Sugar Army

Sugar Army are a three-piece rock band from Perth, Western Australia.

Sugar Army
Background information
OriginPerth, Western Australia
GenresRock
Years active2005-present
LabelsShock Records
Good Cop Bad Cop/Inertia
Websitehttp://www.sugararmy.com.au
MembersPatrick McLaughlin
Todd Honey
Jamie Sher
Past membersIan Berney

Biography

Where Do You Hide Your Toys

Sugar Army, fronted by Patrick McLaughlin and consisting of Todd Honey on lead guitar, Jamie Sher on drums and Ian Berney on bass guitar formed in 2005. The band received a Triple J Next Crop in November 2007. The band received two nominations, "Favourite Newcomer" and "Most Promising New Act", at the 2007 West Australian Music Industry Awards. Sugar Army released its debut EP, Where Do You Hide Your Toys, through Perth label Good Cop Bad Cop (with distribution through Inertia) in February 2008, supporting Interpol in Australia that month. Where Do You Hide Your Toys was produced by Dave Parkin (Snowman, Red Jezebel) and mastered by William Bowden at King Willy Sound, the EP featured the songs, "...And Now You're Old Enough, I Think That You Should Know" and "Jigsaw", which both received radio support nationwide[1] and earned them four nominations, "Most Popular Act", "Best Rock Act", "Best Bassist" and "Most Popular Single/EP", at the West Australian Music Industry Awards that year.

The Parallels Amongst Ourselves

First single "Acute" was released in March 2009. The track was featured on radio[1] and TV nationwide and reached the top 5 in the AIR (Australian Independent Records) Independent Radio Airplay chart. The band toured nationally in support of this single in March 2009. They were nominated for five West Australian Music Industry Awards, "Most Popular Act", "Most Popular Music Video" "Best Rock Act", "Best Male Vocalist" and "Best Bassist" in May 2009. In October 2009, "Acute" took out the WAM Rock Song of the Year accolade.

Second single "Tongues in Cheeks" was released to radio in June 2009. A video for this song was co-directed by the band's drummer Jamie Sher together with Dominic Pearce, was released on 6 August 2009.

Debut album The Parallels Amongst Ourselves was released 10 July 2009 through Shock Records and debuted at #87 in the ARIA charts and #2 in the Australian Independent Record 100% Indie Charts.[2] It also was selected as 'Album of the Week' on RTRFM and SynFM. The album was recorded by Dave Parkin and mastered by William Bowden, with the "Acute" single mastered by Greg Calbi (David Bowie, Bob Dylan, Interpol) at Sterling Sound. In August through to September 2009, the band toured Australia in support of the record.[3][4]

The band's third single, "No Need for Lovers", was released in October 2009. The song is about the murder of Stacey Mitchell in Lathlain, Western Australia by two lesbian lovers 'in a fit of jealousy and sadistic pleasure'.[5][6][7][8] It was the #1 played song on Triple J for the month of September 2009.

The band also appeared at the Big Day Out in 2010, after playing the Homebake, Pyramid Rock and Southbound Festivals during the summer of 2009.

Summertime Heavy

Sugar Army began work on their second album following their 2009/2010 Summer festival appearances. The album recording was hindered by the departure of bass player Ian Berney in April 2011. The band, now a three-piece but expanding their live show to five with the addition of two session members, completed the recording of their second album with Eric J (Weezer, Jon Spencer Blues Explosion) and Scott Horscroft (Silverchair, The Sleepy Jackson, Paul Kelly) at BJB Studios in Sydney in July 2011, mastered by Nilesh Patel at The Exchange (UK).

First single "Hooks For Hands" was released as a free download in February 2012. Sugar Army's second album is due for release 7 September.

Members
  • Patrick McLaughlin – vocals / guitar
  • Todd Honey – guitar
  • Jamie Sher – drums / bass
  • Ian Berney – bass (2005-2011)

Discography

EPs
  • Where Do You Hide Your Toys (28 February 2008)

Albums
  • The Parallels Amongst Ourselves (10 July 2009) AUS #87
  • Summertime Heavy (7 September 2012)

Singles
  • "Acute" (March 2009)
  • "Tongues in Cheeks" (June 2009)
  • "No Need for Lovers" (October 2009)
  • "Hooks For Hands" (7 February 2012)

Sources

References
  1. "J Play - Artists Rankings - Sugar Army". J Play. Retrieved 5 October 2009.
  2. "Australian 100% Indie Albums". AIR. September 2009. Retrieved 5 October 2009.
  3. "Sugar Army album launch tour". 10 July 2009. Retrieved 5 October 2009.
  4. "Sugar Army back on the road". Bombshellzine. 6 July 2009. Retrieved 5 October 2009.
  5. Alessio, Dom. "Sugar Army - The Parallels Amongst Ourselves". Mess+Noise. Retrieved 5 October 2009.
  6. BBC News (7 May 2007). "Perth girls get life for murder". BBC. Retrieved 21 December 2008.
  7. The Daily Telegraph (24 April 2007). "Eliza Jane murder pact mystery". News Limited. Retrieved 21 December 2008.
  8. "WA Supreme Court Jessica Ellen Stasinowsky Valerie Paige Parashumti Stacey Mitchell". The Australian. News Limited. 24 April 2007. Retrieved 7 March 2008.
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