Spiderbait
Encyclopedia
Spiderbait are an Australian alternative rock
band formed in Finley
in 1989 by bass guitarist Janet English, singer-drummer Mark Maher (better known as Kram), and guitarist Damian Whitty. In 2004 the group's cover version of the 1930s Lead Belly song "Black Betty
" reached number one on the ARIA Singles Chart
. They have five top 20 albums: The Unfinished Spanish Galleon of Finley Lake
(1995), Ivy and the Big Apples
(1996), Grand Slam (1999), Tonight Alright
(2004), and Greatest Hits
(2005). The group have won two ARIA Music Awards
with the first in 1997 as 'Best Alternative Release' for Ivy and the Big Apples and the second in 2000 as 'Best Cover Art' for their single "Glokenpop". Since late 2004, the band has been on hiatus to concentrate on solo projects and their personal lives – although periodically returning for occasional gigs.
Whitty jammed
together as school boys. With English on-board, early rehearsals were held in sheds or barns, Kram later recalled: "we were shithouse! We were so bad ... I mean Janet had never played a note of music in her life". Kram taught English to play bass. Initial gigs included a friend's party as an unnamed band where they played "Freak Scene" and an AC/DC
cover song. They performed at the combined 21st birthday party for Kram and Whitty under the name Candy Spuds. They used that name for only one gig and then used Spiderbaby.
In 1990, the trio moved to Melbourne
, where Kram was studying at the Victorian College of the Arts
School of Music. They soon became part of Melbourne's punk
scene, playing gigs at venues like The Tote Hotel
in Collingwood
. Fellow alternative rockers The Meanies
were an early influence and helped the band get gigs and a recording contract. They signed with Au-Go-Go Records and were renamed as Spiderbait – Spiderbaby was already being used by an American band. Spiderbait released their first single, "Circle K", in 1991. A seven-track EP titled P'tang Yang Kipper Bang Uh! (named after the Michael Apted
1982 telemovie, P'tang, Yang, Kipperbang
) followed in January 1992, displaying the thrash-y
hardcore punk
of their early live gigs. During 1992 they supported United States groups Rollins Band
and Beastie Boys
on their tour of Australia.
Spiderbait's first album, Shashavaglava
, was released in May 1993. 'Shashava glava' (written as Шашава Глава) means 'crazy head' in Serbian
or possibly 'dickhead'. The album included all the tracks from P'tang Yang Kipper Bang Uh! and featured the songs "Old Man Sam" and a cover of English comedians The Goodies
' song "Run". Allmusic's David Colon found the album "agitating" where its "thrashing and pounding may be meant to energize, but in the end, only enervates." "Run" was released as a CD single in March 1994 and was followed by "Jesus". The group supported US band Primus
on their Australia 1994 tour.
by Craig Kamber—who also worked with Powderfinger
and Underground Lovers
—and released their second album, The Unfinished Spanish Galleon of Finley Lake
, in October. The album reached number 14 on the Australian charts, with singles "Monty" (September) and "Jesus" receiving extensive airplay on radio station Triple J
. The album title refers to a then-unfinished project by the Finley community, an artificially-made lake included a replica sailing ship. Spiderbait promoted themselves by playing to predominantly under-18 audiences. At the ARIA Music Awards of 1996
, the album received two nominations: 'Best Alternative Release', and 'Best Cover Art' for English and George Stajsic.
Their third album, Ivy and the Big Apples
, was issued in October 1996 and reached number 3, and by 1997 had received 2× Platinum certification by Australian Recording Industry Association
(ARIA) for shipments of over 140,000 units in Australia. Their next single, "Buy Me a Pony", received extensive airplay on Triple J, resulting in listeners voting it as their favourite song in the Hottest 100 of 1996
– the first Australian group to do so. In October 1996, the group toured Canada and played gigs in Los Angeles, New York, and Seattle in the US. The album's third single, "Calypso", also achieved commercial airplay, and reached number 13 in the ARIA Singles Chart in June 1997. It was featured in the 1999 film 10 Things I Hate About You
during the scene where the character of Kat (played by Julia Stiles
) is reading the novel The Bell Jar
by Sylvia Plath
. At the ARIA Music Awards of 1997
the group received seven nominations, but with Savage Garden
dominating the ceremony and winning ten awards, Spiderbait only captured the 'Best Alternative Release' category for Ivy and the Big Apples.
In early 1998, English and her then-boyfriend Quan Yeomans
(of Regurgitator
) formed a side-project, Happyland (originally called The Shits), which released their only album, Welcome to Happyland, on Polydor in September. English provided cover art work and 3-D animated videos for Regurgitator releases. By 2000 the couple and Happyland had split. Also in 1998, Kram and Richie Lewis of Tumbleweed
formed a side-project, The Hot Rollers – so named as both member's mothers were hairdressers. Their only album, The Hot Rollers, was issued in July through Polydor.
, Cold Chisel
), was issued in April, which debuted at number 10. "Shazam!" was released as a single in February, which reached the top 50. It was featured in a 2001 episode of Sex and the City
entitled "The Real Me" as part of a fashion show scene. In 2009, it was used in promotional advertising for the A-League
. At the ARIA Music Awards of 1999
the group received five nominations.
