Thirsty Merc
Thirsty Merc is an Australian pop rock band, originating in 2002 in Dubbo, Australia, and currently residing in Sydney. The band consists of Rai Thistlethwayte (vocals), Phil Stack (bass guitar), Karl Robertson (drums), and Sean Carey (guitar).
Thirsty Merc's debut EP, First Work, caused Warner Music Australia to take note of the band, and they have since released two albums on the label; Thirsty Merc and Slideshows. The band have also toured around Australia and New Zealand, including a tour with New Zealand band Evermore. They were nominated for four ARIA Awards in 2005.
[edit] History
[edit] Formation and early career
Thirsty Merc was formed as a duet, consisting of lead singer Rai Thistlethwayte and bassist Phil Stack, in Dubbo in 2002. Initially, they performed mainly jazz works. Shortly after formation, the pair was joined by guitarist Matt Baker and drummer Karl Robertson.[1] Previously Stack and Robertson, who had known each other in high school, had played together in a band called Drown, which was successful in a Triple J UnEarthed competition.[2] The quartet achieved minor success on the local live music scene, before relocating to Sydney.[3]
In Sydney, the four began performing R&B, as well as jazz. Guitarist Sean Carey met the band when he saw them playing at a live show, supporting his band Midnight Swim. Carey was thrilled by Thirsty Merc, stating "they just wiped us off the stage".[3] The band took their name from Thistlethwayte's "petrol-guzzling" Mercedes Benz.[4]
[edit] First Work
Thirsty Merc's first EP, First Work, was released on 8 September 2003 on Warner Music Australia's "Don't Music" label. The EP had been recorded without a label, however the band were contacted by Warner Music after watching the band perform live.[4]
The band's first single, "Wasting Time", achieved radio airplay but failed to chart.[5] "Emancipate Myself", the next single, had more success, reaching #37 on the ARIA Singles Chart.[6] A video for "Emancipate Myself" was also made, and received airplay on Channel V, which Thistlethwayte described as highly satisfying.[4]
Stack said the EP was not the best work the band could produce, noting that their next album would easily outshine it. In 2004, he said that "we knew both tracks were a yardstick of what Thirsty Merc is".[4]
[edit] Thirsty Merc
Thirsty Merc's debut studio album was the self titled Thirsty Merc, released on 16 August 2004. The band again chose to work with Warner Music Australia. The album spent 48 weeks on the ARIA Albums Chart, peaking at #15,[6] and launced the band in the Australian mainstream. The album reached #29 on New Zealand's RIANZ chart.[7] The band worked with producer Lindsay Gravina on the album, with Thistlethwayte noting that he was an excellent producer.[8]
Four singles were released from Thirsty Merc: "My Completeness", "Someday, Someday", "In the Summertime", and "When the Weather Is Fine". All of the singles charted in Australia, with "Someday, Someday" reaching #19, while only "In the Summartime" charted in New Zealand, where it peaked higher than in Australia.[6][7] "In the Summertime" was nominated for the 2005 ARIA Award for "Best Video", while "Someday, Someday" was nominated for "Single Of The Year", "Best Group", and "Best Pop Release".[9]
In interviews after the album's release, Thistlethwayte stated that the album was the band trying to "Just be yourself", and that the album was "just about being young and living in Australia".[10] In a later interview discussing their next album, Slideshows, Thistlethwayte noted that "the first album is always about getting noticed".[11]
[edit] Slideshows
Prior to the release of Thirsty Merc's second studio album, Slideshows, Baker left the band, and was replaced by Carey, whom the band had met when they first moved to Sydney.[12] Slideshows, was released on 21 April 2007 via Warner Music Australia. The album was the band's most successful release yet, peaking at #4 in Australia,[6] although it was less successful in New Zealand, only reaching #38.[7] The album's three singles, "20 Good Reasons", "The Hard Way", and "Those Eyes", achieved chart success, with "20 Good Reasons" reaching #4 in Australia and #17 in New Zealand.[6][7]
Thirsty Merc noted that with Slideshows they did not need to impress as many people as with Thirsty Merc, and so they did not "have to do quirky things, funny things" to get attention and airplay. However, they admitted there was more pressure in producing a good follow up.[13] Stack said that the album was less about getting noticed, and had more "cohesiveness", part of which came as a result of the band having written in excess of 30 songs in pre-production.[11]
After the release of Slideshows, Thirsty Merc toured extensively around Australia, playing 35 shows in seven weeks. The band played numerous regional areas, rather than just capital cities, because according to Carey that's "what being in a band is all about".[14] The band toured in New Zealand with bands Evermore and The Electric Confectionaries.[13]
[edit] Members
[edit] Current members
[edit] Former members
- Matt Baker; Guitar, backing vocals (2002–2005)
[edit] Discography
[edit] Albums
[edit] Singles
[edit] Awards and nominations
| Year
| Ceremony
| Nominated work
| Award
| Result[9]
|
| 2005
| ARIA Music Awards
| "Someday, Someday"
| Single of the Year
| Nominated
|
| Best Group
| Nominated
|
| Best Pop Release
| Nominated
|
| "In the Summertime"
| Best Video
| Nominated
|
[edit] External links
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