Sire Records is an American record label, owned by Warner Music Group and distributed by Warner Bros. Records.

Label history[link]

Beginnings[link]

The label was founded in 1966 as Sire Productions by Seymour Stein and Richard Gottehrer, each investing ten thousand dollars into the new company.^[1] Its early releases as a record label were issued in 1968, distributed by London Records. From the beginning, Sire introduced underground, progressive British bands to the American market. Early releases included the Climax Blues Band, Barclay James Harvest, Tomorrow, Matthews Southern Comfort and proto-punks The Deviants. The label was distributed by Polydor Records from 1970 until 1971, during which time the now-famous logo was introduced, and then by Famous Music from 1972 to 1974, during which the progressive rock band Focus charted with their 1972 hit "Hocus Pocus". In the seventies, Sire released a number of compilation LPs, including the 3 volume "History Of British Rock" series, and diverse artists such as The Turtles, Duane Eddy, The Small Faces and Del Shannon. ABC Records inherited Sire's distribution contract when it acquired Famous Music in 1974. The UK signing policy was vindicated when Climax Blues Band scored a Top 40 hit in 1977 with "Couldn't Get It Right". Also in 1977 Stein, who had worked with the group in the 1960s, convinced the Shangri-Las to reform and return to the studio. But the trio was unhappy with the quality of material it recorded, and the trio opted out of its contract. Those tracks have yet to be released.

Acquisition by Warner[link]

In the later 1970s, Sire transformed itself into a successful independent record label and went on to sign artists from the burgeoning punk rock and new wave scenes, including the Ramones, the Dead Boys, The Undertones and Talking Heads. Sire switched distribution to Warner Bros. Records in 1977; in 1978, Warner would acquire Sire Records. During the 1980s, Sire achieved mainstream status after having launched the recording careers of Madonna (its biggest act), Ice-T, Depeche Mode, Echo & the Bunnymen, The Pretenders and The Cure in North America. Into the 1990s, the label had continued success with Seal, k.d. lang, Tommy Page and Ministry.

In 1994, Sire switched distribution from Warner Bros. Records to sister label Elektra Records (also part of parent company Warner Music). Stein had been appointed president of Elektra Records under Elektra's newly appointed CEO Sylvia Rhone. Sire later left Elektra in 1997, becoming a stand-alone label, and, in 2000, Sire and the US division of London Records (not London Classics USA) were merged to become London-Sire Records. This partnership dissolved in April 2003, at which point the company went back to being called Sire Records, and it returned to distribution with Warner Bros. Records again. Currently, it signs newcomers like the Ready Set and Lights.

In 2009, official music videos displayed on the Sire Records Web site^[2] were taken down^[3] because of a copyright claim by parent Warner Music Group, after royalty negotiations between WMG and YouTube (which Sire had been using to host the videos) broke down in December 2008. Although an agreement was made in September 2009 and the videos returned, users have to view the WMG videos within YouTube itself, as embedding codes for them have been disabled.

Current artists[link]

• Avenged Sevenfold
• Blu
• D.R.U.G.S.
• Foxy Shazam
• Eric Hutchinson
• Jack's Mannequin
• Lights
• The Maine
• Mastodon
• Meg & Dia
• Mêlée
• My Chemical Romance
• Never Shout Never
• The Ready Set
• Ximena Sarinana
• Regina Spektor
• The Spill Canvas
• Taking Back Sunday
• Serj Tankian
• Evan Taubenfeld
• Tegan and Sara
• The Veronicas

See also[link]

• List of record labels

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official website
• Sire album discography from BSN Pubs
• Discogs profile

Seymour Stein (born 1942 in Brooklyn, New York) is an entrepreneur in the music industry who has been a part of the business since getting his first job as a clerk for Billboard magazine in 1958. Stein is a vice president of Warner Bros. Records and a co-founder of Sire Records.

