The Glory Box (Australian band)
Encyclopedia
The Glory Box were an Indie pop
/ Indie rock
band from Melbourne
, Australia. They existed from ~1988 until their breakup ~1994. They released several 7" vinyl singles and a 12" vinly EP, as well as a full length CD album and a compilation CD on Shock Records
, Australia's largest independent record label.
, Ripe, Autohaze, The Fauves
, The Killjoys, The Hollowmen, Sea Stories
and Pray TV
.
The Glory Box were: Matt Aston (vocals), Daniel Haskell (bass), Robert Caflisch (drums), Will Johnston (guitar), Kieran Doolan (guitar). Doolan left the band in ~1993 and was replaced on guitar. After playing some more gigs, the band broke up around 1994.
Their debut 7" vinyl single 'Raining Embers/My Friend' was released in March 1989 on Mouth & Vinnie Records. This was followed by another 7" vinyl single 'Regrets/One Picture', also released on Mouth & Vinnie Records in December 1989 as part of a single-giveaway at the Punters Club
. 'Regrets' was also re-recorded for the 5 track 'Donkey' EP, which was released on Polyester Records in September 1990 on 12" vinyl only. Another 7" vinyl single 'Precipice/Day After Day' was released on Shock Records
in April 1991 as part of a single-giveaway gig at The Tote Hotel
.
Their debut 11 track album 'Fudgeland' was released in 1991 on Shock Records
. The track 'House on the Hill' was released from the album as a 4 track 7" vinyl single, which also included the tracks 'Oh No' from the 'Fudgeland' album, as well as 'Intersect' and 'Cut' from the 'Donkey' EP. A demo version of 'House on the Hill' also appeared on the Shocktober sampler CD, released by Shock Records
in October 1991. A compilation CD 'This Is The Glory Box' was released on Shock Records
in 1991 and included all of the singles and the 'Donkey' EP tracks, as well as the demo version of 'House on the Hill' from the Shocktober sampler CD. 'Raining Embers/Regrets' were released together as a 7" inch vinyl single by English record label Tea Time Records in February 1991(1).
In 1992 The Glory Box featured on a CD called 'Dress Ups' (Shock Records
) with other Melbourne bands The Fauves
and Pray TV
(2), with each band performing a track from the others repertoire, as well as contributing one original track. Melbourne band Ripe were also intended to take part but didn’t due to other recording commitments.
Other tracks never released but often played live by The Glory Box included the energetic 'Crash & Burn' and 'Swan'. The band regularly played the track 'Mr Pharmacist' by 1960's San Francisco band The Other Half
. On the 'Fudgeland' LP the track 'The Other's Way' (sung by Doolan) was a cover, originally by the 1980s New Zealand band The DoubleHappys
.
The Glory Box sound was one of jangly guitar pop and rock. Their sound was often compared to English band The Wedding Present
from the same period. Song structure was varied from straightforward 3-chord power pop (see the track 'Regrets'), to a more complicated and melancholy style, highlighted on the track 'Intersect' from the 'Donkey' EP. Lyrics focussed on themes such as relationships, envy and self-assessment.
The Glory Box were one of the first Melbourne bands to have a T-Shirt launch gig, a concept that proved popular in the early 1990s in Melbourne. The T-shirt launch was held at The Tote Hotel
on 1 December 1990, with support bands Underground Lovers
and Glass.
as part of the 'Long Player' series(3), which featured 1990's bands playing one of their albums from start to finish, similar to the 'Don't Look Back' concept. They played all of 'Fudgeland' and some of the singles and tracks off the 'Donkey' EP.
On 28 November 2010 they played at a Punters Club
reunion gig at the Corner Hotel
in Melbourne, with other notable early 1990s Melbourne bands such as Frente!
, The Hollowmen and The Fauves
(4).
Indie pop
Indie pop is a genre of alternative rock music that originated in the United Kingdom in the mid 1980s, with its roots in the Scottish post-punk bands on the Postcard Records label in the early '80s, such as Orange Juice, Josef K and Aztec Camera, and the dominant UK independent band of the mid...
/ Indie rock
Indie rock
Indie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s. Indie rock is extremely diverse, with sub-genres that include lo-fi, post-rock, math rock, indie pop, dream pop, noise rock, space rock, sadcore, riot grrrl and emo, among others...
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. They existed from ~1988 until their breakup ~1994. They released several 7" vinyl singles and a 12" vinly EP, as well as a full length CD album and a compilation CD on Shock Records
Shock Records
Shock Records is Australia's largest independent record label. It helps distribute records from overseas records labels such as Epitaph Records, and also for small record labels designed specifically for that band such as Cement Records...
, Australia's largest independent record label.
