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BANDS MANAGEMENT
SIDEWALK GRAY
Established February 2002, Melbourne, Australia, from the foundation of singer/songwriter Dave Close, Sidewalk Gray draws on the realities of life, and so formed in the universal way in which positives and negatives align. After the tragic death of Dave Close's music partner Darren Gray, the funeral reunited past friend drummer Mike Minten.To this came Dave's lead guitarist, sound engineer and producer Mat O'Conner (lead guitar-Illanda, Joanne), whilst Mike brought on board from a previous band, bass player Glenn Woods. Together they recorded their debut full album release and have been an explosion of personality and style, musically inspiring, an energy to be reckoned with. Now with the departure of Glenn a new dimension is added to the band with our newest member Judex. 2007 promises to be another rewarding year for SG with the band rocking harder than ever before. Excitement levels are at their highest with the commencement of our first video shoot and the beginning of our next album later this year.
STRANGERS IN PARADISE
Since coming together as a band in 2005, SIP have grown into a formidable prospect. When singer/songwriter Tristan James decided in 2005 that he missed the camaraderie found working within a band, he approached friends and sometimes-musical collaborators Mal Beveridge (bass) and Mike Minten (drums). It was fairly obvious from the first rehearsal that this was a unit that was not only going to work, but excel. Each person brought a distinct set of influences to the equation: Tristan, his love of simple and powerful songwriting in the vein of U2, Oasis and Van Morrison, Mal a vast experience in playing rock, blues, funk and jazz, and Mike, an ill-matched passion for Depeche Mode and Iron Maiden, Simple Minds and Metallica. The common thread was a desire to create distinctive, yet accessible music with an emphasis on hooks and melodies. When it came to the song-writing process, Strangers in Paradise had a simple agenda; to set trends, not follow them.
Their songs have been given rave reviews by Melbourne's top music journalists, including glowing endorsements from Herald Sun music critic Cameron Adams who described their sound as "potential laden" whilst , Age and Inpress writer Clem Bastow gave their first single 'I Know Why' a glowing endorsement, calling it "a killer chunk of pealing '80's 'intelligent rock". Their impact as a live act as been similarly impressive. Regularly playing in Melbourne's premier music venues, SIP have gained a reputation as a truly exceptional live act. Word of mouth is not only seeing their live shows draw a loyal and fast developing fan base, but has also had them added to high profile gigs such as the Make Poverty History concert. SIP also received a rapturous reception to their slot at the 2006 Queenscliff Music Festival. The second half of 2007 sees the band back in the studio, demoing new material with the hope of releasing their first single in early 2008.
