about
From the archives....
BAND BIO
Exploding Daisies is a five piece all girl pop band from Sydney, Australia. Simple as that. You want more?
Well have a look what the Sydney Street Press has to say...
"There are elements of '60s pop, rock, folk and blues in their music, with the two lead vocalists... as the stars of the band" (OnTheStreet)
"Gutsy girl power! Influenced by a variety of folk, swing, merseybeat and contemporary sounds...
Lead vocalists, Jill and Karen, are renowned for their wonderfully vibrant sound"
They can count as their fans such luminaries as Go Betweens and Cleopatra Wong drummer Lindy Morrison, and bands like GANGgajang, The Sharp and Mental As Anything who continually ask them to support them at gigs and on tour.
Exploding Daisies are Rachel Parkinson (drums,vocals), Jill Jackson (vocals/guitar/recorder/mandolin), Natasha Hart (bass), Susie Purcell (lead guitar) and Karen Morecombe (vocals, rhythm guitar), a five-piece all-girl pop band originally from Sydney.
The Daisies formed in 1989 at school at Maroubra Beach. They quickly gained attention after reaching the finals (1990) and winning (1991) the Youthrock band competition held annually.
The Daisies used their first prize winnings to record their debut EP, 'Floral Sex'; launching the famous Annandale Hotel, quickly followed by their first tour as support for The Sharp, then a tour in Queensland with Melbourne band, Barefoot.
A big year in 1995 saw the Daisies tour with GANGgajang and start recording their second album; they played their last show at the local University of New South Wales (UNSW) in Sydney.
1989 - 1995
1989
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Band forms in Year 10 at Maroubra High School with Karen, Jill, Susie, Natasha and Elizabeth Warning on keys. Various male drummers completed the line-up.
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Reached the finals of Youthrock.
1990
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Runner-up in Youthrock.
1991
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Winners of Youthrock. Lindy Morrison (ex-The Go-Betweens) judged the final and took a keen interest in the band.
1992
- First massive year of back-to-back gigs
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Elizabeth Warning (keys) leaves the band.
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Lindy Morrison filled in for 2 weeks until Rachel joined the Daisies as drummer, completing the final lineup.
1993
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As part of their winnings from Youthrock, debut EP, 'Floral Sex' commences recording at Sydney's Studios 301.
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SBS TV's music show Nomad, interviews the Daisies in a pre-recorded segment from Studios 301, airing later that year as a highlighted segment.
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October EP 'Floral Sex' launch at the Annandale Hotel, Sydney.
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EP launch reviewed in On The Street music magazine, 2/11/93 and the EP is reviewed in Drum Media music magazine 8/1/94.
1994
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Tour with The Sharp in January.
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The Tower Records chain in the US orders 100 copies of the EP in May then later reorders.
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Tour Queensland with Melbourne band, Barefoot in August.
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Sales of the debut EP are recorded in Washington DC and Philadelphia.
1995
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January touring the east coast of Australia with GANGgajang.
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Record their 12-track debut album with Graham 'Buzz' Bidstrup at his Mittagong studios.
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Perform last ever show in August at the UNSW Union bar as a four-piece with Susie taking on bass after Natasha left the band.