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You Am I

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File:2002 ianjennings hug.jpg
You Am I 2002. From left, Davey Lane (guitars), Tim Rogers (vox), Andy Kent (bass), Rusty Hopkinson (lead drums). Photo Ian Jennings

You Am I is an Australian alternative rock band, fronted by vocalist/guitarist and main songwriter Tim Rogers. They were the first Australian band to have three albums successively debut at #1 on the ARIA Charts and are renowned for their live act.

History

Tim Rogers formed the first version of the band with his school friend Nick Tischler and his older brother Jaimme in December 1989. This initial line-up was short lived and by the end of 1990 both Nick and Jaimme had left the band. They were replaced by the group's one-time sound mixer Andy Kent on bass and Mark Tunaley on drums.

The band released several EPs and singles in the early 90s, though the real breakthrough came when Lee Ranaldo of Sonic Youth caught the band performing at the 1993's Big Day Out festival and was impressed enough to produce its fourth EP, Coprolalia, and later the debut album, Sound as Ever. The long player went on to win the 1993 ARIA Award for Best Alternative Release.

After the release of their first album, Mark and the band parted company. He was replaced by the charismatic Russell Hopkinson (formerly of Nursery Crimes) creating the core line-up of the band to this day. Since then, the line-up has been augmented by Davey Lane of The Pictures on second guitar.

You Am I had toured the US extensively over the mid 90s, including playing with Soundgarden on the Lollapalooza festival, Red Kross, The Strokes and The Smokin' Popes to name a few. Despite little success overseas, the band became well known throughout Australia for their Pete Townshend-esque guitar windmills and their upbeat "ponce and thuggery" take on Rock and Roll.

Further success came with the albums Hi Fi Way and Hourly Daily, with both picking up ARIA Awards. Hourly Daily was the first album released on the Shock label to go to number one in the ARIA charts upon launch. For many, the suburban inspired, 60s bop and folky 12 string melodies were a welcome departure from ever pervasive 70s rock sounds, or even grunge rock.

Subtle country influences became apparent on their 1998 Number 4 Record, which included the poignant Heavy Heart. A heart wrenching, almost karaoke inspired ballad about being 'dropped' by your girlfriend. Evidently each subsequent album has had a few countryish twang which have polarised some fans, who idolise the band's earlier warts and all rock beginnings.

1999 saw frontman Tim Rogers release his first solo album What Rhymes With Cars And Girls, followed up in 2004 by the record Spit Polish. September 2003 the band parted ways with their record label BMG, with whom it had been signed with since 1998 after it acquired rooArt Records.

After an album absence prolonged by touring and record label interference, Dress Me Slowly was released April 2001. Arguably containing some of the bands' best work including Damage and Kick a Hole in the Sky there were also some stellar b-Sides on the commercial singles that accompanied the album. These include a song called Older Guys which is track 2 on the Get Up single. Older Guys was one of the stand out songs on Gram Parsons' group The Flying Burrito Brothers album Burrito Deluxe and although the You Am I b-side is an original, Rogers is recognised as a keen student of music history and some connection can be assumed.

Dress Me Slowly was second guitarist, Davey Lane's first bona fide appearance on a studio record. Lane had come to the band's attention from his own work with The Pictures and transcribing, with almost scary accuracy, the band's guitar tabs on the You Am I web site. The band's last collective studio effort was Deliverance in 2002.

Despite the lack of new You Am I material, the band hasn't been far from the spotlight. Tim Rogers especially has had no lack of notoriety. In 2004, he was involved in a punch up with Australian Idol host Mark Holden in an Australian airport terminal. More recently, too inebriated to finish a set at 2005 New Years Falls Festival in Tasmania. Most fans weren't dismayed, but reassured that a rock band can break through the mediocrity of status quo pop stars and remind us that rock is meant to be controversial.

Having been signed to a litany of different labels, You Am I continue their career with indifference to their lack of commercial success. Because their impact for many fans simply can't be quantified. The likes of Nic Cester of Jet have mentioned that You Am I, at the very least, reminded them that you don't have to be American to be a successful rock band. Iconic references to Australian everyday suburban life remain a constant theme of Roger's material.

Recently, Davey performed at the 2004 ARIA awards as part of the supergroup The Wrights, featuring members of many other Australian rock bands.

Former Members

Mark Tunaley, the band's first drummer, never quite fit the You Am I mould. He was the first and only drummer to use heavy metal style double bass drum parts in a You Am I song. Despite being a virtuous drummer, Tunaley wasn't quite into 'pontse and thuggery' and the split was inevitable.

From Youami.net, "Tunaley apparently became obsessed with having a greater say within You Am I and insisted that his own composition Off The Field, which he also sang, be included on the album. Tunaley wanted to be in a heavy rock band and wasn't happy with the 'pop' direction the band were heading towards. After returning home from the States, Tim rang Tunaley and asked him to leave the band. For weeks later, Tim had pondered whether to end You Am I. He decided to continue and asked fellow West Australian expatriate Russell 'Rusty' Hopkinson to join. He accepted."

Rumours speculate that Tunaley is still bitter about the split. To his credit, some fans in the youami.net forums say they used to come to gigs early just to watch Tunaley rehearse during sound check.

Greg Hitchcock played guitar and electric piano live with the band for some time up until Number Four Record. He was never formally a member of the band. But if you ever saw a second guitarist on stage before Davey Lane joined circa 2002, it may well have been him. Rogers complained that he was never quite comfortable with the electric piano and Hitchcock on stage because he felt they lost the 'just get up and jam' feel.

Discography

Albums

EPs

Singles

  • "Cathy's Clown", 1995 - #36 Australia
  • "Mr. Milk", 1995 - #50 Australia
  • "Soldiers", 1996 - #33 Australia
  • "Good Mornin'", 1996 - #44 Australia
  • "Tuesday", 1997 - #29 Australia
  • "What I Don't Know About You", 1998 - #28 Australia
  • "Heavy Heart", 1998 - #49 Australia
  • "Damage", 2000 - #37 Australia
  • "Get Up", 2001 - #44 Australia
  • "Kick a Hole in the Sky", 2001
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