Genres Indie rock Labels Spunk Records Past members Dave Hector Genre Indie rock Albums Purplene, Swords Down | Years active 1996 – 2005 Website Official site Active until 2005 Origin Sydney, Australia (1996) | |
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Members Matt Blackman
Adam Jesson
Dave Ledlin
Matt Rossetti Similar Charge Group, Tucker B's, Steve Albini | ||
Purplene a careful life
Purplene were an indie rock band whose life began in the industrial Australian city of Newcastle in 1996, culminating in the release the 2004 Purplene LP, then disbanding in the spring of 2005 as one of Sydney's most respected rock groups.
Contents
Purplene LP
Recorded in Chicago in 2003 with Steve Albini, Purplene earned high critical praise both locally and internationally. The Australian newspaper said of the LP, "Just when I thought Australian guitar music seemed poised to choke on its own cliché-ridden tail, Purplene release their second album," awarding it 4.5 stars out of 5. Belgian magazine Derives made it their feature release, and Rolling Stone called the album, "The work of a band that's in love with the art of crafting the perfect song...truly impressive."
Their angular guitar music embraced space as often as it did intensity, and the band's infrequent live performances and recording releases invited listeners to join them on a diverse journey of disjointed rhythms, richly layered melodies and intelligent, often haunting lyrical themes.
LPs
Ruining It For Everybody LP (2001 Quietly Suburban - engineer Steve Foster)
Purplene LP (2004 Spunk - engineer Steve Albini)
EPs
SMH Days (1998 Threetrack/MGM - engineer Steve Foster)
All & Sundry (2000 Threetrack - engineer Steve Foster)
Songs From The Marketplace (2003 Quietly Suburban - engineer Steve Foster)
Swords Down (2004 Spunk - engineer Steve Albini)
DVD & Video
These Things Take Time compilation VHS (All & Sundry - Candle Records 2001)
Lines From A Poem longboard surfing DVD (Various Purplene + Ukiyo-e tracks - Nathan Oldfield 2003)
Fuck This, I'm Going To The Annandale compilation DVD (Swords Down live - Reverberation 2005)
7" vinyl Split with The Rebel Astronauts (2001 Steady Cam - engineer Emma Hoy)
Exclusive tracks Dead Letter Offers Mess + Noise issue No. 3 CD (2005 - engineer Steve Albini)
Related projects
Blackman, Jesson and Rossetti all now play in Sydney-based Charge Group.
Jesson and Rossetti are one half of Newcastle-based The Instant (previously Audiophile) - currently taking indefinite hiatus.
Blackman formed Palace of Fire with Chris Ross and Myles Heskett at the close of 2008. He also currently plays drums in Tucker B's. Blackman has also played drums in Ukiyo-e (1999–2002), contributed to recordings of The Instant, Initials, Firekites, and scored the theme music to award-winning ABC-TV comedy Review with Myles Barlow.
Jesson and Rossetti have also contributed work with Firekites.
Songs
Swords DownPurplene · 2004
Love: WesternPurplene · 2004
The BattlerPurplene · 2004