The Avalanches Headshot
Report a problem with this profile
[email protected]

The Avalanches  

Dance Music Producers and Performers

The Avalanches began in 1995 as Alarm 115, a noise-punk outfit inspired by Drive Like Jehu, The Fall  and Ultra Bidet. The band - Darren Seltmann, Robbie Chater, Tony Diblasi and Manabu Etoh - bought all their instruments at junk shops, where they also discovered piles of old records. When Etoh was deported and Alarm 115 ended, those records became the core of a new project. Chater was a film student at Melbourne's RMIT, and had access to a recording studio there, which he and Seltmann used to turn said vinyl into a 30-song demo tape labeled Pan Amateurs. In 1997, A new lineup (Seltmann, Chater, Diblasi, and Gordon McQuilten) was assembled to play the tunes live, debuting in July under the name Swinging Monkey Cocks. Their first four shows were played under different names.

They officially became The Avalanches at their fifth gig - a support slot for Jon Spencer Blues Explosion - and rose to prominence quickly. Trifekta Records released the debut 7" Rock City in spring 1997. This was followed in December by the El Producto EP on Steve Pavlovic's  Wondergram Records. Around this time DJ Dexter officially joined the band on turntables. Based on the EP's success, Pavlovic signed The Avalanches to his new Modular Recordings label in May 1998. Months later, Leo Silvermann signed them to his Rex Records for the exclusive UK 10" "Undersea Community".

The Avalanches' profile grew with support slots on tours by the Beastie Boys, Public Enemy, Stereolab and Beck. The band also played at the Tibetan Freedom Concert at Homebush, Sydney. James De La Cruz was added to the live lineup on turntables and keyboards, and made his debut appearance with the band at The Palace, St Kilda, supporting Public Enemy.

Modular released the Electricity EP in Australia (12") and the UK (7"), while work continued on an album, under the working title 'Pablo's Cruise'.

In February 2000 the band finished mixing the album at Sing Sing studios, Melbourne.

By July, with Since I Left You now overdue, Chater's Gimix cassette was made available to fans and critics hungry for new material. It is a mixtape blending previews of the forthcoming album with some of the band's favourite songs.

The initial album launch date on September the 11th was delayed, with the record hanging in limbo due to sample clearance & overseas interest. An early 2001 worldwide release was hoped for, although a November 27 Australian release was confirmed a few weeks later.

The first Australian single, Frontier Psychiatrist, was released in August. It reached #6 in Triple J's 2001 Hottest 100 countdown, the world's largest annual radio music poll.

In October 2000 the band undertook their first Australian headline tour, hitting all capital cities. All dates were completely sold out, however Seltmann broke his leg in Brisbane in an on-stage collision with bassist/singer Tony DiBlasi.

In November 2000 the 'Since I Left You' album was launched in Melbourne with a boat cruise party aboard the Victoria Star, through Port Phillip Bay, with 'The Face' and other UK media flying to Australia to cover the event.

Since I Left You was eventually released in Australia in November 2000 and was nominated for nine ARIA awards. The Avalanches eventually took home four, Best New Artist Album, Best New Artist Single, Best Dance Act plus Producer Of The Year for Robbie and Darren. The band also won six Australian Dance Music Awards.

The band travels to the U.K for a three-week promotional stint, including DJ sets at the Social and Fabric Nightclubs, while their remix of Badly Drawn Boy's 'The Shining' is released in the UK.

The UK version of 'Since I Left You', was released by XL Recordings in 2001, debuted at #8, and quickly topped 200,000 sales in the UK.

The first UK single from the album, also titled 'Since I Left You', was released and debuts at No. 16 on the national charts. The 'Since I Left You' video won 'Video Of The Year' at the MTV Europe Music Awards.

In July 2001 the second UK single, Frontier Psychiatrist, debuted at Number 18. The video for 'Frontier Psychiatrist' is later awarded runner-up prize at Soho Shorts Film Festival in the UK.

The Avalanches also appeared on the front cover of Jockey Slut and Muzik magazines.

The band embarked on their European live tour. Peter "Snakey" Whitford was asked to become a touring percussionist with the band. Whitford spent his youth playing in the Afro Psych band 'Prophecy' throughout the Pacific Islands.

Seltmann broke his other leg during the band's second Electric Ballroom show in London, while De La Cruz is concussed onstage at the V2001 festival. The remaining live dates are changed to DJ sets. Despite this, the band eventually received the 'Best Live Act 2001' award from MUZIK magazine.

London-Sire Records releases the US version in November 2001. When that label dissolved in 2003, The Avalanches switched to Elektra. The Album is also released in Japan, with bonus track 'Everyday'. The 'At Last Alone' EP (re-scheduled Tour EP with revised tracklisting) was also released in Japan.

In the US a promotional Since I Left You 12" featuring remixes from Stereolab and Prince Paul was released, and the Avalanches remix of the Manic Street Preachers 'So Why So Sad' was released worldwide.

Critics worldwide include Since I Left You on their "Best of 2001" lists. The album goes on to place at #4 in 'Juice' magazines 'Best Australian albums of all time' list, and #5 in Pitchfork Media's top albums of the decade.

Related Speakers View all


More like Avalanches