Bodyjar

Infobox musical artist
Name = Bodyjar


Img_capt =
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Background = group_or_band
Origin = Melbourne, Australia
Genre = Punk rock
Pop punk
Years_active = 1994–present
Label = Shagpile/Shock (1994-1999) EMI/Capitol (2000-2004) Shock (2005-present)
URL = [http://www.bodyjar.com/ Official website]
Current_members = Cameron Baines Grant Relf Tom Read Shane Wakker
Past_members = Ben Patterson Ross Heatherington Charles Zerafa

Bodyjar is an Australian punk rock/pop punk band based in Melbourne, which has been together since 1994, when they changed their name from 'Helium'.

The current lineup includes only two original members - vocalist/guitarist Cameron Baines and bassist Grant Relf. Guitarist Tom Read and drummer Shane Wakker complete the current line up. Tom replaced founding member Ben Patterson who left before "How It Works" and in early 2004 Shane replaced long-time drummer Ross Heatherington who had been with the band since Charles Zerafa left after recording the drums on "Take A Look Inside."

Bodyjar would gain universal recoginition as early as 1995, while touring with Pennywise and Blink-182. The band would follow up with a tour of Canada, Japan, and the U.S. the following year, promoting the 'Rimshot' album. Their third album, 'No Touch Red' was recorded the following year in Montreal over 12 days. Guitarist Ben Peterson would leave the band following the 1999 Big Day Out Festival with Marilyn Manson, Hole and Korn. Facing an impending breakup, the band added Tom Read of 180 Discord to the lineup. That year Bodyjar would also sign with EMI/Capitol, having completed 33 song demos for their upcoming release. Though independent for the majority of their career, Bodyjar released two studio albums for EMI/Capitol in the early 2000’s. The first album for the major, "How It Works," reached the top 20 on the Australian ARIAnet albums chart in 2000 and achieved gold sales (35,000 copies). The album’s first single "Not the Same" was also featured in a Pepsi campaign and the video games "Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3" and "MX Superfly." After their second major label album "Plastic Skies" and a retrospective featuring new and rare material failed to build on the success of "How It Works," Bodyjar have since begun anew with their old label Shock Records, starting with 2005’s self-titled album. In May of 2004, however, Ross Hetherington would leave the band while on tour with Offspring. Hetherington was temporarily replaced for the tour's duration by Gordy Forman of Frenzal Rhomb until Shane Wakker of the Melbourne band Channel 3 was named the group's permanent drummer later that year.

Despite having their commercial peak seemingly behind them, Bodyjar remain a major attraction on the all-ages circuit in Australia, and continue to tour and play festivals. Selections from their discography have also been repackaged and released for the American and Japanese markets, where they have consolidated live followings.

At the beginning of 2007, Baines and Wakker launched their new harder-edged side project Daughters Of The Rich, with Mark Brunott (Automan/The Volume Ten) and Mikey Juler(ex-For Amusement Only) completing the lineup. Released demo 'denim warrior' in Dec 07.

Also Read and Relf, have their own side project know as Burn The City. Partnered with Harish Chabria and Pete Cerni, their debut self titled album is available through Dstar records.

According to the official Bodyjar website, as of the 10th of January 2008, a new album "looks to be shaping up for late in the year".

Discography

Albums

tudio Albums

* "You Can't Hold Me Down", 1993 (as Helium)
* "Take a Look Inside", 1994
* "Rimshot", 1996
* "No Touch Red", 1998
* "How It Works", 2000
* "Plastic Skies", 2002
* "Bodyjar", 2005

Live Albums

* "Is It Alive", 2007

Compilations

* "Singles and Stuff", 1999
* "Short Music For Short People", 1999
* "", 2003 DVD release and album
* "Time To Grow Up", 2004 (Brazil-only compilation with similar tracklisting to "Singles and Stuff")

EPs

* "Strange Harvest" (limited edition), 1997
* "You Got Me a Girls Bike You Idiot!", 2001

External links

* [http://www.bodyjar.com/ Bodyjar Official Website]

* [http://www.myspace.com/officialbodyjar Bodyjar Official Myspace]