Despite good airplay for the Grand Slam singles "Stevie" (May) and "Glokenpop" (January 2000), neither charted in the top 50. At the ARIA Music Awards of 2000
the group received two nominations and English won 'Best Cover Art' for her work on "Glokenpop". Their 2001 dance
-influenced album The Flight of Wally Funk
was less successful than their previous three albums, although it reached the Top 40. It was recorded mostly in Whitty's living room.
Spiderbait recorded the Tonight Alright
album in Los Angeles
with producer Sylvia Massy
(Red Hot Chili Peppers
, R.E.M.
, Tool
, System of a Down
, Skunk Anansie
). The songs had been written and demoed at Whitty's home in North Melbourne with English and Kram cycling in from nearby suburbs. The album's first single, "Black Betty
", was released in early March 2004. It was a cover version of the 1930s Lead Belly song which was a hit in 1977 when covered by Ram Jam
. Spiderbait's version reached number one after 10 weeks in the singles chart in May 2004, and stayed there for three weeks, becoming their biggest selling single ever. By the end of the year, "Black Betty" received 2× Platinum certification. In the US, it reached the top 40 on Billboard Mainstream Rock Singles Chart. The film clip featured a hot rod similar to the car on the cover of the ZZ Top
album Eliminator. The song also made the soundtrack to the Electronic Arts
video games Need for Speed: Underground 2
and Need for Speed: Underground Rivals for the PSP.
Tonight Alright was released in March 2004 and debuted at number 14 on the ARIA Albums Chart. The second single, "Fucken Awesome", reached the top 30 in June. From May, the group toured supporting Hoodoo Gurus
, followed by their own tour to United Kingdom and US. Interscope Records
signed the band in 2004 to distribute Tonight Alright in the US and UK. At the ARIA Music Awards of 2004
, Kram performed as part of the super-group The Wrights
, which also featured members of Powderfinger
, The Living End
, You Am I, Jet
, Grinspoon
, and Dallas Crane
.
, which debuted at number 6. According to their official website, they had discovered that newer fans were unaware of their material before "Black Betty".
In October 2005, Spiderbait performed at Rod Laver Arena
in Melbourne, as part of the Coca-Cola Live'n'Local Tour '05. In November 2006, the band performed at the Queensland Council of Unions
-organised Rock the Vote! concert in Brisbane
.
The band recorded a cover of "Ghost Riders in the Sky" as the main theme for the film Ghost Rider
(2007), starring Nicolas Cage
. A small excerpt is played during the film, and then in its entirety as the first song when the credits roll. The band's song "Glokenpop" is featured in the 2009 game LittleBigPlanet for the PlayStation Portable
. Kram released his debut solo album, Mix Tape, in March 2009. In 2010, Magnapop
's album Chase Park
featured a cover of their song "Jesus" from The Unfinished Spanish Galleon of Finley Lake. In December of that year, they supported Guns N' Roses
at a Sydney gig.
(ARIA) Awards
.
|-
| rowspan="2" | 1996
|| The Unfinished Spanish Galleon of Finley Lake
|| Best Alternative Release ||
|-
| The Unfinished Spanish Galleon of Finley Lake – Janet English, George Stajsic || Best Cover Art ||
|-
| rowspan="7" | 1997
|| rowspan="3" | Ivy and the Big Apples
|| Album of the Year ||
|-
| Best Alternative Release ||
|-
| Best Group ||
|-
| Ivy and the Big Apples – Janet English || Best Cover Art ||
|-
| Ivy and the Big Apples – Phil McKellar || Engineer of the Year ||
|-
| "Buy Me a Pony" || Single of the Year ||
|-
| "Calypso" – Janet English || Best Video ||
|-
| rowspan="5" | 1999
|| rowspan="2" | Grand Slam || Album of the Year ||
|-
| Best Alternative Release ||
|-
| Grand Slam – Janet English, George Stajsic || Best Cover Art ||
|-
| rowspan="2" | Grand Slam – Phil McKellar || Engineer of the Year ||
|-
| Producer of the Year ||
|-
| rowspan="2" | 2000
|| "Glokenpop" || Best Pop Release ||
|-
| "Glokenpop"– Janet English || Best Cover Art ||
|-
| rowspan="3" | 2004
|| Tonight Alright
|| Best Rock Album ||
|-
| "Black Betty
" || Highest Selling Single ||
|-
| "Black Betty" – Paul Butler, Scott Walton (50/50) || Best Video ||
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
band formed in Finley
Finley, New South Wales
Finley is a town in the Riverina region of New South Wales, Australia. It is the largest town in the Berrigan Shire Local Government Area. At the 2006 census, Finley had a population of 2,054 people....
in 1989 by bass guitarist Janet English, singer-drummer Mark Maher (better known as Kram), and guitarist Damian Whitty. In 2004 the group's cover version of the 1930s Lead Belly song "Black Betty
Black Betty
"Black Betty" is a 20th century African-American work song often credited to Huddie "Lead Belly" Ledbetter as the author, though the earliest recordings are not by him. Some sources claim it is one of Lead Belly's many adaptations of earlier folk material; in this case an 18th century marching...
" reached number one on the ARIA Singles Chart
ARIA Charts
The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June...
. They have five top 20 albums: The Unfinished Spanish Galleon of Finley Lake
The Unfinished Spanish Galleon of Finley Lake
The Unfinished Spanish Galleon of Finley Lake is the second studio album by Australian rock band Spiderbait, released in 1995.The album was named after the real Unfinished Spanish Galleon built in Spiderbait's home town, Finley, New South Wales. The Galleon was half constructed for many years,...
