Music
The best kept secret in music
Press
Rip It Up Magazine 29th July - 4th August 2004
Watch out Adelaide because the Hairy Lemon juggernaut is about to take off anysecond now. A force to be reckoned with as they tour the country to capture the hearts and minds of fans everywhere with a new album, which is nothing short of brilliant going a long way to claim the mantle of number one local release.
Brothers Keith, Steven and Michael Jeffrey have a shared vision of making great music and sharing a unique bond through their music. Hairy Lemon can’t be lumped with any particular label or tag as their music takes in a number different styles and not surprising with their influences of The Beatles, The Police, early Red Hot Chili Peppers to Sublime and Foo Fighters.
There is such a broad appeal with this album that no singles have been plucked from the album yet… deliberate or non-deliberate the band has left it up to the fans to pick their favourites. As bassist Steve Jeffery recommends: "Why not just push the ‘random selection’ button on your CD player. Then you’ll get a different album every time you play it."
Nevertheless, Incommunicado is a very ‘live in the studio’ album reproducing their high-octane live performance capturing the essence of this remarkable three-piece. You can’t argue with the strength of songs like Premium Girl, After We Burn, Aching and Descending. The John Butler Trio-esque Return To Marrakesh deserves a special mention.
Incommunicado is very much a ‘live in the studio’ recording, faithfully reproducing their on-stage performances with a remarkably full sound for a conventional three-piece band. Deliberately, no singles have been nominated, as the latest suite, although totally cohesive, offers such diversity and has such broad appeal, that fans are all finding their own favourites. Simply a great album!
Rob Lyon - Rip It Up
Discography
'Incommunicado' 2004 (MGM) features:
- Premium Girl (played on Triple M Melb, PowerFM SA)
- On & On (played on Triple J)
- After We Burn (played on Triple J)
- Some Nights (included on soundtrack for 'Life In the Fast Layne' DVD (Layne Beachley)
- Aching (played on Triple M national program 'Planet Rock', PowerFM)
'Switch Off After Use' 2002
'Fluidity' 2000
'Unknown Zone' EP 1999
Photos
Feeling a bit camera shy
Bio
Keith Jeffery faced a tough decision in 1998 when he was offered a position at the renowned Adelaide Jazz Conservatorium. After serious deliberation, he came to the decision that the syllabus was too restrictive and set his sights on exploring his shared love of the broader musical spectrum with brothers Steven and Michael.
Coming from a musical family, the boys had shared an interest in music and performance since childhood, so by late 1998 they had built a repertoire and formed a band with the slightly eclectic name Hairy Lemon. And so it was, just as the Farriss and Young brothers did before them, these three siblings found a unique bond in their music.
Hairy Lemon is led by Keith, (guitarist/singer/songwriter), together with Steve Jeffery (Bass) and Mike Jeffery (Drums). Growing up in a household filled with music, the guys admit a wide range of influences, ranging from bands like The Police and The Beatles, to early-Chili Peppers, Sublime, and Foo Fighters.
Their first show was played in September '98 in their home town of Victor Harbor, South Australia. Although their initially apprehension about performing in public, the resounding success of their very first show confirmed that the brothers had long felt; that they had a natural musical synergy and that making music together was their calling.
Since then, Hairy Lemon has worked incessantly - playing more than 500 shows and holding down several residencies in Adelaide. Somebody once said: “The harder I work, the luckier I get” and the guys have taken that sentiment to heart, gigging hard while constantly honing their song-writing and on-stage abilities.
Confesses Keith: "Our whole life is music. When we work we're playing music, and when we aren't playing music were generally listening to it or writing new stuff. Stylistically, we try to keep it pretty diverse or we'd get bored too quickly.”
Almost seven years on, after releasing one EP and two independent albums, their relentless commitment is paying off, with impressive records sales and several prestigious awards to their name.
Last year saw the band pick up the award for 'Most Outstanding Emerging Artist' at the SAMI awards) and providing support for Aussie legends 'You Am I' and 'Jimmy Barnes'.
Eschewing the easy way out taken by Australia’s ubiquitous ‘cover bands’, Hairy Lemon have always aspired to writing and performing their own music, along with the occasional homage admittedly, but that has only endeared them to their huge Adelaide fan base. Their original material has garnered significant critical acclaim and attracted the attention of some of the Australian music industry’s heavy hitters.
Hairy Lemon take their music very seriously. They are a fiercely independent outfit, and as such have put together a tailor-made touring PA and lighting rig, (not content with hiring tired old equipment or using sub-standard in-house systems) as well as building a professional-standard recording studio and practice space near their SA home. After six years, the Jeffery brothers know only too well that to achieve the success they are seeking is a matter of taking a totally professional approach and sheer hard work.
To paraphrase the aforementioned Young brothers: “It’s a long way to the shop when you want a sausage roll!”
Their latest work, released on June 5th under the title 'incommunicado', consists of 12 original tracks recorded in their own studio earlier this year, with final post-production being completed in Sydney in March. The collection includes the crowd favourites 'Aching', 'Return to Marrakech', and 'Descending’ which are already the first calls when the shout for ‘encore’ goes out at the end of their final live set.
“Incommunicado” is very much a ‘live in the studio’ recording, faithfully reproducing their on-stage performances with a remarkably full sound for a conventional three piece band. Deliberately, no ‘singles’ were nominated, as the latest suite, although totally cohesive, offers such diversity and has such broad appeal, that fans are all finding their own favourites.
Hairy Lemon are currently working in the studio on a new album. Recently they were awarded '2nd place' in the 'Rock' category, Australian National MusicOz Awards.
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