Music career[link]

In 1966 Stein and record producer Richard Gottehrer founded Sire Productions, which led to the formation of Sire Records, the label under which he signed pioneer artists such as the Ramones and Talking Heads in 1975, the Pretenders in 1980 and Madonna in 1982. Other acts signed by Sire include Depeche Mode, The Smiths, Ice-T, The Undertones and Echo & the Bunnymen.

Such was Stein's influence in signing and promoting the "New Wave" genre of music that he is sometimes credited with coming up with the name as an alternative to the term "punk", which he found derogative. The term had previously been used to refer to the French New Wave film movement of the 1960s.

To date, Stein remains the President of Sire Records and is also Vice President of Warner Bros. Records with which he has had a marketing and distribution deal from 1976 to 1994 and again since April 2003. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on March 14, 2005, under the lifetime-achievement category.

Seymour Stein was formerly married to the late music promoter and real estate executive Linda Stein; together, the couple had two daughters before they divorced, on amicable terms, in the late 1970s.

Stein has never remarried.

This biographical section of an article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (March 2010)

Legacy[link]

• Seymour Stein is the subject of an eponymous song by the Scottish musical group Belle and Sebastian.
• He was the winner of a Lifetime Achievement Award at the International Dance Music Awards in 2010.

See also[link]

• Sire Records
• Sire Records artists
• "New Wave"

External links[link]

• Biography by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
• Interview with Seymour Stein - The Citizen (South Africa), 17 August 2006
• Seymour Stein biography at allmusic.com
• Seymour Stein lyrics (Sung By Belle and Sebastian) - at belleandsebastian.com
• Interview with Seymour Stein by Terry Gross of Fresh Air, 15 October 2009

Tegan and Sara
Tegan and Sara performing at the 2010 Polaris Music Prize Ceremony
Background information
Origin	Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Genres	Indie rock, new wave[1], indie pop, indie folk
Years active	1995 (1995)–present
Labels	Vapor, Sanctuary, Sire
Website	teganandsara.com
Members
Tegan Quin Sara Quin

Tegan and Sara are a Canadian indie band^[1] formed in 1995^[2][3] in Calgary. Composed of identical twin sisters Tegan Rain Quin and Sara Keirsten Quin^[4] (born September 19, 1980). Both Tegan and Sara play guitar and keyboard and write their songs.^[5]

History[link]

The duo has toured internationally—they're seen here in San Diego in the United States

Tegan and Sara Quin were born September 19, 1980 in Calgary, Alberta. They began playing guitar and writing songs at age 15.^[3] They initially played as Plunk without a drummer or bass player. In 1997, they used their school’s recording studio to record two demo albums: Who's in Your Band? and Play Day. In 1998, they won Calgary's Garage Warz competition, using the studio time they won to record their first professional demo, Yellow tape, which was followed by Orange tape and Red tape.

Two songs from Red tape appeared on their first album, Under Feet Like Ours, which they released independently in 1999 under the name "Sara and Tegan". They later changed their name to "Tegan and Sara" because it was easier to pronounce^[6] and reprinted the album using that name. They also wanted their name to stand out amongst the other 'Sara' musicians at the time such as Sarah McLachlan and Sarah Slean. Tegan was easier to remember.^{[citation needed]} Neil Young's manager signed them to Young's Vapor Records label, and they released This Business of Art through Vapor in 2000. They have toured extensively since then.

In 2002, the band released their third album If It Was You. Their fourth album, So Jealous, was released in 2004 and led to wider success. This album was released through both Vapor and Sanctuary. One track on the album, "Walking with a Ghost", was covered by The White Stripes, who released it on their Walking with a Ghost EP.^[7]

Their 2007 album, The Con, was released by Vapor and Sire because Sanctuary chose to no longer release new music in the United States. The album was co-produced by Chris Walla. Jason McGerr of Death Cab for Cutie, Matt Sharp of The Rentals and previously Weezer, Hunter Burgan of AFI, and Kaki King all appear on the album.^[8]