(1995), Ivy and the Big Apples
Ivy and the Big Apples
Ivy and the Big Apples is the third album by Australian rock band Spiderbait. It became a double platinum selling record which reached the top 10 list in Australia and won the 1997 ARIA Award for Best Alternative Release. It features the single "Buy Me a Pony" which reached number one on Triple J's...
(1996), Grand Slam (1999), Tonight Alright
Tonight Alright
Tonight Alright is the sixth studio album by Australian rock band Spiderbait. It features the number one Australian single "Black Betty", the top 30 single "Fucken Awesome", and the top 100 single "Tonite".- Track listing :- External links :...
(2004), and Greatest Hits
Greatest Hits (Spiderbait album)
Greatest Hits is a greatest hits album by Australian rock band Spiderbait. The band decided to put out the compilation after discovering newer fans weren't even aware of Spiderbait before "Black Betty". "We'd talk to these excited kids who didn't know our previous albums," recalls Kram...
(2005). The group have won two ARIA Music Awards
ARIA Music Awards
The Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards is an annual series of awards nights celebrating the Australian music industry, put on by the Australian Recording Industry Association...
with the first in 1997 as 'Best Alternative Release' for Ivy and the Big Apples and the second in 2000 as 'Best Cover Art' for their single "Glokenpop". Since late 2004, the band has been on hiatus to concentrate on solo projects and their personal lives – although periodically returning for occasional gigs.
Early years
In 1989, the three future members of Spiderbait were performing together with Janet English on bass guitar and lead vocals, Mark Maher (better known as Kram) on lead vocals and drums, and Damian Whitty (or "Whitt") on guitar. All grew up in the small town of Finley in southern New South Wales where Kram and his second cousinCousin
In kinship terminology, a cousin is a relative with whom one shares one or more common ancestors. The term is rarely used when referring to a relative in one's immediate family where there is a more specific term . The term "blood relative" can be used synonymously and establishes the existence of...
Whitty jammed
Jam session
Jam sessions are often used by musicians to develop new material, find suitable arrangements, or simply as a social gathering and communal practice session. Jam sessions may be based upon existing songs or forms, may be loosely based on an agreed chord progression or chart suggested by one...
together as school boys. With English on-board, early rehearsals were held in sheds or barns, Kram later recalled: "we were shithouse! We were so bad ... I mean Janet had never played a note of music in her life". Kram taught English to play bass. Initial gigs included a friend's party as an unnamed band where they played "Freak Scene" and an AC/DC
AC/DC
AC/DC are an Australian rock band, formed in 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. Commonly classified as hard rock, they are considered pioneers of heavy metal, though they themselves have always classified their music as simply "rock and roll"...
cover song. They performed at the combined 21st birthday party for Kram and Whitty under the name Candy Spuds. They used that name for only one gig and then used Spiderbaby.
In 1990, the trio moved to 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...
, where Kram was studying at the Victorian College of the Arts
Victorian College of the Arts
The Faculty of the VCA and Music is a faculty of the University of Melbourne, in Victoria . VCAM is located near the Melbourne central business district, on two campuses, one - the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music - on the Parkville campus of the University of Melbourne, and the other - the...
School of Music. They soon became part of Melbourne's punk
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
scene, playing gigs at venues like The Tote Hotel
The Tote Hotel
The Tote Hotel is a hotel, pub, bar and music venue on 71 Johnston Street, the corner of Johnston and Wellington Streets, in Collingwood, an inner city suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia...
in Collingwood
Collingwood, Victoria
Collingwood is an inner city suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 3 km north-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Yarra...
. Fellow alternative rockers The Meanies
The Meanies
The Meanies are an indie Australian punk rock band, formed in 1989. The current band members include Link Meanie , Ringo Meanie and Wally Meanie . The Meanies had a hiatus in the mid-late 1990s, but began performing again in 1998...
were an early influence and helped the band get gigs and a recording contract. They signed with Au-Go-Go Records and were renamed as Spiderbait – Spiderbaby was already being used by an American band. Spiderbait released their first single, "Circle K", in 1991. A seven-track EP titled P'tang Yang Kipper Bang Uh! (named after the Michael Apted
Michael Apted
Michael David Apted, CMG is an English director, producer, writer and actor. He is one of the most prolific British film directors of his generation but is best known for his work on the Up Series of documentaries and the James Bond film The World Is Not Enough.On 29 June 2003 he was elected...
1982 telemovie, P'tang, Yang, Kipperbang
P'tang, Yang, Kipperbang
P'tang, Yang, Kipperbang is a television film first shown on Channel 4 on its second night, 3 November, 1982.Written by Jack Rosenthal as part of his First Love series, it is a simple coming-of-age film set in a grammar school in the outer London suburbs of the early 1950s...
