Fur Patrol
Template:Use dmy dates Template:Use New Zealand English Template:Infobox musical artist
Fur Patrol were a New Zealand rock band, which formed in Wellington in May 1996 by Andrew Bain on bass guitar, Simon Braxton on drums, Julia Deans on lead vocals and guitar, and Steve Wells on lead guitar. Their debut studio album, Pet (September 2000) reached No. 7 on the Official Aotearoa Music Albums Chart. It provided their number-one hit, "Lydia" (2000) and two top 40 hits "Andrew" and "Spinning a Line" (both 2001). They relocated to Melbourne, Australia in 2001 and issued their second studio album, Collider (2003). In the following year, Wells left Fur Patrol. The three-piece line-up released a third album, Local Kid (2008) before disbanding. The group undertook a reunion tour in 2016.
HistoryEdit
Fur Patrol were formed in Wellington on 15 May 1996.<ref name="Nimmervoll" /><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Founders were Andrew Bain on bass guitar and keyboards, Simon Braxton on drums, percussion, theremin and backing vocals, Julia Deans on lead vocals, guitars, keyboards and violin, and Steve Wells on lead guitar and backing vocals.<ref name="Nimmervoll">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="McDonnell">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Wellington schoolmates, Bain and Wells had worked together in different bands since 1990,<ref name="Nimmervoll" /> including Svelte.<ref name="McDonnell" /> Braxton had jammed with Christchurch-born Deans early in 1996.<ref name="Nimmervoll" /><ref name="McDonnell" /> Deans decided to move on from her covers band, Banshee Reel, and organised for Bain, Braxton and Wells to join her in recording demos of original material.<ref name="McDonnell" /> Deans provided the band's name, Fur Patrol, from a hair removal ad.<ref name="Nimmervoll" /><ref name="McDonnell" />
The demos were played on radio in Wellington, Australia's Triple J and Ottawa's college stations.<ref name="Nimmervoll" /> Their first extended play, Starlifter, with six tracks, was released on the independent Wellington label Wishbone in 1998.<ref name="Nimmervoll" /><ref name="NLA Starlifter">Template:Citation</ref> It peaked at No. 17 on the Official Aotearoa Music Singles Chart.<ref name=charts /> They provided a music video for the EP's track "Dominoes".<ref name="nzos">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Shaun Chait of NZ Musician observed, they "have always had that all important edge. Their gigs have always been bigger, their songs better – and they've always impressed the right people."<ref name="Chait">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> At the 1999 bNet NZ Music Awards the EP won Best Independent Release and Deans was named Female Fox.<ref name="Reid">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Their debut studio album Pet was produced by David Long, and was released in September 2000, also on Wishbone Records.<ref name="Nimmervoll" /><ref name+"NLA Pet">Template:Citation</ref> It peaked at No. 7 on the Official Aotearoa Music Albums Chart and was accredited double platinum for shipment of 30,000 units.<ref name=charts /><ref name="Powell">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> It was promoted by a New Zealand tour with support acts, Weta and Shihad.<ref name="Nimmervoll" /> Pet provided five singles, with the third "Lydia" (October 2000) reaching number one.<ref name="Nimmervoll" /><ref name=charts /> Two other singles, "Andrew" and "Spinning a Line" (both 2001), peaked in the top 40. At the 2001 Tui New Zealand Music Awards, they won four categories: Single of the Year ("Lydia"), Top Female Vocalist (Deans), Best Songwriter ("Lydia" by Deans) and Best Producer (David Long for Pet).<ref name=nzma2001 />
In March 2001 Fur Patrol relocated to Melbourne, Australia.<ref name="Nimmervoll" /> Their independent label became unstable and they had contractual problems with WEA, which Deans recalled was a "phooey, absolutely stinky banana deal".<ref name="McDonnell" /><ref name="Powell" /> In early 2002 they supported Machine Gun Fellatio and Waikiki on an Austrlian tour and followed with shows backing Jebediah.<ref name="TE Archive 2">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> They were signed to record with Universal Music Australia.<ref name="Nimmervoll" /><ref name="McDonnell" /><ref name="Powell" /> Their second album, Collider, was released in New Zealand in September 2003,<ref name="NLA Collider">Template:Citation</ref> and Australia in April the next year.<ref name="TE Archive 1">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The album was produced by British-born Mark Wallis, recorded in Melbourne's Sing Sing studios and mastered by Chris Blair at Abbey Road Studios, London.<ref name="TE Archive 1" /> It reached No. 31 in New Zealand and No. 20 on the ARIA Hitseekers albums chart.<ref name="ARIA Report 738">Template:Cite journal</ref> It has a "rawer, noisier attitude" than Pet, as the group were "tight and they pushed the rock pedal a bit harder."<ref name="McDonnell" /> Norman Stormin of Fasterlounder.com.au observed, it's "full of good-natured rock with a dash of soul."<ref name="Stormin">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The first single, "Precious" (2003), which peaked at No. 18 in New Zealand,<ref name=charts /> was heavier and darker than their earlier work. Its music video showed band members collecting fan's ears, which was filmed in Hollywood. The track was used on Australian TV ads for Boost Juice.<ref name="Cashmere">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> UndercoverTemplate:'s Tim Cashmere felt its "unbelievably catchy hook will have you singing along as though it were an old favourite."<ref name="Cashmere" />
