- Martha's Vineyard (band)
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Martha's Vineyard Origin Perth, Western Australia, Australia Genres Acoustic folk/Pop Years active 1986–1990 Labels Monkey Music
RooArt/PolygramAssociated acts The Triffids
The Blackeyed SusansPast members refer Members list Martha's Vineyard were an Australian rock band, formed in Perth in 1986 by lead singer Peggy Van Zalm. Martha's Vineyard shared a similar sound and outlook to that of fellow Perth bands like The Triffids, The Honeys and Chad's Tree. Van Zalm's strong vocals drew comparison with the likes of Patti Smith, Chrissie Hynde and Joni Mitchell.[1][2]
Contents
Biography
The band took its name from the famous holiday resort off the coast of Massachusetts, in the New England area of the USA.[1]
Peggy Van Zalm grew up in Cowaramup, Western Australia (a small farming and vineyard town) before studying Fine Arts at Curtin University.[3] Van Zalm co-founded the group with Anthony Best, Norman Parkhill and Aidan D'Adhemar in May 1986.[4] Not long afterwards the band issued a self-titled cassette and shared a single "Our Day"' with Errol H. Tout's "Sounds of Swimming".[1][4] The mini-album For a Small World followed in October 1987.[4] Stuart Fenner replaced Lisa Jooste on violin, and Phil Kakulas (ex-Triffids) took over on bass.[4] The line-up of Best, Van Zalm, Kakulas and D'Adhemar re-located to Sydney in 1988. In 1989, the fledgling rooArt label signed up Martha's Vineyard alongside The Trilobites, Crash Politics, Tall Tales and True, Hipslingers and The Hummingbirds.[1] Martha's Vineyard contributed the track "Unravelling" to the first of rooArt's Young Blood compilations (September 1988).[5] The band being one of the first of four bands selected off the compilation to go on to be signed for a three album deal.
The band attracted much critical acclaim and enjoyed sharing stages on tours with Simply Red, INXS, Eurythmics, The Go-Betweens, Paul Kelly, The Triffids, Mental as Anything, The Saints and Weddings, Parties, Anything.
The band recorded what was to be their only album at Planet Studios in Perth, produced by Nick Mainsbridge. RooArt issued the self titled album, Martha's Vineyard, and single "Old Beach Road"/"Trying Too Hard" in June, 1989.[4] The album received favourable reviews nationally and abroad, with "Old Beach Road" receiving airplay on both commercial and community radios stations, including 2JJJ, 3RRR and Triple M, reaching #86 on the Australian singles charts.[6]
There was a second single released on rooArt, "More of the Same", before pressures from both within and outside the band led to its split in 1990.[1] RooArt nevertheless released the album in the UK, Europe, Japan and the United States, under the title Old Beach Road taking advantage of the success of the single.
Post Martha's Vineyard
Kakulas joined The Blackeyed Susans.
Van Zalm launched her solo career, at the end of 1994, with the release of the album, Shine. In June 1999, Van Zalm issued her second album, Revival, on her own Red Dirt Records label, the album was produced by Graham 'Buzz' Bidstrup (ex-Angels, GANGgajang), and featured Van Zalm's trademark folksy, jazzy pop vocals. Van Zalm also released two albums with co-producer Geoff Nant, Different World in 2001 and Light Diamond in 2006.
Best, after spending a number of years around the alternative music scene, became disillusioned and went to Thailand in 1992, where he became a buddhist monk, (Bhante Sujato). He returned to Australia in 2003 and set up his own monastery outside Sydney.[7]
Members
- Anthony Best — guitar, harmonica (1986–1990)
- Aidan D'Adhemar — drums, percussion (1986–1987, 1988–1989)
- James Elliot — drums (1990)
- Stuart Fenner — violin (1987)
- Lisa Jooste — violin (1986–1987)
- Phil Kakulas — bass (1989–1990)
- Catherine McAuliffe — bass (1986–1987)
- Norman Parkhill — guitar (1987–1989)
- Peggy Van Zalm — vocals, guitar (1986–1990)
Discography
Albums/EPs
- Martha's Vineyard (cassette) – Independent (1986)
- For A Small World (mini-album) – Monkey Music (October 1987)
- Martha's Vineyard – rooArt/PolyGram (June 1989) AUS #77
Singles
- "Our Day"/"Sounds of Swimming" (Double A single with Errol H Tout) – Lizard (1986)
- "Old Beach Road" – rooArt/Polygram (June 1989) AUS #86
- "More of the Same"/"Suntanned Faces" – RooArt/Polygram (1990)
Compilations
- Youngblood – RooArt (1988) ("Unravelling")
- The ARIA Awards Album - Winners And Nominees – CBS (1989) ("Old Beach Road")
- Life without Post Modern ("Old Beach Road")
- RockArt: The History of rooArt Records – BMG (2001) ("Old Beach Road")
References
- ^ a b c d e McFarlane, Ian (1999). "Encyclopedia entry for 'Martha's Vineyard'". Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and Pop. Allen & Unwin. ISBN 1864487682. http://web.archive.org/web/20040829235034/www.whammo.com.au/encyclopedia.asp?articleid=466. Retrieved 2008-01-09.
- ^ "Martha's Vineyard press reviews". Peggy Van Zalm webpage. http://homepages.tig.com.au/~pvzalm/PeggyvanZalmReviews.html#anchor349767. Retrieved 2009-01-15.
- ^ "Peggy Van Zalm biography". ReverbNation. http://www.reverbnation.com/controller/facebook_artist/artist_iframe/peggyvanzalm?fb_sig_network=Bebo&fb_sig=b055514214c99f2f5a1e36889f7e6ed2&fb_sig_added=0&fb_sig_api_key=SRKI1IvqzU6Uq5vQSnipiqHZJR1CSHfUQy91&fb_sig_in_iframe=1&fb_sig_locale=en_US&fb_sig_network=Bebo&fb_sig_profile_id=&fb_sig_request_method=GET&fb_sig_time=1230749910.69&fb_sig_user=. Retrieved 2009-01-15.
- ^ a b c d e Magnus Holmgren, ed. "Martha's Vineyard discography". Australian Rock Database. http://hem.passagen.se/honga/database/m/marthasvineyard.html. Retrieved 2008-01-09.
- ^ Mathieson, Craig (2000). "1990". The Sell-in: How the Music Business Seduced Alternative Rock. Allen & Unwin. ISBN 1865084123. http://books.google.com.au/books?id=dFnJSg-Obx0C&pg=PA1&lpg=PA1&dq=%22the+sell-in%22+%22martha%22&source=web&ots=mUEWpUEOJI&sig=xCNMmawHbn7q6LOvlp7eLx4HiCs&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=4&ct=result#PPA17,M1. Retrieved 2008-01-13.
- ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970-1992. St Ives, NSW: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0646119176. NOTE: Used for Australian Singles and Albums charting from 1970 until ARIA created their own charts in mid-1988.
- ^ "Bhante Sujato". Santi Forest Monastery. http://santifm1.0.googlepages.com/bhantesujatobio. Retrieved 2009-01-09.
External links
Categories:- Australian folk music groups
- Australian pop music groups
- Australian indie rock groups
- Western Australian musical groups
- Musical groups established in 1986
- Musical groups disestablished in 1990
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