- The Winston Giles Orchestra
Infobox musical artist
Name = The Winston Giles Orchestra
Background = group_or_band
Origin = flagicon|AustraliaMelbourne ,Australia
Genre =Alternative rock ,Psychedelic rock ,Neo-Psychedelia ,Space rock
Years_active = 1999 – Present
Label =MGM Playup music
URL = [http://www.winstongilesorchestra.com/ http://www.winstongilesorchestra.com/]
Current_members =Winston Giles Dorian West CJ Dolan The Winston Giles Orchestra is a popular Australian band, formed in 2004 by successful Australian Singer/ Songwriter
Winston Giles (Atari Baby, Floor 13). The Winston Giles Orchestra tour extensively throughout Australia, the US and Europe and have have released two distinct, critically acclaimed albums with a third expected in mid 2007.Currently, the Winston Giles Orchestra comprises
Winston Giles (Vocals / Guitars / Piano /beats / samples),Dorian West (Trumpet / Flugelhorn / Keyboards ). They also have guest musicians, who make guest appearances with the band on a recurring basis. A strong, recurrent theme of their music is a rejection of war, intolerance and an enthusiastic embrace of love, happiness, cultural diversity and a simple, carefree life.Although The Winston Giles Orhcestra take an
indie rock /post-punk approach torock music , the band is known for their lush, multi-layered, psychedelic arrangements, spacey lyrics and bizarre song and album titles. They are also acclaimed for their elaborate live shows featuring video projections, complex stage light configurations,acrobatic hula hoop anddancer s. In 2004, "Inpress" magazine named The Winston Giles Orchestra one of the "50 Bands to See Before You Die".History
Winston has a background in both rock and dance, and spent 8 years fronting an art/punk band called Floor 13 that began in Melbourne Australia and would keep him busy in America for six years. After returning to Australia, Winston’s lust for fresh sounds saw him involve himself in the local emerging dance music scene, working with many local D.J’s and producers and culminating in a project called - Atari Baby - releasing several albums and many remixes and videos under the moniker .
In early 2004 Winston met local producer C.J. Dolan, who was behind Electronica outfit - Quench. Winston had been writing new material in search of a new sound and at the beginning of winter 2004, the pair began recording and mixing the debut album – Soundtracks for Sunrise. After four months in the studio the result was an album that continues to grow around the world and garner significant attention for the band on Australian, US and European radio and also in mainstream and street-press print media.
The first album was first released in Australia in December 2004 and was immediately put on rotation (high rotation on some stations) at stations around the country. Whilst eclectic and unpredictable, the warm, dreamy and emotive feel to the album was perfect for the late night retreats of clubbers and ravers thirsty for a different sound. Tracks such as "We Wait For Sunrise", "Welcome to the hotel" and "Golden", express a heartfelt warmth, whilst the Spanish dance floor influenced "The Banished Matadors" and the quirky "A Little Song", take you to very different worlds.
The second album – part of a series of four, was released in November 2005, and continues the theme of a perfect and magical day. The album "A magnificent beautiful day" features eleven songs written by Giles, with bouncy grooves and beats, smooth gentle guitars and sexy horns. It provides a magical escape and highlights further the imaginative mix of different themes that make the Winston Giles Orchestra albums truly unique. From the Spaghetti Western/Lost Highway influences on the track "Theme from Burning Winchesters", to the dark and raunchy "Secrets to Love", and the heartfelt vocal driven single – "All for You", there is equally as much cerebral stimulation on the new album as with the debut, yet tracks like "Going Up in a Rocket" and "Not a cloud in the sky", cruise with a vibrancy and pace more suited for the brilliant days of summer as opposed to the early hours of the morning that Soundtrack for Sunrise gels with.
Concerts by The Winston Giles Orchestra are equally as intriguing as the music. Live the band consists of Winston Giles on guitars and vocals, and Dorian West on Horns/Keyboards/Beats. Concerts also feature theatrical surprises and amazing performers making up the colorful shows.
In 2006 the band went on their first overseas tour, performing at festivals and clubs across the UK and The USA. The band garnered much radio play overseas including BBC radio one in the UK and much college radio play in the USA including KCRW in Los Angeles.
The band’s albums have been released around the world with plans to tour UK, Europe and USA again in 2007.
The band have been performing at Australia’s clubs and festivals over the 2006/2007, including shows in Federation Square in Melbourne and The “Kiss My Grass” festival at The Music Bowl In Melbourne. The “Playground Weekender” Festival in Sydney and The “Maitreya” festival in Victoria.
The Winston Giles Orchestra are currently recording their third studio album, due for release mid August 2007.
ound
The Winston Giles Orchestra sound has been compared to:
The Flaming Lips ,Lemon Jelly ,Pink Floyd . Their sound is often described as a fusion ofElectronica ,Downtempo ,Psychedelic and rock with heavy Ambient influences. Since the release of the debut album “Soundtracks for Sunrise” in December 2004, Australia’s The Winston Giles Orchestra have been presenting a new and unique sound that has permeated through to fans of all styles of music. Warm and emotive, quirky and uplifting, yet at times dark and brooding - The WGO’s sound has created a new beginning for those who enjoy real music - with more than a twist !Ambient, Lounge, Chill-out, Downtempo, Psy-Trance, Electronic, Psychadelic, Rock, The sound of The Winston Giles Orchestra illuminates all these styles with its electronic approach and the use of fresh beats and samples, but also creates something very real and genuine by featuring real instrumentation from melodic guitars and synths to brass and woodwind.
The orchestra sound is filled with many different sounds and varying moods. Whilst the presence of beats and the influences of dance music lays a modern bed to the sound, familiar licks of rock and guitar based bands such as Pink Floyd and even Led Zeppelin present themselves, but are not obvious, rather woven into the modern electronic canvas.
Band members
As of 2007, The Winston Giles Orchestra consists of:
Core members
*
Winston Giles (lead vocals,guitar s, producer)
*Dorian West (trumpet and lead vocals;recorder andresonator )
*CJ Dolan (ProducerDiscography
tudio albums
Magnificent Beautiful Day (2004)Track listing
#Under a brilliant sun
#All for you
#Chakra superstar
#Secrets to love
#Theme from Burning Winchesters
#There are witches in the air
#The magic touch
#Make sense out of life
#Happiness
#Going up in a rocket
#Not a cloud in the sky
Soundtracks for Sunrise (2005)Track listing
#We Wait for Sunrise
#Welcome to the Hotel
#A Little Song
#Revenge
#Mercy for the Wicked
#Morning Shine
#All Come Together
#Golden
#The Banished Matadors
#The Hostessingles
* "Welcome to the Hotel" features on Chris Coco's -electroacoustic- compilation.(2006)
External links
Official sites
* [http://www.winstongilesorchestra.com/ Official website]
* [http://www.myspace.com/thewinstongilesorchestra Myspace site]Photo galleries
* [http://www.winstongilesorchestra.info/ The Winston Giles Orchestra unofficial fansite]
* [http://www.citizensofthewgo.com The Winston Giles Orhchestra fanlisting]
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