) followed in January 1992, displaying the thrash-y
Thrashcore
Thrashcore is a fast tempo subgenre of hardcore punk that emerged in the early 1980s. Thrashcore is essentially sped-up hardcore punk, with bands often using blast beats. Songs can be very brief, and thrashcore is in many ways a less dissonant, less metallic forerunner of grindcore...
hardcore punk
Hardcore punk
Hardcore punk is an underground music genre that originated in the late 1970s, following the mainstream success of punk rock. Hardcore is generally faster, thicker, and heavier than earlier punk rock. The origin of the term "hardcore punk" is uncertain. The Vancouver-based band D.O.A...
of their early live gigs. During 1992 they supported United States groups Rollins Band
Rollins Band
Rollins Band was an American rock band led by singer and songwriter Henry Rollins.They are best known for the songs "Low Self Opinion" and "Liar", which both earned heavy airplay on MTV in the early 1990s...
and Beastie Boys
Beastie Boys
Beastie Boys are an American hip hop trio from New York City. The group consists of Mike D who plays the drums, MCA who plays the bass, and Ad-Rock who plays the guitar....
on their tour of Australia.
Spiderbait's first album, Shashavaglava
Shashavaglava
Shashavaglava is the debut studio album by Australian rock band Spiderbait. "Shashavaglava" means "crazyhead" in Serbo-Croatian.- Track listing :...
, was released in May 1993. 'Shashava glava' (written as Шашава Глава) means 'crazy head' in Serbian
Serbian language
Serbian is a form of Serbo-Croatian, a South Slavic language, spoken by Serbs in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Croatia and neighbouring countries....
or possibly 'dickhead'. The album included all the tracks from P'tang Yang Kipper Bang Uh! and featured the songs "Old Man Sam" and a cover of English comedians The Goodies
The Goodies
The Goodies are a trio of British comedians who created, wrote, and starred in a surreal British television comedy series called The Goodies during the 1970s and early 1980s combining sketches and situation comedy.-Honours:All three Goodies now have OBEs...
' song "Run". Allmusic's David Colon found the album "agitating" where its "thrashing and pounding may be meant to energize, but in the end, only enervates." "Run" was released as a CD single in March 1994 and was followed by "Jesus". The group supported US band Primus
Primus (band)
Primus is an American rock band based in San Francisco, California, currently composed of bassist/vocalist Les Claypool, guitarist Larry "Ler" LaLonde and drummer Jay Lane. Primus originally formed in 1984 with Claypool and guitarist Todd Huth, later joined by Lane, though the latter two departed...
on their Australia 1994 tour.
Major label signing and side projects
In 1995, Spiderbait were signed to Polydor RecordsPolydor Records
Polydor is a record label owned by Universal Music Group, headquartered in the United Kingdom.-Beginnings:Polydor was originally an independent branch of the Deutsche Grammophon Gesellschaft. Its name was first used as an export label in 1924, the British and German branches of the Gramophone...
by Craig Kamber—who also worked with Powderfinger
Powderfinger
Powderfinger was an Australian rock band that formed in Brisbane in 1989. From 1992 until their breakup the band lineup consisted of vocalist Bernard Fanning, guitarists Darren Middleton and Ian Haug, bassist John Collins, and drummer Jon Coghill....
and Underground Lovers
Underground Lovers
Underground Lovers are an Australian alternative rock band and one of the most lauded music acts in the country's alternative scene throughout the 1990s. While the band has experienced many lineup changes during its existence, the nucleus of the band since its inception has been Vincent M...
—and released their second album, The Unfinished Spanish Galleon of Finley Lake
The Unfinished Spanish Galleon of Finley Lake
The Unfinished Spanish Galleon of Finley Lake is the second studio album by Australian rock band Spiderbait, released in 1995.The album was named after the real Unfinished Spanish Galleon built in Spiderbait's home town, Finley, New South Wales. The Galleon was half constructed for many years,...
, in October. The album reached number 14 on the Australian charts, with singles "Monty" (September) and "Jesus" receiving extensive airplay on radio station Triple J
Triple J
triple j is a nationally networked Australian radio station intended to appeal to listeners between the ages of 18 and 30. The government-funded station is a division of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation...
. The album title refers to a then-unfinished project by the Finley community, an artificially-made lake included a replica sailing ship. Spiderbait promoted themselves by playing to predominantly under-18 audiences. At the ARIA Music Awards of 1996
ARIA Music Awards of 1996
The 10th Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards was held on 30 September 1996 at the Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre...
, the album received two nominations: 'Best Alternative Release', and 'Best Cover Art' for English and George Stajsic.
Their third album, Ivy and the Big Apples
Ivy and the Big Apples
Ivy and the Big Apples is the third album by Australian rock band Spiderbait. It became a double platinum selling record which reached the top 10 list in Australia and won the 1997 ARIA Award for Best Alternative Release. It features the single "Buy Me a Pony" which reached number one on Triple J's...
, was issued in October 1996 and reached number 3, and by 1997 had received 2× Platinum certification by Australian Recording Industry Association
Australian Recording Industry Association
The Australian Recording Industry Association is a trade group representing the Australian recording industry which was established in 1983 by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing the Association of Australian Record Manufacturers which was formed in 1956...
(ARIA) for shipments of over 140,000 units in Australia. Their next single, "Buy Me a Pony", received extensive airplay on Triple J, resulting in listeners voting it as their favourite song in the Hottest 100 of 1996
Triple J Hottest 100, 1996
The 1996 Triple J Hottest 100, counted down in January 1997, was a countdown of the most popular songs of the year, according to listeners of the Australian radio station Triple J. A CD featuring 31 of the songs was released. A countdown of the videos of most of the songs was also shown on the ABC...
