Tiddas (band)

{{Short description|Australian folk band}}

{{EngvarB|date=June 2014}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2014}}

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Tiddas

| image =

| caption =

| image_size = 200px

| background = group_or_band

| alias =

| origin = Victoria, Australia

| genre = Folk

| years_active = 1990–2000, 2018

| label = {{hlist|Polygram|Mercury Music|Festival Music}}

| website =

| current_members = Amy Saunders
Lou Bennett
Sally Dastey

| past_members =

}}

Tiddas were an all-female folk trio from Victoria, Australia.[http://www.loreoftheland.com.au/indigenous/tiddas/index.html Tiddas at loreoftheland.com]

Biography

=1990–1992: Career beginnings and ''Inside My Kitchen''=

{{Main|Inside My Kitchen}}

Originally the three women, Amy Saunders (a Gunditjmara woman from Portland), Lou Bennett (a Yorta Yorta Dja Dja Wurrung woman from Echuca) and Sally Dastey (from West Heidelberg) combined their vocal talents as backing singers for Aboriginal band Djaambi, led by Saunders' brother Richard Frankland in 1990.{{cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/arts/songline-of-singing-sister-act/2007/05/14/1178995071373.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap1|title=Songline of singing sister|publisher=The Age|date=15 May 2007|last=Roberts|first=Jo|accessdate=12 July 2010}} The group were invited to perform at a musical celebration for women's artistic achievement, 'Hot Jam Cooking', in Richmond, Victoria.{{cite web|url=http://www.howlspace.com.au/en4/tiddas/tiddas.htm|title=Tiddas|publisher=HowlSpace|accessdate=12 July 2010}} Their performance was well received and inspired Ruby Hunter to dub the trio Tiddas, which is Koori for the "sisters".{{cite web|url=http://www.deadlys.vibe.com.au/vibe.asp?pageID=1782|title=Deadlys 2000 winners|publisher=Vibe Australia|accessdate=12 July 2010|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110220191247/http://deadlys.vibe.com.au/vibe.asp?PageID=1782|archivedate=20 February 2011|df=dmy-all}}

After performing together for over a year the band came to the attention of Paul Petran, host of ABC National Radio show 'Music Deli', who assisted Tiddas to record their debut EP, Inside My Kitchen in 1991. Inside My Kitchen was released in October 1992{{cite web|url={{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p165846/biography|pure_url=yes}}|title=Tiddas – Biography|publisher=AllMusic|last=Swift|first=Brendan|accessdate=12 July 2010}} and received two nominations, for 'Best New Talent' and 'Best Indigenous Release', at the ARIA Music Awards of 1993.{{cite web|url=http://www.ariaawards.com.au/history/search?q=Tiddas |title=Winners by Year – 27th ARIA Awards 2013: Search Results 'Tiddas' |publisher=Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) |accessdate=5 May 2014}} Note: At the 1994 results ARIA incorrectly lists the album title as Sing About Love at Best Indigenous Release, but lists it as Sing About Life for Breakthrough Artist – Album nomination.

=1993–1997: ''Sing About Life'' and ''Tiddas''=

{{Main|Sing About Life|Tiddas (album)}}

Tiddas quickly became live favourites, touring with Sweet Honey in the Rock and Midnight Oil, adding didgeridoo player Tim "Froggie" Holtze for their first studio album Sing About Life which was released in November 1993. The album peaked at No. 36 on the ARIA charts,Australian (ARIA) chart peaks:

