Leonardo's Bride were an Australian
pop
Pop or POP may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Music
* Pop music, a musical genre Artists
* POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gang Parade
* Pop!, a UK pop group
* Pop! featuring Angie Hart, an Australian band
Albums
* ''Pop'' (G ...
band that formed in 1992. It consisted of
Abby Dobson
Abby Dobson (born 1969) is an Australian singer and musician. Dobson was the lead vocalist for the pop band Leonardo's Bride.
In 2002, Dobson recorded the song "Don't Ask For More" for ''The Secret Life of Us volume 2'' soundtrack compilation ...
on
lead vocal
The lead vocalist in popular music is typically the member of a group or band whose voice is the most prominent melody in a performance where multiple voices may be heard. The lead singer sets their voice against the accompaniment parts of the ...
and
acoustic guitar
An acoustic guitar is a musical instrument in the string family. When a string is plucked its vibration is transmitted from the bridge, resonating throughout the top of the guitar. It is also transmitted to the side and back of the instrument, ...
; Dean Manning on
electric guitar
An electric guitar is a guitar that requires external amplification in order to be heard at typical performance volumes, unlike a standard acoustic guitar (however combinations of the two - a semi-acoustic guitar and an electric acoustic gu ...
,
piano
The piano is a stringed keyboard instrument in which the strings are struck by wooden hammers that are coated with a softer material (modern hammers are covered with dense wool felt; some early pianos used leather). It is played using a musica ...
,
wurlitzer
The Rudolph Wurlitzer Company, usually referred to as simply Wurlitzer, is an American company started in Cincinnati in 1853 by German immigrant (Franz) Rudolph Wurlitzer. The company initially imported stringed, woodwind and brass instruments ...
and
hammond; Jon Howell on
drums
A drum kit (also called a drum set, trap set, or simply drums) is a collection of drums, cymbals, and other auxiliary percussion instruments set up to be played by one person. The player (drummer) typically holds a pair of matching drumsticks ...
; and Patrick Wong (aka Patrick Hyndes) on
bass guitar
The bass guitar, electric bass or simply bass (), is the lowest-pitched member of the string family. It is a plucked string instrument similar in appearance and construction to an electric or an acoustic guitar, but with a longer neck and s ...
,
backing vocals
A backing vocalist is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists. A backing vocalist may also sing alone as a lead-in to the main vocalist's entry or to sing a counter-melody. Backing vocalists are u ...
and
cello
The cello ( ; plural ''celli'' or ''cellos'') or violoncello ( ; ) is a Bow (music), bowed (sometimes pizzicato, plucked and occasionally col legno, hit) string instrument of the violin family. Its four strings are usually intonation (music), t ...
. They released two EPs, ''Debut'' (12 May 1992) and ''Temperamental Friend'' (6 October 1994) and two albums, ''
Angel Blood
''Angel Blood'' is a 2006 book by John Singleton published by Puffin Books which deals with disabilities
Disability is the experience of any condition that makes it more difficult for a person to do certain activities or have equitable acc ...
'' (28 April 1997) and ''Open Sesame'' (June 2000), before disbanding in 2001.
They were nominated for three
ARIA Award
The Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards (commonly known informally as ARIA Music Awards, ARIA Awards, or simply the ARIAs) is an annual series of awards nights celebrating the Australian music industry, put on by the Austr ...
s at the
1997 awards
File:1997 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The movie set of '' Titanic'', the highest-grossing movie in history at the time; '' Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'', is published; Comet Hale-Bopp passes by Earth and becomes one ...
with their album ''Angel Blood'' and single "
Even When I'm Sleeping". "Even When I'm Sleeping" was voted "Song of the Year" at the
APRA Music Awards of 1998
The Australasian Performing Right Association Awards of 1998 (generally known as APRA Awards) are a series of awards held in May 1998. The APRA Music Awards were presented by Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) and the Australasian ...
. In March 2013, Leonardo's Bride reformed to perform at the
Byron Bay Bluesfest
The Byron Bay Bluesfest, formerly the East Coast International Blues & Roots Music Festival, is an annual Australian music festival that has been held over the Easter long weekend in the Byron Bay, New South Wales, area since 1990. The festiva ...
for two sessions.
