Editing Minimum Chips

{{Short description|Australian electronic and rock band}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}}
{{Use Australian English|date=March 2012}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name            = Minimum Chips
| image           = 
| image_size      = 
| image_upright   = 
| landscape       = <!-- yes, if wide image, otherwise leave blank -->
| alt             = 
| caption         = 
| background      = group_or_band
| alias           = 
| origin          = [[Brisbane]], [[Queensland]], Australia
| genre           = {{flatlist|
* Electronic
* rock
}}
| years_active    = {{start date|1993}}–{{end date|2007}}
| label           = {{flatlist|
* [[Chapter Music|Chapter]]
* Varispeed
* [[Trifekta]]
* Sound Malfunction
* Moteer
}}
| associated_acts = {{flatlist|
* Clag
* Letraset
}}
| website         = {{URL|logy.org/~alana/chips}}
| current_members = 
| past_members    =

* Julian Patterson
* Nicole Thibault
* Ian Wadley
* Guy Blackman
* Ellen Turner
}}

'''Minimum Chips''' were an Australian [[Electronic music|electronic]] and [[rock music|rock]] band formed in [[Brisbane]], [[Queensland]] in 1993. They issued their debut studio album, ''Kitchen Tea Thankyou'', in November 2005. The group had disbanded by early 2007.

== History ==

Minimum Chips were formed in [[Brisbane]] in 1993 by Julian Patterson on guitars, drums, keyboard and electric piano; Nicole Thibault on vocals, organ, synthesiser and trombone; and Ian Wadley on drums, guitar, trumpet and synthesiser.<ref name="McCormack">{{cite web | url = http://www.musiciscrap.com/davemccormack/press/brisbane_music_family_tree05.pdf | title = family tree 2004 a3 - brisbane_music_family_tree05.pdf | last = McCormack | first = Dave | work = Music Is Crap | date = 2004 | accessdate = 9 August 2017 }}</ref><ref name="Prescott">{{cite web | url = http://messandnoise.com/icons/4469629 | title = Clag: 'We Always Made Sure We Had One Token Boy' | last = Prescott | first = Shaun | work = Mess+Noise | date = 13 May 2012 | accessdate = 9 August 2017 }}</ref> During their Brisbane years Minimum Chips supported international acts: [[Stereolab]], [[Bikini Kill]] and [[Pavement (band)|Pavement]].

Minimum Chips' first release was a split 7-inch five-track [[extended play]] on [[Chapter Music|Chapter Records]] in September 1995. Two tracks were supplied by [[Perth]]-based band Molasses. The group's three tracks were recorded in June of that year at [[Fortitude Valley, Queensland]]. Guy Blackman, the label's co-owner,<ref name="Carew">{{cite web | url = http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/music/chapter-music-celebrates-20-years-20121114-29dky | title = Chapter Music celebrates 20 years | last = Carew | first = Anthony | work = [[The Sydney Morning Herald]]  | date = 15 November 2012 | accessdate = 9 August 2017 }}</ref> eventually joined them on bass guitar in 1998.<ref name="AMO Bio">{{cite web | archiveurl = https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20051121130000/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/44131/20051122-0000/www.amo.org.au/artist468d.html?id=1132 | url = http://www.amo.org.au/artist468d.html?id=1132 | title = Artists :: Minimum Chips | work = [[Australian Music Online]] | archivedate = 21 November 2005 | accessdate = 9 August 2017 }}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>

In 1996 the group followed with a four-track EP, ''Blip'',<ref name="AMO Blip">{{cite web | archiveurl = https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20051121130000/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/44131/20051122-0000/www.amo.org.au/releaseb4be.html?id=2546 | url = http://www.amo.org.au/releaseb4be.html?id=2546 | title = Releases :: ''Blip'' | work = Australian Music Online | archivedate = 21 November 2005 | accessdate = 9 August 2017 }}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> and then a split single, with "Postal" by Minimum Chips, and [[Alastair Galbraith (musician)|Alastair Galbraith]] providing the other side.<ref name="AMO Postal">{{cite web | archiveurl = https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20051121130000/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/44131/20051122-0000/www.amo.org.au/release0047.html?id=2846 | url = http://www.amo.org.au/release0047.html?id=2846 | title =  Releases :: Minimum Chips / Alastair Galbraith (split 7inch) | work = Australian Music Online | archivedate = 21 November 2005 | accessdate = 9 August 2017 }}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> Their next EP, ''Swish'', appeared in 1997 via Varispeed Records,<ref name="AMO Swish">{{cite web | archiveurl = https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20051121130000/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/44131/20051122-0000/www.amo.org.au/release5c38.html?id=5192 | url = http://www.amo.org.au/release5c38.html?id=5192 | title = Releases :: ''Swish'' | work = Australian Music Online | archivedate = 21 November 2005 | accessdate = 9 August 2017 }}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> with five tracks, which featured their signature song "Furniture".

