Wolfmother

YES!!! People unite for the Wolfies have returned from the canyons of L.A. with a fusion of freaked out jamming, delicate melodies and gallant rock riffage that shall be known collectively as Wolfmother.

Myles Heskett, Chris Ross and Andrew Stockdale are the key holders to the future of all things Wolf … together they write all their songs while contributing drums, bass/keyboards and guitar/vocals respectively.

In their lives before Wolfmother, Myles worked in graphics, Chris in things digital and Andrew was a photographer so they all shared a passion for creative expression. After years of jamming in anonymity they finally stepped out in public during early 2004, playing shows and signing to Modular Recordings. Later that year the trio released an independent EP that caused ink to be spilled and fans to be won.

Then after 6 months of nonstop Australian and overseas touring it was time to start creating a vast album with a deceptively simple title. Their partner in this conception was producer D. Sardy; catalyst for the likes of Dandy Warhols, Oasis, Autolux, Jet and Helmet.

Chris, Andrew and Myles decamped to L.A. in May, 2005 and rented an abandoned Hollywood recording studio called Cherokee for their rehearsal space. In its heyday Cherokee hosted sessions like Pink Floyd’s “The Wall” but most of its equipment has since been sold or stolen. Even so, from this barren place came lush things as freeform jams evolved into fully formed songs.

The themes of the album also took shape in the City Of Angels; a city that thrives on chaos presenting many lyrical possibilities to Andrew Stockdale. The complexities of living in the metropolis also helped shape the escapist imagery of Wolfmother ... simple philosophies for complex times.

After six weeks of focused creativity at Cherokee – and many fish tacos - the band finally began recording at legendary studio Sound City. As a result Wolfmother was incubated in the same room as albums like “Nevermind” and “Rumours”. After just two weeks in that cavernous space the band had captured the inspired live performances which would form the backbone of their debut album. They then spent another month elsewhere in L.A. adding the little touches that help make Wolfmother such a sprawling beast. And in their downtime they became Champions of every pinball machine in the Valley.

Throughout this process Myles, Andrew and Chris remained committed to retaining the raw, emotive punch of their live performances. Everything was directed toward capturing “the perfect feeling” rather than “faultless performance”. The result is a record on which reckless abandon and glorious imperfections underpin the most evocative moments.

As their studio time came to an end the band filmed some videos in the same patch of California desert which featured in the original Star Trek before venturing forth for more live shows. The New York Times gushed about their gig downtown and the NME said kind words about their UK trip. Then they came home to hear “Minds Eye” on the radio ushering in the forthcoming Wolfmother album.

The disc comes wrapped in some fine art by illustration icon Frank Frazetta. The images are timeless and impossible to ignore – like the music itself – and it all lands in Australia on October 30.

At that time Wolfmother will embark on a month long Australian tour. It will be followed by December appearances at the Homebake, Rockit, Meredith and Falls Festivals. 2006 will see the band taking their music to people around the rest of their world.

Please experience Wolfmother.