– the first Australian group to do so. In October 1996, the group toured Canada and played gigs in Los Angeles, New York, and Seattle in the US. The album's third single, "Calypso", also achieved commercial airplay, and reached number 13 in the ARIA Singles Chart in June 1997. It was featured in the 1999 film 10 Things I Hate About You
10 Things I Hate about You
10 Things I Hate About You is a 1999 American teen romantic comedy film. It is directed by Gil Junger and stars Heath Ledger, Julia Stiles, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Larisa Oleynik, David Krumholtz, and Larry Miller...
during the scene where the character of Kat (played by Julia Stiles
Julia Stiles
Julia O'Hara Stiles is an American actress.After beginning her career in small parts in a New York City theatre troupe, she has moved on to leading roles in plays by writers as diverse as William Shakespeare and David Mamet...
) is reading the novel The Bell Jar
The Bell Jar
The Bell Jar is American writer and poet Sylvia Plath's only novel, which was originally published under the pseudonym "Victoria Lucas" in 1963. The novel is semi-autobiographical with the names of places and people changed...
by Sylvia Plath
Sylvia Plath
Sylvia Plath was an American poet, novelist and short story writer. Born in Massachusetts, she studied at Smith College and Newnham College, Cambridge before receiving acclaim as a professional poet and writer...
. At the ARIA Music Awards of 1997
ARIA Music Awards of 1997
The eleventh Annual Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards were held on 22 September 1997 at the Capitol Theatre in Sydney. The event was hosted by Australian actor–comedian Paul McDermott, with presenters Elle McFeast, Kylie Minogue, Ben Folds and The Presidents of the United...
the group received seven nominations, but with Savage Garden
Savage Garden
Savage Garden were an Australian pop rock performance and songwriting duo. Darren Hayes and Daniel Jones formed the group in Brisbane, Queensland in 1994...
dominating the ceremony and winning ten awards, Spiderbait only captured the 'Best Alternative Release' category for Ivy and the Big Apples.
In early 1998, English and her then-boyfriend Quan Yeomans
Quan Yeomans
Quan Yeomans is an Australian musician best known as the frontman of the multi-ARIA Music Award winning band Regurgitator, which formed in Brisbane in December 1993.-Early years:...
(of Regurgitator
Regurgitator
Regurgitator are an Australian rock band from Brisbane, currently consisting of Quan Yeomans , Ben Ely and Peter Kostic . The band formed in 1994, its original line-up consisting of Yeomans, Ely and drummer Martin Lee...
) formed a side-project, Happyland (originally called The Shits), which released their only album, Welcome to Happyland, on Polydor in September. English provided cover art work and 3-D animated videos for Regurgitator releases. By 2000 the couple and Happyland had split. Also in 1998, Kram and Richie Lewis of Tumbleweed
Tumbleweed (band)
Tumbleweed are a Wollongong-based rock group in Australia, popular during the grunge years of the 1990s. As an opening band for Nirvana on their 1992 tour of Australia, Tumbleweed reached out into the mainstream with their crunchy-psychedelica...
formed a side-project, The Hot Rollers – so named as both member's mothers were hairdressers. Their only album, The Hot Rollers, was issued in July through Polydor.
Grand Slam to Tonight Alright
Spiderbait reconvened in June 1998 to record the album Grand Slam. They toured Japan in October and supported the Beastie Boys in February 1999. The album, produced by Paul McKercher (You Am IYou Am I
You Am I are an Australian alternative rock band, fronted by vocalist/guitarist and main songwriter Tim Rogers. They were the first Australian band to have three albums successively debut at #1 on the ARIA Charts, and are renowned for their live performances.-History:Tim Rogers formed the first...
, Cold Chisel
Cold Chisel
Cold Chisel is a rock band that originated in Adelaide, Australia. It is one of the most acclaimed Australian rock bands of all time, with a string of hits throughout the 1970s and 1980s and huge sales that continue to this day, although its success and acclaim was almost completely restricted to...
), was issued in April, which debuted at number 10. "Shazam!" was released as a single in February, which reached the top 50. It was featured in a 2001 episode of Sex and the City
Sex and the City
Sex and the City is an American television comedy-drama series created by Darren Star and produced by HBO. Broadcast from 1998 until 2004, the original run of the show had a total of ninety-four episodes...
entitled "The Real Me" as part of a fashion show scene. In 2009, it was used in promotional advertising for the A-League
A-League
The A-League is the top Australasian professional football league. Run by Australian governing body Football Federation Australia , it was founded in 2004 following the folding of the National Soccer League and staged its inaugural season in 2005–06. It is sponsored by Hyundai Motor Company...
. At the ARIA Music Awards of 1999
ARIA Music Awards of 1999
The 13th Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards was held on 12 October 1999 at the Sydney Entertainment Centre...
the group received five nominations.
Despite good airplay for the Grand Slam singles "Stevie" (May) and "Glokenpop" (January 2000), neither charted in the top 50. At the ARIA Music Awards of 2000
ARIA Music Awards of 2000
The 14th Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards was held on 24 October 2000 at the Sydney Entertainment Centre...
the group received two nominations and English won 'Best Cover Art' for her work on "Glokenpop". Their 2001 dance
Electronic dance music
Electronic dance music is electronic music produced primarily for the purposes of use within a nightclub setting, or in an environment that is centered upon dance-based entertainment...
