The Holidays
Encyclopedia
The Holidays are an Australian
indie pop
/soul
band. Formed in Sydney
in 2006, the band consists of Simon Jones, Will Magnus, Alex Kortt and Andrew Kerridge. The band is most notably known for their Australian Music Prize
nominated debut album Post Paradise
.
.
Within their first year as a band together, The Holidays toured with Jamie T
, with The View
, with Ben Kweller
, and recorded an EP
of demos which quickly sold out at gigs and received regular airplay on radio stations both in Australia and in the USA. In November 2007 The Holidays were featured on the Next Crop segment of national youth radio station Triple J
, soon followed by their signing with independent Australian record label Liberation Music
, in early 2008.
The Holidays released their debut EP
on 19 April 2008 to positive reviewswhich was followed by a substantial national tour to promote the release. They released their second EP "When The Ship Goes Down
" in October 2008, which showed the band's natural progression with song-writing. Recorded with Wayne Connolly
of The Vines
and Josh Pyke
fame, this EP was followed by a 20 date national tour, co-headlining with Brisbane band Yves Klein Blue
.
The Holidays' debut album Post Paradise
soon followed, after several months of writing and experimenting. Drawn away from the simplicity of their earlier indie guitar manifestation, Post Paradise
showed the bands development with both the groove and layers of a song, combined with their recognizable pop hooks. This album differed from previous recordings by The Holidays' in that it was self-produced and recorded in various locations around Sydney and New South Wales.
"Moonlight Hours
", the first single from their debut album was taken to radio in November 2009, and added to high rotation on national youth radio station Triple J
. "Golden Sky
" was the second single from The Holidays debut album, released in May 2010, which was followed by an east coast tour of Australia to promote the release. There is a music video for both these singles, made by Melbourne company Moop Jaw.
"Post Paradise
" was released in Australia on 24 September 2010, in conjunction with third single, Broken Bones, which was added to radio nationally. The album has received very positive reviews since its release, which included amongst other reviews, being shortlisted for the Australian Music Prize
and winning the Red Bull Award for Best Debut Album. Post Paradise also received "Album of the Week" in Drum Media
, Beat Magazine, BMA Mag & The Brag, 4.5 stars in The Herald Sun, The Daily Telegraph & The Courier Mail, as well as positive reviews in The Age & The Sydney Morning Herald
. Post Paradise won The Age Readers Choice Best Album of 2010, and was the Triple J Feature Album for the week commencing 26 December 2010.
The Holidays toured Post Paradise substantially in 2010 and 2011, including shows at SXSW in Austin
, Texas
, The Great Escape Festival in Brighton
, UK, and Australian festivals including Groovin' the Moo
, Laneway Festival and Splendour in the Grass
. The Holidays' current live show incorporates a fifth touring member, David Zucker as percussionist, as well occasional backing vocalists.
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...
indie pop
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...
/soul
Soul
A soul in certain spiritual, philosophical, and psychological traditions is the incorporeal essence of a person or living thing or object. Many philosophical and spiritual systems teach that humans have souls, and others teach that all living things and even inanimate objects have souls. The...
band. Formed in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
in 2006, the band consists of Simon Jones, Will Magnus, Alex Kortt and Andrew Kerridge. The band is most notably known for their Australian Music Prize
Australian Music Prize
The Australian Music Prize is an annual award of $30,000 given to an Australian band or solo artist in recognition of the merit of an album released during the year of award. The award made by Australian Music Prize Ltd, a sole-purpose entity sponsored by a variety of music industry figures and...
nominated debut album Post Paradise
Post Paradise
Post Paradise is the debut album by Australian band The Holidays. In Australia, it was released on 24 September 2010, and in Japan in January 2011 on the Rallye Label...
.