History
1989–1995: Formation and EPs
In 1989 two founders of Leonardo's Bride,
Abby Dobson
Abby Dobson (born 1969) is an Australian singer and musician. Dobson was the lead vocalist for the pop band Leonardo's Bride.
In 2002, Dobson recorded the song "Don't Ask For More" for ''The Secret Life of Us volume 2'' soundtrack compilation ...
on lead vocals and Dean Manning on
acoustic guitar
An acoustic guitar is a musical instrument in the string family. When a string is plucked its vibration is transmitted from the bridge, resonating throughout the top of the guitar. It is also transmitted to the side and back of the instrument, ...
performed as a duo for the first time at an
open mike
An open mic or open mike (shortened from "open microphone") is a live show at a venue such as a coffeehouse, nightclub, comedy club, strip club, or pub, usually taking place at night, in which audience members may perform on stage whether ...
night at the Crossroads Theatre in Sydney.
["Leonardo's Bride biography"](_blank)
''Leonardosbride.com''. Retrieved 2 March 2009. In March 1990 the duo began writing tracks together and then travelled around Europe and United States
busking
Street performance or busking is the act of performing in public places for gratuities. In many countries, the rewards are generally in the form of money but other gratuities such as food, drink or gifts may be given. Street performance is pra ...
and playing in clubs and bars, doing 250 shows over sixteen months.
Some of the gigs included; Sin-e in
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the U ...
, in
Paris
Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. ...
, Hen & Chickens in
London
London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...
and Zorba's bar in
Santorini
Santorini ( el, Σαντορίνη, ), officially Thira (Greek: Θήρα ) and classical Greek Thera ( English pronunciation ), is an island in the southern Aegean Sea, about 200 km (120 mi) southeast from the Greek mainland. It is th ...
,
Greece
Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders wit ...
. A New York performance was described as "all acoustic, mostly original and startlingly beautiful. A typical set is a blend of folk ballads with strong harmonies, upbeat pop with a faint rock edge, and standards from around the world".
In 1992 they formed the folk-pop band in Sydney with Dobson on vocals and guitar; Manning on
guitar
The guitar is a fretted musical instrument that typically has six strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming or plucking the strings with the dominant hand, while simultaneously pressing selected string ...
,
bouzouki
The bouzouki (, also ; el, μπουζούκι ; alt. pl. ''bouzoukia'', from Greek ), also spelled buzuki or buzuci, is a musical instrument popular in Greece. It is a member of the long-necked lute family, with a round body with a flat top and ...
and vocals; Alex Hewetson on
double bass
The double bass (), also known simply as the bass () (or #Terminology, by other names), is the largest and lowest-pitched Bow (music), bowed (or plucked) string instrument in the modern orchestra, symphony orchestra (excluding unorthodox addit ...
and Antero Ceschin on
drums
A drum kit (also called a drum set, trap set, or simply drums) is a collection of drums, cymbals, and other auxiliary percussion instruments set up to be played by one person. The player (drummer) typically holds a pair of matching drumsticks ...
.
In 1993 they independently released their first extended play, ''Leonardo's Bride'', with four tracks.
The self-titled track provided the band's name based on
Leonardo da Vinci
Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci (15 April 14522 May 1519) was an Italian polymath of the High Renaissance who was active as a painter, Drawing, draughtsman, engineer, scientist, theorist, sculptor, and architect. While his fame initially re ...
.
''
Drum Media
''The Music'', (formerly known as and now incorporating ''Drum Media)'', is an online Australian music magazine. It previously existed as a street press devoted to long-form music journalism and commentary, music news, and artist interviews. In ...
''s
Craig Mathieson
Craig Mathieson (born 1971) is an Australian music journalist and writer. His books include, '' Hi Fi Days'' (1996), '' The Sell-In'' in (2000) and the 100 Best Australian Albums in 2010, with Toby Creswell and John O'Donnell
Biography
Craig ...
felt the track "is spangly acoustic pop. Abby Dobson arcing her voice over luminous acoustic guitar. It sets a holding pattern they adhere to".