Matt Thrower of ''Rave Magazine'' caught their gig at The Capitol in October 1998, he opined, "A mantra-like effect was conjured by simple guitar and keyboard melodies. The vocals melded well with the heady surrounds and the overall atmosphere was warm and inviting... this was the Minimum Chips sound I like to hear, as opposed to their more peculiar work supporting [[Tortoise (band)|Tortoise]] earlier in the week."<ref name="Thrower">{{cite web | url = http://www.logy.org/~alana/chips/review%20pages/chips_gaslightradio_shuriken.htm | title = Gaslight Radio / Minimum Chips / Shruiken | last = Thrower | first = Matt | work = Rave Magazine | via = logy.org | date = 18 November 1998 | accessdate = 10 August 2017 }}</ref>

The group relocated to Melbourne in the late 1990s, where they signed to a local label, [[Trifekta]]. Their first release there was an eight-track EP, ''Freckles'', in September 1999, which featured the vocals of Pat Ridgewell of cult Brisbane band, Small World Experience. In 2002 Chapter Records released a CD compilation album, ''Portfolio'', of Minimum Chips' early material. Also in that year Patterson and Thibault undertook a side project, Letraset, which issued an album, ''Snowy Room''.<ref name="Letraset">{{cite web | url = https://chaptermusic.com/artist/letraset/ | title = Letraset | publisher = [[Chapter Music]] | year = 2002 | accessdate = 9 August 2017 }}</ref> By August 2003 Blackman (also in [[Sleepy Township]]) had relocated to Tokyo and was replaced in Minimum Chips by Ellen Turner on bass guitar. Blackman returned to the group after Turner relocated to China.<ref name="Wadley">{{cite web | url = http://www.tblspn.net/ianw/minimum-chips/ | title = Minimum Chips | last = Wadley | first = Ian | work = tblspn.net | accessdate = 10 August 2017 }}</ref>

Their influences are varied and include 1960s film soundtracks—"Sunny Spot" from ''Gardenesque'' (21 July 2003) contains portions of "Les Caids" from French composer [[François de Roubaix]]—and [[French pop music|French pop]], [[indie rock]] and [[krautrock]]. Using a small but effective palette of instruments from guitar, bass and drums to Yamaha [[Electone]] organ, trombone and glockenspiel, Minimum Chips have managed to achieve a cult following in Australia.

''[[Australian Music Online]]''{{'}}s Andrew White felt that ''Gardenesque'' was "22 minutes' worth of musical ambiguity seems to me the best way to describe this short record. Ambiguity I say, because when you first listen it's all oh-so-vague to you; moreover, it struggles to define itself between any two tracks, but I'm not complaining, don't get me wrong."<ref name="White">{{cite web | archiveurl = https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20051121130000/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/44131/20051122-0000/www.amo.org.au/reviewced0.html?id=798&article=0 | url = http://www.amo.org.au/reviewced0.html?id=798&article=0 | title = Reviews :: Minimum Chips – ''Gardenesque'' | last = White | first = Andrew | work = Australian Music Online | archivedate = 21 November 2005 | date = 29 July 2003 | accessdate = 10 August 2017 }}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> Releases such as ''Gardenesque'' and ''Sound Asleep'' show further musical progression and exploration into more complicated structures while still retaining their evocative, intimate and eclectic sound.

On 14 November 2005 Minimum Chips issued their debut studio album, ''Kitchen Tea Thankyou'', via Trifekta. Sophie Best of ''[[The Age]]'' felt it was "a surprising, intoxicating work evoking the exotic and faraway, rather than the local and familiar."<ref name="Best">{{cite web | url = http://www.theage.com.au/news/cd-reviews/kitchen-tea-thankyou/2006/01/05/1136387562080.html | title = ''Kitchen Tea Thankyou'' – CD Reviews – Music – Entertainment | last = Best | first = Sophie | work = [[The Age]]  | date = 6 January 2006 | accessdate = 10 August 2017 }}</ref> It was co-produced by Patterson with [[Machine Translations|Greg Walker]], who Best observed had "created fluorescent textures and shimmering surfaces that don't entirely disguise the home-made charm suggested in the title."<ref name="Best"/>

Minimum Chips released a second compilation album, ''Lady Grey'', in 2006 via Moteer Records. They disbanded in early 2007, but briefly reunited in November 2012 to play a gig to celebrate Chapter Music's 20th anniversary.<ref name="Carew"/><ref name="Wadley"/>

== Members ==

* Julian Patterson&nbsp;– guitars, drums, glockenspiel, synthesiser, sampler, casiotone
* Nicole Thibault&nbsp;– vocals, organ, trombone, keyboards, drums
* Ian Wadley&nbsp;– drums, guitar, trumpet, synthesiser, organ
* Guy Blackman&nbsp;– bass guitar
* Ellen Turner&nbsp;– bass guitar

== Discography ==

=== Albums ===

* ''Portfolio'' (compilation album, [[Chapter Music]], 2002)
* ''Kitchen Tea Thankyou'' ([[Trifekta]], 14 November 2005)
* ''Lady Grey'' (compilation album, Moteer Records, 2006)

=== Extended plays ===

* ''Minimum Chips / Molasses'' (split EP) ([[Chapter Music]], 1995)
* ''Blip'' (Chapter Music, 1996)
* ''Swish'' (Varispeed, 1997)
* ''Freckles'' ([[Trifekta]], 2000)
* ''Gardenesque'' (Trifekta, 21 July 2003)
* ''Sound Asleep'' (Sound Malfunction Recordings, 2004)

=== Singles ===

* "Postal" / "For Free" (Minimum Chips / Alastair Galbraith, split single) (Varispeed, 1997)

== References ==

{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Official website|logy.org/~alana/chips/default.htm}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Musical groups from Brisbane]]
[[Category:Australian electronic music groups]]
[[Category:Australian indie rock groups]]
[[Category:Musical groups established in 1993]]
[[Category:Musical groups disestablished in 2007]]