Biography
The Holidays formed in late 2006 and quickly established themselves in the Sydney music scene as an upbeat, energetic addition. Simon Jones & Will Magnus had attended high school together, previously playing in cover bands in their schools' band competition. They were often up against the band Roger Explosion in these competitions, who went on to become the Australian electro-pop band Art vs. ScienceArt vs. Science
Art vs. Science are a three-piece dance band from Sydney, Australia formed early in 2008. The group consists of Jim Finn on vocals and keyboards; Dan McNamee on vocals, guitars and keyboards; and Dan Williams on drums and vocals.In 2010, the group toured the United Kingdom in support of La Roux...
.
Within their first year as a band together, The Holidays toured with Jamie T
Jamie T
Jamie Alexander Treays , known by his stage name Jamie T, is an English singer/songwriter from Wimbledon, South London.-Early life:Jamie Alexander Treays, was born in Wimbledon, South-West London...
, with The View
The View (band)
The View are a Scottish indie rock band. They incorporate various styles such as punk, pop, alternative rock, pop punk, powerpop, folk, and acoustic in their music....
, with Ben Kweller
Ben Kweller
Ben Kweller is an American singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist.-Early life:Ben Kweller was born in San Francisco, CA in 1981. In 1982, his family relocated to Emory, Texas, where his father, Howard Kweller, became the town's first doctor. In 1986, the Kwellers moved to a much larger city,...
, and recorded an EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
of demos which quickly sold out at gigs and received regular airplay on radio stations both in Australia and in the USA. In November 2007 The Holidays were featured on the Next Crop segment of national youth 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...
, soon followed by their signing with independent Australian record label Liberation Music
Liberation Music
Liberation Music is a boutique, independent Australasian record company, started in 1999 by Michael Gudinski and Warren Costello. Its stated aim is to find, nurture and then to develop new talent for a world market while remaining independent in the process...
, in early 2008.
The Holidays released their debut EP
The Holidays EP
The Holidays EP is the first official release by the Australian indie band The Holidays. It was released on 19 April 2008. The lead single off the EP was "Holiday" which received high rotation on national youth radio station Triple J.- External links :*...
on 19 April 2008 to positive reviewswhich was followed by a substantial national tour to promote the release. They released their second EP "When The Ship Goes Down
When The Ship Goes Down EP
When The Ship Goes Down EP is the second official release by the Australian indie band The Holidays. It was released on 11 October 2008, less than 6 months after the release of their debut EP...
" in October 2008, which showed the band's natural progression with song-writing. Recorded with Wayne Connolly
Wayne Connolly
Wayne Connolly is an Australian producer/engineer and musician. Throughout the 1990s Connolly played in Sydney band The Welcome Mat, who released a series of critically acclaimed albums and EPs through Waterfront Records and id/Mercury...
of The Vines
The Vines
https://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/Special:LandingCheck?landing_page=L11_1121_WMUK_Jimmy_DDOptimised&utm_medium=sitenotice&utm_campaign=C11_1121_WMUK_DDvOneOff&utm_source=B11_1121_WMUK_Jimmy&language=en&country=GB...
and Josh Pyke
Josh Pyke
Josh Pyke is an Australian singer-songwriting musician.-Beginnings and Feeding the Wolves :Josh Pyke was in his first band by age 12 and played his first performance in front of 650 parents and students at his primary school graduation. Playing guitar and initial song writing efforts came aged 14...
fame, this EP was followed by a 20 date national tour, co-headlining with Brisbane band Yves Klein Blue
Yves Klein Blue
Yves Klein Blue was an Australian indie/rock band from Brisbane. The band are signed to Brisbane record label Dew Process, under which they re-released their debut EP Yves Klein Blue Draw Attention to Themselves...
.
The Holidays' debut album Post Paradise
Post Paradise
Post Paradise is the debut album by Australian band The Holidays. In Australia, it was released on 24 September 2010, and in Japan in January 2011 on the Rallye Label...
soon followed, after several months of writing and experimenting. Drawn away from the simplicity of their earlier indie guitar manifestation, Post Paradise
Post Paradise
Post Paradise is the debut album by Australian band The Holidays. In Australia, it was released on 24 September 2010, and in Japan in January 2011 on the Rallye Label...
showed the bands development with both the groove and layers of a song, combined with their recognizable pop hooks. This album differed from previous recordings by The Holidays' in that it was self-produced and recorded in various locations around Sydney and New South Wales.
