The Cannanes

The CANNANES (in a nutshell)

The Cannanes have been described as 'the world's most indie band' but despite never having a manager, agent or signing a recording deal they have toured the world, produced numerous recordings, and been recognised internationally as one of Australia's best known bands. Even Kurt Cobain listed the Cannanes as a band he liked in his journal. Back in Australia they received high rotation airplay on national radio station JJJ for their latest CD, 'Trouble Seemed So Far Away' (released on the Slabco label (Los Angeles) and Lamingtone (Aust). In February 2006 they completed a five date tour of Japan + continue to tour and play regularly in Australia. 2007 sees them preparing for many new releases + national and overseas touring in 2007/08 to commemorate twenty years of live performances & promote new releases.

Previous recordings have been financed by established labels in the USA & the UK and their nine CD/LP's 'Caveat Emptor', 'Witchety Pole', 'Short Poppy Syndrome', 'A Love Affair With Nature', 'The Cannanes', 'Arty Barbecue', 'Living The Dream', 'Communicating At An Unknown Rate' and 'Trouble Seemed So Far Away' as well as a whole bunch of increasingly collectable CD/EP's + 7'' & 12'' releases.

Since the Cannanes' first release 'Bored Angry and Jealous' was named Single of the Year by UK music magazine NME in late 1986, the band has attracted an ever expanding international following. Based in Sydney Australia the band has had a lengthy recording career and toured extensively in Australia and completed six tours of the USA. They've played at The Knitting Factory and Maxwell's in New York and as far afield as Nashville, Tennessee and Olympia. While in Chicago two members of the band recorded a number of songs with punk legend Mark Perry under the watchful eye of Steve Albini. The 1998 tour took them to Japan for the first time, and in 1999 they completed their 1st World Tour with shows in England, Scotland, Germany, Holland, U.S., Canada & Japan. A definite highlight of this tour was their performance at the 3rd YoYo-A-GoGo festival held in Olympia (Washington State). 2000 - 2001 saw two more US tours (East, then West) and a swag of new releases including the well-received 'Communicating At An Unknown Rate'.

Many releases have achieved widespread airplay, particularly on US College Radio hitting number one on numerous charts as well as appearances in CMJs' top 100. They have rated extensive mentions in SPIN Alternative Record Guide, Trouser Press Guide to 90's Rock, Virgin Encyclopedia of Indie & New Wave, The Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and in 1997 co-published with Woozy magazine their own autobiography 'Baby Take a Bow' in the UK.

Over the years the band has also contributed to literally dozens of compilation projects released in many different countries. Those of which they are most proud are 'Fortune Cookie Prize' (which raised more than US$ 15,000 for Sasha Bruce Youthworks, a Washington DC homeless refuge, and more recently 'Indie Aid Abroad: A Little Help for East Timor', which raised over AUD$3000 for aid projects).

Recent recordings have included collaborations with New York based loop wizard Explosion Robinson and from Leeds England Stewart Anderson (aka Steward) among others. A 3" CD has just been released by New York DJ Douglas Wolk (WFMU), two new full length CDs nearing completion Nobody Loves An Albatross and This Is What It Sounds Like, a 'Best of so far' Pillars for posterity and other projects far too numerous to mention here.

CURRENT LINEUP:

Stephen O'Neil [guitar]
Frances Gibson [vocals, keyboard, flute]
Richard King [drums, percussion, vocals]
Penny McBride [trumpet, vocals]
Gavin Butler [bass]
and when available: Greg Wadley [synth] and / or James Dutton [guitar]

For more information on The Cannanes (than you can shake a stick at!), email them at cannanes@cannanes.com.