Shannon Noll
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Shannon Noll | ||
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| Background information | ||
| Born | September 16, 1975 (age 31) | |
| Origin | Orange, New South Wales, Australia  |
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| Genre(s) | Pop, Rock |
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| Occupation(s) | Singer-songwriter | |
| Years active | 2003–present | |
| Label(s) | Sony BMG (2003–present) | |
| Website | Official Website | |
Shannon Noll (born 16 September 1975) is an Australian singer-songwriter. Noll first came to prominence as runner-up of the first series of Australian Idol (2003) which led to him being signed to Sony BMG. He has gone on to release two number one, multi-platinum albums, That's What I'm Talking About and Lift and numerous top five singles. Including 3 number 1 debuts and an additional 7 single releases reaching the top 10. Noll's style of music is melodic pop-rock, heavily influenced by the likes of Bryan Adams.
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[edit] Biography and music career
[edit] Early life and pre-Idol
Noll was born in the Australian town of Orange, New South Wales and grew up in the small town of Condobolin in central western New South Wales. He is the third and youngest of three children to parents Sharon and Neil Noll and along with brothers Damian and Adam, spent the entire of their childhood and teenage years living on the family farm which ran sheep and cattle and grew cereal crops. During his school years, Noll enjoyed drama classes and performed in a number of school productions. Noll has since expressed a desire to continue his acting work.
During his adult years, Noll began working on other farms and properties shearing sheep amongst other tasks. It was during this time Noll and his brothers formed the band called "Cypress" (named for the fact that they rehearsed in a timber mill), of which Shannon provided vocals and played guitar. The band played numerous small gigs around the Australian outback, playing in country pubs gaining a solid live reputation. Although the majority of songs performed by the band were cover versions of popular songs, the group enjoyed writing original music and would often perform these originals as part of their set.
Noll's father, Neil, was tragically killed during a farming accident in 2001, which led to Shannon and his brothers to take over the running of the family farm. Following the death and two years of extreme drought, the brothers sold the farm and settled in Condobolin with their mother. Shannon often cites the death of his father as a major inspiration in his musical career, and has penned a song on his latest album Lift titled "Now I Run" in memorium of his late father.
Noll and his now wife, Rochelle Ogsten began their relationship in 1997 welcoming the arrival of sons Cody in 2001 and Blake in 2002. The pair wed in October 2004 and daughter Sienna arrived in 2006.
[edit] Australian Idol
By 2003, Noll was in debt and out of work following the sale of his family farm due to extreme drought. It was his brothers who encouraged him to travel to Sydney and audition for the 2003 debut season of "Australian Idol". Noll impressed the judges Mark Holden, Marcia Hines and Ian Dickson with his audition in which he performed the Southern Sons' classic "Hold Me In Your Arms". After his audition, Marcia Hines praised Shannon and told him that she had just discovered "a voice" and Ian Dickson informed Shannon that "...Australia will love you"
Following his initial audition, Noll made his way into the Top 32 semi-final where he performed a rendition of Robbie Williams' hit "Better Man", which impressed the viewing audience enough to vote Noll in as part of the Top 12. Over the 8 weeks of performance shows, Noll found himself in the bottom 3 only once, following his performance of Bon Jovi's "Livin' On A Prayer" during The 80's theme night. Throughout the show, Noll impressed both the judges and audience with performances of songs as diverse as Powderfinger's "Already Gone", to The Beatles "Hey Jude" to Jimmy Barnes "Working Class Man".
During the 2003 Australian Idol series finals, Noll sang:
- Top 32 Semi-final - "Better Man" (Robbie Williams)
- Top 12 The 1970s - "Help Is On Its Way" (Little River Band)
- Top 10 #1 Hits - "What About Me" (Moving Pictures)
- Top 8 Australian Hits - "Already Gone" (Powderfinger)
- Top 6 The 1980s - "Livin' on a Prayer" (Bon Jovi)
- Up Close & Personal - "With or Without You" (U2)
- Top 5 R&B/Soul - "Higher and Higher" (Jackie Wilson)
- Top 5 R&B/Soul - "When A Man Loves A Woman" (Percy Sledge)
- Top 4 Big Band - "I've Got You Under My Skin" (Frank Sinatra)
- Top 4 Big Band - "New York, New York" (Frank Sinatra)
- Top 3 The 1960s - "One" (Harry Nilsson)
- Top 3 The 1960s - "Hey Jude" (The Beatles)
- Final 2 - "Please Forgive Me" (Bryan Adams)
- Final 2 - "Working Class Man" (Jimmy Barnes)
- Final 2 - "Angels Brought Me Here" (winners single)
In the weeks leading up to the Grand Final of Idol, Noll recorded his version of the winners single "Angels Brought Me Here" and filmed the music video for the song, which was to be released the week after the winner was announced. Promo copies of Noll's version of the song were released to radio stations in anticipation of his win, however Nolls' version of the song was subsequently never aired on radio and the music video was never released for television broadcast.