History
The Glory Box were one of a number of promising Melbourne bands that emerged in the late 1980s and early 1990s that also included, amongst others, Underground LoversUnderground 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...
, Ripe, Autohaze, The Fauves
The Fauves
The Fauves are an Australian rock band. Their album Future Spa was nominated for Best Alternative Album in the 1997 ARIA awards but lost to Spiderbait's Ivy and the Big Apples....
, The Killjoys, The Hollowmen, Sea Stories
Sea Stories (Australian band)
Sea Stories were an Indie pop / Folk rock band from Melbourne, Australia. They existed from 1986 until their break up in 1993. They released 2 full length albums and a number of EP’s.-History:...
and Pray TV
Pray TV (band)
Pray TV were an Indie pop/Indie rock band from Melbourne, Australia. They existed from 1987 until their breakup in 1997. They released 4 CD albums, several 7" vinyl singles and a 12" vinyl EP. A compilation CD was released in 2010.-History:...
.
The Glory Box were: Matt Aston (vocals), Daniel Haskell (bass), Robert Caflisch (drums), Will Johnston (guitar), Kieran Doolan (guitar). Doolan left the band in ~1993 and was replaced on guitar. After playing some more gigs, the band broke up around 1994.
Their debut 7" vinyl single 'Raining Embers/My Friend' was released in March 1989 on Mouth & Vinnie Records. This was followed by another 7" vinyl single 'Regrets/One Picture', also released on Mouth & Vinnie Records in December 1989 as part of a single-giveaway at the Punters Club
Punters Club
The Punters Club was a pub and live music venue located on Brunswick Street, Fitzroy, in inner Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.It developed a reputation as one of the city's premier live music venues, drawing comparisons to the likes of New York's CBGB...
. 'Regrets' was also re-recorded for the 5 track 'Donkey' EP, which was released on Polyester Records in September 1990 on 12" vinyl only. Another 7" vinyl single 'Precipice/Day After Day' was released on Shock Records
Shock Records
Shock Records is Australia's largest independent record label. It helps distribute records from overseas records labels such as Epitaph Records, and also for small record labels designed specifically for that band such as Cement Records...
in April 1991 as part of a single-giveaway gig at 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...
.
Their debut 11 track album 'Fudgeland' was released in 1991 on Shock Records
Shock Records
Shock Records is Australia's largest independent record label. It helps distribute records from overseas records labels such as Epitaph Records, and also for small record labels designed specifically for that band such as Cement Records...
. The track 'House on the Hill' was released from the album as a 4 track 7" vinyl single, which also included the tracks 'Oh No' from the 'Fudgeland' album, as well as 'Intersect' and 'Cut' from the 'Donkey' EP. A demo version of 'House on the Hill' also appeared on the Shocktober sampler CD, released by Shock Records
Shock Records
Shock Records is Australia's largest independent record label. It helps distribute records from overseas records labels such as Epitaph Records, and also for small record labels designed specifically for that band such as Cement Records...
in October 1991. A compilation CD 'This Is The Glory Box' was released on Shock Records
Shock Records
Shock Records is Australia's largest independent record label. It helps distribute records from overseas records labels such as Epitaph Records, and also for small record labels designed specifically for that band such as Cement Records...
in 1991 and included all of the singles and the 'Donkey' EP tracks, as well as the demo version of 'House on the Hill' from the Shocktober sampler CD. 'Raining Embers/Regrets' were released together as a 7" inch vinyl single by English record label Tea Time Records in February 1991(1).
In 1992 The Glory Box featured on a CD called 'Dress Ups' (Shock Records
Shock Records
Shock Records is Australia's largest independent record label. It helps distribute records from overseas records labels such as Epitaph Records, and also for small record labels designed specifically for that band such as Cement Records...
) with other Melbourne bands The Fauves
The Fauves
The Fauves are an Australian rock band. Their album Future Spa was nominated for Best Alternative Album in the 1997 ARIA awards but lost to Spiderbait's Ivy and the Big Apples....
and Pray TV
Pray TV (band)
Pray TV were an Indie pop/Indie rock band from Melbourne, Australia. They existed from 1987 until their breakup in 1997. They released 4 CD albums, several 7" vinyl singles and a 12" vinyl EP. A compilation CD was released in 2010.-History:...
(2), with each band performing a track from the others repertoire, as well as contributing one original track. Melbourne band Ripe were also intended to take part but didn’t due to other recording commitments.
Other tracks never released but often played live by The Glory Box included the energetic 'Crash & Burn' and 'Swan'. The band regularly played the track 'Mr Pharmacist' by 1960's San Francisco band The Other Half
The Other Half (band)
For the Canadian 2000s tour band, see: Leslie Carter.The Other Half were a psychedelic hard rock band, based in San Francisco, active in the mid to late 1960s.-History:...