-influenced album The Flight of Wally Funk
The Flight of Wally Funk
The Flight of the Wally Funk is the fifth studio album by Australian rock band Spiderbait. Named after female aviator Wally Funk, the album features the singles "Four on the Floor", "Outta My Head", and "Arse Huggin' Pants". It debuted on the Australian charts at number 35 and sold 30,000 copies.-...
was less successful than their previous three albums, although it reached the Top 40. It was recorded mostly in Whitty's living room.
Spiderbait recorded the Tonight Alright
Tonight Alright
Tonight Alright is the sixth studio album by Australian rock band Spiderbait. It features the number one Australian single "Black Betty", the top 30 single "Fucken Awesome", and the top 100 single "Tonite".- Track listing :- External links :...
album in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
with producer Sylvia Massy
Sylvia Massy
Sylvia Massy is an entrepreneur, record producer, and studio engineer in the United States. Massy is perhaps best recognized for her work on 1993's Undertow, the full-length double platinum-selling debut for Los Angeles rock band Tool.-History:...
(Red Hot Chili Peppers
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Red Hot Chili Peppers is an American rock band, formed in Los Angeles in 1983. The group's musical style primarily consists of rock with an emphasis on funk, as well as elements from other genres such as punk, hip hop and psychedelic rock...
, R.E.M.
R.E.M.
R.E.M. was an American rock band formed in Athens, Georgia, in 1980 by singer Michael Stipe, guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills and drummer Bill Berry. One of the first popular alternative rock bands, R.E.M. gained early attention due to Buck's ringing, arpeggiated guitar style and Stipe's...
, Tool
Tool (band)
Tool is an American rock band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1990, the group's line-up has included drummer Danny Carey, guitarist Adam Jones, and vocalist Maynard James Keenan. Since 1995, Justin Chancellor has been the band's bassist, replacing their original bassist Paul D'Amour...
, System of a Down
System of a Down
System of a Down, also known by the acronym SOAD and often shortened to System, is a rock band from Southern California. The band was formed in 1994. It consists of Serj Tankian , Daron Malakian , Shavo Odadjian and John Dolmayan...
, Skunk Anansie
Skunk Anansie
Skunk Anansie is an English rock band whose members include Skin , Cass , Ace and Mark Richardson .Skunk Anansie formed in March 1994, disbanded in 2001 and reformed in 2009...
). The songs had been written and demoed at Whitty's home in North Melbourne with English and Kram cycling in from nearby suburbs. The album's first single, "Black Betty
Black Betty
"Black Betty" is a 20th century African-American work song often credited to Huddie "Lead Belly" Ledbetter as the author, though the earliest recordings are not by him. Some sources claim it is one of Lead Belly's many adaptations of earlier folk material; in this case an 18th century marching...
", was released in early March 2004. It was a cover version of the 1930s Lead Belly song which was a hit in 1977 when covered by Ram Jam
Ram Jam
Ram Jam was an American 1970s rock band, best known for their 1977 hit single, "Black Betty".The band members were Bill Bartlett , Pete Charles , Myke Scavone , and Howie Arthur Blauvelt . Also, Jimmy Santoro, who toured with the band in support of their debut album, joined on guitar for the...
. Spiderbait's version reached number one after 10 weeks in the singles chart in May 2004, and stayed there for three weeks, becoming their biggest selling single ever. By the end of the year, "Black Betty" received 2× Platinum certification. In the US, it reached the top 40 on Billboard Mainstream Rock Singles Chart. The film clip featured a hot rod similar to the car on the cover of the ZZ Top
ZZ Top
ZZ Top is an American rock band, sometimes referred to as "That Little Ol' Band from Texas". Their style, which is rooted in blues-based boogie rock, has come to incorporate elements of arena, southern, and boogie rock. The band, from Houston Texas, formed in 1969...
album Eliminator. The song also made the soundtrack to the Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts, Inc. is a major American developer, marketer, publisher and distributor of video games. Founded and incorporated on May 28, 1982 by Trip Hawkins, the company was a pioneer of the early home computer games industry and was notable for promoting the designers and programmers...
video games Need for Speed: Underground 2
Need for Speed: Underground 2
Need for Speed: Underground 2 is a cross-platform racing video game published and developed by Electronic Arts. Released in 2004, it is the direct sequel to Need for Speed: Underground, and is part of the Need for Speed series, available on Nintendo GameCube, PlayStation 2, Xbox, Game Boy Advance,...
and Need for Speed: Underground Rivals for the PSP.
Tonight Alright was released in March 2004 and debuted at number 14 on the ARIA Albums Chart. The second single, "Fucken Awesome", reached the top 30 in June. From May, the group toured supporting Hoodoo Gurus
Hoodoo Gurus
Hoodoo Gurus are an Australian rock band, formed in Sydney in 1981, by the mainstay Dave Faulkner and later joined by Richard Grossman , Mark Kingsmill , and Brad Shepherd...
, followed by their own tour to United Kingdom and US. Interscope Records
Interscope Records
Interscope Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group that currently operates as one third of UMG's Interscope-Geffen-A&M label group.-History:...
signed the band in 2004 to distribute Tonight Alright in the US and UK. At the ARIA Music Awards of 2004
ARIA Music Awards of 2004
The 18th Annual Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards were held on 17 October 2004 at the Sydney Superdome within the Sydney Olympic Complex...
