Moler
{{for-multi|the surname|Moler (surname)||Molar (disambiguation){{!}}Molar}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Use Australian English|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Moler
| image =
| image_size =
| image_upright =
| landscape =
| alt =
| caption =
| alias = Snuff
| origin = Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| genre = {{flatlist|
}}
| years_active = {{start date|1993}}–{{end date|2001}}, {{Start date|2018}}–present
| label = Infectious/Mushroom/Sony
| spinoff_of = {{flatlist|
- the Stiff Kittens
- Kick House
}}
| website =
| current_members = * Helen Cattanach
- Julien Poulson
| past_members =
- David Peacock
- Stephen Boyle
- Neil Lynch
- Stuart Wilson
- Mike Glenn
- Jason Mills
- Matt Heydon
- Geoffrey Dunbar
- Steve Thomas
}}
Moler, previously called Snuff, are an Australian Indie power pop band which formed in 1993 as a three-piece with founding mainstays Helen Cattanach on bass guitar and lead vocals and Julien Poulson on lead guitar. They had a changing line-up of drummers and sometimes worked as a four-piece with a keyboardist. Their sole studio album, Golden Duck, was released in October 1997 via Infectious/Mushroom with Lindsay Gravina producing. They also issued eight extended plays (EPs) before they disbanded in 2001.
At the ARIA Music Awards of 1998, Golden Duck was nominated for the Best Rock Album. In November they opened the Mushroom 25 Live concert. According to Australian musicologist, Ian McFarlane, "[they] built-up a buzz around the [local] independent scene with [their] mix of noisy guitar fuzz, hard-driving beats, strident pop melodies and Cattanach's alternately sweet'n'purring and aggressive vocals." Moler reformed in 2018, released another EP and performed periodically thereafter.
History
=1993-1995: Snuff=
Moler were formed as an indie guitar pop trio, Snuff, in Melbourne in 1993 by Helen Cattanach on bass guitar and lead vocals, David Peacock on drums and Julien Poulson on lead guitar.{{cite book | last1 = McFarlane | first1 = Ian | author-link1 = Ian McFarlane | title = Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and Pop | chapter = Encyclopedia entry for 'Moler' | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20040803180909/http://www.whammo.com.au/encyclopedia.asp?articleid=505 | chapter-url = http://www.whammo.com.au/encyclopedia.asp?articleid=505 | year = 1999 | publisher = Allen & Unwin | location = St Leonards, NSW | archive-date = 3 August 2004 | isbn = 1-86508-072-1 | url-status = usurped }} Cattanach (ex-T-Bones) and Poulson (ex-Snappers) had been members of the Stiff Kittens, which gigged in Melbourne before relocating to Hong Kong where the pair formed Kick House. The pair reformed the Stiff Kittens in London in 1992 with Rob "Viva" Lastdrager on drums and vocals (ex-Snappers, T-Bones) and Richard Webb on lead vocals and guitar (ex-Strange Fruit, T-Bones). That group issued an extended play, As You Walk, via London-based label, Psychic Records. The members returned to Australia. In 1994, Snuff released a five-track EP, Driven, via Fat Buddha Records with Lindsay Gravina producing.
