Charge Group
Time Out Sydney sound the Charge. See what we did there? We know, we're hilarious.
By Brooke Salisbury
I liked Purplene. Whatever happened to them? Sigh. So did we. The Purplene legacy was borne in Newcastle, 1998 and weaved its magic across the east coast until 2004. Their industrial rock threw staggering harmonies, layered riffs and disjointed melodies together with a sense of dark unease. When the four-piece parted ways, bassist Adam Jesson and drummer Matt Rossetti went on to form awesome instrumental quintet The Instant.
I also liked The Instant. You have good taste in things. The Instant's post-punk sounds grew a cult following in Sydney and they were quickly signed to Etch N Sketch. When the band split in 06 singer Tim McPhee formed Firekites with Newcastle violinist Jason Tampake, while Rossetti and Jesson reunited with Purplene brother Matt Blackman. And as the old story goes, Charge Group was born.
What's the Charge Group cause, then? Where Purplene and The Instant favoured chaos, Charge Group revels in loping, laid-back rock centred around the vocals of Blackman and the violin of Tampake (yup, of Firekites, and Josh Pyke). The original line-up featured drummer Bree van Reyk (Holly Throsby, Darren Hanlon) though she departed soon after the band's inception.
Among other things, how the hell do they find time to gig? Well observed, and it's Charge Group's cross to bear. The band plays intermittently across Sydney, and staged a monthly residency at the Hopetoun earlier in the year. Recording, Blackman assures us, was damned near impossible.
Surely they have a record now though? The band's debut Escaping Mankind was released this July to the amazement of fans, friends and small children everywhere. Musicians Van Reyk, Josh Pyke, Jack Ladder and Pascal Ross feature on the collective affair, together with a mass of mournful strings, tempered drums and choral vocals. "You must be patient and flexible to be in this band," says Blackman. Sounds like a damned fine gym squad to us.
So, when can I witness the majesty and mystery that is Charge Group? They'll next appear live at the Hopetoun Hotel, Surry Hills this Fri 7 Nov. Catch them while you can, people - who knows when they'll pop up next? Brooke Salisbury
Charge Group plays Fri 7 Nov at the Hopetoun
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