On October 27, 2009, Tegan and Sara released their sixth album Sainthood, produced by Chris Walla and Howard Redekopp, as well as a three-volume book set titled ON, IN, AT, which is a collection of stories, essays, journals, and photos of the band on tour in America in the fall of 2008, writing together in New Orleans, and touring Australia. The photographs in the book are by Lindsey Byrnes and Ryan Russell.^[9] While recording Sainthood, Tegan and Sara spent a week writing songs together in New Orleans. The song "Paperback Head" appeared on the album, making it the first song on any Tegan and Sara album that they wrote together.^[10] Spin magazine gave Sainthood four out of five stars and wrote, "Tegan and Sara's music may no longer be the stuff of teens, but its strength remains in how much it feels like two people talking."^[11]

In 2011, they launched 2011: A Merch Odyssey, which sees the launch of at least one new item in the official online stores every month, all year long. A live CD/DVD combination package titled Get Along was released on November 15 and contains three films titled 'States', 'India' and 'For The Most Part'.

Tegan and Sara stated on their website that they would start recording their seventh studio album on February 20, 2012.

Tegan and Sara's seventh record is being produced by three different producers. So far the band has announced via twitter and their weekly youtube show that they have been recording six songs with Producer Greg Kurstin, Joey Waronker has contributed drums to these six songs and Sia stopped by the studio to contribute vocals to a song. Four more songs are being produced by Mike Elizondo, with Victor Indrizzo contributing drums, Josh Lopez contributing guitar and Dave Palmer contributing piano/keyboards.

Personal lives[link]

Both twins are openly gay.^[12] Tegan lives in Vancouver, BC and Los Angeles, CA. Sara lives in Montreal, QC and New York, NY.^[5]

Touring[link]

Tegan and Sara being interviewed at the 2005 Coachella.

Tegan and Sara began touring after graduating from high school in 1998, traveling by car or Greyhound bus.^[13] In 2000, they toured with Neil Young and The Pretenders. Other notable touring mates include Ryan Adams, Ben Folds, Gogol Bordello, Cake, City and Colour, Communiqué, Death Cab for Cutie, Hot Hot Heat, Kadawatha, The Killers, New Found Glory, Paramore, Rufus Wainwright, and Weezer.

Their onstage banter, including stories and commentary about their childhood, politics, and life on the road, has become an indispensable part of their live shows.

They have performed at festivals including Sarah McLachlan's Lilith Fair 1999, Coachella, Lollapalooza, SXSW 2005, Austin City Limits, Bonnaroo, Falls Festival, Sasquatch!, Cyndi Lauper's True Colors Tour 2008; Southbound 2009, Glastonbury, Lilith Fair, Sasquatch! 2010,Winnipeg Folk Festival 2011,^[14] Newport Folk Festival 2011,Sasktel Saskatchewan Jazz Fest 2011, and Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest 2011.

In December 2010, Tegan and Sara supported Jack Johnson in New Zealand and Australia.

Other work[link]

In 2009, both Tegan and Sara worked as producers for the first time. Tegan worked with char2d2 on the 2009 Small Vampires EP, while Sara worked on 2010 debut albums for Fences and Hesta Prynn.^[15]

Collaborations[link]

Sara singing and playing guitar

Tegan sang backing vocals on Rachael Cantu's "Saturday" from her Run All Night album, and in 2007 sang in Against Me!'s song "Borne on the FM Waves of the Heart." Sara sang in The Reason's song "We're So Beyond This", as well as appearing in the music video.

In April 2008, Tegan wrote and recorded a song titled "His Love" at the request of Augusten Burroughs as a contribution to the audio version of his book A Wolf at the Table. The two headlined Spin's September 2008 Liner Notes benefit for Housing Works, a New York non-profit.^[16]

In addition to their own set, Tegan and Sara performed with DJ Tiësto during the Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival on June 13, 2008. Tegan and Sara appeared as guests, providing live vocals for Tiësto's remix of "Back in Your Head".^[17] Tegan and Sara also collaborated with Tiësto on the song "Feel It in My Bones" from his 2009 album Kaleidoscope and appeared in the music video for this song.