, Kram performed as part of the super-group The Wrights
The Wrights
The Wrights were a one-off Australian rock music "supergroup". They consisted of Nic Cester , Bernard Fanning , Phil Jamieson , Kram , Chris Cheney , Davey Lane and Pat Bourke...
, which also featured members of Powderfinger
Powderfinger
Powderfinger was an Australian rock band that formed in Brisbane in 1989. From 1992 until their breakup the band lineup consisted of vocalist Bernard Fanning, guitarists Darren Middleton and Ian Haug, bassist John Collins, and drummer Jon Coghill....
, The Living End
The Living End
The Living End are an Australian rock band from Melbourne, Victoria, formed in 1994. The current lineup consists of Chris Cheney , Scott Owen and Andy Strachan...
, You Am I, Jet
Jet (band)
Jet are an Australian rock band formed in 2001 while attending St Bede's College Mentone in Melbourne, . The band consists of lead guitarist Cameron Muncey, bassist Mark Wilson, and brothers Nic and Chris Cester on vocals/rhythm guitar and drums respectively...
, Grinspoon
Grinspoon
Grinspoon are an Australian rock band from Lismore, New South Wales formed in 1995 and fronted by Phil Jamieson on vocals and guitar with Pat Davern on guitar, Joe Hansen on bass guitar and Kristian Hopes on drums. Also in 1995, they won the Triple J-sponsored Unearthed competition for Lismore,...
, and Dallas Crane
Dallas Crane
Dallas Crane is an Australian alternative rock band from Melbourne, Australia.Dallas Crane was named after the father of a mate of the band.In January 2004, the band signed a recording and publishing deal with Albert Productions, the home of AC/DC. The band recorded an album with Wayne Connolly,...
.
On hiatus
Spiderbait went on hiatus, after touring in support of Tonight Alright, to concentrate on solo projects and their personal lives – although periodically returning for occasional gigs. In March 2005, English gave birth to a daughter. In September, Spiderbait released a compilation album, Greatest HitsGreatest Hits (Spiderbait album)
Greatest Hits is a greatest hits album by Australian rock band Spiderbait. The band decided to put out the compilation after discovering newer fans weren't even aware of Spiderbait before "Black Betty". "We'd talk to these excited kids who didn't know our previous albums," recalls Kram...
, which debuted at number 6. According to their official website, they had discovered that newer fans were unaware of their material before "Black Betty".
In October 2005, Spiderbait performed at Rod Laver Arena
Rod Laver Arena
Rod Laver Arena is a tennis stadium that is part of the Melbourne Park complex located in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, and has been the main venue for the Australian Open in tennis since 1988, replacing the ageing Kooyong Stadium...
in Melbourne, as part of the Coca-Cola Live'n'Local Tour '05. In November 2006, the band performed at the Queensland Council of Unions
Queensland Council of Unions
The Queensland Council of Unions is a representative body of Trade union organisations, known as a Labour council, in the State of Queensland, Australia...
-organised Rock the Vote! concert in Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
.
The band recorded a cover of "Ghost Riders in the Sky" as the main theme for the film Ghost Rider
Ghost Rider (film)
Ghost Rider is a 2007 superhero film written and directed by Mark Steven Johnson. Based on the character of the same name which appeared in Marvel Comics, the film stars Nicolas Cage as Johnny Blaze, a stunt motorcyclist who sells his soul to the Devil and transforms into thevigilante Ghost...
(2007), starring Nicolas Cage
Nicolas Cage
Nicolas Cage is an American actor, producer and director, having appeared in over 60 films including Raising Arizona , The Rock , Face/Off , Gone in 60 Seconds , Adaptation , National Treasure , Ghost Rider , Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans , and...
. A small excerpt is played during the film, and then in its entirety as the first song when the credits roll. The band's song "Glokenpop" is featured in the 2009 game LittleBigPlanet for the PlayStation Portable
PlayStation Portable
The is a handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Corporation Development of the console was announced during E3 2003, and it was unveiled on , 2004, at a Sony press conference before E3 2004...
. Kram released his debut solo album, Mix Tape, in March 2009. In 2010, Magnapop
Magnapop
Magnapop is an alternative rock band based in Atlanta, Georgia. Formed in 1989, the band has consistently included songwriting duo Linda Hopper as vocalist and Ruthie Morris on guitar. Magnapop first achieved recognition in the Benelux countries of Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg through...
's album Chase Park
Chase Park
Chase Park is the fifth studio album from Magnapop, released on September 4, 2009. The recording is the first from the band released independently on the vanity label The Kraft Records...
featured a cover of their song "Jesus" from The Unfinished Spanish Galleon of Finley Lake. In December of that year, they supported Guns N' Roses
Guns N' Roses
Guns N' Roses is an American hard rock band, formed in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, in 1985. The band has released six studio albums, three EPs, and one live album...
at a Sydney gig.
Members
- Janet English (Janet) – bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, lead vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments... - Mark Maher (KramMark MaherKram is the drummer/singer of Australian band Spiderbait. His stage name is an anagram of his first name; "Kram" is simply "Mark" spelled backwards...
) – lead vocals, drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person .... - Damian Whitty (Whitt) – guitarElectric guitarAn electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
ARIA Awards
Spiderbait have won two awards from nineteen nominations for Australian Recording Industry AssociationAustralian Recording Industry Association
The Australian Recording Industry Association is a trade group representing the Australian recording industry which was established in 1983 by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing the Association of Australian Record Manufacturers which was formed in 1956...