In the week before the Grand Final, Noll and fellow finalist Guy Sebastian embarked on a whirlind Australia-wide promotional tour. Tens of thousands of fans turned out to show their support the pair, including an incredible 20,000 people in Adelaide and 15,000 in Melbourne.
Noll made it to the Grand Final on November 19, 2003 alongside eventual winner Guy Sebastian. During the Grand Final show, Noll performed an encore performance of "What About Me", which helped cement the popularity of his version of the song and lead it to being chosen to release as his debut single.
[edit] 2003-2004: That's What I'm Talking About
Noll signed a multi-album deal with Sony BMG shortly after the Grand Final of Australian Idol. It was announced in December 2004 that his debut single would be a cover of the Moving Pictures hit "What About Me", the performance of which was one of Noll's standout performances during his time on Idol. Recording of the single took place during November/December 2004 at Studio 301 in Sydney and tracks were chosen and recorded for inclusion on Noll's debut album around the same time.
Shannon Noll's debut single "What About Me" was released on 25 January 2004 and debuted at number one on the ARIA singles chart the following week with sales exceeding 125,000 copies in its first week. At the time, these sales were the third highest one-week sales for a single in Australian chart history. The single earned Noll a nomination for Highest Selling Single at the 2004 ARIA Awards. Over its chart run, "What About Me" sold in excess of 300,000 copies and was certified 4x Platinum in March 2004.
Noll joined the other Australian Idol Top 12 finalists in January and February of 2004 on an arena tour which played to sold out crowds in every Australian capital city. It was during these concerts that Noll premiered his upcoming single "Drive".
Following the success of "What About Me", Noll's full-length debut album That's What I'm Talking About was released on 9 February 2004 in Australia by Sony BMG. Containing a mixture of pop, rock and country tracks recorded over 6 weeks between December 2003 and January 2004, the album debuted at number one and was certified triple-platinum upon its release. By August 2004, the album had been certified as a 5x Platinum seller and remained in the top 100 album charts for almost a year.
"Drive", an uptempo rock track written by Canadian singer Bryan Adams, was another success for Noll when released as the second single from That's What I'm Talking About in March 2004. Noll undertook a large amount of promotion for the single including performances on television shows including "The Footy Show" and "Sunrise . It reached the top 5 in Australia and was another Platinum seller. Noll later performed "Drive" on the 2004 TV Week Logie Awards ceremony.
Noll undertook his first full scale solo tour in May 2004 playing 40 shows in 47 days. Noll later stated in an interview that (performing that number of shows in such a small amount of time) was something he would never do again.
"Learn To Fly" was the third and final commercial release from That's What I'm Talking About. A limited edition release of 40,000 copies, the single was another success for Noll, debuting at the number one position on the ARIA singles chart on July 12, 2004. A mistake with ARIA sales figures occurred when it was announced that fellow Australian Idol contestant Paulini's debut single "Angel Eyes" had in fact debuted at the top of the singles chart and not Noll. It was later found out that a multiple purchase of Paulini's single helped gain her the number one position and as such these sales were disqualified, leaving Noll with his second number one debut.
Noll's increasing popularity during this period saw him star in his own one-hour TV special on the Ten Network, Up Close with Shannon Noll, hosted by Australian Idol judge Ian "Dicko" Dickson which was screened on 2 August 2004. During the show, Noll spoke candidly about his past and touched on topics including his experiences with drugs and the death of his father. Noll also performed several songs during the special, including "Learn to Fly" which he dedicated to his father, and a duet with Australian Idol judge Marcia Hines. The special rated reasonably well, with over one million viewers tuning in.
In October 2004, Noll was able to achieve success outside Australia when his single "What About Me" reached number two in Ireland. Demand for the single was so that the initial shipment of physical singles from Australia sold out within the first week. Also in October 2004, Noll was also approached by the Nine Network to re-record the World Series Cricket song "C'mon Aussie C'mon" with updated and lyrics incorporating the names of the current Australian cricket team, for release on 19 December 2004. The single was a further success for Noll, debuting and peaking at number two on the ARIA singles chart. The single, which was released in order to assist children's charities, raised in excess of AU$150,000.
In December 2004 it was announced that Noll would star in the stage musical production of Grease, which appeared in Australian theatres in May 2005. However, Noll opted out of a role in the musical to concentrate on the recording of his sophomore album release, Lift.
