Dallas Crane

Dallas Crane
Origin Melbourne, Australia
Genres Alternative rock
Years active 1996–present
Labels Albert Productions Nylon Sounds
Website www.dallascrane.com.au
Members Dave Larkin (vocals, guitar)
Pete Satchell (guitar, vocals)
Chris Brodie (bass)
Steve Pinkerton (drums)
Past members Pat Bourke (bass)
Shan Vanderwert (drums, backing vocals)

Dallas Crane is an Australian rock band from Melbourne, Australia consisting of Dave Larkin (vocals, guitar), Pete Satchell (guitar, vocals), Chris Brodie (bass), and Steve Pinkerton (drums).

Their critically acclaimed third studio album, self-titled 'Dallas Crane' attracted three ARIA Award nominations in 2004, including Best Rock Album, whose lead single 'Dirty Hearts' debuted in the Australian Top 40.

They have become a formidable staple in the Australian live rock scene, spending early 2009 touring Australia with The Who on their national stadium tour.

Formation & Name Origin

Dallas Crane formed in 1996 with Dave Larkin (vocals, guitar) Pete Satchell (guitar, vocals), Chris Brodie (bass) and Shan Vanderwert (drums)

Their humble beginnings saw them rehearsing material their debut album 'Lent' in a Port Melbourne oil shed on the property of 'Dallas Crane Transport', a local trucking station owned by family friends of the band. The guys paid for rehearsals in beer, and decided they liked the ring of Dallas Crane as a name, and the way it presented in writing.

Lent (1998)

After working their way around the Melbourne pub scene taking support gigs where they could, Dallas Crane began work on their debut album 'Lent'. During one of these shows they had befriended local sound engineer Robbie Rowlands, (The Fauves, Morning After Girls) who came on board as the band's producer for their debut release.

The 'Lent' album was released locally on their own label 'Slant 6' to favorable reviews. One of the band's early high-profile fans was Triple J's Richard Kingsmill who invited to band to perform on the 'Five Alive' Live performance CD series recorded at the ABC studios. The endorsement led to wider interest in the band interstate as the band began broadening its touring net around Australia.

Twenty Four Seven (2000)

Dallas Crane started winning support slots around the country for the likes of You Am I and Regurgitator, and were fast becoming a staple headliners at St. Kilda's Esplanade Hotel in Melbourne. Interest in the band was growing, as was their live repertoire featuring the songs that would soon turn up on album number two, Twenty Four Seven.

After gathering enough money to record and mix the album in a week at Melbourne's Hothouse Recording Studios with Craig Harnath, Dallas Crane released Twenty Four Seven late in 2000. This album received a very positive response from Australian rock critics with local rock rags Beat Magazine and In-Press both hailing it "Album of the Week".

The leading track off the album "Sit on My Knee", won its first high rotation-position on national broadcaster Triple J, soon followed by "Sold Me" and "Already Gone".

Shortly after its release however, bassist Chris Brodie was forced to leave the band due to burgeoning commitments with his brother Dan Brodie (of The Broken Arrows), who had just signed to major Australian record label EMI. He was replaced on bass guitar by Pat Bourke in early 2001.

Dallas Crane also won the major award at the Australian Live Music Awards, leading the band to represent their country at the International Live Music Awards in London in 2002.

Dallas Crane continued to win support slots to a number of artists including Ryan Adams, The Black Keys, You Am I and Rocket Science. During their shows with You Am I, lead singer Tim Rogers touted, "Dallas Crane is the best band in the country" and even made reference to the band in the You Am I song "Who Put The Devil In You?". Rogers was compiling the soundtrack for the Australian film Dirty Deeds released in 2002 and asked Dallas Crane to cover "Wild About You" originally performed by Australian 60's band "The Missing Links".

No Through Road [EP] (2002)

Mid-way through 2002 the band signed a management deal with up-and-coming Australian managers Majorbox Music in Melbourne.

The band's anticipated follow up release would be the No Through Road EP, originally released as a 7" vinyl single featuring the title track and a raucous B-side called "Wannabe", recorded at Melbourne's Sing Sing Studios by producer Robbie Rowlands.

The song was very well received critically, and again earned a high-rotation spot on Triple J, consolidating Dallas Crane as a prospering force in the Australian music scene.