Fur Patrol became a three-piece when Steve Wells left in late 2004. The group released a four-track EP, Long Distance Runner, in May 2007 and their third full-length album Local Kid via New Zealand label, Tardus on 29 September 2008. It was recorded by Australian producer, Tony Cohen, but did not chart. Their songs had appeared on New Zealand family comedy TV series Outrageous Fortune with "Precious" in Season 3, Episode 6, "The Way to Breathe" Episode 15 (2007), and "Long Distance Runner" on Season 4, Episode 18 (2008).<ref name="Zuk">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The group disbanded in late 2018, with periodic reunion shows of the trio line-up, including a New Zealand tour in 2016.<ref name="McDonnell" /> Deans has had a solo career with two charting studio albums, Modern Fables (2010) and We Light Fire (2018), joined the Adults (Template:Floruit 2011) and collaborated with fellow artists.<ref name="McDonnell" />
MembersEdit
- Andrew Bain – bass guitar, keyboards Template:Small
- Simon Braxton – drums, percussion, theremin, backing vocals Template:Small
- Julia Deans – lead vocals, guitars, keyboards, violin Template:Small
- Steve Wells – lead guitars, backing vocals Template:Small
Live photosEdit
- Starlightandrewjulia.jpg
Andrew & Julia at the Starlight Ballroom on the By Hokey! It's Fur Patrol! tour, 2001
- Bodegasimonjuliaandrew.jpg
Simon, Julia & Andrew, live at Bodega in December 2002
- Furpatrolhappy.jpg
Julia, live at Happy in 2007 (supporting Long Distance Runner)
- Andrewbodega.jpg
Andrew @ Bar Bodega, Wellington 22 August 2008
- Juliabodega.jpg
Julia @ Bar Bodega, Wellington 22 August 2008
- Starrynights2.jpg
Fur Patrol @ Frank Kitts Park
DiscographyEdit
Studio albumsEdit
| Year | Title | Details | Peak chart positions |
|---|---|---|---|
| NZ<ref name=charts /> | |||
| 2000 | Pet |
|
7 |
| 2003 | Collider |
|
31 |
| 2008 | Local Kid |
|
— |
| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. | |||
Extended playsEdit
| Year | Title | Details | Peak chart positions |
|---|---|---|---|
| NZ<ref name=charts /> | |||
| 1998 | Starlifter EP |
|
17 |
| 2007 | The Long Distance Runner EP |
|
— |
| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. | |||
SinglesEdit
| Year | Title | Peak chart positions | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| NZ<ref name=charts>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> | ||
| 1998 | "Man in a Box" | — | Starlifter |
| "Dominoes" | — | ||
| 1999 | "Beautiful" | — | |
| "Now" | — | Pet | |
| 2000 | "Holy" | — | |
| "Lydia" | 1 | ||
| 2001 | "Andrew" | 24 | |
| "Spinning a Line" | 40 | ||
| 2003 | "Fade Away" | — | Non-album single |
| "Precious/Enemy (Live)" | — | Non-album single | |
| "Precious" | 18 | Collider | |
| 2004 | "Enemy" | — | |
| "Get Along" | — | ||
| 2007 | "Hand on an Anchor" | — | Long Distance Runner |
| 2008 | "Great Leap Forward" | — | Local Kid |
| "Silences and Distances" | — | ||
| "Hidden Agenda" | — | ||
| 2009 | "Little Fists" | — | |
| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. | |||
Awards and nominationsEdit
| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | bNet NZ Music Awards | Best Independent Release | Starlifter | Template:Won<ref name="Nimmervoll" /><ref name="Reid" /> | |
| Female Fox | Julia Deans | Template:Won<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> | ||
| Best Rock Release | Starlifter | Template:Nom<ref name="Nimmervoll" /> | |||
| Best Live Act | Fur Patrol | Template:Nom<ref name="Nimmervoll" /> | |||
| Best Video | "Dominoes" (directed by Greg Page) | Template:Nom<ref name="Nimmervoll" /> | |||
| 2001 | New Zealand Music Awards | Single of the Year | "Lydia" | Template:Won<ref name=nzma2001>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
| Top Female Vocalist | Julia Deans | Template:Won<ref name=nzma2001 /> | |||
| Best Songwriter | "Lydia" (Julia Deans) | Template:Won<ref name=nzma2001 /> | |||
| Best Producer | Dave Long – Pet | Template:Won<ref name=nzma2001 /> | |||
| Best Engineer | Mike Gibson – Pet | Template:Nom<ref name=nzma2001 /> | |||
| Best Cover | Andrew B White, Jade Weaver – Pet | Template:Nom<ref name=nzma2001 /> | |||
| Album of the Year | Pet | Template:Nom<ref name=nzma2001 /> | |||
| 2001 | APRA Awards | Most Performed Work in New Zealand | "Lydia" | Template:Won |