"Moonlight Hours
Moonlight Hours
Moonlight Hours is the first single taken from Australian indie band The Holidays' debut album. It was released digitally in late 2009. Recorded at home and self-produced, with additional recording and production at BJB Studios with the help of Burke Reid, Moonlight Hours was the most played track...
", the first single from their debut album was taken to radio in November 2009, and added to high rotation on national youth 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...
. "Golden Sky
Golden Sky
Golden Sky is the fourth album of Swedish bubblegum pop group Smile.dk. It was released in 2002.-Track listing:#"Domo Domo Domo"#"Golden Sky"#"Come Chameleon"#"Ding Ding Dong"#"This Is the Time "#"Don't Believe You're Leaving"...
" was the second single from The Holidays debut album, released in May 2010, which was followed by an east coast tour of Australia to promote the release. There is a music video for both these singles, made by Melbourne company Moop Jaw.
"Post Paradise
Post Paradise
Post Paradise is the debut album by Australian band The Holidays. In Australia, it was released on 24 September 2010, and in Japan in January 2011 on the Rallye Label...
" was released in Australia on 24 September 2010, in conjunction with third single, Broken Bones, which was added to radio nationally. The album has received very positive reviews since its release, which included amongst other reviews, being shortlisted for the Australian Music Prize
Australian Music Prize
The Australian Music Prize is an annual award of $30,000 given to an Australian band or solo artist in recognition of the merit of an album released during the year of award. The award made by Australian Music Prize Ltd, a sole-purpose entity sponsored by a variety of music industry figures and...
and winning the Red Bull Award for Best Debut Album. Post Paradise also received "Album of the Week" in Drum Media
Drum Media
Drum Media is a free weekly tabloid-sized music and lifestyle magazine established in 1990 and based in Sydney, Australia. It is distributed throughout Sydney, Wollongong, Newcastle and Canberra, and surrounding districts. A separate weekly issue began circulating in Perth in September 2006. The...
, Beat Magazine, BMA Mag & The Brag, 4.5 stars in The Herald Sun, The Daily Telegraph & The Courier Mail, as well as positive reviews in The Age & The Sydney Morning Herald
The Sydney Morning Herald
The Sydney Morning Herald is a daily broadsheet newspaper published by Fairfax Media in Sydney, Australia. Founded in 1831 as the Sydney Herald, the SMH is the oldest continuously published newspaper in Australia. The newspaper is published six days a week. The newspaper's Sunday counterpart, The...
. Post Paradise won The Age Readers Choice Best Album of 2010, and was the Triple J Feature Album for the week commencing 26 December 2010.
The Holidays toured Post Paradise substantially in 2010 and 2011, including shows at SXSW in Austin
Austin
Austin is the capital of the U.S. state of Texas.Austin may also refer to:-In the United States:*Austin, Arkansas*Austin, Colorado*Austin, Chicago, Illinois*Austin, Indiana*Austin, Minnesota*Austin, Nevada*Austin, Oregon...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, The Great Escape Festival in Brighton
Brighton
Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...
, UK, and Australian festivals including Groovin' the Moo
Groovin' the Moo
Groovin' The Moo is an annual music festival held at various 'regional centres' across Australia during the middle of the year.-History:The first incarnation of the festival occurred on the 24th of April 2005 at the Gloucester Showgrounds with crowds of over 1400, continuing to Narrandera with...
, Laneway Festival and Splendour in the Grass
Splendour in the Grass
Splendour in the Grass is an annual Australian music festival held in July at Woodford, Queensland, and previously held at Belongil Fields, outside Byron Bay...
. The Holidays' current live show incorporates a fifth touring member, David Zucker as percussionist, as well occasional backing vocalists.
Members
- Simon Jones - 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...
, GuitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, KeysElectronic keyboardAn electronic keyboard is an electronic or digital keyboard instrument.The major components of a typical modern electronic keyboard are:...
