Years active 1988–present Genres Indie rock Role Instrumentalist | Name Laura Macfarlane Labels Patsy Record label Patsy | |
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Birth name Laura Sandra MacFarlane Origin Perth, Western Australia, Australia Occupation(s) Musician, audio engineer, fanzine publisher Instruments Drums, vocals, guitar, bass guitar, keyboards, vibraphone Music groups Sleater-Kinney (1994 – 1996), Ninetynine, Sea Haggs, Cold Cold Hearts Albums Call the Doctor, Sleater-Kinney, Allah Akbar Overdrive Similar People Corin Tucker, Carrie Brownstein, Iain McIntyre, Janet Weiss, Cameron Potts | ||
Laura Sandra MacFarlane (also credited as Lora MacFarlane) is a multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter and audio engineer. Since 1996 she is the founding mainstay of the Australian indie rock band, ninetynine. MacFarlane also performs solo and has been in other bands, including as an early drummer and singer with United States rock group, Sleater-Kinney (1994–96).
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Biography
Laura Sandra MacFarlane is from Glasgow Scotland, her parents are George MacFarlane (1936–2006) and Patricia "Patsy" MacFarlane; she has two older siblings and one daughter Astrid MacFarlane . The MacFarlane family migrated to Perth in October 1978. George was an accomplished musician and had played trombone and percussion instruments both with Scottish and Australian army bands.
MacFarlane began her interest in music as a child playing vibraphone and trumpet. She went on to receive a music scholarship at Perth Modern School for vocals and percussion and later studied music at University of Western Australia. MacFarlane began performing in independent bands in Perth from 1988 onwards. She was the main songwriter in the Brautigans from (1989-1991), performing vocals, guitar and vibraphone, . She performed in other local bands including Halcyon Days on drums . and Louder than God which had an extensive line-up of ten members co-founded by Iain McIntyre ;.
MacFarlane then joined Manic Pizza, on bass guitar and vocals, with Gareth Edwards (Sandro) on guitar and Cameron Potts on drums. As a member of Manic Pizza, MacFarlane relocated to Melbourne in the early 1990s. Edwards later told René Schaefer of Mess+Noise that "Cameron was heavily into the Pixies at the time; I was a Hüsker Dü freak; Laura provided the actual talent." In 1992 MacFarlane formed Sea Haggs (later renamed, Keckle) on guitar, viola, percussion and vocals with McFarlane and Potts. That group's material was later included on a compilation album, Jelly (1995).
In 1992 Macfarlane began publishing Woozy fanzine with McIntyre. Woozy was a self published fanzine with a DIY philosophy that promoted local Melbourne and Australian bands as well as international underground acts and grassroots politics. Woozy produced over 20 publications from 1992-2002. In 1996 MacFarlane also co-founded with McIntyre, Choozy independent distribution (1996–2002) which distributed music, fanzines and small publications within Australian and overseas.
MacFarlane began playing drums and vocals, in 1994, with visiting United States rock group, Sleater-Kinney, and in 1995 she went to Olympia and Seattle to tour and record with the band. She is the drummer, co-producer and co-writer on their self-titled debut album, Sleater-Kinney. She is also the lead singer guitarist on the track, "Lora's Song". MacFarlane provided drums, backup vocals and guitar (track 12) on their follow up album, Call the Doctor (March 1996).
In 1996 MacFarlane returned to Melbourne and founded an indie rock band, ninetynine, initially as a solo project playing all the instruments on the debut album, 99 (October 1996). Her project soon became a band including Potts (from 1997) and McIntyre (from 2000). By 2010 ninetynine had released eight albums and toured the world several times. The band celebrated their 20th anniversary with release of Further in 2016 MacFarlane founded her own record label, Patsy, which issued ninetynine material as well as that by other bands: Sea Scouts, Fiona Beverage, Boo Who, Baseball, Trixies Undersea Adventure and Vivian Girls.