Tegan and Sara are featured on Margaret Cho's 2009 album Cho Dependent on the track "Intervention". They are also featured in Margaret's video for the song.

Tegan and Sara released an "Alligator" remix album on iTunes in 2010. Contributors included Doveman, Four Tet, Passion Pit, Ra Ra Riot, and VHS or Beta.

Sara is featured on rapper/songwriter/producer Theophilus London's track "Why Even Try" from his 2011 Lover's Holiday EP.

Both Tegan and Sara appear in Sara Bareilles' star-studded music video for her song "Uncharted". The video premiered in March 2011 and also features, amongst others, Josh Groban, Laura Jansen, Ingrid Michaelson, Pharell Williams, Adam Levine, Ben Folds, Keenan Cahill, Jennifer Nettles, and Vanessa Carlton.

Tegan sings with Jim Ward on his "Broken Songs."

Sara appeared on Jonathan Coulton's 2011 album Artificial Heart, providing vocals for the album's remake of the song Coulton wrote for Valve's game Portal, "Still Alive".

NOFX's song "Creeping Out Sara" is about the two sisters. During a live Q&A when asked what they thought of the song Sara answered, 'The song is called "Creeping Out Sara"; I am Sara, and I was creeped out.'

Sara appears in Kaki King's music video for "Pull Me out Alive."

Tegan sang on "Contrails" by rapper Astronautalis on his 2011 album This Is Our Science. She also appears in the music video.

Both Tegan and Sara perform in "Body Work" and "Video" on Morgan Page's 2012 album In the Air. They also appear in the music video for "Body Work".

Television and film[link]

Tegan and Sara have appeared on American, Canadian, and European television shows, including Jimmy Kimmel Live (2005), Jonovision, The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn (2004), Late Night with Conan O'Brien (2005, 2007, 2009), The Late Show with David Letterman (2000, 2008), The NewMusic, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (2008), and ZeD.^[14]

Tegan and Sara songs have been featured in the films Monster-in-Law, Sweet November, and These Girls, and in the television shows 90210, Being Erica, Ghost Whisperer, Grey's Anatomy, The Hills, Hollyoaks, jPod, The L Word, Life Unexpected, Melrose Place (2009 series), One Tree Hill, Parenthood, Rookie Blue, Vampire Diaries, Veronica Mars, Waterloo Road (2011) and What's New, Scooby-Doo?.

In 2006, Tegan and Sara performed in The L Word episode "Last Dance" (season 3, episode 11). In 2008, they appeared on the kids music television show Pancake Mountain where they acted in a skit and performed their songs "Back in Your Head", "Hop a Plane", and an acoustic version of "Walking with a Ghost".^[20] In 2010, they appeared on CBC's Mamma Yamma, revising their single "Alligator" into a children's song.

In 2011, Sara Quin was a panelist on Canada Reads defending Jeff Lemire's graphic novel Essex County. The book, the first graphic novel to be featured as part of Canada Reads, was voted off after the first round.

Band members[link]

Tegan Quin at a concert in Detroit, Michigan

• Tegan Quin – vocals, guitar, keyboards
• Sara Quin – vocals, guitar, keyboards

Backing musicians

• Ted Gowans – guitar, keyboards

Former backing musicians

• Johnny "Five" Andrews – drums
• Shaun Huberts – bass guitar
• Dan Kelly – bass guitar
• Chris Carlson – bass guitar
• Rob Chursinoff – drums

Discography[link]

	Book: Tegan and Sara
Wikipedia books are collections of articles that can be downloaded or ordered in print.