, Production - Will Magnus - Lead GuitarLead guitarLead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
, KeysElectronic keyboardAn electronic keyboard is an electronic or digital keyboard instrument.The major components of a typical modern electronic keyboard are:... - Alex Kortt - Bass GuitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
- Andrew Kerridge - 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 ....
, Percussion, SupremeSupreme (clothing)Supreme is a clothing brand founded in New York City in 1994 by James Jebbia. In 2004, the company opened a store in Los Angeles, which is almost double the size of their original New York premises....
Aficionado
Touring
- Toured with Jamie TJamie TJamie Alexander Treays , known by his stage name Jamie T, is an English singer/songwriter from Wimbledon, South London.-Early life:Jamie Alexander Treays, was born in Wimbledon, South-West London...
in May 2007 - Toured with The ViewThe View (band)The View are a Scottish indie rock band. They incorporate various styles such as punk, pop, alternative rock, pop punk, powerpop, folk, and acoustic in their music....
in June 2007 - Toured with Ben KwellerBen KwellerBen Kweller is an American singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist.-Early life:Ben Kweller was born in San Francisco, CA in 1981. In 1982, his family relocated to Emory, Texas, where his father, Howard Kweller, became the town's first doctor. In 1986, the Kwellers moved to a much larger city,...
in October 2007 - Played nationally at the 2008 St Jerome's Laneway FestivalSt Jerome's Laneway FestivalKnown simply as the Laneway or St. Jerome's Festival, the music festival began in Caledonian Lane in Melbourne in 2004. Emerging as an indie music event, the Laneway Festival has grown rapidly in popularity, receiving favourable reviews in music press....
- Toured with The WombatsThe WombatsThe Wombats are an indie rock band formed in Liverpool, England. The band comprises native Liverpudlians Matthew Murphy and Dan Haggis , alongside Norwegian-born Tord Øverland-Knudsen...
in March 2008 - Toured with Lightspeed ChampionLightspeed ChampionDevonté Hynes , better known as Lightspeed Champion or Blood Orange, is a British composer, songwriter, producer and author, who has written for artists such as Florence and the Machine, Diana Vickers and The Chemical Brothers on their 2007 Grammy award winning album We Are The Night...
in July 2008 - Played at HomebakeHomebakeHomebake is an annual Australian rock festival, featuring an all-Australian lineup . The festival was first held on 4 January 1996 at Belongil Fields in Byron Bay, on the far north coast of New South Wales...
2008 - Played at Falls FestivalFalls FestivalThe Falls Festival is a New Year's Eve music festival, held annually in Lorne, Victoria and Marion Bay, Tasmania Australia since 1993.It lasts four days, from 29 December to 1 January each year. The headline acts play mostly over two evenings, 30 December and 31 December...
2008 - Toured with BluejuiceBluejuiceBluejuice is a rock band based in Sydney, Australia. The group consists of Jake Stone, Stavros Yiannoukas, Jamie Cibej, Jerry Craib and James Hauptmann.They have released three studio albums; Problems, Head of the Hawk and Company....
in April 2010 - Played at St Jerome's Laneway FestivalSt Jerome's Laneway FestivalKnown simply as the Laneway or St. Jerome's Festival, the music festival began in Caledonian Lane in Melbourne in 2004. Emerging as an indie music event, the Laneway Festival has grown rapidly in popularity, receiving favourable reviews in music press....
2011 across Australia - Played at SXSW in Austin, Texas in March 2011
- Played at the Groovin' the MooGroovin' the MooGroovin' The Moo is an annual music festival held at various 'regional centres' across Australia during the middle of the year.-History:The first incarnation of the festival occurred on the 24th of April 2005 at the Gloucester Showgrounds with crowds of over 1400, continuing to Narrandera with...
