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Stop Press - For Immediate Release - October, 18th 2011
THE BREAK
Last Sydney Gig Of 2011
Coogee Diggers Club - Saturday 29th October
Last year, the three remaining members of Midnight Oil formed Australia’s most exciting new surf band with Violent Femmes bass player Brian Ritchie.
Since the release of their hugely acclaimed debut album ‘Church of the Open Sky’ in April 2010, The Break have been busy touring their strange and wonderful brand of interplanetary surf, with stand-out performances at major festivals across Australia, including Byron and Woodford, shows with The Hoodoo Gurus and Dog Trumpet and, a now legendary appearance, closing the ABC’s Spicks and Specks.
Sydney audiences caught The Break’s last Sydney gig of the year at Coogee Diggers Club on Saturday, 29th October, before they regroup again next year to present new material and a new album. The Break will be touring with Cold Chisel in December with shows at The Newcastle Entertainment Centre on
the 11th and at The Brisbane Entertainment Centre on the 13th.
Media Enquiries to:
CHRISTINE TAYLOR PUBLICITY
PROMOTIONS & PUBLIC RELATIONS
Tel (02) 4782 5867 (m) 0416 521 587 ctaylorpublicity@bigpond.com
Media Release: for immediate announcement - Friday June 11th, 2010
THE BREAK gives the nod to up and coming video producer for WINKIPOP!
As they kick off on their next run of live performances, surf instrumental rockers THE BREAK release a new video for their rollicking melodic track ‘Winkipop’ which is delivered to radio and TV this week. Named after a surf break on Victoria’s Surf coast ‘Winkipop’ is the second track to be highlighted from the band’s acclaimed debut album ‘Church Of The Open Sky’.
To create the video The Break joined forces with fledgling web entrepreneurs genero tv to hold a competition allowing amateur and independent film makers the chance to make the official video clip for the band’s new single ‘Winkipop’.
The competition was open to film makers worldwide with the winning entry created by Michelle Kee from Canada... check it out here http://genero.tv/watch-video/9058/
The videos were judged by the band members and for guitarist Jim Moginie, the winner was a standout from the start.
“To be honest I was expecting more outer space surf stuff with a song like Winkipop. I've always seen the track as galloping along triumphantly - but this clip's beginning is almost static, like a Gary Numan robot video. Then about a minute in and right out of nowhere come these amazing acrobatics. This little film fits the spirit of things brilliantly and it feels so right. Such a simple idea with that joy of suspense and release and finally resolution as the two jailbirds look out at the water at the future. Freedom from the mechanization and the dullness of the digital age where one's and zero's rule.”
Hats off the Genero.tv for such a great initiative and to the imagination and shining talent of all the filmmakers involved.
ABC viewers were treated to a preview performance of the new single when The Break appeared on Spicks and Specks last week. As well as closing the show with Winkipop, the band also featured in the ‘Look (what they’ve done to my song) Ma’ segment - disguising popular tunes in true reverb soaked surf rock style. View The Break on Spicks and Specks online at ABC TV iview: http://www.abc.net.au/iview/?series=2879208#/comedy
The album rocketed up the iTunes charts overnight following their performance on the high rating show. Tickets to the upcoming gigs are selling fast, be sure to book tickets now to catch The Break at the following venues along the East Coast during June and July and the band have now added new dates for Tasmanian music fans!
THE BREAK - ‘Church Of The Open Sky’ album - out now on Bombora through MGM
THE BREAK
Rob Hirst - drums and percussion
Jim Moginie - guitars and keyboards
Martin Rotsey - guitar
Brian Ritchie - bass and vocals
www.thebreak.net.au www.myspace.com/thebreakau
Media Release: for immediate announcement - Thursday March 18th, 2010
Fresh swell on the horizon set to BREAK!
Australia’s most exciting new surf rock outfit THE BREAK are primed to deliver a power packed set when the band perform tracks from their debut album ‘Church Of The Open Sky’ live at a venue near you during April and May. Audiences will be treated to a mind blowing experience as classic surf meets spy-fi psychedelia when the three core members of Midnight Oil; drummer Rob Hirst, guitarists Jim Moginie and Martin Rotsey, join with bass player Brian Ritchie of Violent Femmes to present a whole new and contemporary approach to the surf music genre.
THE BREAK’s first official tour kicks off on the Easter weekend with festival appearances at Victoria’s hip and happenin’ Boogie Fest and the esteemed Blues Fest in Byron Bay. On Good Friday the band will take their unique surf sounds to The Westernport Hotel on Victoria’s Phillip Island - an area renowned for its pumping surf - which is particularly apt as many of the tracks from the album are named after hot surf breaks.
Following a stupendous introduction to Sydney fans in February, the band will return to The Annandale Hotel on April 11th to officially introduce their new album ‘Church Of The Open Sky’ released on April 16th on the independent Bombora label through MGM. On April 20th they’ll turn on the local Newcastle fans with a special show at Lizotte’s at Lambton. From there THE BREAK team up with their mighty mates The Hoodoo Gurus as special guests for select shows on The Gurus ‘Purity Of Essence’ tour. Being old mates expect the unexpected as the two bands hit the road for the first time ever!