MacFarlane has played a variety of instruments on a number of records, including vibraphone, drums, guitar, keyboard and vocals. She has worked with other artists including Lee Memorial (alongside Karl Smith of Sodastream), Bombazine Black, The Wonder Winterborn, Tarantula,, New Buffalo, Trixies Undersea Adventure, Deer, Boo Who, Popemobile, Bruna, Dragster, Scared of Horses, Cold Cold Hearts, Madigan, Disaster Plan, Clag and Low Talk.
MacFarlane has worked as audio engineer at 3CR radio; and on many recordings including recent ninetynine releases, Covens Revenge, The Hatchets, Cleber Claux Memorial Singers, Baseball, Love of Diagrams and The Stabs. In 2015 she produced and recorded the second album by Melbourne singer/songwriter Jules Sheldon entitled Football, Trams, Parties, and Other Extended Highlights. MacFarlane is also a teacher and educator of music, establishing Augment Music Education in 2016. As of 2017 MacFarlane is based in Melbourne, and still plays as a member of ninetynine, as well as performing solo.
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Ninetynine
Ninetynine The Triantiwontigongolo - Ninetynine EP CD 1996 (Woozy)
Ninetynine 99 CD 1996 (Patsy/Endearing )
Ninetynine 767 CD and LP Album 1998 (Patsy/Endearing/Chapter)
Ninetynine Girl Crazy - Woekender LP 1998 (Remedial Records)
Ninetynine Ersatz Split 7” 1999 (Radio One)
Ninetynine 180 Degrees CD and LP 2000 (Patsy/ Radio One)
Ninetynine Vivian Girls Split 7” 2001 (Chapter)
Ninetynine Anatomy of Distance CD 2002 (Patsy/Stckfigure)
Ninetynine The Process CD and LP 2002 (Trifekta/Appliances & Cars)
Ninetynine Receiving the Sounds of Science Fiction CD EP 2003 (Dark Beloved Cloud)
Ninetynine World of Space World of Population World of Robots CD 2006 (UAR/Stickfigure)
Nineytynine Chapter 99 - Compilation CD 2006 (Sones)
Ninetynine Silo EP 2008 (Patsy)
Ninetynine Bande Magnetique CD 2010 (Patsy)
Ninetynine Woods 7” 2016 (Patsy)
Ninetynine Further 7” and CD 2016 (Patsy)
Sleater-Kinney
Sleater-Kinney Sleater-Kinney 1995 CD LP (VVK /Chainsaw)
Sleater-Kinney Call the Doctor 1996 CD LP (Chainsaw)
Sleater-Kinney Start Together 2014 CD LP (Subpop)
Other
The Brautigans Walk Along the Waterfront/Homecoming 1991 Cassette Single
The Brautigans Scar-red 1991 Cassette Album
Manic Pizza Deep Pan Delivery 1991 CassetteAlbum
The Sea Haggs Beastie 1993 Cassette EP
The Sea Haggs Jelly 1995 CD (Woozy)
Dragster Dragster CD LP 1996 (Little Teddy/Hoppel Di Hoy)
Popemobile The Triantiwontigongolo CD 1996 (Woozy)
Pip Proud Matildas You Fiend LP 1996 (BBAPTC)
Madigan Rock Stop 1996 CD LP (Moon Puss)
Cold Cold Hearts Yer So Sweet (Baby Donut) 7” 1996 (Kill Rock Stars)
Casini Woozy 20 Compilation CD 1997 (Woozy)
Bruna Lumber CD 1998 (Bun)
Scared of Horses An Empty Flight CD 1998 (Brass Companion)
Sea Scouts Beacon of Hope 1998 (Patsy)
The Cats Meow The Long Goodbye 10” (Darla Records)
Boo Who Tigers Are Better Looking 2000 (Patsy)
Trixie Undersea Adventure Life Raft CD 2001 (Patsy Radio One)
Small Sips Morning Ripples CD 2006 (Rogue Records)
Up For Grabs movie soundtrack Count with Kevin 2007 (Up For Grabs)
Lee Memorial The Lives of Lee Memorial CD 2009 (Dot Dash)
Tunnel Vision Song Contest No Tunnel No Way Single 2014
Covens Revenge Covens Revenge CD 2017 (Backyard Charlies)