Lead singer of Powderfinger records alt.country album with awesome name

I really like that first Powderfinger record for some good rock n roll. I am intrigued.

Wow. I'm surprised he got a US release (and a bit of decent promo by the sounds of it).

This album's been huge over here for a while. But with him and Powderfinger being so omnipresent for so long here I can't stand hearing any of it anymore. I do know, however, that I hate 'Wish You Well', which was the first single from the solo album and inescapable for ages.

Loogar, which Powderfinger album are you referring to? Parables for Wooden Ears (I doubt it cos it barely sold anything here) or Double Allergic? I like Internationalist too, but it's not really in the same vein as either of those other two

Odyssey Number 5, which probably isn't their first album, but i think it was the first in the US.

always liked Powderfinger... haven't heard anything past Odyssey No. 5 though.

oh, right. I was actually wondering how you got your hands on the other ones.

I remember liking that one ok, but didn't listen to it all that much cos the media overkill was getting to be a bit too much. I think the one after that, Vulture Street, takes a bit more of a rockier direction, but I've only heard the singles from it.

You're the second person from overseas with broadly 'indie' (yeah I hate that description too) tastes I've heard this week praising/being interested in Bernard's album. Maybe I should find a cheap copy and give it a proper chance.

amgl should have a bit more of an opinion too seeing as Powderfinger are a Brisbane band.

I've heard Vulture Street and it is a bit rockier than Odyssey. I was just caught by the name on the Lost Highway website, and then the fact that its the dude from Powderfinger makes it all the more intriguing.

Cool. If you end up hearing it let me know what you think.

Even though I've gone off them a bit - and have just realised that I haven't ripped any of their albums to the mp3 player so my copies are 5 hours away - it's still good to see a local act that hasn't had a massive hype machine, like Wolfmother and Jet, getting good support when they release stuff in the US. If they're on a major they usually get screwed around pretty badly - case in point being You Am I in the 90s who coulda been huge on college radio

Powderfinger are much loathed 'round these parts of Brisbanetown by those in the in-crowd. It's mostly jealousy, though.

Used to listen to them a little bit when i was about 10 or 11. I don't mind them, but then again i wouldn't buy one of their records any more. What can i say, they're stalwarts in the mainstream Aussie rock scene, they can write a decent rock song, and have been around for a long while now...but I'll take You Am I anyday.

Also Loogs, the album is called "Tea & Sympathy", not "Tea & Symphony".

I've only heard the singles from Bernie's solo album, and it's just not my thing. Probably better than most of the shit they play on the radio these days, but i'll leave it for now.

I've also always been fascinated with how they never cracked the US market, while over here, they're way bigger than the Vines or Wolfmother or Fosters Beer or any other shit we send over your way. Is it because Americans aren't into 'that sound' or just because there was no major label support? But yeah, they're a good band (just not my thing), check 'em out.

Have you read The Sell-In by Craig Mathieson (used to write for Juice)? It only goes up to '97 or '98 so doesn't really cover Powderfinger going supernova, but it has a very interesting take on why You Am I never broke though in the US - basically the guys at rooART making distro deals to improve their own prestige that effectively cut You Am I off from having a proper US release with promotion and tour support for both Hourly Daily and Hi-Fi Way. Damn shame really.

Oh, and atm I'm reading another interesting book - Pig City about how the Brisbane scene developed under Bjelke-Peterson. Definitely an eye-opener about the political and police shenanigans in the 70s and 80s. I knew it wasn't good, but wow

Haha i'm reading Pig City at the moment too...

Haven't read The Sell-In though...sounds interesting.