The State (band)
{{Short description|Australian band}}{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2017}}
{{Use Australian English|date=January 2017}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = The State
| image =
| image_size =
| image_upright =
| landscape =
| alt =
| caption =
| alias = The Cutters
| origin = Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| genre = Pop
| years_active = {{start date|1987}}–{{end date|1989}}
| label = {{hlist|Wheatley Bros/BMG|RCA Victor}}
| associated_acts = Southern Sons
| website =
| current_members =
| past_members = * Peter Bowman
- Phil Buckle
- Geoff Cain
- Virgil Donati
}}
The State were an Australian band, which formed as The Cutters. Their second single, "Real Love" (October 1988), was nominated for the 1989 ARIA Award for Best New Talent. They released their debut album, Elementary, in February 1989. After that, all four members formed Southern Sons with Jack Jones late that year.
History
The Cutters were formed in Melbourne by Peter Bowman on guitars and vocals (ex-Talk That Walk), Phil Buckle on vocals and guitar, and Geoff Cain on bass guitar.{{cite encyclopedia | last = McFarlane |first=Ian |authorlink=Ian McFarlane |encyclopedia=Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and Pop |title= Encyclopedia entry for 'Southern Sons' |url=http://www.whammo.com.au/encyclopedia.asp?articleid=394 |accessdate= 12 January 2019 |year=1999 |publisher=Allen & Unwin |location=St Leonards, NSW |isbn=1-86508-072-1 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20040829234945/http://www.whammo.com.au/encyclopedia.asp?articleid=394 |archivedate=29 August 2004}}The State related entries at the Australian Rock Database:
- The State: {{cite web | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20121010235341/http://hem.passagen.se/honga/database/s/state.html | url = http://hem.passagen.se/honga/database/s/state.html | title = The State | last1 = Holmgren | first1 = Magnus | work = hem.passagen.se | publisher = Australian Rock Database (Magnus Holmgren) | archivedate = 10 October 2012 | accessdate = 12 January 2019 | url-status = usurped }}
- Southern Sons: {{cite web |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121008180621/http://hem.passagen.se/honga/database/s/southernsons.html |url=http://hem.passagen.se/honga/database/s/southernsons.html | title = Southern Sons |last1=Holmgren |first1=Magnus |work=hem.passagen.se |publisher=Australian Rock Database (Magnus Holmgren) |archivedate= 8 October 2012 |accessdate= 12 January 2019 |url-status=usurped }}
They were joined by Virgil Donati on drums (ex-Cloud Nine, Taste, Peter Cupples Band, the Cosy Connection) and changed their name to the State in 1987.
By 1988 the group were signed to Glenn Wheatley's label, Wheatley Bros Records, and released their debut single, "Responsible", in June. It was followed by "Real Love" in October. At the ARIA Music Awards of 1989 they were nominated for Best New Talent for "Real Love".{{cite web | url = https://www.ariaawards.com.au/history/year/1989?view=list# | title = ARIA Awards – History: Winners by Year: 3rd Annual ARIA Awards | publisher = Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) | accessdate = 12 January 2019 }} They issued their debut album, Elementary, in February 1989.
The Age{{'}}s Mike Daly observed, "[there] is some polished playing on [the album] but it is undermined by predictable material. The quartet... produce hi-tech pop dominated by Donati's hard-edged acoustic and synthesised rhythms. Buckle is an accomplished guitarist, a jazz fusion veteran like Donati, which gives this group more chops than most contemporary bands. The opener. 'Responsible', is catchy, while some flashy guitar is unleashed on 'Real Love' and 'One Step', with strong vocal back-up. But the songwriting is superficial and short on melodic hooks."
During 1989 the State supported the Eurythmics Australian tour. According to Australian musicologist, Ian McFarlane, "[their] future looked promising, but there was one vital ingredient required to make the push into the big time (i.e. a good frontman and songwriter)." The State members formed Southern Sons with American-born guitarist-vocalist, Jack Jones ({{abbr|a.k.a.|also known as}} Irwin Thomas), in 1989, who became their front man. Jones "had auditioned for the band previously but was considered too young."{{cite web | archiveurl = https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20080126130200/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/14231/20080127-0002/www.howlspace.com.au/cn/southernsons/southernsons.html | url = http://www.howlspace.com.au/cn/southernsons/southernsons.html | title = Southern Sons | last1 = Nimmervoll | first1 = Ed | authorlink1 = Ed Nimmervoll | publisher = Howlspace – The Living History of Our Music. White Room Electronic Publishing Pty Ltd (Ed Nimmervoll) | archivedate = 26 January 2008 | accessdate = 12 January 2019 }}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}
Band members
- Peter Bowman – guitar, vocals
- Phil Buckle – vocals, guitar
- Geoff Cain – bass guitar
- Virgil Donati – drums
Discography
=Albums=
class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" border="1"
! scope="col" style="width:11em;"| Title ! scope="col" style="width:17em;"| Details |
scope="row"| Elementary
|
|
---|
=Singles=
class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" |
scope="col"| Year
! scope="col"| Title ! scope="col" width="220"| Album |
---|
rowspan="2"| 1988
| align="left"| "Responsible" | rowspan="3"| Elementary |
align="left"| "Real Love" |
1989
| align="left"| "So Lonely Now" |
Awards and nominations
=ARIA Music Awards=
The ARIA Music Awards is an annual awards ceremony that recognises excellence, innovation, and achievement across all genres of Australian music. They commenced in 1987.
{{awards table}}
|{{Abbr|Ref.|Reference}}
|-
|rowspan="3"| 1989
| "Real Love"
| {{nom}}
|rowspan=3"| {{cite web| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120210152749/http://www.ariaawards.com.au/history/year/1989 | url=http://www.ariaawards.com.au/history/year/1989|title=ARIA Awards – History: Winners by Year: 3rd Annual ARIA Awards|publisher=Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) | archive-date = 10 February 2012 |access-date=26 October 2020 }}
|-
| Ross Fraser for "Real Love" by The State
| {{won}}
|-
| Doug Brady for "Real Love" & "So Lonely Now" by The State
| {{won}}
|-
{{end}}