Late that year Mark Howard replaced Hewetson on bass guitar and David Sanders replaced Ceschin on drums.
They added John Gauci on keyboards and Hammond organ.
By 1994 the line-up of Dobson, Manning, and Gauci were joined by Patrick Wong (aka Patrick Hyndes) on bass guitar and Jon Howell on drums.
In October 1994 they issued their second EP, ''Temperamental Friend'', on
PolyGram
PolyGram N.V. was a multinational entertainment company and major music record label formerly based in the Netherlands. It was founded in 1962 as the Grammophon-Philips Group by Dutch corporation Philips and German corporation Siemens, to be ...
's label Id.
James Mayson of ''Drum Media'' felt they "drive a fairly quirky acoustic highway and manage to pick up some strange hitchhikers on the way ...
hey
Hey or Hey! may refer to:
Music
* Hey (band), a Polish rock band
Albums
* ''Hey'' (Andreas Bourani album) or the title song (see below), 2014
* ''Hey!'' (Julio Iglesias album) or the title song, 1980
* ''Hey!'' (Jullie album) or the title s ...
ride a carousel of emotions".
In 1995 they toured supporting
The Badloves
The Badloves are an Australian R&B, soul band that formed as DC3 in 1990 by founding mainstay member Michael Spiby on guitar and lead vocals. They changed their name after a year. Their debut studio album, '' Get on Board'', was issued in July ...
in Australia and Big Geraniums in
Ireland
Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...
.
1996–1998: ''Angel Blood''
In 1996 Leonardo's Bride signed with
Mushroom Records
Mushroom Records was an Australian flagship record label, founded in 1972 in Melbourne. It published and distributed many successful Australian artists and expanded internationally, until it was merged with Festival Records in 1998. Festival M ...
and started recording their debut album, ''
Angel Blood
''Angel Blood'' is a 2006 book by John Singleton published by Puffin Books which deals with disabilities
Disability is the experience of any condition that makes it more difficult for a person to do certain activities or have equitable acc ...
'', with
Justin Stanley
Justin Stanley is an Australian musician, producer and songwriter.
He has worked with an eclectic range of musicians including Beck, Prince, Jimmy Cliff, Leonard Cohen, Paul McCartney and Snoop Dogg.
Some of the artists Stanley had produced, in ...
(
Noiseworks
Noiseworks are an Australian hard rock band formed in Sydney in 1986 with bass guitarist Steve Balbi, guitarist Stuart Fraser, drummer Kevin Nicol, keyboardist Justin Stanley and lead vocalist Jon Stevens. They had four Australian Top 10 al ...
) producing.
The album's first single, "So Brand New", appeared late that year. On 28 April 1997 the album was released, which reached No. 25 on the
ARIA Albums Chart
The ARIA Charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling songs and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA became the offici ...
.
Australian rock music historian,
Ian McFarlane
Ian McFarlane (born 1959) is an Australian music journalist, music historian and author, whose best known publication is the ''Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and Pop'' (1999), which was updated for a second edition in 2017.
As a journalist h ...
, felt it featured "breezy and plaintive folksy acoustic guitar-pop with 1960s pop balladry and jazzy inflections, it was all topped off by Dobson’s sweet and husky vocals".
At the
ARIA Music Awards of 1997
The 11th Annual Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards (generally known as the ARIA Music Awards) were held on 22 September 1997 at the Capitol Theatre in Sydney. The event was hosted by Australian actor–comedian Paul McD ...
it was nominated for 'Breakthrough Artist – Album' and 'Best Cover Art' by Simon Anderson and Manning.
Their second single, "
Even When I'm Sleeping", was issued in June 1997, which peaked at No. 4 on the ARIA Singles Chart.
[Peaks in Australia:
* All except noted:
* ''Open Sesame'': ] The single was certified
gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au (from la, aurum) and atomic number 79. This makes it one of the higher atomic number elements that occur naturally. It is a bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile ...
by ARIA for shipment of 35,000 units.
