Misplaced Pages

Wagons are an Australian alt-country band from Melbourne, Australia, led by singer/songwriter/television and radio presenter Henry Wagons.

History

The band was formed in Melbourne in 1999 by Henry Wagons with his school friends from Glen Waverley in Melbourne; Si "The Philanthropist" Francis, Richard Blazé, Steve "Harmony" Hassett and Mark "Tuckerbag" Dawson.

The band has cited influences including Johnny Cash, Scott Walker, Nick Cave and Vegas-era Elvis on their musical style. A regular feature of their live shows is a version of the Wayfaring Strangers song "Willie Nelson". They are known for their energetic and dramatic indie country rock performances in which Henry Wagons engages in banter with the audience between songs.

Henry Wagons is the grandson of Henry Krips, a Viennese emigree conductor of the South Australian Symphony Orchestra. He was named one of the 100 most influential people in Melbourne by the AGE magazine in 2009. Prior to forming the band, Henry (as Henry Krips), was synthesizer player in a Melbourne improvisational quartet called Dworzec.

Wagons released their first album in 2000. On 11 March 2002 they released their second album Trying To Get Home on Chapter Music.

On 26 July 2004, they released Draw Blood on Spunk Records. The Curse of Lightning was released on 15 October 2007 on Spunk Records.

The Rise and Fall of Goodtown was released on 21 April 2009 on Spunk Records. The album was produced by Cornel Wilczek. In 2009 they won The Age EG Best Band and Best Album awards.

Rumble Shake and Tumble was released on 16 August 2011 on Spunk Records, and was again produced by Cornel Wilczek. Wagons toured in the US and Canada appearing at the Bumbershoot festival in Seattle in September 2011. They won The Age EG awards for Best Band, and the Best Album award for Rumble Shake and Tumble. The album also won the Best Independent Country Album award in the Jägermeister Independent Music Awards 2011.

Wagons performed in the US and appeared at SXSW in March 2011.

Acid Rain and Sugar Cane was released on 16 May 2014 on Spunk Records. The album was produced by Mick Harvey of the Bad Seeds, who also played on the album. Wagons again toured North America in 2014 appearing at festivals including the Vancouver Folk Festival, Montreal Jazz Festival, and RBC Ottawa Bluesfest.

Wagons have toured extensively in Australia as well as in New Zealand, the US and Canada, appearing at music festivals including SXSW, Bumbershoot, Montreal Jazz Festival, Bluesfest, Big Day Out and Laneway.

Members

Current

• Henry Wagons – vocals, guitar, keyboard
• Mark "Tuckerbag" Dawson – drums, bass guitar
• Si "Philanthropist" Francis – drums, Bass guitar
• Richard Blazé – guitar
• John Guscott – guitar
• Matthew "Softmoods" Hassett – keyboards, backing vocals

Former members

• Chad Mason
• Steve "Harmony" Hassett
• Chris Altmann

Awards and nominations

AIR Awards

The Australian Independent Record Awards (commonly known informally as AIR Awards) is an annual awards night to recognise, promote and celebrate the success of Australia's Independent Music sector.

EG Awards/Music Victoria Awards

The Music Victoria Awards (previously known as The Age EG Awards and The Age Music Victoria Awards) are an annual awards night celebrating Victorian music.

Discography

Albums

References

1. "Wagons ready to roll - Music - Entertainment". Theage.com.au. 29 May 2009. Archived from the original on 20 March 2018. Retrieved 20 January 2016.
2. "Preview of Episode 5 - Series 5". Nucountry.com.au. Archived from the original on 21 March 2016. Retrieved 20 January 2016.
3. "Trying To Get Home by Wagons". Chaptermusic.com. 8 November 2013. Retrieved 20 January 2016.
4. "iPod anxiety – Henry Wagons Taste in Music". Tasteinmusic.com.au. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 18 January 2016.
5. ^ "How 1960s Bollywood Music Informed Wagons' Latest Album". Double J. 19 May 2014. Archived from the original on 13 February 2016. Retrieved 20 January 2016.
6. ^ "All Aboard The Band Wagons". The Australian. Archived from the original on 23 May 2014. Retrieved 20 January 2016.
7. "Henry Wagons' eccentricity has Nick Cave's backing". The Sydney Morning Herald. 15 May 2014. Archived from the original on 15 August 2015. Retrieved 18 January 2016.
8. "Category". NT News. Archived from the original on 5 July 2014. Retrieved 20 January 2016.
9. Wheeler, Brad (28 August 2011). "Watch those Wagons rumble, shake and tumble". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 19 March 2018.
10. Heather Phares. "Henry Wagons | Biography & History". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 15 February 2016. Retrieved 20 January 2016.
11. "Australia Underground". Furious.com. Archived from the original on 21 January 2016. Retrieved 20 January 2016.
12. "Henry Wagons | Biography & History | AllMusic". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 15 February 2016. Retrieved 18 January 2016.
13. "Wagons - Trying To Get Home". Discogs. Archived from the original on 20 March 2018. Retrieved 18 January 2016.
14. ^ "Wagons | Album Discography | AllMusic". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 8 March 2016. Retrieved 18 January 2016.
15. "Wagons - Good Sounds | Blog Archive | Home & Hosed | triple j". Abc.net.au. Archived from the original on 26 April 2016. Retrieved 20 January 2016.
16. "EG's Dock and roll of honour". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 18 January 2016.
17. "Wagons | Album Discography". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 8 March 2016. Retrieved 20 January 2016.
18. "Bumbershoot 2011 Sept 3 - The Snipe". Thesnipenews.com. 4 September 2011. Archived from the original on 23 February 2016. Retrieved 20 January 2016.
19. ^ "Gotye and Wagons dominate 2011 EG Awards". The Sydney Morning Herald. 24 November 2011. Archived from the original on 21 March 2018. Retrieved 18 January 2016.
20. "Winners announced for the 2011 Jagermeister Independent Music Awards | the AU review". the AU review. Archived from the original on 1 March 2016. Retrieved 18 January 2016.
21. "Loading up the Wagons". The Sydney Morning Herald. 14 July 2011. Archived from the original on 21 July 2011. Retrieved 18 January 2016.
22. ^ "HENRY WAGONS INTERVIEWED (2104): The write stuff". Elsewhere by Graham Reid. Archived from the original on 2 February 2016. Retrieved 18 January 2016.
23. "Wagons". Vancouver Folk Music Festival. 11 April 2014. Archived from the original on 6 September 2014. Retrieved 18 January 2016.
24. "Concert: Wagons - Festival International de Jazz de Montréal". Montrealjazzfest.com. Archived from the original on 9 July 2014. Retrieved 20 January 2016.
25. "RBC Bluesfest Ottawa: Wagons". Rbcbluesfestottawa2014.sched.org. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 18 January 2016.
26. "Independent Music Awards Nominees Announced". tonedeaf. 13 September 2011. Retrieved 19 August 2020.
27. "History Wins". Australian Independent Record Labels Association. Retrieved 18 August 2020.
28. "Music Victoria Unveils 2014 Genre Awards Nominees - Music Feeds". Music Feeds. 7 October 2014. Archived from the original on 7 March 2016. Retrieved 18 January 2016.
29. "Songs from the Aftermath by Wagons". Apple Music. Retrieved 9 August 2019.

External links

• Official website

• Australian indie rock groups
• Musical groups established in 1999
• Musical groups from Melbourne
• 1999 establishments in Australia