=1995-2001: Moler=
Early in 1996, Snuff changed their name to Moler, with the same line-up and were signed to Infectious/Mushroom. Moler's next EP with five tracks, On Special, was released in June 1996, Australian musicologist, Ian McFarlane, found "The lead-off track, 'Shopping Trolley', displayed plenty of appeal." Another five-track EP, Coaster, followed in September. The group toured with fellow local bands, Snout and Magic Dirt, and supported gigs by international artists, Weezer, Everclear, Ash and Garageland. Early in 1997 Peacock was replaced on drums by Steve Boyle. Over their history they had a succession of drummers.{{cite news | last = Te Koha | first = Nui | date = 11 December 1997 | title = Op 'til you drop | work = Herald Sun }}{{cite news | last = Greenwood | first = Shaun | date = 12 November 1998 | title = Drumming up business| periodical = The Daily Telegraph }}
Their fourth EP, Infatuation, with four tracks was issued in May 1997. Its title track was placed on high rotation by national youth radio station, Triple J. Marta of Tharunka observed, "Boyle has added a funkier beat to [their] already catchy suburban sound, completing the Australian pop-punk trio with flawless precision."{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article230436052 |title=Moler |newspaper=Tharunka |volume=43 |issue=11 |location=Sydney, NSW |date=5 September 1997 |access-date=29 May 2024 |page=41 |via=National Library of Australia }} Moler followed with their debut album, Golden Duck in October via Infectious/Mushroom/Sony with Gravina producing.{{cite news | last = Murphy | first = Ciaran | date = 6 November 1997 | title = Access all Areas | work = The Daily Telegraph }} Music journalist Jeff Jenkins rated it as "very good" and explained, "[it's] a mass of contradictions: part power-pop, part dreamy and moody. Part slacker, part ambition."{{cite web |url=http://www.addicted.com.au/aus/html/hifi/Reviews/44.1kHz/Moler/Golden_Duck.html |title=Golden Duck |first=Jeff |last=Jenkins |website=addicted.com.au |date=1997 |via=National Library of Australia |archive-url=https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/19991003053947/http://www.addicted.com.au/aus/html/hifi/Reviews/44.1kHz/Moler/Golden_Duck.html |archive-date=3 October 1999 |access-date=29 May 2024 }}
After the album appeared, Boyle was replaced by Neil Lynch on drums and they added Matt Heydon (ex-Nick Barker and the Reptiles) on keyboards. At the ARIA Music Awards of 1998, Golden Duck was nominated for the Best Rock Album.{{cite web|url=http://www.ariaawards.com.au/history/year/1998 |title=ARIA Awards – History: Winners by Year 1998: 12th Annual ARIA Awards |publisher=Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) |access-date=13 June 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110927121049/http://www.ariaawards.com.au/history-by-year.php?year=1998 |archive-date=27 September 2011 }}{{cite news | last = Grimson | first = Tracey | date = 13 November 1998 | title = The Scream-sings Jets | work = Sydney Morning Herald }} In November they opened the Mushroom 25 Live concert.{{cite news | last = Bolster | first = Teresa | date = 26 November 1998 | title = Moler Bite Back | work = Herald Sun }} They found a new drummer in early 2000, with Mike Glenn (ex-Hoss) joining, in time for a tour of the United States in March. In 2001 the group released their eighth EP, Red & White Stripes, before disbanding in that year.
= 2001–2018: Afterwards =
The Stiff Kittens issued a compilation album, Greatest Trips, in 2007 via Killer Music with Cattanah and Poulson joined by various line-ups, Greg Baxter on bass guitar and vocals; Lastdrager on drums and vocals; James McHugh on bass guitar and vocals; and Webb on vocals and guitar.{{Citation | author1=Stiff Kittens | title=Greatest Trips | date=2007 | publisher=Killer Music | url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/36683089 | access-date=29 May 2024}}
=2018-present: Reformation=
Moler reformed for a show on 23 November 2018 at The Curtin Hotel, Carlton, Melbourne to celebrate the 25th anniversary of their formation.{{Cite web |last=staff writer |date=15 November 2018 |title=Scene News: Trailblazing Post-Punk Pop Trio Moler Invite You to Their One-off Reformation Party |url=https://whatsmyscene.com/scene-news-trailblazing-post-punk-pop-trio-moler-reform-one-off-reunion-show/ |access-date=29 May 2024 |website=What's My Scene |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201024210743/https://whatsmyscene.com/scene-news-trailblazing-post-punk-pop-trio-moler-reform-one-off-reunion-show/ |archive-date=24 October 2020 |url-status=dead }}{{cite magazine | url=http://www.australianmusician.com.au/helen-cattanach-moler-bass/index5140.html |title=Helen Cattanach (Moler) – Bass |editor=Greg Phillips |magazine=Australian Musician Magazine |date=8 November 2018 |via=National Library of Australia |archive-url=https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20190415002453/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/157360/20190412-0953/www.australianmusician.com.au/helen-cattanach-moler-bass/index5140.html |archive-date=15 April 2019 |access-date=29 May 2024 }} Cattanach and Poulson were joined by Boyle and Peacock, who took turns drumming. They released a digital three-track EP, Work in October 2019. Moler continue to perform periodically.