• Under Feet Like Ours (1999)
• This Business of Art (2000)
• If It Was You (2002)
• So Jealous (2004)
• The Con (2007)
• Sainthood (2009)
• Get Along - (Live Album/DVD) (2011)

Awards and nominations[link]

References[link]

Citations

External links[link]

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Tegan and Sara

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Tegan and Sara

• Tegan and Sara Official website
• Tegan and Sara's channel on YouTube

Against Me!
Left to right: Seward, Weinberg, Gabel, and Bowman in 2011
Background information
Origin	Naples, Florida, United States
Genres	Punk rock
Years active	1997–present
Labels	Misanthrope, Crasshole, Plan-It-X, No Idea, Sabot, Fat Wreck Chords, Sire, Total Treble
Associated acts	Hot Water Music, The Draft, Forgetters
Website	againstme.net
Members
Tom Gabel Andrew Seward James Bowman Jay Weinberg
Past members
Kevin Mahon Dustin Fridkin Warren Oakes George Rebelo

Against Me! is an American punk rock band formed in Naples, Florida in 1997 by singer and guitarist Tom Gabel. Since 2002 the band's lineup has also included guitarist James Bowman and bassist Andrew Seward; current drummer Jay Weinberg joined in 2010. After releasing three studio albums through independent record labels, Against Me! moved to Sire Records for 2007's New Wave, which reached no. 57 on the Billboard 200. Their fifth and most recent album, 2010's White Crosses, was their most successful, reaching no. 34. In 2011 the band launched their own record label, Total Treble Music, through which they plan to release future albums. In 2012 Gabel publicly came out as transgender, with plans to begin a medical process to live as a woman and eventually take the name Laura Jane Grace while continuing to front Against Me!. The first album expected to feature Laura Jane Grace as frontwoman is Transgender Dysphoria Blues.^[1]

Biography[link]

[edit] 1997–2002: Formation and Reinventing Axl Rose

Against Me! was formed in 1997 by singer/guitarist Tom Gabel as a solo act, occasionally performing with backing musicians. The first Against Me! release was an eponymously-titled 1997 cassette demo. With the addition of drummer Kevin Mahon, a second demo, Vivida Vis! (1998), was released in limited numbers by Misanthrope Records. The band's first EP, Against Me!, was released in 2000 through Crasshole Records. Their first widely-distributed release was the EP Crime as Forgiven by Against Me! (2001), released by Plan-It-X Records and Gabel's own Sabot Productions. A third EP, an eponymously-titled acoustic recording by Gabel and bassist Dustin Fridkin, was released later that year.

Mahon left the band and was replaced by Warren Oakes, and second guitarist James Bowman was added for the band's first album, 2002's Against Me! Is Reinventing Axl Rose, released by No Idea Records. Fridkin left and was replaced by Andrew Seward, and this lineup released the single "The Disco Before the Breakdown" (2002).

[edit] 2003–05: As the Eternal Cowboy and Searching for a Former Clarity

Against Me! signed to Fat Wreck Chords and released their second album, 2003's Against Me! as the Eternal Cowboy. It reached no. 36 on Billboard's Top Independent Albums chart and was supported by singles for "Cavalier Eternal" and "Sink, Florida, Sink".^[2] The DVD We're Never Going Home followed, documenting their Spring 2004 tour. 2005's Searching for a Former Clarity was their first album to chart on the Billboard 200, reaching no. 114.^[3] It spawned singles for "Don't Lose Touch" and "From Her Lips to God's Ears (The Energizer)", which also became the band's first music videos. The live album Americans Abroad!!! Against Me!!! Live in London!!! followed in 2006.

[edit] 2005–10: New Wave and White Crosses

Against Me! on tour in support of New Wave

Against Me! moved to Sire Records for 2007's New Wave, produced by Butch Vig. It debuted at no. 57 on the Billboard 200 and featured their first charting single, "Thrash Unreal", which reached no. 11 on Billboard's Modern Rock Tracks chart.^[3][4] "White People for Peace", "Stop!", and "New Wave" were also released as singles, and New Wave was named as Spin's album of the year.^[5] The DVD Live at the Key Club followed later that year. In 2008 Against Me! supported Foo Fighters on a North American tour, and Sire released the digital EP New Wave B-Sides.^[6][7]

