Newtonheath History (view profiles)
Newtonheath was formed in 2005 in Adelaide by Matthew Ho and Rachel Warburton. Their former band Edison Music, had success in the Australian scene with two successful releases, a string of tours and radio airplay, when one of the main members decided to move to Canada for marriage. After weighing up various options, Edison Music called it a day in mid 2004. Matthew and Rachel dabbled in other projects before deciding to start a new project together called Newtonheath in early 2005.
In 2005 Matthew and Rachel started formulating a sound for Newtonheath and began writing and demoing songs, recorded on the gear bought from Edison Music profits. To keep in touch with the Edison Music fans they began playing acoustic shows; playing some Edison songs as well as show-casing the new material. They played enough shows to warrant putting out a three track demo Between Windows and scored support spots on the Taste Of Chaos & Schoolies Festivals and several CD Launches. The demo, although somewhat different to previous releases, was well received and made number 15 in the dB Magazines Best of 2005 Australian Releases.
At the end of 2005 Matthew and Rachel headed overseas on a 13 month trip to concentrate on writing an album for Newtonheath, explore different music scenes, work with other musicians and perform. They spent most of their time in Canada and the UK, but also visited Europe, USA and Singapore.
Half way through 2006 Matthew and Rachel began to plan the future direction of Newtonheath. An album was almost written, several shows were played and contacts made. They had jammed with other musicians, gone to many shows, and worked at a festival in the UK. They decided that it would be best to return to Australia in 2007 to get the band together and record the album.
Daniel Gaskin was contacted and in September 2006 and was asked to play guitar and sing for Newtonheath. At the time he was fronting the band Sumi, who Rachel had filled in on bass for 6 months before going overseas. Matthew and Rachel had also been friends with Daniel for about 4 years through the music scene and had great respect for him as a person and a musician. He agreed to the proposition and Matthew and Rachel sent MP3s of the songs via email and he started writing his parts ready for their return.
Shaun Reilly was playing drums for Before It All Ends when he contacted Matthew and Rachel via email in October 2006. As a fan of Edison Music and Newtonheath, he stated a strong interest in playing drums for Newtonheath. They agreed to audition him once they returned to Australia in January 2007 and sent through MP3s of songs to learn. His audition went well and he was invited into the band.
Two weeks into 2007 and the Newtonheath band was complete. The members headed straight into their rehearsal studio with an album worth of songs ready to go, and began to prepare for the year ahead. Management had already been sourced through Saints and Rogues Artist Management, and shows were booked, a recording schedule planned and the word quickly being spread Newtonheath are back in town!
With the band now complete, Newtonheath set out to build on the reputation and loyal fan base of their previous efforts. Hitting the Australian live scene in April 2007 saw a warm welcome, playing to sell out crowds with the likes of Horsell Common, Blueline Medic, Behind Crimson Eyes, Dopamine (UK) and Liam Finn (NZ), before withdrawing to the studio to record their debut album Come Together and Unite.
Come Together and Unite
Newtonheath's debut album Come Together and Unite articulates the band perfectly and is currently turning heads with its anthemic rock numbers, dark dance grooves, heartfelt vocals and a musical maturity seldom associated with a debut release.
Come Together and Unite is the end result of two years travelling and collaboration with other musicians. Co-produced with Darren Thompson (In Fiction, The Hot Lies, Blueline Medic), Come Together and Unite was predominately written in a small apartment in Calgary, Canada, which Ho and Warburton shared with former band mate Joshua Arcus (Edison Music) and his wife Raya. Tragically, Josh and Raya passed away early in 2007 in a fatal car accident travelling across Canada, which has given the album new importance and meaning.
Capturing energetic vocal performances, dynamic guitars, and reinforced by a driving rhythm section, Come Together and Unite demands the listener's attention from the outset. Additional instrumentation highlights colour and deepens contrast, while personal reflections touch on subjects such as past regrets, home sickness and the importance of friendship.
Newtonheath has produced a significant release, showcasing a determination and song writing that is world class.
