Alternative Rock | Musicosity

Alternative Rock

Karnivool

Karnivool is a five-piece progressive rock group based in Perth, Australia that was formed by Ian Kenny in 1996, who at the time filled the roles of both guitarist and vocalist for the band while they played Carcass and Nirvana covers. Their name stems from the band being initially described by local fans as "a bunch of clowns". Their style of music can be classified as both progressive rock and alternative rock, with alternative metal undertones. Major influences of the band are Nirvana, Radiohead, Meshuggah, Pink Floyd, Tool, Soundgarden and Carcass.

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Dead Letter Circus

Dead Letter Circus is a four-piece music group from Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. Their music style is a combination of melodic alternative rock and indie rock, with alternative metal and progressive rock influences. Major influences of the band include Faith No More, Muse, The Mars Volta, Radiohead, U2, Cog, Deftones, Tomahawk, Massive Attack, Shihad, The Butterfly Effect, Portishead, Karnivool and At The Drive-In.

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Twelve Foot Ninja

Twelve Foot Ninja are a rock band from Melbourne, Victoria. They formed in 2007. Melbourne Australia based Twelve Foot Ninja are independent and self-funded. Their music and lyrics are inspired by a story (written by guitarist Stevic) of a ninja's mission to restore balance in a world headed toward self-inflicted catastrophe. Sound familiar? Twelve Foot Ninja describe themselves as a hybrid of genres - metal, dub, yacht rock, funk and world music.

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Ape BC

Ape BC are an alternative rock band based out of Sydney, Australia. Drawing inspiration from artists such as Faith No More, The Mars Volta, Björk and Glassjaw, the band's simple focus is to write music that is considered both innovative and accessible. The band are currently seeking members. See their MySpace for more info.
Ape BC MySpace

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Biffy Clyro

Biffy Clyro is a three-piece alternative rock band which formed in Kilmarnock, Scotland in 1995. The band consists of Simon Neil (vocals, guitar), James Johnston (bass, vocals) and his twin brother Ben (drums, vocals). The band has released eight albums since their formation and are currently working on their 9th: "Blackened Sky" (2002), "The Vertigo of Bliss" (2003), "Infinity Land" (2004), "Puzzle" (2007), "Only Revolutions" (2010) , "Opposites" (2013) and "Ellipsis" (2016), "Balance, Not Symmetry" (2019).

Biffy, as they are often referred to, utilise a quiet/loud dynamic, constructing songs that can range from a whisper-quiet pick on the guitar, to huge walls of noise with massive distortion and crashing drums. Their sound has simplified somewhat in recent times yet still occasionally contains complex time signatures and heavy riffs. While Simon Neil sings lead, all three members provide vocals. "'Mon the Biffy!" is a well known chant amongst Biffy fans; it is usually shouted in between songs at gigs, or before the band come on stage. Some fans have reacted poorly to the band's recent output.

The first incarnation of what would eventually become Biffy Clyro was formed in 1995 by fifteen-year-old Irvine-born, Ayr-raised guitarist Simon Neil, who recruited Kilmarnock-born Ben Johnston and someone known only as Barry on drums and bass respectively, calling themselves Screwfish. Barry was soon replaced by James Johnston, Ben's twin brother, and the three spent the next two years rehearsing, writing and covering songs. In 1997, they played their first gig as the support for a band called Pink Kross at a local youth centre. The trio then moved to Glasgow, where Neil went to the University of Glasgow and the Johnston twins went to Stow College, studying Electronics with Music and Audio Engineering respectively.They then progressed onto the bigger stage

After playing gigs around Glasgow and receiving positive and enthusiastic reactions from the audiences, the band were spotted by Dee Bahl, who soon became their manager. Bahl offered them a chance to release an independent single on Aereogramme's Babi Yaga record label. "Iname" was released on 28 June 1999, and led to the band being chosen by Stow College's Electric Honey record label to release a record. thekidswhopoptodaywillrocktomorrow... was released on 13 June 2000, and after hearing it, BBC Radio Scotland DJ Vic Galloway gave the band airplay. A few days prior to the release of thekidswho..., the band were spotted at the Unsigned Bands stage at T in the Park 2000 by a Beggars Banquet representative. Soon after, the band was signed to the independent Beggar's Banquet, and on 30 October 2000, they re-recorded and released the single, "27", which became Kerrang!'s Single Of The Week.

On 1 October 2001, one of the songs from thekidswho... was re-recorded and released as a single, "Justboy". This was repeated on 4 February 2002, when the song "57" was released. On 11 March, the band's debut album, Blackened Sky, was released to generally positive reviews. It was around this time that the band began touring extensively, including being the support for Weezer on 20 March at the Barrowlands in Glasgow. On 15 July, the fourth single from the album, "Joy.Discovery.Invention" was released as a double A-side with a newly recorded song, entitled "Toys, Toys, Toys, Choke, Toys, Toys, Toys", which later appeared on The Vertigo of Bliss.

