The Gear are a rockin’ little three piece with some great tunes and a good measure of swagger to boot. The Gear came together in 2004 after singer- songwriter Jet O’Rourke (yes, that is his real name) relocated from his hometown of Adelaide to the rock Mecca of Melbourne, with the clear goal of forming a great new band. The genesis of The Gear is an almost perfect story of luck and sheer coincidence.
Jet (the singer) spent 2003 performing songs from his debut EP Are Ya Gettin’ On? Achieving chart success with the single Fight the Good Fight, which received regular video play on Rage, Video Hits, Channel V and MTV as well as rotation on commercial and alternative radio across Australia. During this period as a solo artist Jet's desire to form a band was never far from his mind. An important moment in the formation of The Gear was Jet's introduction to infamous Melbourne drummer Brett Wolfenden (ex-Pictures).
The pair had first met when Jet supported The Pictures on a national tour and both discovered a mutual taste in musical styles and influences of The Beatles, The Who, Oasis and T-Rex. Unbeknownst to each other, it would be only be a short while before they were on stage together, sharing those influences with appreciative audiences.
Jet’s arrival in Melbourne in early 2004 sped up the development of the band with his introduction to another like-minded musician, namely bassist Damian Gibson (ex- Voxsound) who quickly completed the three-piece line-up. The departure of Wolfenden in early 2005 was quickly rectified with the introduction of Leigh Baines on drums, solidifying the strong camaraderie that already existed within the band and is most evident onstage.
Since their formation The Gear have progressed at a formidable momentum, having begun with a series of low-key gigs around some of Melbourne’s most reputable establishments, they have built upon their already strong repertoire and developed into a truly memorable and popular live band. So much so The Gear were named Victorian winners of the Coke Live ’05 Best Unsigned Band Competition and as a result performed to a sell out crowd at Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena with a line up including the Living End, Spiderbait and Dallas Crane.
On the recording front Jet O’Rourke’s penchant for crafting catchy hook laden lyrics coupled with the groups electrifying live performance caught the attention of Aria winning Producer Paul McKercher. As a result The Gear recorded tracks independently with McKercher at Melbourne’s famed Sing-Sing studios and released their debut self- titled EP to critical acclaim in mid 2005.
The Gear kept the momentum up in 2006 with their first international tour including showcases at SXSW in Austin Texas and Toronto's Canadian Music Week as well as gigs in New York and L.A.
The Gear have also benefited from the support of Legendary LA DJ Rodney Bingenheimer who has played tracks from the bands infectious debut EP on his popular radio show 'Rodney on the ROQ'.
The track Eight Arms to Hold You from The Gear's debut EP also featured in the Australian movie '48 Shades’, which premiered around Australia in September 2006.
After a series of Australian performances The Gear will return to SXSW in 2007.
The Gear EP is a standout collection of songs, combining the buzzing guitars of sixties pop with catchy lyrics and killer hooks. The first single I’ve Got Trouble is a two-minute onslaught of sixties power pop jam packed with blistering drum rolls and killer guitar licks. Jet’s versatility as a musical craftsman is made apparent in Eight Arms to Hold You, with its spine tingling vocals and upbeat melody. This is matched beautifully with the Lennon-esque vocals of Always Changin’ and the guitar hook on Faces at Me commands your attention with earth shattering results.
The Gear EP is available through MGM Distribution.
Buy The Gear EP now at the iTunes Music Store! 9c19bae512a0a72bfa8f6b93c2960a95
