Deadstar (styled as deadstar) was an Australian pop rock music band formed in August 1995. Initially they were a side-project for Barry Palmer on guitar and bass guitar who was also in Hunters & Collectors and Peter Jones (of Crowded House) on drums. The pair invited Caroline Kennedy (ex-Plums) into the studio to write melodies and lyrics over tracks of guitar music on the score they had recorded for a proposed short film, The Baby Bath Massacre.
The group's first album, 'deadstar', was issued in October 1995, it was produced by Palmer for the White Records label and distributed by Mushroom Records and Festival Records. Australian musicologist, Ian McFarlane, described the album as a "mix of trashy pop and indie guitar rock which found a ready-made market. There were plenty of loose arrangements in the songs, with Palmer's guitar and Kennedy's quavering, imperfect vocals laid down rough and raw". They released singles from the album, "Going Down / Valentine's Day" (June 1995), "She Loves She" (October) and "Sister" (April 1996). The singles were co-written by Jones, Kennedy and Palmer, except "She Loves She" which was co-written by the three with Charlie Marshall.
In November 1996 Jones' band mate from Crowded House, Nick Seymour, joined on bass guitar – allowing Palmer to concentrate on lead guitar for live performances. deadstar toured the United Kingdom where "Valentine's Day" was issued as the A-side of their debut single for Discordant Records. Late that year, Palmer started producing the debut solo album, 'King Without a Clue', for Nick's older brother, Mark, which was released in the following year. Mark was Palmer's band mate in Hunters & Collectors, Palmer co-wrote five tracks with Mark and provided lead guitar. Fellow deadstar members, Nick (on bass guitar, backing vocals and piano) and Jones (on drums and percussion), also worked on the album.
In January in 1997, deadstar appeared on the Big Day Out tour. In August that year they issued their second studio album, 'Milk', which Palmer co-produced with Kalju Tonuma (Nick Barker, The Mavis's). McFarlane felt the album contained "garagey pop gems". Steve Hadley was brought in to provide bass player duties. In Australia two singles were released from the album, "Don't It Get You Down?" (September 1996) and "I've Got Something to Tell You" (June 1997). Both singles were co-written by Jones, Kennedy and Palmer. In the UK they issued "Sex Sell" as their lead single from 'Milk' (titled 'Deadstar' for the European market) on Discordant Records. At the ARIA Music Awards of 1997 "Don't It Get You Down?" was nominated for Best Independent Release. Bassist Pete McCracken – Kennedy's band mate from Plum and her future husband joined the band.
By mid-1998 Michael den Elzen (ex-Schnell Fenster, Rebecca's Empire) joined on lead guitar and deadstar started recording their third album, 'Somewhere Over the Radio'. Its lead single, "Run Baby Run", appeared in January 1999, which reached the top 100 on the ARIA Singles Chart. "Run Baby Run" was co-written by Kennedy and Palmer. deadstar employed The Killjoys' band member, Anna Burley, as auxiliary keyboardist when performing live. A second single, "Deeper Water", appeared in June, which peaked at #28. "Deeper Water" was also co-written by Kennedy and Palmer. The album followed in September and was co-produced by Palmer, Tonuma and Mark Opitz (AC/DC, The Angels, INXS).
During 1999 Mushroom Records owner Michael Gudinski sold his record label to Festival Records. As a result of the negotiations and subsequent sale of Mushroom Records, the promotion of deadstar's album was compromised. At the ARIA Music Awards of 1999 "Run Baby Run" was nominated for Best Pop Release. A third single, "Somewhere Over the Radio", appeared in May 2000 but did not chart. At the ARIA Music Awards of 2000 'Somewhere Over the Radio' was nominated for Best Rock Album. The group disbanded in 2001.
In November 1996 Jones' band mate from Crowded House, Nick Seymour, joined on bass guitar – allowing Palmer to concentrate on lead guitar for live performances. deadstar toured the United Kingdom where "Valentine's Day" was issued as the A-side of their debut single for Discordant Records. Late that year, Palmer started producing the debut solo album, 'King Without a Clue', for Nick's older brother, Mark, which was released in the following year. Mark was Palmer's band mate in Hunters & Collectors, Palmer co-wrote five tracks with Mark and provided lead guitar. Fellow deadstar members, Nick (on bass guitar, backing vocals and piano) and Jones (on drums and percussion), also worked on the album.
In January in 1997, deadstar appeared on the Big Day Out tour. In August that year they issued their second studio album, 'Milk', which Palmer co-produced with Kalju Tonuma (Nick Barker, The Mavis's). McFarlane felt the album contained "garagey pop gems". Steve Hadley was brought in to provide bass player duties. In Australia two singles were released from the album, "Don't It Get You Down?" (September 1996) and "I've Got Something to Tell You" (June 1997). Both singles were co-written by Jones, Kennedy and Palmer. In the UK they issued "Sex Sell" as their lead single from 'Milk' (titled 'Deadstar' for the European market) on Discordant Records. At the ARIA Music Awards of 1997 "Don't It Get You Down?" was nominated for Best Independent Release. Bassist Pete McCracken – Kennedy's band mate from Plum and her future husband joined the band.
By mid-1998 Michael den Elzen (ex-Schnell Fenster, Rebecca's Empire) joined on lead guitar and deadstar started recording their third album, 'Somewhere Over the Radio'. Its lead single, "Run Baby Run", appeared in January 1999, which reached the top 100 on the ARIA Singles Chart. "Run Baby Run" was co-written by Kennedy and Palmer. deadstar employed The Killjoys' band member, Anna Burley, as auxiliary keyboardist when performing live. A second single, "Deeper Water", appeared in June, which peaked at #28. "Deeper Water" was also co-written by Kennedy and Palmer. The album followed in September and was co-produced by Palmer, Tonuma and Mark Opitz (AC/DC, The Angels, INXS).
During 1999 Mushroom Records owner Michael Gudinski sold his record label to Festival Records. As a result of the negotiations and subsequent sale of Mushroom Records, the promotion of deadstar's album was compromised. At the ARIA Music Awards of 1999 "Run Baby Run" was nominated for Best Pop Release. A third single, "Somewhere Over the Radio", appeared in May 2000 but did not chart. At the ARIA Music Awards of 2000 'Somewhere Over the Radio' was nominated for Best Rock Album. The group disbanded in 2001.
The band enjoyed mixed commercial success during their existence. They had some success in the UK and toured there after extensive radio play of "Sex Sell". They were played on national Australian radio station Triple J with two of their tracks listed on its annual Hottest 100: "Don't It Get You Down" at #70 in 1996 and "Deeper Water" at #74 in 1999. They were picked up by commercial radio stations and their music was used in TV ("Run Baby Run" on Home and Away, Queen Kat Carmel and St. Jude, and Good News Week; "Deeper Water" on The Panel) and film productions. Peter Jones died on 18 May 2012 of brain cancer, aged 49.
Members
Caroline Kennedy (vocals), Barry Palmer (guitar), Peter Jones (drums), Peter McCracken (bass), Michael Den Elzen (guitar), Nick Seymour (bass), Kalju Tonuma (guitar),
References
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deadstar
http://top100singles.blogspot.com.au/
Members
Caroline Kennedy (vocals), Barry Palmer (guitar), Peter Jones (drums), Peter McCracken (bass), Michael Den Elzen (guitar), Nick Seymour (bass), Kalju Tonuma (guitar),
SINGLES
Run Baby Run
| 1 MAR '99 | #64 |
Deeper Water
| 2 AUG '99 | #28 |
References
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deadstar
http://top100singles.blogspot.com.au/
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