Lash (band)
Lash |
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Lash were an all-female alternative/punk rock band from Perth, Australia. The members Belinda-Lee Reid (vocals, guitar), Jaclyn Pearson (drums), Jess Bennett (lead guitar) and Micaela Slayford (vocals, bass) all met in high school (Santa Marie College) in Perth and formed the band Exteria in 1996.
History
After being together for three weeks, the girls entered the song "Aloha Mr Hand" into the Open Youth Category for under-18s in the 1996 WAMI Awards. The four 14 year olds (at the time) won the $1,000 prize, and came to the attention of manager Andrew Klippel.
In 2001, now renamed Lash and signed to Festival Mushroom Records, their first two singles ("Take Me Away" and "Beauty Queen") reached the top 40 Australian ARIA Singles Chart, but did not sell enough to validate the large investment by their record company. "Take Me Away" found them nominated for the 2001 ARIA Award for "Best New Artist - single" (it was won by The Avalanches).
They toured Australia in 2001 and 2002, and played in Timor and Romania in 2002. A third single made the top 100 in 2002 ("Don't Ever Make My Mind Up"). Their debut album with these three singles was The Beautiful And The Damned, which also made the top 50 ARIA Albums Chart in 2002.
Their song "Beauty Queen" was also featured on the Freaky Friday soundtrack in 2003, as was "Take Me Away", which was performed by the main character's (Lindsay Lohan) band in the film.
The group disbanded after poor album sales and amid criticism that they were "manufactured" by manager/producer/songwriter Andrew Klippel and producer/songwriter Barry Palmer and thus lacked the "credibility" seemingly demanded of an Australian rock group.
After the break-up of Lash, Belinda-Lee Reid has pursued a solo career. She was the subject of an episode of the documentary TV programme The Hit Game, which aired in Australia on October 4, 2005, and showed her recording new 'demos' with Palmer, assisted by Pearson and Bennett. In this show she lamented the stigma attached to her by music industry leaders, for being in a 'failed' act. Her debut solo EP The Road from Lillyfield is yet to be released.
Jess Bennett and Jaclyn Pearson are now with The Preytells, Australian National Campus Band Competition winners 2005, along with singer/songwriter/guitarist Simon Oakley and bass player Cameron Stewart.
Awards
- 1996 WAMI Award, Open Youth Category (as Exteria)
- 2001 Rawards, Best new Australian artist on commercial radio
- 2001 Australian Live Music Awards, WA's Best Emerging Live Act
- 2002 Golden Stag Award, Romania
Discography
Albums
Singles
- "Take Me Away" (March 26, 2001)
- "Beauty Queen" (August 27, 2001)
- "Don't Ever Make My Mind Up" (February 25, 2002)