Dallas Crane continued to tour Australia, joining The Whitlams, and Rocket Science on national runs consecutively. They were also invited to play at Homebake in Sydney in 2003, joining Aussie legends The Church and Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds on the home grown lineup.

The band also teamed up with fellow music mates Dan Brodie & The Broken Arrows and Dan Kelly and the Alpha Males for the national "Dan Does Dallas Tour".

Dallas Crane then started its own tour supporting single "No Through Road" finishing off its year playing at Melbourne's Big Day Out festival.

Ladybird [EP] (2004)

Shortly after their performance at the Big Day Out, the band gathered backstage to sign their first recording deal with legendary independent Australian music label Albert Productions, joining label mates AC/DC on a historic artist roster that also boasted The Easybeats and Rose Tattoo.

Ladybird, previously recorded before signing the deal was the first official Alberts' release leading to more high-rotation for the band on Triple J.

Dallas Crane (2004)

After months of rehearsal which included a two week stint locked away in the Victorian high country town of Yea, Dallas Crane recorded and released its third album with Australian producer Wayne Connolly, (You Am I, Underground Lovers). The self-titled album was released mid-July 2004 and the first single, "Dirty Hearts", debuted in the Australian ARIA Top 40. The album was widely acclaimed and seen as by far their best effort yet, some praising it as "...an Australian classic." The album attracted three ARIA Award nominations, including "Best Rock Album".

The singles "Dirty Hearts" and "Numb All Over" went on to achieve high-rotation on Triple J, setting up a string of sellout tours to follow. Both songs featured on the Triple J's Hottest 100 album for 2005.

Factory Girls (2006)

In early 2006, the band released the single "Lovers and Sinners", making it freely available via their website.

The band's fourth album, Factory Girls, recorded with producers Jonathan Burnside and Wayne Connolly, was released in Australia on 16 September 2006. The first single from the album, "Curiosity", was released on 26 August 2006, following a pre-release on the Australian iTunes Music Store.

The album received rave reviews, with the Australian Rolling Stone magazine awarding it 4/5.

In August 2006 the band commenced a tour down the east coast of Australia to coincide with the album launch and the performance at Brisbane's "The Zoo" has received positive reviews in local independent media and reaffirmed the band's popularity as a dominant Australian rock act. The band ran a more comprehensive tour during September, and set off overseas for their second UK visit, coinciding with their appearance at the SXSW Festival in Austin, Texas. Dallas Crane made a stop in Japan on the way home from the successful run which saw them garner much interest from offshore recording labels.

Playing live at St Kilda Festival, 2007.

With close to 1500 acts from around the world performing gigs, The Crane joined a local contingent for Oz/NZ at SXSW 2007, representing alongside Beasts of Bourbon, You Am I, Hoodoo Gurus, Expatriate, Youth Group, Airbourne and many more.

Their US visit saw them perform at the legendary Los Angeles venue "The Troubadour", New York's "Bowery Ballroom", and Boston's Middle East Club. On returning to Australia in the early part of 2007, the band embarked on a massive national tour along with support act "Airbourne", for one last run around before their inevitable break.

Taking a break

After a grueling schedule that saw the band on the road for nearly eleven years the band finished the touring season with a headline spot at Melbourne's St.Kilda Festival. After a lengthy stay as one of Australia's hardest working live and recording acts, the band decided to take a well deserved break.

They reunited briefly after being asked to join the legendary UK rock act The Who on a stadium tour of Australia, joining the band for six arena dates that included a prime spot at Melbourne's Grand Prix in 2009.

In that time Dave Larkin has released two albums with his three piece act Gun Street Girls, and Pete Satchell with his own solo moniker "Pete Sounds".

Dallas Crane also came together in early 2010 to play a final farewell for the family of the band's namesake Dallas Crane, who lost a long battle with cancer.

2013 and beyond

Songwriters Dave Larkin and Pete Satchell have begun writing together again for album number five due out in 2014. The first single "I'm Sorry Darling" was released digitally and on 7" in October 2013 with official video released in January 2014. The band continues to work on the new album with a current release date unconfirmed.

Discography

Albums

Singles

from Dallas Crane:

from Jimmy Barnes' Double Happiness:

from Factory Girls:

from Upcoming 2014 album:

External links