The Sharp

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The Sharp
Origin Australia
Genre(s) Rock
Years active 1988 – 1996
Label(s) Warner Music
Associated acts BoomCrashOpera CrowdedHouse INXS RedHotChilliPeppers JimmyBarnes TheLivingEnd NatalieImbruglia
Website WWW
Members
Allan Catlin
Piet Collins
Charlie Rooke
Former members
Danny Simcic

The Sharp was a 3-piece pop/rock band from Melbourne, Australia. The band formed in 1988 with Allan Catlin as Singer/Songwriter and DoubleBass, Charlie Rooke on guitar and backing vocals, and Danny Simcic/ Piet Collins on drums. The Sharp produced a string of MTV top 40 hit singles, including Train of Thought, Scratch My Back, Talking Sly and "Alone Like Me" (all penned by Catlin). They became known for their black skivvies and energetic live show, including Catlin balancing on his double bass while playing, and Rooke leaping off the drumkit mid-solo. Catlin and Rooke are trained in classical music.[citation needed]

After releasing two EPs, independently, they were signed to Warner Music in 1992, and had their first hit single Talking Sly written and sung by Allan Catlin, featuring wild psychobilly guitar over Manchester funk grooves. The Sharp released their debut album This Is the Sharp in 1993 achieving 7 ARIA nominations and an MTV top 40 gold record. A world tour followed in 1994, where the band toured U.S.A UK, Sweden, Germany and were signed and released in 14 international territories, receiving 5 star media reviews and full houses for every show. Sonic Tripod, the band's second album, was released on 22 August 1994. Singles included Honest & Sober, Alone Like Me (their highest charting top 40 single) and Spider.

In 1995 Warner Music International offered The Sharp European Residency and international promotion, at which point both Charlie Rooke and Piet Collins suddenly resigned due to "burn out". Currently Allan Catlin is an independent music producer and studio session player and now plays double bass flute guitar cello drumkit keyboards in TV and radio advertising.

[edit] Trivia

 Trivia sections are discouraged under Wikipedia guidelines.
The article could be improved by integrating relevant items and removing inappropriate ones.
  • Charlie Rooke formed his own The Sharp-style 3 piece 1997 called Earlobe after Vincent van Gogh.
  • Allan Catlin went on to create 7 piece Dance act "The Rush Effect" who made quite an impact in the Earthcore Rave Scene. members(Nic Hemstrom/Tim Van Niekirk/Jak Lawson/Ivo Reisch/Derek Shiel/Joel Mamone)

Final Nominee ASA song comp for the original Catlin song "Island" 2005 producers Danny Simcic (Real Life) Scott Carne.

  • Piet Collins has written scripts for Australian soap opera, Neighbours.
  • In 1993, The Late Show on ABC television performed a sketch named Skivvies are Back that was a spoof of the Scratch My Back video.
  • The Sharp have helped and influenced many successful acts since their time at the top including Savage Garden PowderFinger The Living End and blues outfit The Badloves
  • Double Bassist, Allan Catlin has 2 children, a girl Clarity Grace and a boy Mattias Alexander who lives in Sweden.

[edit] Discography

Albums

Singles and EPs

"Release the Rats" was a 5 track split promo EP to support a tour with Francis Dunnery.

Videos

  • This Is the Sharp (1993)

Filmclips

  • Talking Sly
  • Scratch My Back
  • Yeah I Want You
  • Train of Thought
  • Where am I Now?
  • Alone Like Me
  • Honest and Sober
  • Spider

[edit] External links