  • Top 50 peaks: {{cite web|url=https://australian-charts.com/showinterpret.asp?interpret=Tiddas|title=australian-charts.com > Tiddas in Australian Charts|publisher=Hung Medien|accessdate=20 April 2020}}
  • Top 100 peaks to December 2010: {{cite Ryan|page=280}}
  • "Ignorance Is Bliss": {{cite web|url=https://i.imgur.com/17ffmOL.jpg|title=The ARIA Australian Top 100 Singles Chart – Week Ending 01 Sep 1996|publisher=ARIA|via=Imgur.com|accessdate=20 April 2020}} N.B. The HP column indicates the highest position reached. achieved gold record sales in Australia (35,000 copies sold), was nominated 'Breakthrough Artist – Album', and won 'Best Indigenous Record' at the ARIA Music Awards of 1994.{{cite web|url=http://www.vibe.com.au/vibe/corporate/celebrity_vibe/showceleb.asp?id=25 |title=Tiddas |publisher=Vibe Australia |accessdate=12 July 2010 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928061155/http://www.vibe.com.au/vibe/corporate/celebrity_vibe/showceleb.asp?id=25 |archivedate=28 September 2007 }} National and international tours followed, including several WOMAD concerts. Sing About Life was released in the United States in September 1995, spurring tours of North America and Europe.

The group's second studio album was produced by Joe Camilleri titled Tiddas and was released in Australia in August 1996 reaching No. 26 on the ARIA charts. The album was nominated for 'Best Indigenous Release' at the ARIA Music Awards of 1997. The first single, "Ignorance is Bliss", was reputedly inspired by an argument with Bob Geldof while touring in 1993. Backing musicians on the album included the Black Sorrows' Jen Anderson on violin, Joe Camilleri on sax (on "Waving Goodbye"), Peter Luscombe on drums, Steve Hadley on bass, and Weddings, Parties, Anything's Mark "Squeezebox Wally" Wallace on piano accordion. A second single "Walk Alone" was released in 1997.

=1998–2000: ''Lethal By the Kilo'', ''Show Us Ya Tiddas'' and split=

{{Main|Lethal By the Kilo|Show Us Ya Tiddas}}

In 1998, the girls sang on "Yil Lull" which was released as Singers For The Red Black & Gold. The third studio album, Lethal By the Kilo, was recorded in Melbourne's ABC studios in late 1998. The album received almost no promotion from the record company and failed to chart. On 11 September 1999, Tiddas recorded a live performance at Continental Café which was released as Show Us Ya Tiddas later in 1999.

In May 2000 Tiddas announced they were to break up, and spent months on a national tour to say farewell to their fans. In 2000 Tiddas were awarded a Deadly Award for 'Outstanding Contribution to Aboriginal Music'.{{cite web|url=http://www.deadlys.vibe.com.au/deadlys_new/winners/2000/index.asp|title=Deadly's 2000|publisher=The Deadlys|accessdate=12 July 2010|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070831080401/http://www.deadlys.vibe.com.au/deadlys_new/winners/2000/index.asp|archivedate=31 August 2007|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}

=2018: Reformation and NIMA Hall of Fame=

In 2018, the trio announced they were reuniting for a one-off national tour to celebrate the release of Archie Roach's "lost" album, Dancing with My Spirit, which was recorded in the 1990s and released in April 2018.{{cite web|url=https://themusicnetwork.com/tiddas-reform-to-join-archie-roach-dancing-with-his-spirit-to-his-lost-album/|title=Tiddas reform to join Archie Roach dancing with his spirit to his "lost" album |publisher=The Music Network|date=20 March 2018 |accessdate=13 October 2018}}

In August 2019, Tiddas were inducted into the National Indigenous Music Awards Hall of Fame.{{cite web|url=https://nima.musicnt.com.au/news/record-breaking-crowd-for-the-2019-national-indigenous-music-awards/|title=Record Breaking Crowd for the 2019 National Indigenous Music Awards! |publisher=National Indigenous Music Awards |date=13 August 2019|accessdate=16 April 2019}}

Awards and nominations

=ARIA 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. Tiddas has received one ARIA Music Awards from six nominations{{cite web|title=ARIA Awards - History - Search Tiddas|url=https://www.ariaawards.com.au/search?term=Tiddas|publisher=Australian Record Industry Association|accessdate=14 October 2018}}

