Strange Karma

Strange Karma the band the world has been waiting for, a powerhouse of rock! "Every so often I come into contact with a band that stands above the others with a passion and drive that does not exist very often in this business. Such is the case with 'Strange Karma'............ It is rare that every member in a band is at the top of their game and shines like a star in their own special way but Strange Karma glows all the way in that respect. It is hard to believe these guys are not signed on a major label, but I do believe they are on their way.” Sally Steele- Vegas Rocks Magazine. After having a few drinks in a little bar in New York City Martin Strange got up on a table and started singing along to Led Zeppelin's Rock n Roll, from that moment on he realised what he needed to do. Martin returned to Australia and teamed up with his brother Paul .............. this was the beginning! The brothers developed a large repertoire of original songs and started playing acoustic gigs all over Sydney. Making a name for themselves playing in all the acoustic venues, regulars at the Iguana Bar, they soon got a residency at La Bar (Club Acoustica). But Martin and Paul still felt like this was only the beginning of their journey and knew they had to take a step forward, they wanted a band. Martin and Paul found a rhythm section and transformed their powerhouse acoustic sound to a powerful rock band. After knocking on every possible door they came to the realisation that they needed to keep moving. Martin and Paul Strange left Australia for the UK with a young band (Vine) and a huge repertoire of Stadium rock songs. The Zeppelin-esque style of Martin's vocals and Paul's guitar playing plus, when Martin moves to the piano, the grandeur and pomposity of Queen, ensured they received rave reviews and their fan base grew rapidly. However it wasn’t all smooth sailing and circumstances beyond their control caused the band to split. Martin and Paul played on with local sessions musicians but ultimately knew their music needed a unit all fighting for the same cause. After a tough three years on the road they decided to return to Australia to regroup. But the UK reaction reinforced their belief that their songs have what it takes to create a worldwide impact. Now armed with experiences of the long road and new songs to reflect it all, the brothers found renewed enthusiasm and set about finding a bass player and drummer who would do justice to their powerhouse Stadium Rock! Martin and Paul underestimated how hard it would be to find musicians who were not committed to other projects and who were capable of what the new band would demand. After auditioning a number of drummers Jason McDonald responded to an ad they placed in a local Music magazine. Jason had been laying down solid drumming for several concept bands, most notably a Van Halen show and a Led Zeppelin tribute. Martin and Paul realised they had found the solid hard hitting foundation they were looking for. Strange Karma was born. With a temporary bass player Strange Karma hit the Sydney live scene hard, working everywhere they could, Headlining their own shows in the city's original scene and also playing their original songs alongside a local AC/DC covers band everywhere else. A mutual friend introduced Jody Daley-Lovett to the band. After Jody's arrival Strange Karma continued to play shows all over the state. Renowned for their powerful live performances Strange Karma continued to build a large loyal following in Australia and around the world through MySpace. After a number of months of playing the circuit and continually knocking on industry doors Strange Karma got sick of the hesitation of the Australian music business. They decided to test the waters of a different continent. Strange Karma set out on a three month tour of America. This became the inspiration for their song titled “America”. Strange Karma left for the states and hit the ground running; they worked solidly in Las Vegas and Los Angeles. The reaction to these shows was massive, leading to the first venue booking five return dates, the monthly Vegas Rocks magazine running a full page article on the band (as well as various other mentions and photos) and the band taking Hollywood's famed Sunset Boulevard by storm!! Playing shows on Sunset Boulevard at The Roxy Theatre, The Cat Club and the infamous Whisky a Go Go, the Whisky's Booking Agent, Celina Denkins, became a huge supporter of the band and stated "they are an incredibly gifted band.......can't wait to have them rock the Whisky again and again...." Strange Karma's American tour sparked interest all over the world and lead to them recording their debut album in December 2007. The debut album that took two weeks to record and over two years to be released!!! During this time Strange Karma endured the sort of music business heartache that has resulted in less determined bands “folding like a house of cards”. Regular legal visits were scheduled to discuss the merits of various Licensing, Distribution and Management deals being offered. But whilst the lawyers could advise on the idiosyncracies of contract legalities, they couldn’t predict which parties could actually deliver on the promises being made! Several deals were done resulting in Strange Karma using their “get out of the contract” clauses when certain conditions were not met by the companies involved. But the band’s resolve and self belief never faltered as they worked on new material knowing, from the huge number of comments and messages on their websites, that there is an army of people waiting for the return of a band playing classic rock inspired quality music with a modern feel. Then in January 2010 Strange Karma’s European based manager suffered a stroke resulting in the postponement of the planned European tour. Another contract terminated, so the manager could focus on recovery and Strange Karma could move forward. Strange Karma indeed. Around the same time Jody Daley-Lovett relocated overseas and Marty, Paul and Jason steeled themselves for the challenge of finding a new bass player. But lo and behold the perfect replacement was flying in from Brisbane a few days later for an audition. Doe Prijono’s arrival not only brings great playing and vocals to the band but also the keenness and enthusiasm that is a result of the injection of “fresh blood”. Strange Karma’s debut album was released in February 2011 and attracted great reviews : “I’m going to start this is a big way. Who in the hell needs a Led Zeppelin reunion when we have a band with the sound of Strange Karma. These guys are the second coming of the music that started it all.” Martell – welovemetal.com) “Love at first riff” Jamie Hutson – Vegas Rocks Magazine April 2011 “There are 10 tracks in total and every one is simply amazing.” Mark Lewis – Rock Over America website “Strange Karma is one of the most refreshing and highly innovative bands I have ever had the pleasure of spinning on air.” Matt O’Shaughnessy – WVOX Metal Mayhem culminating in the album being named in the Top 10 Albums of 2011 by New York’s WVOX Metal Mayhem show host Matt O’Shaugnessy. In November 2011, Strange Karma undertook a lightning strike tour of America, travelling from L.A. to New York and back again playing showcases to promote the debut album. With great tour support from their publicist, Chip Ruggieri of Chipster PR (Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Iron Maiden, etc), the boys also did a large number of press and radio interviews. At their Philadelphia show Grammy nominated producer David Ivory (Halestorm, The Roots, Candlelight Red) was blown away by the band and also some of the songs yet to make it to an album. We’re proud to announce that in Spring 2012, Strange Karma will travel back to Philadelphia to work with David Ivory and record a follow up to their debut album! OUT NOW! Devil from the moon - lead single www.strangekarma.net