Fort (band)

Infobox musical artist
Name = Fort


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Origin = Byron Bay, Australia
Genre = Stoner rock
Years_active = 2000 – present
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URL = [http://www.fortrock.net/ fortrock.net]
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Fort are a stoner/psychedelic/hard rock five-member band from the northern New South Wales coastal town of Byron Bay, Australia.

History

The band formed in 2000 (then known as Forte) as a result of band members' mutual admiration of the 90's stoner rock band Kyuss, so the band had a strong Kyuss influence from the start. They recorded a bunch of dirty, loud tunes which were released on the now discontinued EP, "Tripping In The Vast Exterior" (now found as a bonus disc to the "Never Comin' Down" EP). In 2001, they released the EP "Skychaser", which received national airplay;Fact|date=February 2007 much touring followed. In 2003, the band recorded their debut album, "In A New Light", at Rocking Horse Studios, situated near Byron Bay.

In the six years since the band's formation, it has toured with acts like Grinspoon, Fu Manchu, Brant Bjork, Clutch, Nebula, Shihad, Cog and The Black Keys. The band has also taken part in the Splendour In The Grass and Metal For The Brain festivals. The cover of "In A New Light" features a picture from the set played at 2002's Splendour In The Grass. In 2005, there was more touring in 2005, a new EP, "Never Comin' Down", and a new name—the 'e' was dropped from from Forte to create Fort, because of confusion in the pronunciation. The band then scored a record deal with Tronador in Brazil and released a 14-track LP only in Brazil, which featured tracks from "Tripping In The Vast Exterior", "In A New Light" and "Never Comin' Down".

Fort recorded their second full length album at Backbeach Studios with DW Norton and mixed it at Rockinghorse near Byron Bay with Anthony Lycenko and are set to release it through MGM Records on September 1, 2007.

Members

* Andy Walker - vocals
* Deon Driver - Drums
* Brent "Badger" Crysell - Bass
* Stu Hume - Guitar
* George Christie - Guitar, backing vocals

= George Christie =lGeorge Christie is the lead guitarist and primary music writer. He cites Jimi Hendrix as his favourite guitarist. George plays a 1975 Guild S100 and various Gibson guitars (1969 Gibson SG and a 1979 Gibson RD Artist) through an array of vintage effects pedals, including mulitple wah pedals and dirty, crunchy overdrive helped by two Big Muff pedals. He achieves his trademark stoner sound. by running these pedals these through a Mesa Dual Rectifier, which was formerly owned by Kim Thayil of Soundgarden. Fact|date=February 2007

Discography

* Tripping In The Vast Exterior (EP) - 2000
* Skychaser (EP) - 2001
* Deadweight (single) - 2003
* In A New Light - 2003
* Never Comin' Down (EP) - 2004
* Place In The Sun - 2005 (Brazilian release only)
* FORT (Self titled) album - Sept 2007

External links

* [http://www.fortrock.net/ Fort home page]