Feature: Katey's Aussie Bands 101 - Lesson 3
Being the resident Aussie, I thought I’d teach our new (and existing) fan base a little about Aussie bands, seeing a majority of you appear to be from Europe and the UK. After all, I don’t want you to miss out on the unique culture and talent that we have over here!
A friend on MySpace recently contacted me and asked if I would like to do an interview with singer, Ash Hansen. He is currently working with Ash (who, its important to note, just brought out his new album last month), and noticed that I wrote for The Bullet Reviews after a recent (non-Bullet-Review-related) bulletin I sent out. So, needless to say I will be interviewing him in the near future, seeing he has been reviewed in Rolling Stone, Australian Guitar, MAG, Mixdown, MX and a few others! Before speaking to him I am including his biography (as supplied by my friend, David) as an introduction.
Classic Aussie Rock: Ash Hansen
Born in Adelaide 1974, and having grown up around the North Shore of Sydney, Ash Hansen has always been destined for great things. At the age of ten, inspired by his mum’s Bob Dylan records, Ash took up his Stratocaster copy ‘Torch’ and penned the first of a prolific number of songs. Ash’s incredible affinity for lyrics, and emotive melodies, has earned the respect of all who have heard him. In 1992, Ash and drummer Tony Sassin formed their first band ‘Viscera’. Over the next few years, Ash developed the commanding stage presence that he is known for today. In 1995 Viscera won the Croyden Battle of the Bands in Melbourne, and as a result cut their first single ‘Without Reverence’. The single appeared on Nu Music Sampler released by Studio 52.
Four years and several line-up changes after the inception of ‘Viscera’ the band became ‘Rumanastone’. Armed with Ash’s powerful performances as the band’s front man, and his exceptional songs, Rumanastone headed into the studio and recorded their first EP ‘Infinite Cradle’. This brilliant EP excited A&R departments from four Major Labels, generating a massive bidding war over the band. As the dust settled, Ash and his band chose to sign with Mushroom Records. Rumanastone first commercial EP ‘Sweet’ (Festival/Mushroom) was an instant success. Attracting high rotation on the triple J network, the record earned the band nation-wide recognition. Their follow up EP The Sound generated similar success, cementing the band as one of Australia’s top alternative bands.
Success bred success, and soon Ash found himself playing stadium shows across the country with the likes of Live, Sugar Ray, The Manic Street Preachers and Travis. In 2002 Ash left Mushroom and recorded Rumanastone’s final album ‘By Design’ independently. Shortly after Ash left the band to pursue a solo career. Having signed to Upside Music in January of 2004 Ash teamed up with his old drummer, Tony Sassin, and began work on his latest offering, Silent Broadway.
10 years in the making, Silent Broadway is a rich collection of beautifully crafted songs, deep lyrics, and passionate performances. This is Ash’s best work to date, and is an exciting new chapter in a blossoming career.
Official website: Ash Hansen, also on MySpace here
NEXT ISSUE I’m going to tell you about a couple of new bands – Kisschasy, and End of Fashion – so stay tuned.