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Profile GeneratorThere's rock and then there's Modern Legion: the new, young Australian rock band set to take the world by storm.
Formed in the summer of 2007 from the ashes of some notable local bands, the band - Steph Collis (vocals), Matt Wilkinson (guitar), Adrian Santospirito (guitar), Baz Brauer (bass, Dave Szental (drums) - have just come back from the States where they recorded their highly-anticipated debut album. Produced by Grammy-winning producer Scott Mathews (David Bowie, Beach Boys, Keith Richards, Mick Jagger) and features special guests ranging from Huey Lewis of '& the news' fame, Van Dyke Parks (Brian Wilson, Bruce Springsteen, Byrds, Silverchair & Randy Newman) to a California beauty queen.
Though none of Modern Legion is older than 23, all are veterans on the Australian rock circuit. Steph and Barry's Geelong band The Whiteroom, signed to Roadrunner at age 16, had a hit with the song "Enemies Closer" in 2006 and toured arenas with Nickelback; Matt Wilkinson and Adrian Santospirito's Geelong band The Jades made the acclaimed EP "New Wave Chocolate" that garnered extensive radio play in the UK aand Australia. Dave Szental drummed with a number of Melbourne bands including Big Fat Kill. Between them they've toured with some of Australia's biggest names.
Matt and Steph became friendswhen their bands were booked on the same bill in a small rural Australian town in 2000. In 2007, when Whiteroom called it quits, Matt asked her to write songs with him. And in the summer of 2007, along with Steph's old bandmate Baz, they formed a new three-piece band they called Rebel. With "a bit of persuasion", Matt talked Steph into abandoning drums to be the lead singer.
"When we first got started, we we're just jamming as all good bands do in the front room of Stephs place, " says Matt, "cranked the amps up to 11 and would try our best to ignore the neighbors bashing on the front door at 2am screaming 'shut the **** up!'" With another bit of persuasion, from the local constabulary, they moved to a rehearsal space in the city.
And from there, as they say with typical understatement, "it was quite a rush". Within three weeks of forming, they'd posted new songs on their MySpace page - an had an instant internet hit, their song "Lovers Line" getting well over 1500 hits a day from fans. It also attracted the attention of the international music labels - and an offer of dinner from Julian (son of John) Lennon.
Says Scott Matthews: "Only the greatest songs, singers and players make me want to leave my happy home and go into the studio - let alone fly across the universe. But when you receive unsolicited demos from the coolest band in the world, you gotta do what you gotta do and in my case that meant stop everything and make them my major priority."
The new album, as yet untitled, features 13 tracks, including four already known to fans through the demos posted on their MySpace page - along with Matt's blogs on their crazy times in San Francisco and Marin County, California, making the album.
" The record sounds huge", says Matt. "We're recording it old school, we're not being freaks about it and picking it apart too much. It's all about the vibe, and getting that rock n roll groove happening! I think we've successfully captured the feeling of our time in the US & the whole recording experience. And as far as what it sounds like, well its like being kicked in the ear by an atari and then pummeled by its orchestra buddies!"
Between recording in November 2007 and mixing in January 2008, Rebel expanded to a five-piece, with the addition of old friends Adrian and Dave. To mark this change, they dropped the old name, Rebel, in favour of a new one, Modern Legion.
The band will launch their debut with a special home town performance at The Wool Exchange in Geelong on March 14th will be touring Australia, the UK and the US in 2008.
CONTACT: [email protected]