Festival across Australia in May 2011 - Toured with Cut CopyCut CopyCut Copy are an Australian electronic band formed in 2001 by Dan Whitford on vocals, keyboard and guitar. Other members are Tim Hoey on guitar and sampler, Ben Browning on bass guitar and Mitchell Scott on drums. Their second album, In Ghost Colours peaked at number-one on the ARIA Albums Chart in...
in Australia in May 2011 - Played at The Great Escape Festival in Brighton, and Dot to Dot FestivalDot to Dot FestivalThe Dot to Dot Festival is an annual music festival held at various venues in Nottingham, Bristol and Manchester across a weekend. Unlike weekend music festivals such as the Carling Weekend, there is no artist rotation – all artists play one city the first day and travel to the other for the...
across the UK in May 2011 - Played at Splendour In The GrassSplendour in the GrassSplendour in the Grass is an annual Australian music festival held in July at Woodford, Queensland, and previously held at Belongil Fields, outside Byron Bay...
in August 2011. - Are playing at the inaugral Harvest Festival in Melbourne, Sydney & Brisbane in November 2011 along with The Flaming LipsThe Flaming LipsThe Flaming Lips are an American alternative rock band, formed in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma in 1983.Melodically, their sound contains lush, multi-layered, psychedelic rock arrangements, but lyrically their compositions show elements of space rock, including unusual song and album titles—such as "What...
, Portishead and Tv on the RadioTV on the RadioTV on the Radio is an American art rock band formed in 2001 in Brooklyn, New York, whose music spans numerous diverse genres, from post-punk to electro and free jazz to soul music....
.
EPs
- The HolidaysThe Holidays EPThe Holidays EP is the first official release by the Australian indie band The Holidays. It was released on 19 April 2008. The lead single off the EP was "Holiday" which received high rotation on national youth radio station Triple J.- External links :*...
(19 April 2008) - When The Ship Goes DownWhen The Ship Goes Down EPWhen The Ship Goes Down EP is the second official release by the Australian indie band The Holidays. It was released on 11 October 2008, less than 6 months after the release of their debut EP...
(11 October 2008) - Golden SkyGolden Sky EPGolden Sky EP is the second single taken from Australian band The Holidays' debut album. In Australia, it was released digitally in May 2010 with tracks Golden Sky, Moonlight Hours and a Moonlight Hours remix by Australian band The Swiss. In the UK, it was released in August 2010 as a 7" via the...
(Australia - May 2010, UK - August 2010 )
Singles
- Moonlight HoursMoonlight HoursMoonlight Hours is the first single taken from Australian indie band The Holidays' debut album. It was released digitally in late 2009. Recorded at home and self-produced, with additional recording and production at BJB Studios with the help of Burke Reid, Moonlight Hours was the most played track...
(December 2009) - Golden Sky (May 2010)
- Broken Bones (September 2010)
- 2 Days (February 2011)
Awards & Nominations
- 2010 The Age EG Award - Readers Choice Best Album of 2010 - Won
- 2010 Australian Music Prize - Nominated
- 2010 Australian Music Prize - Red Bull Award for Best Debut Album - Won
- 2011 Jagermeister Independent Music Awards - Breakthrough Independent Artist of the Year - Nominated
Further information
- The Holidays song 'Telephone' was featured on an Australian television advertising campaign for ClearasilClearasilClearasil is the top-selling brand of skin care and acne medication, whose products contain chiefly benzoyl peroxide, sulfur & resorcinol, triclosan, or salicylic acid as active ingredients...
in late 2007. - The Holidays song 'Golden Sky' was used in the Channel 7Seven NetworkThe Seven Network is an Australian television network owned by Seven West Media Limited. It dates back to 4 November 1956, when the first stations on the VHF7 frequency were established in Melbourne and Sydney.It is currently the second largest network in the country in terms of population reach...
summer 2010/2011 advertising campaign. - Simon Jones collaborated & sung vocals with Australian dance duo Bag RaidersBag RaidersBag Raiders are a house duo from Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, consisting of DJs Chris Stracey and Jack Glass. The duo is well known for their remixes and live shows.Bag Raiders came in at number 11 in the poll of Australia's top DJs in 2009....
on the track 'Not Over' from their eponymous debut album.