In 2003, the band retreated to the Linford Manor recording studio in Great Linford, Milton Keynes, England to record the follow-up to Blackened Sky. On 24 March, a new single was released entitled, "The Ideal Height", followed by another new single entitled "Questions and Answers" on 28 May. The band's second album, The Vertigo of Bliss was released on 16 June, to positive reviews, which focused on the more experimental style of the album in comparison to Blackened Sky, as well as the introduction of string sections.

In 2004, after touring relentlessly for The Vertigo of Bliss, the band retreated to Monnow Valley Studios in Monmouth, Wales to record a follow-up. As with the previous album, two singles were released before the actual album; "Glitter and Trauma" and "My Recovery Injection" on 9 August and 20 September, respectively. A digital download was also released; "There's No Such Thing As A Jaggy Snake", on 31 May. On 4 October, the band's third album, Infinity Land was released, and on 14 February 2005, the last single from the album, "Only One Word Comes To Mind" was released. On 16 February, the band performed a cover of Franz Ferdinand's "Take Me Out" live from Maida Vale on Zane Lowe's BBC Radio 1 show. Simon Neil's side project, Marmaduke Duke, also released an album in 2005, The Magnificent Duke, and toured the UK, along with the Johnston twins accompanying on bass and drums, for it.

In 2006, Biffy Clyro left Beggars Banquet and signed a deal with 14th Floor, an offshoot of Warner Bros. In June, the band contributed a cover of Weezer's "Buddy Holly" to Kerrang!'s High Voltage!: A Brief History of Rock, which came free with Issue #1110 of the magazine. In September, the band moved temporarily to Canada to record their fourth album at The Warehouse Studio in Vancouver, and The Farm Studio in Gibsons, which they finished doing in November. The song "Semi-Mental" was released as a digital download on 25 December. In 2007, the song "Saturday Superhouse" was released on 14 May, where it reached #13 on the UK Singles Chart; the band's highest single chart position to date. On 14 May, the song "Living is a Problem Because Everything Dies" was released, reaching #19 on the UK Singles Charts. On 21 May, Biffy were confirmed for T in the Park 2007, as well as being announced as one of the support bands for the 17 June gig at the new Wembley Stadium for Muse. On 1 June, Biffy were confirmed for Glastonbury 2007. On 4 June, Puzzle was released to critical acclaim, and eventually helped the band to reach their highest UK Albums Chart position ever, reaching #2 in the first week of release. On 6 June it was announced that Biffy were to support The Who at Marlay Park in Ireland. On 12 June, it was announced that "Folding Stars" was released as a single on July 16. On the 23rd of August 2007, Biffy Clyro were announced as the support act for the Red Hot Chilli Peppers at Hampden Stadium in Glasgow, for the Stadium Arcadium tour.

Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.

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Freestate

Freestate is a band from Melbourne, Victoria that formed in 2002. The combination of raw power and melody make for a powerful beast and Melbourne's Freestate launched their debut album with enough raw power and melody to quickly scale the heights of the Australian heavy rock scene. With integrity and musical abilities akin to The Butterfly Effect and Karnivool and riffs that would make any Wolfmother proud, Freestate bring a presence which bridges the gap between the underground and the commercial, and pushes the boundaries of rock music genres.

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Jon Spencer Blues Explosion

If you would like to share Jon Spencer Blues Explosion lyrics with other users of this site, please see the bottom of this page on how to submit Jon Spencer Blues Explosion lyrics. Members include Judah Bauer (born in WI), guitar; Russell Simins, drums; Jon Spencer (born c. 1965, in NH; son of a university professor and a cardiology technician; attended Brown University, mid-1980s; married Christina Martinez), vocals and guitar.

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Closure

1.) Closure was an emo band from Oceanside, New York, who was around in the 90’s. They played a style of frantic emo with driving guitars and somewhat high-speed drumwork, topped off with desperate screamed vocals.
They released a split 7” with Breakwater, a full length LP and contributed a track to the compilation “I Can’t Live Without It.” All of their releases were on Mountain Records, out of Huntington, New York.
Closure was:
Trevor - vocals
Adam - guitar
Mike - guitar
Mark - bass
Dave - drums

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Spiderbait

Spiderbait are an alternative rock band formed in 1991 in Finley, New South Wales, Australia which consists of Mark "Kram" Maher (drums, lead vocals), Janet English (bass, vocals) and Damien Whitty (guitar). They have had two top ten albums and another three albums reach the Australian top 40. Their song Buy Me a Pony was #1 on the Triple J Hottest 100 for 1996, and the group enjoyed success with their 2004 #1 Australian hit cover of Black Betty.