Come Together and Unite is out now through Green Media/MGM.
| Vocals/Guitars Starsign: Virgo Main Gear: American Vintage '62 Fender Jaguar Guitar, Rickenbacker 330 Guitar, Marshall JCM 2000 Amp, Marshall JCM 900 Quad Bands played in: Edison Music, Dies Ultima, the Basics, Hone, the Casuals Fav OS Bands: Sunny Day Real Estate, Burning Airlines, Mew, Killswitch Engage, Norma Jean, Death Cab For Cutie, Smashing Pumpkins, Nirvana, Bjork, Muse, Roni Size, Blindside, Hey Mercedes, Jeremy Enigk, Thrice, Pretty Girls Make Graves,The Get Up Kids, Stavesacre, Cave In, Coheed & Cambria, The Mars Volta, City and Colour, Stars, Cut Off Your Hands, Editors, Taking Back Sunday, Saves The Day, Pedro The Lion, Bloc Party, Brand New, Snow Patrol, the Killers, Butterfly Boucher, Refused, Outcast, Underoath, HIM, Anberlin, Jeff Buckley, At The Drive In, the Cure, the Album Leaf Fav Oz Bands: Antiskeptic, Mere Theory, Move To Strike, Embodiment 12:14, Blueline Medic, Eskimo Joe, God So Loved The World, Motor Ace, Seraphs Coal, Realist Few, Thinktank, Silverchair, Away From Now, Tiger Stripes, Shihad, The Sundance Kids, Open Season, I Killed The Prom Queen, Joshua Spier, Midnight Juggernaugts, Forgetting Yesterday www.myspace.com/matthewchristianho |
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| Bass/Programming Starsign: Gemini Main Gear: American Deluxe Fender Precision Bass, Ibanez ATK Bass, Gallien Krueger 800RB Amp, Gallien Krueger 410 Box Bands played in: Edison Music, Sumi, Dies Ultima, Shane Shepherd Band, Thinktank, Hone Fav OS Bands: At The Drive In, Postal Service, Bloc Party, The Killers, Bjork, Smashing Pumpkins, Editors, AFI, New Order, Killswitch Engage, Jackson 5, Death Cab For Cutie, Further Seems Forever, Frou Frou, Sonic Youth, The Get Up Kids, Muse, Nirvana, The Doves, Mew, Suflan Stevens, Sigur Ros, Emiliana Torrini, Thrice, Sunny Day Real Estate, Phoenix, Klaxons, Thursday, Spitalfield Fav Oz Bands: To The Throne, Trial Kennedy, Mere Theory, Lead Sketch Union, The Presets, Something For Kate, Gotye, Seraphs Coal, Sumi, In Fiction, God So Loved The World, Tiger Stripes, Gyroscope, Thinktank, Antiskeptic, Embodiement 12:14, Staying At Home, Brother Sister, The Basics, The New Pollutants, Harmony B, Horsell Common, Snowman www.myspace.com/littlelamb77 |
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| Guitars/Vocals Starsign: Aries Main Gear: Marshall JCM 2000 Amp, Marshall JCM 900 Quad, Les Paul Studio & Epiphone Guitars Bands played in: Sumi, One Way Out Fav OS Bands: AFI, Alien Ant Farm, And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead, Arcade Fire, Ben Kweller, Betchadupa, Bjork, Bloc Party, Blood Brothers, Brand New, Cave In, Coheed & Cambria, The Cure, Dandy Warhols, The Darkness, Death Cab For Cutie, Data Rock, Deftones, Get Up Kids, Guns 'n' Roses, The Hives, Idlewild, Jimmy Eat World, Kaiser Chiefs, The Killers, The Kooks, Kiss, Lost Prophets, Lupe Fiasco, Kanye West, Pharrell, Marilyn Manson, The Mars Volta, Maximo Park, Mew, Midtown, Muse, Motion City Soundtrack, Motley Crue, N.E.R.D, Placebo, QOTSA, Refused, Scribe, Smashing Pumpkins, Sparta, Stone Temple Pilots, System Of A Down, Taking Back Sunday, Weezer, We Are Scientists, Velvet Revolver, etc etc. Fav Oz Bands: After The Fall, Bob Evans, Gotye, Gyroscope, Jebediah, Josh Pyke, Regurgitator, Silverchair, Something For Kate, Tiltmeter, Move To Strike, Mere Theory, Day On Fire, Tiger Stripes, Edison Music (RIP), etc, etc www.myspace.com/dansumi |
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