Winston Giles

Infobox Musical artist


Name = Winston Giles
Background = solo_singer
Birth_name = Winston Giles
Born = Birth date and age|1974|1|26|mf=y
Origin = flagicon|Australia Australia
Death =
Genre = Electronica
Ambient
Rock
Years_active = 1990-current
Instrument = Guitar
Vocals
Mandoline
Keys
First_album = "Atari Baby"
Latest_album = "Soundtracks for Sunrise"
Notable_albums = "A magnificent Beautiful Day"
Notable songs = "Share Your Love" Atari Baby (2000)
Label = Playup Music (AUS)
MGM (US)
MGM (UK)
Distributed through MGM
Associated_acts = Winston Giles Orchestra
URL = http://www.winstongilesorchestra.com

Winston Giles (born January 26, 1974) is a critically acclaimed Australian musician (Singer, Songwriter, guitarist and producer).

Biography

Early years

Giles was educated in Melbourne, Australia, and lived there as a child. His musical aspirations began as a young teenager when he took up guitar and piano. His family owned a large number of pubs throughout Australia where Giles was able to build up strong foundation of performance experience and learn from touring bands from a very young age.

Citing influences from Pink Floyd to Flaming Lips, Jane's Addiction to Stone Roses, Felix da housecat to Killers Giles' music back catalogue and music projects are steeped in rock roots, deeply lathered in rich sounds of ambiance but solidly centered in feel-good. His songwriting is honest - sometimes dark, but mostly uplifting, drawing from both those who have had a lasting impression on him musically and an amalgamation of life experience.

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 tour extensively throughout Australia and the United States. Residing in the United States for many years touring and recording.

Winston eventually return and immerse himself in Australia's emerging dance music scene in the late 1990s, working with many local D.J’s and producers and culminating in a project called - Atari Baby - releasing several critically acclaimed albums and many remixes and videos under the moniker. This faster and harder sound features elements of trance, big-beat, house and electro, whilst maintaining a dark and dirty feel to the music. Through the use of ferocious guitars, driving vocals and sexual innuendos, Atari Baby has created a new, fresh and explosive sound. Youtube video clips search: "atari baby".

In early 2004 Winston met local producer C.j. Dolan, who was behind techno outfit - Quench (Ministry of Sound). 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 Winston Giles Orchestra debut album – Soundtracks for Sunrise. Giles followed this release with the second album - A Magnificent Beautiful Day in 2005. The project grew from shows at the Melbourne and Sydney's underground venue's such as 161, Ding Dong Lounge, Ruby's Lounge in Melbourne, and the The Annandale and The Hopetoun in Sydney to bigger stages at esteemed music festivals, such as: St Kilda Festival, and V Music Festival. The albums produced received much critical acclaim with singles picked up by mainstream and fringe broadcasting including T.V., Radio, other media around the world and the band has toured extensively across Australia, the United Kingdom and The USA.

The Winston Giles Orchestra comprises Winston Giles (Vocals / Guitars / Piano /beats / samples), Dorian West (Trumpet / Flugal Horn / Keyboards ). They also have guest musicians, who work 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, hedonistic yet carefree life.

Although The Winston Giles Orchestra take an indie rock/post-punk approach to rock 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 theatrics, video projections, complex stage light configurations, acrobatic hula-hoop dancers and stage performers. In 2004, Inpress magazine named The Winston Giles Orchestra one of the "50 Bands to See Before You Die". Music Clips on YouTube - search "Winston Giles Orchestra". The band has toured extensively across Australia, the UK and the USA.

In an interview with Subculture Magazine in 2006, Giles discussed his love of The Beatles and their influence on his material, most notably in some of his later albums, which received comparisons to The Beatles' "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band".Fact|date=October 2007

Equipment

As the lead guitarist of Winston Giles Orchestra, Giles plays Gibson guitars, primarily a SG 60's reissue standard with a Bigsby tremolo. Other times he uses a Gibson Dot Studio ES-335, a white Gibson Flying V and an alpine white Gibson EDS-1275 with golden hardware. For the recording of the Video "Welcome to the Hotel" shot at Hotel Chelsea in New York City he used a borrowed Gibson ES-355 through a 60's Marshall. When playing live, he uses Orange amplifiers and cabinets, lately seen in an Orange advertisement with an Orange AD30 and Thunderverb 200 and PCC412 cabinets.Gilse also states to use a Fender Stratocaster, though he prefers the Gibson guitars.Fact|date=September 2007

New Information

* Upcoming new album for Winston Giles Orchestra - from dusk to decadence - TBC
* Upcoming release of solo material - [http://www.myspace.com/winstongiles Myspace]

External links

Official sites
* [http://www.winstongilesorchestra.com/ Winston Giles Orchestra Official Website]
* [http://www.myspace.com/thewinstongilesorchestra Winston Giles Orchestra Official Myspace]
* [http://www.ataribaby.com.au/ Atari Baby Website]

Music Video's
* [http://www.youtube.com/winstongiles Winston Giles Youtube]

References

Reviews
* [http://www.abc.net.au/oztrax/stories/s1550957.htm ABC radio]

Media
* [http://www.a7music.com/news/n07040501.html] a7music guide
* [http://lineout.thestranger.com/2006/09/winston_giles_orches]

Interviews
* [http://purple.dur.ac.uk/site/?q=node/476] Purple Radio UK
* [http://www.amo.org.au/qa_interview.asp?id=1197] Australian Music Online
* [http://www.tripleR.org.au] Triple R radio interview archive