Years active 1995 (1995)–present Associated acts Six Amigos | Labels One Stop Website theflood.com.au | |
Origin Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Members Kevin Bennett
James Gillard
Tim Wedde
Scottie Hills Genres Roots revival, Country rock Similar Felicity Urquhart, Kevin Welch, Troy Cassar‑Daley, Kasey Chambers, Paul Kelly | ||
The Flood are an Australian roots music band formed by Kevin Bennett and James Gillard, both on lead vocals and guitars in 1995. The group won the Tamworth 2006 Golden Guitar Award for Vocal Group (or Duo of the Year) with their track, "Hello Blue Sky". In 2008 the line-up was Bennett and Gillard with Tim Wedde on keyboards, accordion, vibraphone and talent manager; and Scottie Hills on drums (replaced Steve Fearnley). At the ARIA Music Awards of 2006 the Flood were nominated for The Late Late Show in the Best Blues and Roots Album category.
Contents
History
The Flood's founders Kevin Bennett and James Gillard had performed as a country rock duo and issued an album, Two of Everything in the Carpark, in 1995. Soon after they formed the Flood in Sydney with Bennett on lead vocals and electric guitar; Gillard on acoustic guitar, bass guitar, percussion, mandolin and lead vocals; Steve Fearnley on drums and percussion; and Tim Wedde on keyboards, accordion and vibraphone (later he was also their talent manager). Bennett had previously been a member of rock music group, Moving Pictures (1985–87); while Gillard had been a member of Mondo Rock (1982–88, 1990). Back in 1991 Bennett and Gillard were both members of Six Amigos alongside Doug Bligh, Marc Collins, James Cox and Kirk Lorange.
The Flood's debut album, The Ballad of K.B. appeared in 1999. Tim Badrick of Lost Treasures felt that it was "jammed packed full of The Flood's unique amalgam of country, rock, blues and even a dash of boogie piano, be that unintentional or not." The tracks were mostly written by Bennett with some co-written by Bennett, Gillard, Bligh and Collins. The lead track was released as the title track on an extended play, Don't Look Back at Me (1999).
During 2002 the Flood had also supported a tour by United States alternative country music artist, Kevin Welch, with a performance at Sydney's Basement recorded for a joint-release live album, Live Down Here on Earth (22 September 2003), and a DVD, Plenty of Time (2004). According to Amazon.com's editor the CD is an "Aussie exclusive album from one of Nashville's most acclaimed songwriter's & Australia's greatest country/roots outfit." Dave Dawson of Nu Country caught a gig by Welch and the Flood on a subsequent tour at the Corner Hotel in Richmond, in November 2003, "The Flood proved a perfect pairing with Welch on an energetic show that belied the late nights and gruelling road miles of their east coast foray. It was a credit that both acts remained energised... The Welch-Flood double bill was good in theory but an imbalance in practice with Welch having less stage time than The Flood."
In 2003 the Flood issued their self-titled second album, which includes the track, "Paul Kelly's Blues" – written by Bennett. The track was nominated for APRA Song of the Year at the Country Music Awards of Australia in 2004. During that year they issued another EP, Australian for Broken Heart, and promoted it with an east coast tour from October to December. According to Christie Eliezer of In Music & Media they provide "strong narratives, backwater blues and meandering ballads." The EP's title track was nominated for APRA-AMCOS Independent Country Music Single of the Year.
The group's next album, The Late Late Show (16 January 2006), was nominated for the Best Blues and Roots Album category at the ARIA Music Awards of 2006. Later albums included Everybody's Favourite (2008) and Skin (by Kevin Bennett and the Flood, 2015). Bennett teamed with fellow country musicians, Lyn Bowtell and Felicity Urquhart, in a trio, which issued Bennett Bowtell Urquhart on 16 January 2016. It reached the ARIA Albums Chart top 100.