When you have as big a celebrity fan as Stephen King, you must be doing something right! The three-piece from Finley, New South Wales, Australia, often jump genres from disco-pop (Stevie, Calypso) to mutant dance (Arse Huggin' Pants) - in the course of a single album, no less. And yet, they still manage to rock like mofos (Shazam!, Outta My Head, and - of course - their cover of Black Betty).

The three band members Mark Maher or "Kram" (drums and vocals), Damien Whitty or "Whitt" on guitar and Janet English on bass/vocals come from the small town Finley in southern New South Wales where they jammed together in their youth.

The band moved to Melbourne, Australia where Kram was studying at the Victorian College of the Arts School of Music. The band played its first gig at a loungeroom for a friend's party. The band soon became part of Melbourne's punk scene playing gigs at venues like the Tote Hotel in Collingwood, Victoria. They released their first single Circle K on Au-Go-Go Records with an EP titled P'tang Yang Kipper Bang Uh! following in 1992. The band's first album Shashavaglava was released in 1992. 'Shashavaglava' means 'dickhead' in Croatian. This album featured the songs Old Man Sam and a cover of English comedians The Goodies' song Run.

Spiderbait signed with Polydor Records and released their first album with the new label, their second album overall, named The Unfinished Spanish Galleon of Finley Lake in 1995. The album reached #14 on the Australian charts with singles Monty and Jesus receiving extensive airplay on Triple J. The album title refers to an unfinished project by the Finley Rotary Club, which became a venue for teenage drinking in their home town.

Their third album Ivy and the Big Apples was released in 1996, reached #3 and sold over 180,000 copies in Australia. Their first single Buy Me a Pony received extensive airplay on Triple J resulting in listeners voting it as their favourite song of the year. The second single Calypso also achieved commercial airplay, and reached #13 in the Australian singles charts in 1997.

In 1998, Janet English and her then boyfriend Quan Yeomans of Regurgitator recorded an album as Happyland. Around the same time, Kram and Richie Lewis of Tumbleweed released their own side-project the Hot Rollers - so named as both member's mothers were hairdressers. The Hot Rollers only album (self-titled) was released through Polydor.

Spiderbait returned together in 1999 with the album Grand Slam which also debuted at #10 on the Australian album charts.

Despite good airplay for the Grand Slam singles Shazam! and Stevie, their 2001 album The Flight of Wally Funk was a commercial flop, only selling 20,000 copies. The album was recorded in Whitt's living room.

Spiderbait recorded the Tonight Alright album in Los Angeles with producer Sylvia Massy who had worked with acts such as the Red Hot Chili Peppers, R.E.M., Tool, System of a Down and Skunk Anansie. The first single Black Betty was a cover version of the old Leadbelly song which became a hit in 1977 when covered by Ram Jam. The single reached #1 after 10 weeks in the singles chart in May 2004 (after debuting at #12), and stayed there for three weeks, becoming their biggest selling single ever. The film clip featured a hot rod similar to the car on the ZZ Top Eliminator. The song also made the soundtrack to the Electronic Arts video game Need for Speed: Underground 2. Tonight Alright was released on 28 March 2004, and debuted and peaked at #14. The second single Fucken Awesome debuted in the top 30 on June 28 2004. Interscope Records signed the band in 2004 to distribute Tonight Alright in the US and UK.

At the 2004 ARIA awards, Kram performed as part of the supergroup The Wrights, featuring members of many other Australian rock bands.

In September 2005 they released a Greatest Hits collection to reveal their back catalogue to younger fans who were caught up by Black Betty. This debuted at #6 and received a Gold Accreditation.

The band went on hiatus March 2005 after bassist Janet English gave birth to her daughter and planned a cycling tour across Europe. More recently Kram had announced plans of a solo album to be released sometime in 2006.

On 18 November 2006 the band performed at the Queensland Council of Unions organised Rock the Vote! concert in Brisbane after a nine month hiatus from touring. Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.

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J Mascis

J Mascis (b. 1965) is an American musician and songwriter, probably best-known as the singer, guitarist, and songwriter for Dinosaur Jr., though he has also occasionally worked as a producer and film composer. Born Joseph Mascis on 10th December 1965 in Amherst, Massachusetts, in the early 1980s he founded the short-lived hardcore group Deep Wound with his high school friends Lou Barlow and Scott Helland. He started out on drums, but moved to guitar when he went on to found Dinosaur Jr.

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