Rebecca's Empire
Encyclopedia
Rebecca's Empire were an indie
pop
-rock
band from Melbourne
, Australia
. They released two full-length albums and two EPs in a six-year career lasting from 1994 to 2000.
and her partner, Shane O'Mara, formed in 1994, and released their debut single, Atomic Electric, the same year. Atomic Electric was an indie success, reaching No. 38 on the 1994 Triple J Hottest 100
. In 1995, they released an EP, Take a Look at Happiness, which featured Empty as its signature song/single. It was again successful, with Empty coming in at #62 on the 1995 Hottest 100
.
Before being officially a band, they did a cover of Melbourne band TISM
's track "The Judeo-Christian Ethic" which was released on TISM's 1991 single Let's Form a Company
The band's breakthrough success in 1996, when their first full-length album, Way of All Things, was released to relative critical acclaim. Three singles - In Deep, So Rude, and Way of All Things followed. It was successful in indie circles, but also had some minor success on the mainstream charts. Their attempts to promote the tour were hampered, however, when Barnard became pregnant, which limited the amount of touring the band could do to support the album.
The success of Way of All Things was followed by a two-year relative hiatus, although they did play a number of concerts in this time. They also released a limited-edition single, Car Radio, which was only available from concerts. During this period, bass player Michael den Elzen
left the band, and was replaced with Bill McDonald.
They returned in 1998 with the single Medicine Man, which preceded their 1999 album Welcome. Two more singles from the album followed: Big Smoke and Bad Blood. Welcome was not as well received by critics as their earlier efforts. Despite the band's profile, none of the singles made the Hottest 100 that year. Welcome and its accompanying singles were to be their last releases as the band announced its breakup in late June 2000.
In April 2006 Rebecca Barnard
released her debut solo album Fortified with Shock Records.
Indie (music)
In music, independent music, often shortened to indie music or "indie" is a term used to describe independence from major commercial record labels or their subsidiaries, and an autonomous, Do-It-Yourself approach to recording and publishing....
pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
-rock
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
band from Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. They released two full-length albums and two EPs in a six-year career lasting from 1994 to 2000.
History
The band, based around singer-songwriter Rebecca BarnardRebecca Barnard
Rebecca Barnard is a Melbourne-based Australian singer, songwriter and musician. She was the lead singer of Rebecca's Empire from 1994 to 2000, and has forged a solo career since her debut album was released in 2006....
and her partner, Shane O'Mara, formed in 1994, and released their debut single, Atomic Electric, the same year. Atomic Electric was an indie success, reaching No. 38 on the 1994 Triple J Hottest 100
Triple J Hottest 100, 1994
The 1994 Triple J Hottest 100, counted down in January 1995, was a countdown of the most popular songs of the year, according to listeners of the Australian radio station Triple J. A CD featuring 32 of the songs was released...
. In 1995, they released an EP, Take a Look at Happiness, which featured Empty as its signature song/single. It was again successful, with Empty coming in at #62 on the 1995 Hottest 100
Triple J Hottest 100, 1995
The 1995 Triple J Hottest 100, counted down in January 1996, was a countdown of the most popular songs of the year, according to listeners of the Australian radio station Triple J. A CD featuring 32 of the songs was released...
.
Before being officially a band, they did a cover of Melbourne band TISM
TISM
TISM was a seven piece anonymous alternative rock band from Melbourne, Australia. The group was formed in 1982 and enjoyed a large underground/independent following. Their third album Machiavelli and the Four Seasons reached the Australian national top 10 in 1995...
's track "The Judeo-Christian Ethic" which was released on TISM's 1991 single Let's Form a Company
Let's Form a Company
Let's Form a Company is the name of a single by TISM. It was their third off Hot Dogma and the first off the album to have a video clip.-Song:...
The band's breakthrough success in 1996, when their first full-length album, Way of All Things, was released to relative critical acclaim. Three singles - In Deep, So Rude, and Way of All Things followed. It was successful in indie circles, but also had some minor success on the mainstream charts. Their attempts to promote the tour were hampered, however, when Barnard became pregnant, which limited the amount of touring the band could do to support the album.
The success of Way of All Things was followed by a two-year relative hiatus, although they did play a number of concerts in this time. They also released a limited-edition single, Car Radio, which was only available from concerts. During this period, bass player Michael den Elzen
Michael den Elzen
Michael den Elzen is a musician and music producer based in Melbourne, Australia. He has performed for over 25 years with many well-known Australian and New Zealand artists, principally as a guitarist, and has contributed music for several Australian movie soundtracks.-Early career:Den Elzen spent...
left the band, and was replaced with Bill McDonald.
They returned in 1998 with the single Medicine Man, which preceded their 1999 album Welcome. Two more singles from the album followed: Big Smoke and Bad Blood. Welcome was not as well received by critics as their earlier efforts. Despite the band's profile, none of the singles made the Hottest 100 that year. Welcome and its accompanying singles were to be their last releases as the band announced its breakup in late June 2000.
In April 2006 Rebecca Barnard
Rebecca Barnard
Rebecca Barnard is a Melbourne-based Australian singer, songwriter and musician. She was the lead singer of Rebecca's Empire from 1994 to 2000, and has forged a solo career since her debut album was released in 2006....
released her debut solo album Fortified with Shock Records.
Members
- Rebecca BarnardRebecca BarnardRebecca Barnard is a Melbourne-based Australian singer, songwriter and musician. She was the lead singer of Rebecca's Empire from 1994 to 2000, and has forged a solo career since her debut album was released in 2006....
(vocals) - Shane O'Mara (guitar)
- Michael den ElzenMichael den ElzenMichael den Elzen is a musician and music producer based in Melbourne, Australia. He has performed for over 25 years with many well-known Australian and New Zealand artists, principally as a guitarist, and has contributed music for several Australian movie soundtracks.-Early career:Den Elzen spent...
(bass) - Bill McDonald (bass)
- Peter Luscombe (drums)
Singles
- In Deep (1996)
- So Rude (1996)
- Way of All Things (1996)
- Car Radio (1998)
- Medicine Man (1998)
- Big Smoke (1998)
- Bad Blood (1998)