It was nominated for 'Single of the Year' at the
ARIA Music Awards of 1997
The 11th Annual Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards (generally known as the ARIA Music Awards) were held on 22 September 1997 at the Capitol Theatre in Sydney. The event was hosted by Australian actor–comedian Paul McD ...
.
[ The track, written by Manning,] won 'Song of the Year' and 'Most Performed Australian Work' at the APRA Music Awards of 1998
The Australasian Performing Right Association Awards of 1998 (generally known as APRA Awards) are a series of awards held in May 1998. The APRA Music Awards were presented by Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) and the Australasian ...
. "Buddha Baby" was the last single released from the album and peaked in the Top 40. 1997 also saw the band tour with Everything but the Girl
Everything but the Girl (occasionally referred to as EBTG) are an English musical duo formed in Kingston upon Hull in 1982, consisting of lead singer and occasional guitarist Tracey Thorn and guitarist, keyboardist, producer and singer Ben Wa ...
in Australia.
In April 1998 Leonardo's Bride provided a cover version of "This Girl's in Love with You
''This Girl's in Love with You'' is the sixteenth studio album by American singer Aretha Franklin, released on January 15, 1970 by Atlantic Records. It reached '' Billboard''s Top 20 and was reissued on compact disc through Rhino Records in 19 ...
" for the various artists' tribute album, ''To Hal and Bacharach
''To Hal and Bacharach'' is a 1998 tribute album featuring songs written by Hal David and Burt Bacharach covered by Australian artists. The idea, developed by Kurt Luthy, Christa Mitchell and Melissa Whebell, was to have a number of Australian pe ...
''. By that time Gauci had left due to the "constant pressure". In October 1998 ''Angel Blood
''Angel Blood'' is a 2006 book by John Singleton published by Puffin Books which deals with disabilities
Disability is the experience of any condition that makes it more difficult for a person to do certain activities or have equitable acc ...
'' was issued in the United States. By November the band had toured the United Kingdom and returned to Australia to appear at the Mushroom 25 Live
''Mushroom 25 Live'' is a live album, video and DVD by various Australian musicians and was recorded at the Mushroom 25 Concert held on Saturday 14 November 1998, at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. From the early afternoon until late at night for t ...
concert, with their live performance of "Even When I'm Sleeping" appearing on the associated live and video albums by various Mushroom Records artists. They followed in December with a short tour supporting Neil Finn
Neil Mullane Finn (born 27 May 1958) is a New Zealand singer-songwriter and musician who is known for being a member of Crowded House, Split Enz (which he co-fronted with brother Tim), and Fleetwood Mac. Finn rose to prominence in the late ...
.
1999–2001: ''Open Sesame'' and split
During 1999 Leonardo's Bride recorded their second album, ''Open Sesame'', with Justin Stanley, James Cadsky (Ghostwriters
A ghostwriter is hired to write literary or journalistic works, speeches, or other texts that are officially credited to another person as the author. Celebrities, executives, participants in timely news stories, and political leaders often h ...
) and the band co-producing. In April 2000 its first single, "Sonic," appeared, which McFarlane described as "another excellent and vibrant folksy pop song." In June the album was issued but did not reach the top 50. In October it was released in the US. In May 2001 "Even When I'm Sleeping", was selected by Australasian Performing Right Association
APRA AMCOS consists of Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) and Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society (AMCOS), both copyright management organisations or copyright collectives which jointly represent over 100,000 songwr ...
(APRA) as one of the Top 30 Australian songs of all time. Leonardo's Bride disbanded in 2001 after a show in Johor Bahru, Malaysia. Two live tracks performed at Sydney's The Basement appear on ''A Night out... - Live at the Basement'' (2001) by various artists.
Dobson later described the band's time together " was a long association, but it's difficult to keep growing in a band. It's a huge relationship" and her poor health " the time Leonardo's Bride disbanded, I had developed rheumatoid arthritis and chronic fatigue syndrome."
