CWQ

= CWQ =

Infobox musical artist
Name = C.W.Q


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Background = group_or_band
Origin = Melbourne, Australia
Genre = Folk rock / Roots
Label = Independent
URL = [http://www.cwq.com.au/ Official website]
Current_members = Chris Winterton Matthew Borg Luke Winterton Michael Marinucci Andy Reed

CWQ are an Australian Folk rock band based in Melbourne. The title CWQ stands for Chris Winterton Quartet

There music can be desribed as original Australian music with roots in the deep south east of Melbourne, that leans on roots/folk and up against the blues. CWQ draw on a varied palette of instruments and influences to create a rollicking style that is very much their own twisted and dusted up soundscape. The entire instrumentation can sometimes change from song to song and that means the soundscape changes, it’s not the kind of show where you hear the same thing for an hour. There’s an organic flow to CWQ that bridges gaps between styles, people and parties; it’s kind of like the changes are necessary to express what’s going on in the all the different rooms of a big old house.

Background

First emerging as winners of the PBS Festival of Song, songwriter’s competition 2004, CWQ pride themselves on their versatile show with an original sound and energy that draws deeply on roots and old world influences. A variety of high energy, memorable live performances across Melbourne is steadily garnering CWQ a reputation as the band that put on a bloody good show, and have a have a bloody good time while they at it.

The band philosophy is simply to make every live show the best it can be (even if it means swapping instruments every song) and in this way build a solid foundation of support based on playing damn good shows and making sure every one’s having a real musical experience both on and off the stage.

Line Up

The current line-up of CWQ includes:
* Chris Winterton - Vocals, Guitar, Harp, Piano Accordion, Brazilian Banjo
* Matthew Borg - Slide Guitar, Mandolin, Vocals
* Luke Winterton - Guitar, Banjo, Vocals
* Michael Marinucci – Bass
* Andy Reed – Drums

The Album

In 2005, CWQ spent five weeks in the studio recording the album - "Two Old Trees and New Branches" - a completely independent and self funded project resulting in an album that captures the spirit of the band’s live show. The album was launched to a full house at Manchester Lane and has received much critical praise and featured on community radio stations nationally as well as airplay on Triple J’s Roots And All Program and on Triple M’s “The local’s program”.

Achievements

* PBS FM Song writers of the Year 2004
* Winners of the prestigious PBS FM Festival of song based on song writing and live performance
* Feature album on John Carver’s Morning Show on PBS
* National Airplay on Triple J, Triple M, PBS, Triple R and nation wide community radio stations
* The track, "That’s all I Know" gained exposure nation wide as the official sound track to the Western Bulldogs 2006 National Membership Campaign. This aired during primetime across channels Nine, Ten and Seven.
* "Word Rustlin" video clip was aired nationally on ABC's Rage

Festival Appearances

* Pyramid Rock Festival NYE 2005 and 2006
* Swampbuck Roots Festival 2005 Cornish Arms, Melbourne
* Williamstown Music Festival 2006 Williamstown, Melbourne
* Monbulk Jazz and Blues Festival 2005 Dandenong Ranges Melbourne
* Acoustica 2004 Palace, St Kilda
* East Coast Tour 2006, throughout NSW and QLD

Review

Published in Inpress Magazine, Wed 20th July 2006 by Werner Martin

“From the moment the dirty blues harp jumps onto the opening drum solo of Everybody off the bus, you just know you’re in for one hell of a ride. The Chris Winterton Quartet have arrived with debut album titled Old trees and new branches and these guys have the ability to changes instruments and styles like voracious diners change meals around a lazy Susan. For CWQ variety is the key to a good time and the almost classical opening of Word Ruslin which melds into some tasty progressive rock chords jostles for time with the Leon Redbone feel of Crazy and a nice touch of Australiana with One and the Other. Come on in transports you direct to the Balkans with its Gypsy feels and as for the rest Old Tress and New Branches goes right to the roots that help to spring up new growth. The 15 original tracks re inventive, challenging and vital and best of all, it sounds like the boys are having a bloody good time.”

C.W.Q can be seen playing gigs and doing residencies at the usual dark, smoky recesses of Melbourne's live venues and are currently mixing and mastering a live album.