Oakes left the band in June 2009, in part to focus on running his Mexican food restaurant.^[8][9] "I didn't want to play music with Warren anymore", said Gabel, "it's been a long time coming. Warren's heart hasn't been in this for a while now."^[8] Oakes was replaced by Hot Water Music drummer George Rebelo.^[9] The following month Fat Wreck Chords released The Original Cowboy, an album of demo recordings from the Against Me! as the Eternal Cowboy sessions.^[10]

On August 17, 2009, Against Me! headed into the studio with New Wave producer Butch Vig.^[11] Their fifth studio album, White Crosses, was released on June 8, 2010.^[12] Against Me! joined Billy Talent on tour in Canada in March 2010, and also supported the Silversun Pickups during a US tour starting June 2010 .^[13] The band for this tour includes former keyboardist for The Hold Steady and World/Inferno Friendship Society, Franz Nicolay.

Against Me! released their second album with Sire, White Crosses, on June 4, 2010.^[14] The band announced the release of an EP for the song "I Was A Teenage Anarchist" to be released on April 20, 2010.^[15] However, on April 7 the EP was released on iTunes for users in the US and Canada, with the previously stated April 20 release date for those in other countries.^[16]

On September 29, 2010, just over a day before the start of their Australia/ New Zealand tour, Against Me! cancelled all of their upcoming shows, due to a "culmination of circumstances" and having "to take some time off from touring to go home and sort things out."^[17][18] November 28 saw the arrival of a new post on Gabel's blog, saying that Against Me! have cut ties with Sire.^[19]

[edit] 2010–present: Transgender Dysphoria Blues and recent activity

November 2010 saw Against Me!'s departure from Sire Records, their first (and only) major label. Following a two-month hiatus from touring, the band spoke for the first time since their tour cancellation, talking of their upcoming December 2010 shows, which saw Jay Weinberg cover for George Rebelo on drums, as he toured with Hot Water Music.^[20]

Throughout December 2010, Gabel spoke of George Rebelo's intentions to record an album with his primary band Hot Water Music.^[21] In January 2011, Weinberg was officially confirmed as Against Me!'s new drummer.^[22] Total Clarity, an album of demos and unreleased songs from the Searching for a Former Clarity sessions, was released on May 24, 2011 through Fat Wreck Chords.^[23]

Gabel has expressed his desire to release at least one album per year for the next decade^[24] and that he hopes to record Against Me!'s sixth studio album in Winter 2011.^[25] As well as this, he spoke of releasing a 7" on Sabot Productions before Summer 2011, featuring two original songs. This was announced as being Russian Spies / Occult Enemies, which was released on June 14, 2011. In the same studio session, the band recorded a cover of the theme song for a season 8 episode of One Tree Hill, which aired May 3.^[26]

On June 3, 2011 the band announced that they started their own record label, Total Treble Music.^[27] In September 2011, Gabel built a recording studio in Elkton, Florida, for future Against Me! projects.^[28] The studio has since been named Total Treble Studio.^[29] The first band to record an album in the studio are Cheap Girls from Lansing, Michigan, with their album Giant Orange.^[30][31]

Against Me! started recording their sixth studio album, entitled Transgender Dysphoria Blues^[32] in February 2012, at Total Treble Studio;^[33] the album is a concept record about a transgender prostitute.^[34]That May, Gabel publicly came out as transgender, having dealt with gender dysphoria since childhood.^[35][36] Gabel plans to transition to living as a woman by taking hormones, undergoing electrolysis treatments, and eventually taking the name Laura Jane Grace.^[35] "I felt like I drop-kicked them in the face," Gabel said of informing the other members of Against Me! "We had the most awkward hug ever, and then they left. And the second I shut the door, I was like, 'What the fuck did I just do?'"^[36] Gabel will continue fronting the band, saying "However fierce our band was in the past, imagine me, six-foot-two, in heels, fucking screaming into someone's face."^[36]

Band members[link]

Current members

• Tom Gabel – guitar, lead vocals (1997–present)
• James Bowman – guitar, vocals (2001–present)
• Andrew Seward – bass, vocals (2002–present)
• Jay Weinberg – drums, percussion (2010–present)