Discography
=Albums=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |
| Title
!Album details |
|---|
| scope="row"| Golden Duck
|
|url=http://www.amo.org.au/releaseeae0.html | title=Releases :: Golden Duck | publisher=Australian Music Online | via=National Library of Australia | archive-url=https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20071126223128/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/44131/20071122-0001/www.amo.org.au/releaseeae0.html | archive-date=27 November 2007 | access-date=29 May 2024 }}
|
= Extended plays =
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |
| Title
!Album details |
|---|
| scope="row"| Driven (by Snuff)
|
|
| scope="row"| On Special
|
| url=http://www.amo.org.au/release3fd5.html | title=Releases :: On Special | publisher=Australian Music Online | via=National Library of Australia | archive-url=https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20071126223053/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/44131/20071122-0001/www.amo.org.au/release3fd5.html | archive-date=27 November 2007 | access-date=29 May 2024 }}
|
| scope="row"| Coaster
|
| url=http://www.amo.org.au/releaseeda0.html | title=Releases :: Coaster | publisher=Australian Music Online | via=National Library of Australia | archive-url=https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20071126223129/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/44131/20071122-0001/www.amo.org.au/releaseeda0.html | archive-date=27 November 2007 | access-date=29 May 2024 }}
|
| scope="row"| Infatuation
|
| url=http://www.amo.org.au/release25b5.html | title=Releases :: Infatuation | publisher=Australian Music Online | via=National Library of Australia | archive-url=https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20071126223047/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/44131/20071122-0001/www.amo.org.au/release25b5.html | archive-date=27 November 2007 | access-date=29 May 2024 }}
|
| scope="row"| Invite Me To Your Party
|
| url=http://www.amo.org.au/releaseec89.html | title=Releases :: Invite Me to Your Party | publisher=Australian Music Online | via=National Library of Australia | archive-url=https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20071126223129/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/44131/20071122-0001/www.amo.org.au/releaseec89.html | archive-date=27 November 2007 | access-date=29 May 2024 }}
|
| scope="row"| Red Light Disco
|
| url=http://www.amo.org.au/releasec0af.html | title=Releases :: Red Light Disco | publisher=Australian Music Online | via=National Library of Australia | archive-url=https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20071126223121/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/44131/20071122-0001/www.amo.org.au/releasec0af.html | archive-date=27 November 2007 | access-date=29 May 2024 }}
|
| scope="row"| Delicious
|
| url=http://www.amo.org.au/releasec16b.html | title=Releases :: Delicious | publisher=Australian Music Online | via=National Library of Australia | archive-url=https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20071126223121/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/44131/20071122-0001/www.amo.org.au/releasec16b.html | archive-date=27 November 2007 | access-date=29 May 2024 }}
|
| scope="row"| Red & White Stripes
|
|
| scope="row"| Work
|
|
Awards and nominations
=ARIA Music Awards=
The ARIA Music Awards are a set of annual ceremonies presented by Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA), which recognise excellence, innovation, and achievement across all genres of the music of Australia. They commenced in 1987.
{{awards table}}
! {{Abbr|Ref.|Reference}}
|-
| 1998 || Golden Duck || Best Rock Album|| {{Nominated}} || ARIA Award previous winners. {{cite web|url=http://ariaawards.com.au/history/award/best-rock-album|title=Winners By Award – 27th ARIA Awards 2013|publisher=Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA)|access-date=11 April 2022}}
|-
{{end}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Musical groups established in 1993