. On the 'Fudgeland' LP the track 'The Other's Way' (sung by Doolan) was a cover, originally by the 1980s New Zealand band The DoubleHappys
The DoubleHappys
The DoubleHappys were a short-lived but influential rock band based in Dunedin, New Zealand, and part of the Dunedin Sound music wave of the 1980s...
.
The Glory Box sound was one of jangly guitar pop and rock. Their sound was often compared to English band The Wedding Present
The Wedding Present
The Wedding Present are a British indie rock group based in Leeds, England, formed in 1985 from the ashes of the Lost Pandas. The band's music has evolved from fast-paced indie rock in the vein of their most obvious influences The Fall, Buzzcocks and Gang of Four to more varied forms...
from the same period. Song structure was varied from straightforward 3-chord power pop (see the track 'Regrets'), to a more complicated and melancholy style, highlighted on the track 'Intersect' from the 'Donkey' EP. Lyrics focussed on themes such as relationships, envy and self-assessment.
The Glory Box were one of the first Melbourne bands to have a T-Shirt launch gig, a concept that proved popular in the early 1990s in Melbourne. The T-shirt launch was held at 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...
on 1 December 1990, with support bands 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 Glass.
Post Break up
Since breaking up the band have played together on the odd occasion, featuring the original line up with Doolan on guitar. In November 2006 they played a gig (with Autohaze and Mark Murphy from Ripe) at The Tote HotelThe 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...
as part of the 'Long Player' series(3), which featured 1990's bands playing one of their albums from start to finish, similar to the 'Don't Look Back' concept. They played all of 'Fudgeland' and some of the singles and tracks off the 'Donkey' EP.
On 28 November 2010 they played at a Punters Club
Punters Club
The Punters Club was a pub and live music venue located on Brunswick Street, Fitzroy, in inner Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.It developed a reputation as one of the city's premier live music venues, drawing comparisons to the likes of New York's CBGB...
reunion gig at the Corner Hotel
Corner Hotel, Richmond
The Corner Hotel in Richmond, Victoria is one of Melbourne's most popular and respected medium-sized rock venues. In 2005 it celebrated its 10th anniversary with the current owners , however it has been a pub since the 19th century and a live music venue since the 1940s.-History:In 1871 David and...
in Melbourne, with other notable early 1990s Melbourne bands such as Frente!
Frente!
Frente! are an Australian alternative rock group, formed in 1991. The original lineup featured singer Angie Hart, founder and guitarist Simon Austin, bassist Tim O'Connor , and drummer Mark Picton...
, The Hollowmen and The Fauves
The Fauves
The Fauves are an Australian rock band. Their album Future Spa was nominated for Best Alternative Album in the 1997 ARIA awards but lost to Spiderbait's Ivy and the Big Apples....
(4).
Singles
- Raining Embers / My Friend (March 1989) - 7" vinyl, Mouth & Vinnie Records
- Regrets / One Picture (December 1989) - 7" vinyl, Mouth & Vinnie Records
- Raining Embers / Regrets (February 1991) - 7" vinyl, Tea Time Records (TEA 10)
- Precipice / Day After Day (April 1991) - 7" vinyl, Shock RecordsShock RecordsShock Records is Australia's largest independent record label. It helps distribute records from overseas records labels such as Epitaph Records, and also for small record labels designed specifically for that band such as Cement Records...
- House on the Hill (1991) - 4 track 7" vinyl, Shock RecordsShock RecordsShock Records is Australia's largest independent record label. It helps distribute records from overseas records labels such as Epitaph Records, and also for small record labels designed specifically for that band such as Cement Records...
EP's
- DonkeyDonkeyThe donkey or ass, Equus africanus asinus, is a domesticated member of the Equidae or horse family. The wild ancestor of the donkey is the African Wild Ass, E...
(September 1990), 5 track 12" vinyl only, Polyester Records - Dress Ups (1992) with The FauvesThe FauvesThe Fauves are an Australian rock band. Their album Future Spa was nominated for Best Alternative Album in the 1997 ARIA awards but lost to Spiderbait's Ivy and the Big Apples....
and Pray TVPray TV (band)Pray TV were an Indie pop/Indie rock band from Melbourne, Australia. They existed from 1987 until their breakup in 1997. They released 4 CD albums, several 7" vinyl singles and a 12" vinyl EP. A compilation CD was released in 2010.-History:...
, Shock RecordsShock RecordsShock Records is Australia's largest independent record label. It helps distribute records from overseas records labels such as Epitaph Records, and also for small record labels designed specifically for that band such as Cement Records...