[edit] 2005-2006: "Lift"
In early 2005, Noll embarked on a songwriting trip in which he travelled to London, UK and various locations within America. It was reported early on in the process that Noll had met with hitmaking songwriters Desmond Child, responsible for writing hit songs for Bon Jovi and Aerosmith and powerballad writer Dianne Warren. Noll later explained that whilst he appreciated the opportunity to work with big name international songwriters, he felt the material being written by local Australian songwriters was more in connection with the type of album he wanted to create at the time and that they, simply, were writing the stronger songs.
During his time in America in early 2005, Noll played a handful of small "showcase" style gigs both for Sony BMG exectives and the general public. Following the trip, Noll returned to Australia to complete the writing and recording of "Lift".
Noll was asked by Canadian artist Bryan Adams to support him on Adams' Australian tour throughout February and March of 2005. It was during these concerts that Noll premiered two songs he had written for his new album, Lonely and The Winner Takes It All (the latter remains unreleased).
On 25 August 2005 the first single from his somophore album Lift, entitled "Shine" was released to Australian radio. The track was premiered simultaneously across Australia and quickly became one of the most requested songs. The uptempo bouncing pop-rock track was a deviation away from Noll's prior releases and it was commented that Noll's voice and vocal technique had improved since his last recording. Shine was released as the first single from the album Lift on September 23, 2005 and debuted at number one on the ARIA singles chart the following week. Shine was later nominated as Highest Selling Single at the 2005 ARIA Awards.
A week after the release of Shine, Noll's somophore album Lift was released on 16 October 2005 and debuted at number one on the ARIA charts the following week. First week shipment and sales of Lift ensured the album debuted with a platinum certification. The album, with 11 out of 13 tracks co-written by Noll, contained some of Noll's most personal songs to date, ranging in topic from finding love, death, overcoming the odds and self belief. Reviews for the album were generally positive, with highlight tracks being pinpointed as third and fourth singles Now I Run and "Lonely".
Noll made a special guest appearance at the final of the 2005 season of Australian Idol, where he performed his new single "Lift". After the performance, Noll was presented a plaque in honour of sales exceeding one million units in Australia over the past 18 months.
The title track of Noll's second album, "Lift", was released in December 2005. The single was Noll's first not to debut in the top ten, however two weeks after its release, it jumped to number ten, remaining there for several weeks. The track, an uplifting rock influenced song about overcoming the odds and fighting adversity, achieved a gold certification.
In January 2006 Noll made a special appearance in the 2006 Australian Open tennis final, performing the song "Shine". The performance sparked renewed interest in the Lift album which returned to the top ten. It was reported that men's finalist Roger Federer commented that the song was inspirational .
In support of the albums third single release Now I Run, Noll embarked on a 72 date concert tour across Australia including a gig during the annual Gympie Muster. Once again Noll focused on some of the more remote and isolated country and rural areas during this tour, one of the few Australian touring acts to do so, and at completion of the tour had played to in excess of 200,000 people.
Noll was being courted for a role in an Australian movie in mid-2006 based loosely on the life of now-deceased Australian racing legend Peter Brock, but he passed on it to focus on his music.
Noll released a further two singles from Lift, Now I Run and Lonely. Both singles were top ten hits, increasing his run of top ten successes to eight. With the release of Lonely, Noll rewrote Australian chart history by having so far achieved nine consecutive top ten singles (ten including his contribution to the #1 hit "Rise Up" with the Australian Idol Final 12, 2003). He has became the most successful singer and enduring talent from the Australian Idol series. To the end of 2006, Noll has been the only former Australian Idol contestant to have ever been nominated for a music industry-voted award by ARIA. As of January 2007, the Lift album remains in the Top 100 ARIA album chart after 64 weeks. It has now charted over a three year period from 2005 - 2007.
In September 2006, Noll decided not to continue with Sydney firm Caplice Management, who had been managing him since the release of his first album, and signed up with Worldwide Entertainment Group. The decision was seen as a positive move considering Noll's desire to gain success in America. It was reported in the press release distributed by Worldwise Entertainment Group that Noll is a high priority artist for them and that an extensive promotional and songwriting trip was organised in America in early 2007.
Noll was chosen as support act for American rock group Live in October 2006, playing each capitol city across Australia. Including the tour with Live, Noll has now performed in excess of 300 concerts in the last 2 and a half years.
On 9 December 2006, Noll released a duet with Rogue Traders singer Natalie Bassingthwaithe. It is a cover of the Peter Gabriel and Kate Bush hit "Don't Give Up". The single was yet another success for Noll, peaking at number two on the ARIA singles charts and being certified Platinum. The track has since spent 12 consecutive weeks in the top 10. Proceeds from the single went to the charity "Beyond Blue", which deals with depression.
