have announced that they are getting back together for the near future to play at least one tour as of the 24th of October 2013.[18]

Discography

Albums

Singles/EPs

  • "Going to the Casino" — Normal People Making Hits/Boomtown (June 2009)
  • "The Good News"
  • "I Don't Want to Party (Party)"
  • "Save Our Town"

References

  1. ^ http://www.triplejunearthed.com/Artists/FeaturedArtist.aspx?artistid=23528
  2. ^ "Boomtown Records signs Philadelphia Grand Jury". Boomtown Records. 18 May 2009. Retrieved 10 September 2009.
  3. ^ "Philadelphia Grand Jury - Going to the Casino". Faster Louder.com.au. 17 July 2009. Retrieved 10 September 2009.
  4. ^ "Going to the Casino (Tomorrow Night)". J Play. Retrieved 10 September 2009.
  5. ^ "Underbelly: A Tale of Two Cities soundtrack". Chaos music. Retrieved 10 September 2009.
  6. ^ "Underbelly soundtrack". Channel Nine. Retrieved 10 September 2009.
  7. ^ "Philly Jays hit the road". Mess+Noise. 8 September 2009. Retrieved 10 September 2009.
  8. ^ Dibbs, Lisa (18 August 2009). "Philadelphia Grand Jury announce debut album". The Dwarf.com.au. Retrieved 10 September 2009.
  9. ^ "Hope is for Hopers - Philadelphia Grand Jury". Australian-charts.com. Retrieved 12 October 2009.
  10. ^ a b "TheVine Radio Player Feature - Philadelphia Grand Jury". TheVine.com.au. 30 September 2009. Retrieved 27 October 2009.
  11. ^ "Art vs. Science talk Splendour, keyboards and their rapid rise". The Vine. 7 August 2009. Retrieved 10 September 2009.
  12. ^ "Philly Jays recruit new drummer". Mess+Noise.com. 23 September 2009. Retrieved 27 October 2009.
  13. ^ "2009 Air Awards". AIR. November 2009. Retrieved 27 November 2009.
  14. ^ Cashmere, Paul (24 November 2009). "The Drones Take Home The Major Air Award". Undercover.com.au. Retrieved 27 November 2009.
  15. ^ "Philly Jays announce drummer No. 4". Mess+Noise.com. 1 October 2010. Retrieved 27 October 2010.
  16. ^ http://www.themusicnetwork.com/music-news/industrial-strength/2011/03/16/industrial-strength-march-16/
  17. ^ "Philadelphia Grand Jury "on hiatus"". 17 March 2011.
  18. ^ https://www.facebook.com/philadelphiagrandjury/posts/10151889209828941

External links

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