2002-present: Afterwards
Following the split, Dobson collaborated with Paul Mac
Paul Francis McDermott (born 17 September 1965), who performs as Paul Mac, is an Australian electropop musician, singer-songwriter, producer and music re-mixer. He was classically trained at Sydney Conservatorium of Music. Mac has formed variou ...
on his album ''3000 Feet High
''3000 Feet High'' is the debut studio album by Australian singer-songwriter and music producer Paul Mac. It was released in August 2001 and peaked at No. 29 in Australia. It was nominated for three ARIA Music Awards and won one.
Reception
In t ...
''. In 2002, Dobson had started her solo career, releasing the single, "Don't Ask for More," which displayed a more radio-friendly sound. The song was featured on ''The Secret Life of Us
''The Secret Life of Us'' is an Australian television drama series set in the beachside neighbourhood of St Kilda, a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It is primarily a drama with some comedic moments. The series was produced by South ...
volume 2,'' released through Liberation Music
Liberation Music is an Australian record company and label, started in 1999 by Michael Gudinski and Warren Costello, based in Melbourne. Its stated aim is to find, nurture and then to develop new talent for a world market while remaining ind ...
. In late 2007, Dobson released her first solo album, ''Rise Up'', preceded by its first single, "Shining Star."
Dean Manning released his first solo album, ''Diplomatic'', in 2003, and then formed Holidays on Ice with Angie Hart
Angela Ruth Hart (born 8 March 1972), billed as Angie Hart, is an Australian pop singer best known for her role as lead vocalist in the alternative pop rock band Frente! and the indie pop duo Splendid with her then husband Jesse Tobias. Hart ...
(ex-Frente!
Frente! (or Frente) were an Australian folk-pop and indie pop group which originally formed in 1989. The original line-up consisted of Simon Austin on guitar and backing vocals, Angie Hart on lead vocals, Tim O'Connor on bass guitar (later re ...
) on lead vocals. They have released 3 albums - ''Playing Boyfriends & Girlfriends'' (2005), ''Pillage Before Plunder'' (2009) and ''The Luxury of Wasted Space'' (2014). Manning, who had co-created Leonardo's Bride's album covers, regularly exhibits his paintings. Jon Howell formed a blues outfit, Chase the Sun, which released their self-titled debut album in 2009. Patrick Wong went on to study Chinese medicine and acupuncture, and practices in Newcastle Newcastle usually refers to:
*Newcastle upon Tyne, a city and metropolitan borough in Tyne and Wear, England
*Newcastle-under-Lyme, a town in Staffordshire, England
*Newcastle, New South Wales, a metropolitan area in Australia, named after Newcastle ...
.
In January 2013 Leonardo's Bride announced that they would to perform at the Byron Bay Bluesfest
The Byron Bay Bluesfest, formerly the East Coast International Blues & Roots Music Festival, is an annual Australian music festival that has been held over the Easter long weekend in the Byron Bay, New South Wales, area since 1990. The festiva ...
for two sessions during Easter.
In 2013 Dobson auditioned for Season 2 Season 2 may refer to:
* ''Season 2'' (Infinite album)
* '' 2econd Season''
See also
*
{{disambig ...
of ''The Voice (Australia)
''The Voice'' is an Australian singing competition television series. It premiered on the Nine Network on 14 April 2012, before moving to the Seven Network in 2021. Based on the original ''The Voice of Holland'', and part of ''The Voice '' ...
'' but was unsuccessful. In the audition, judge Delta Goodrem
Delta Lea Goodrem AM (born November 9, 1984) is an Australian singer, songwriter, and actress. Goodrem signed to Sony Music at the age of 15. Her debut album, '' Innocent Eyes'' (2003), topped the ARIA Albums Chart for 29 non-consecutive wee ...
failed to recognise either Dobson or the band's hit "Even When I'm Sleeping."
Discography
Albums
Extended plays
Singles
Awards and nominations
ARIA Awards
APRA Awards
References
{{Authority control
APRA Award winners
Australian pop rock groups
Musical groups established in 1992
Musical groups disestablished in 2001
New South Wales musical groups