(ARIA) Awards
ARIA Music Awards
The Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards is an annual series of awards nights celebrating the Australian music industry, put on by the Australian Recording Industry Association...
.
|-
| rowspan="2" | 1996
ARIA Music Awards of 1996
The 10th Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards was held on 30 September 1996 at the Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre...
|| The Unfinished Spanish Galleon of Finley Lake
The Unfinished Spanish Galleon of Finley Lake
The Unfinished Spanish Galleon of Finley Lake is the second studio album by Australian rock band Spiderbait, released in 1995.The album was named after the real Unfinished Spanish Galleon built in Spiderbait's home town, Finley, New South Wales. The Galleon was half constructed for many years,...
|| Best Alternative Release ||
|-
| The Unfinished Spanish Galleon of Finley Lake – Janet English, George Stajsic || Best Cover Art ||
|-
| rowspan="7" | 1997
ARIA Music Awards of 1997
The eleventh Annual Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards were held on 22 September 1997 at the Capitol Theatre in Sydney. The event was hosted by Australian actor–comedian Paul McDermott, with presenters Elle McFeast, Kylie Minogue, Ben Folds and The Presidents of the United...
|| rowspan="3" | Ivy and the Big Apples
Ivy and the Big Apples
Ivy and the Big Apples is the third album by Australian rock band Spiderbait. It became a double platinum selling record which reached the top 10 list in Australia and won the 1997 ARIA Award for Best Alternative Release. It features the single "Buy Me a Pony" which reached number one on Triple J's...
|| Album of the Year ||
|-
| Best Alternative Release ||
|-
| Best Group ||
|-
| Ivy and the Big Apples – Janet English || Best Cover Art ||
|-
| Ivy and the Big Apples – Phil McKellar || Engineer of the Year ||
|-
| "Buy Me a Pony" || Single of the Year ||
|-
| "Calypso" – Janet English || Best Video ||
|-
| rowspan="5" | 1999
ARIA Music Awards of 1999
The 13th Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards was held on 12 October 1999 at the Sydney Entertainment Centre...
|| rowspan="2" | Grand Slam || Album of the Year ||
|-
| Best Alternative Release ||
|-
| Grand Slam – Janet English, George Stajsic || Best Cover Art ||
|-
| rowspan="2" | Grand Slam – Phil McKellar || Engineer of the Year ||
|-
| Producer of the Year ||
|-
| rowspan="2" | 2000
ARIA Music Awards of 2000
The 14th Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards was held on 24 October 2000 at the Sydney Entertainment Centre...
|| "Glokenpop" || Best Pop Release ||
|-
| "Glokenpop"– Janet English || Best Cover Art ||
|-
| rowspan="3" | 2004
ARIA Music Awards of 2004
The 18th Annual Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards were held on 17 October 2004 at the Sydney Superdome within the Sydney Olympic Complex...
|| Tonight Alright
Tonight Alright
Tonight Alright is the sixth studio album by Australian rock band Spiderbait. It features the number one Australian single "Black Betty", the top 30 single "Fucken Awesome", and the top 100 single "Tonite".- Track listing :- External links :...
|| Best Rock Album ||
|-
| "Black Betty
Black Betty
"Black Betty" is a 20th century African-American work song often credited to Huddie "Lead Belly" Ledbetter as the author, though the earliest recordings are not by him. Some sources claim it is one of Lead Belly's many adaptations of earlier folk material; in this case an 18th century marching...
" || Highest Selling Single ||
|-
| "Black Betty" – Paul Butler, Scott Walton (50/50) || Best Video ||
Discography
- ShashavaglavaShashavaglavaShashavaglava is the debut studio album by Australian rock band Spiderbait. "Shashavaglava" means "crazyhead" in Serbo-Croatian.- Track listing :...
(1993) - The Unfinished Spanish Galleon of Finley LakeThe Unfinished Spanish Galleon of Finley LakeThe Unfinished Spanish Galleon of Finley Lake is the second studio album by Australian rock band Spiderbait, released in 1995.The album was named after the real Unfinished Spanish Galleon built in Spiderbait's home town, Finley, New South Wales. The Galleon was half constructed for many years,...
(1995) - Ivy and the Big ApplesIvy and the Big ApplesIvy and the Big Apples is the third album by Australian rock band Spiderbait. It became a double platinum selling record which reached the top 10 list in Australia and won the 1997 ARIA Award for Best Alternative Release. It features the single "Buy Me a Pony" which reached number one on Triple J's...
(1996) - Grand Slam (1999)
- The Flight of Wally FunkThe Flight of Wally FunkThe Flight of the Wally Funk is the fifth studio album by Australian rock band Spiderbait. Named after female aviator Wally Funk, the album features the singles "Four on the Floor", "Outta My Head", and "Arse Huggin' Pants". It debuted on the Australian charts at number 35 and sold 30,000 copies.-...
(2001) - Tonight AlrightTonight AlrightTonight Alright is the sixth studio album by Australian rock band Spiderbait. It features the number one Australian single "Black Betty", the top 30 single "Fucken Awesome", and the top 100 single "Tonite".- Track listing :- External links :...
(2004)