With the debut of Don't Give Up Noll set a new Australian record with being the only Australian male singer to achieve 10 successive top 10 singles (not including his contribution to ensemble release "Rise Up")
[edit] 2007: Untitled third album
Noll spent several months in early 2007 travelling to America to write songs for his upcoming third album. During Noll's "Now I Run" tour in mid 2006, he premiered a new composition entitled "The World Outside" which he mentioned may find a place on his next album. The track shows a distinct classic rock flavour which may be indicative of the sound of the new album.
It was reported on February 22 in the Sydney Daily Telegraph that Noll would be spending time in Nashville, New York and Los Angeles collaborating with US musicians Desmond Child, Richie Sambora and Richard Marx on tracks for possible inclusion on his third album, which has been slated for a release in September 2007.
On 30 February, Noll was nominated for the third consecutive time as "Best Male Artist" at the Australian Video Music Awards (AVMAs), to be held in April. Noll has won this award the previous two years. Noll was also asked to perform his hit singles "Shine" and "Don't Give Up" at the opening ceremony of the FINA World Swimming Championships, being held in Melbourne, Victoria on March 17. Noll was the lead act at a massive annual public function held on the Queensland Gold Coast also on March 17.
[edit] Controversies
In 2006, Noll challenged comedian Wil Anderson to a charity boxing match after Anderson made jokes about Shannon's late father Neil Noll at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. Although $50,000 had been pledged to charity if the match went ahead, Anderson refused, prompting Noll to jibe: "Reach down in your trousers and see if there's a bit of manhood there. If you're lucky enough to find it, then stand up and be counted", to which Anderson replied: "The last thing this country (Australia) needs is a singing version of Anthony Mundine." Anderson eventually donated $2000 to a charity of Noll's choice, a sum of money which was matched and also donated by Noll.
[edit] Discography
[edit] Albums
- 2004: That's What I'm Talking About
- 2005: Lift
- 2007: Untitled third album, slated for a release in September 2007
[edit] Top-five singles
| Year | Song[1] | AUS | IRE | Certification | Album |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | "What About Me" | 1 | 2 | 4x platinum (ARIA) | That's What I'm Talking About |
| 2004 | "Drive" | 4 | - | Platinum (ARIA) | That's What I'm Talking About |
| 2004 | "Learn to Fly" | 1 | - | Gold (ARIA) | That's What I'm Talking About |
| 2004 | "C'mon Aussie C'mon" | 2 | - | Platinum (ARIA) | - |
| 2005 | "Shine" | 1 | - | Platinum (ARIA) | Lift |
| 2006 | "Don't Give Up" (with Natalie Bassingthwaighte) |
2 | - | Platinum (ARIA) | Home: Songs of Hope & Journey |
[edit] Awards and Nominations
- 2004: Nominated - Highest Selling Single - "What About Me"
- 2004: Nominated - Highest Selling Album - "That's What I'm Talking About"
- 2006: Nominated - Highest Selling Single - "Shine"
- 2006: Nominated - Best Pop Release - "Lift"
- 2004: Won - #1 Album - "That's What I'm Talking About"
- 2004: Won - #1 Single - "What About Me"
- 2004: Won - #1 Single - "Learn To Fly"
- 2005: Won - #1 Album - "Lift"
- 2005: Won - #1 Single - "Shine"
MTV Australian Video Music Awards (AVMAs)
- 2005: Won - Best Male Artist
- 2005: Nominated - Video of the Year - "Drive"
- 2006: Won - Best Male Artist
- 2005: Nominated - People's Choice - "Shine"
Nickelodeon Australian Kids' Choice Awards
- 2004: Won - Favourite Australian
- 2004: Won - Favourite Song - "Drive"
[edit] References
- ^ Music Square - Peak Positions. Retrieved on September 10, 2006.
[edit] External links
Discography · Awards and Nominations
Albums: That's What I'm Talking About (2004) · Lift (2005)
Singles: "What About Me" · "Drive" · "Learn to Fly" · "C'mon Aussie C'mon" · "Shine" · "Lift" · "Now I Run" · "Lonely" · "Don't Give Up"
| Australian Idol |
|---|
| Hosts and Judges |
| Andrew G | James Mathison Mark Holden | Marcia Hines | Ian "Dicko" Dickson | Kyle Sandilands |
| Winners |
| Guy Sebastian | Casey Donovan | Kate DeAraugo | Damien Leith |
| Runners-Up |
| Shannon Noll | Anthony Callea | Emily Williams | Jessica Mauboy |
| Seasons |
| Idol 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 |
| Other |
| List of semi finalists | Young Divas | Australian Made: The Hits | List of commercial releases |