Former members

• Kevin Mahon – drums, percussion, vocals (1998–2001)
• Dustin Fridkin – bass, vocals (1998, 2001–2002)
• Warren Oakes – drums, percussion (2001–2009)
• George Rebelo – drums, percussion (2009–2010)

Touring members

• Franz Nicolay - piano, keyboards, accordion, vocals (2010)
• Tyson Yerex - piano, keyboards, guitar (2009–2010)
• Adam Trachsel - bass (2010)

Tom Gabel performing with Against Me! in 2009

Discography[link]

Studio albums

• Against Me! Is Reinventing Axl Rose (2002)
• Against Me! as the Eternal Cowboy (2003)
• Searching for a Former Clarity (2005)
• New Wave (2007)
• White Crosses (2010)
• Transgender Dysphoria Blues (2012)

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Against Me!

• Official website

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (December 2010)

The Mixtures were a rock band formed in Melbourne, Australia in 1965.

Biography[link]

Australian musicians Terry Dean and Rod De Clerk met in Tasmania in 1965. They then met Laurie Arthur, a member of The Strangers, and the three decided to form a band together after a jam session. They quickly signed to EMI that same year and released three singles. They went through several line-up changes over the following few years, then signed to CBS Records in 1969. A few further singles followed before transferring to Fable Records in 1970.

As a result of the 1970 radio ban, during which many Australian radio stations refused to play Australian and British music released by major labels, the Mixtures recorded a cover of Mungo Jerry's "In the Summertime" and received much more airplay than had initially been expected for a group on a small record label. The single went to #1 in Australia for six weeks. They followed up with "The Pushbike Song" (produced by David Mackay), which went to #1 in Australia for two weeks, hit #2 in the UK Singles Chart,^[1] and went to #44 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the U.S. after being released on Sire Records.

The next single, "Henry Ford", peaked at #43 in Australia. Further line-up changes ensued before "Captain Zero" went to #5 in Australia in 1971, their last big hit. The group underwent some more line-up changes including Brenton Fosdike (Guitar, vocals), John Petcovich (Drums, Vocals) and the last member to join was Keyboard Player Rob Scott. In 1978 the band travelled to Perth to do some recording and put together a new show. During this time Bass Player Chris Spooner tragically died from a fishing accident at Trigg Beach. The band only carried on for a further three months as a four piece before breaking up in early 1979. The remaining four members, Brenton, John, Rob and Peter Williams, then formed a new band with two other Australians, (Dennis Broad and Paul Reynolds) and the band was named BRIX.

Members[link]

• Laurie Arthur (guitar, vocals) 1965-67
• Greg Cook (guitar, vocals) 1970 - March 1971
• John Creech (drums, vocals) 1965-70
• Rod De Clerk (bass, vocals) 1965-67
• Buddy England (vocals) June 1969 - March 1970
• Mick Flinn (bass) 1967- May 1972
• Dennis Garcia (organ) 1967
• Mick Holden (drums) early 1971
• Gary Howard (drums) 1970-71
• Alan "Edgell" James (bass) late 1966
• Idris Jones (vocals) late 1967- June 1969; 1970; 1971
• Don Lebler (drums) April 1971 - 1976
• Chris Spooner (bass) May 1972 - 1978
• Fred Wieland (guitar) 1967
• Peter Williams (Singer, Songwriter) (vocals, guitar) 1971-79
• Brenton Fosdike (vocals, guitar)
• John Petcovich (vocals, drums)
• Rob Scott (keyboards, vocals)

Selected discography[link]

Singles[link]

• "In the Summertime" (Fable, 1971)
• "The Pushbike Song" (Fable/Summit, 1971)

Albums[link]

• The Best of the Mixtures (Fable, 1972)
• The Mixtures (Harlequin, 1974)

See also[link]

• List of artists who reached number one on the Australian singles chart
• Long Way to the Top

References[link]

External links[link]

• The Mixtures at milesago.com