THE BREAK brings a sheer raw vitality and phenomenal force to the surf rock genre. Their powerhouse modern retro sound does of course have that unmistakable whiff of Oil but unlike anything the band has done before THE BREAK explore new horizons and obscure influences whilst tipping the occasional nod to 60’s legends such as Ennio Morricone, Joe Meek, Link Wray and Dick Dale as well as the psychedelic musical meanderings of San Francisco’s Mermen with whom Ritchie has played on numerous occasions. Indeed, freedom and breaking rules is what the music of THE BREAK is all about. The dynamic musical interplay between the four members ensures that the music itself remains fresh and not overly produced.
Commenting on the forthcoming tour, drummer, Rob Hirst said,
“We can’t wait to play the Easter shows and tour with the Gurus. We feel like we’re just beginning and there’s a great spirit and energy in the band. Live The Break is turning into a totally different beast with lots of inventive jamming and experimentation.”
THE BREAK
Rob Hirst - drums and percussion
Jim Moginie - guitars and keyboards
Martin Rotsey - guitar
Brian Ritchie - bass and vocals
Media release for announcement: Wednesday January 20th 2010
3 Parts Oil / 1 Part Femmes makes THE BREAK!
IIt's a union that will delight music fans, surf rats, and festival goers alike. Midnight Oil's Rob Hirst, Jim Moginie and Martin Rotsey have joined with bass player Brian Ritchie of US group Violent Femmes to form a new surf rock band called THE BREAK. The new bandreleases its debut album ‘Church Of The Open Sky’ on Friday April 16th on the Bombora label through MGM.
THE BREAK’s album is a unique blend of pulsating psycho surf rock tunes featuring 15 mostly instrumental tracks. The bulk of the album tracks are named after legendary surf breaks. ‘Cylinders’, the first single from the album, was in fact one of the first tracks created, and is now avalable on iTunes Australia. World renowned producer Nick Launay, who of course has worked on many Midnight Oil releases and numerous other renowned acts including Silverchair, Nick Cave and PiL, took ‘Cylinders’ to the mixing desk in a Los Angeles studio to create a mix highlighting the driving guitars and a pounding back beat synonymous with both the surf rock genre and the classic Oils sound.
So how did THE BREAK come about? Despite constant speculation from fans as to what the remaining Oils would do next, it wasn’t until after the Sound Relief benefit gig in Melbourne last year that Hirst, Moginie and Rotsey finally got together in the studio with the aim of forming a new band with a new identity. The onstage magic that had been the engine room of Midnight Oil had proved a force too powerful to deny. These three Oils were burning to play together again.
Both Midnight Oil and Violent Femmes have surfing influences - The Oils began their career on Sydney's Northern Beaches in the sweat filled environs of the Narrabeen Antler whilst the Femmes, though famous for mega hits like 'Blister in the Sun', often flavoured their individual folk punk sound with surf-rock guitar. The two bands have an affinity having toured together in the States. Songwriters Hirst and Moginie who co-wrote most of Midnight Oil’s tracks had swag of ideas but wanted to cut a new twist. Bones Hillman, the Oils bass player since 1987 had moved overseas so they rang long time friend Brian Ritchie who had recently relocated to Australia and asked him to join them in the studio. Warming up by jamming on old favourites like Link Wray's 'Rumble' (Pulp Fiction) the sound coming out of their amps was already taking on an energy of its own. The synergy was instant, electrifying and THE BREAK was born.
Throwing lyrics out the window the new band has written 15 great tracks that push the boundaries within the traditional framework of the surf music genre: guitars, drums, bass, and keyboards. Each player a master in their field, they’ve found common ground in a range of obscure musical influences. The sound created is fresh, exciting and cutting edge, it’s a brilliant fusion of surf guitar rock but with a modern bend - and an unmistakable whiff of Oil.
Jim Moginie explains, “We realised that we could just be an instrumental band with vocals added occasionally and we could use surf guitars or weird sounds for the melody. I think of Mogwai, the Mermen or Decoder Ring. Instead of a lead singer those bands just rely on the power of the players and the dynamics of the music. We've found the lack of vocals opens up all sorts of possibilities in the music that we couldn't have even imagined in our wildest dreams. Getting Brian in was important because he's such a strong ensemble player and catalyst. There were shivers up the spine at our first rehearsal, the sound was just enormous."
THE BREAK’s music is an undeniable force, propelling and mesmerizing, it pulls you in like a rip, swim with it, surrender to it or simply lay back in it and enjoy the ride!
THE BREAK
Rob Hirst - drums and percussion
Jim Moginie - guitars and keyboards
Martin Rotsey - guitar
Brian Ritchie - bass and vocals
www.thebreak.net.au www.myspace.com/thebreakau
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