{{awards table}}

|-

| rowspan="2"| 1993 || rowspan="2"| Inside My Kitchen || Best New Talent || {{nom}}

|-

| Best Indigenous Release || {{nom}}

|-

| rowspan="2"| 1994 || rowspan="2"| Sing About Life || Best Indigenous Release || {{won}}

|-

| Breakthrough Artist - Album || {{nom}}

|-

| rowspan="1"| 1995 || rowspan="1"| "Changing Times" || Best Indigenous Release || {{nom}} |

|-

| rowspan="1"| 1997 || rowspan="1"| Tiddas || Best Indigenous Release || {{nom}}

|-

{{end}}

=Australian Women in Music Awards=

The Australian Women in Music Awards is an annual event that celebrates outstanding women in the Australian Music Industry who have made significant and lasting contributions in their chosen field. They commenced in 2018.

{{awards table}}

|-

| 2018{{cite web |url=https://womeninmusicawards.com.au/2018-recipients-finalists/|title=2018 Recipients Finalists|website=women in Music Awards|date=October 2018|access-date=19 March 2021}}

| Tiddas

| Auriel Andrew Memorial Award

| {{nom}}

{{end}}

=Deadly Awards=

The Deadly Awards, (commonly known simply as The Deadlys), was an annual celebration of Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander achievement in music, sport, entertainment and community. They ran from 1996 to 2013.

{{awards table}}

|-

| 1996

| "themselves"

| Band of the Year

| {{won}}

|-

| 1997

| "Ignorance is Bliss"

| Single Release of the Year

| {{won}}

|-

| 1999

| "My Island Home" {{small|(with Alister Jones)}}

| Excellence in Film or Theatrical Score

| {{won}}

|-

| 2000

| "themselves"

| Outstanding Contribution to Music

| {{won}}

|-

{{end}}

=National Indigenous Music Awards=

The National Indigenous Music Awards (NIMA) recognise excellence, dedication, innovation and outstanding contribution to the Northern Territory music industry. They commenced in 2004.

{{awards table}}

|-

| 2019

| themselves

| Hall of Fame Inductee

| {{yes2|Inductee}}

|-

{{end}}

Members

Discography

= Studio albums =

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"

|+ List of studio albums, with selected details and chart positions

! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:12em;"| Title

! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:18em;"| Album details

! scope="col" colspan="1"| Peak chart positions

scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"| AUS
scope="row" | Sing About Life

|

| 36

scope="row" | Tiddas

|

  • Released: 5 August 1996
  • Label: Black Pig/Polygram (532799-2)
  • Formats: CD

| 26

scope="row" | Lethal By the Kilo

|

  • Released: 1998
  • Label: Mercury Music (538 277-2)
  • Formats: CD

| —

= Live albums =

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"

|+ List of live albums, with selected chart positions

! scope="col" style="width:12em;"| Title

! scope="col" style="width:18em;"| Album details

scope="row" | Show Us Ya Tiddas

|

  • Released: 1999
  • Label: Festival Music (23768185)
  • Formats: CD

= Extended plays =

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"

|+ List of extended plays, with selected details

! scope="col" style="width:12em;"| Title

! scope="col" style="width:18em;"| EP details

scope="row" | Inside My Kitchen

|

  • Released: October 1992
  • Label: Black Heart Music (ID 0002-2)
  • Formats: CD

= Singles =

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" border="1"

|+ List of singles, with selected chart positions

! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:19em;"| Title

! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:1em;"| Year

! scope="col" colspan="1"| Peak chart positions

! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:11em;"| Album

scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"| AUS
scope="row"| "Inside My Kitchen"

| 1992

| —

| Inside My Kitchen

scope="row"| "Waiting"

| 1993

| 88

|rowspan="3"| Sing About Life

scope="row"| "Real World"

| 1994

| —

scope="row"| "Changing Times"

| 1995

| —

scope="row"| "Ignorance is Bliss"

| 1996

| 97

|rowspan="2"| Tiddas

scope="row"| "Walk Alone"

| 1997

| —

scope="row"| "Yil Lull"
(as Singers For The Red Black & Gold)

| 1998

| —

| non-album single

References