The Handsome Young Strangers-the history
"The Handsome Young Stranger lay dead on the floor………"
So sang Marty Robbins in his popular song, El Paso, but how did these lyrics lead to the upbeat, Colonial Bush Rock band we are today?
It began in 2004 with a beer drenched summer sing-along in Driza's backyard. A large suburban Sydney yard complete with Ghost Gums overhanging the fence-line, Cockatoos perched on the branches, drawn by the aromas of a sizzling BBQ but kept at bay by the 4 men sitting on eskys, with guitars and mandolins in hand, sharing a copy of the 'Bushwacker's Australian Songbook'.
Andrew 'Fredo' Donkin and Dion 'Drizabone' Dickinson had been performing together for several years in the Indie band 'Gallery', but quickly realised they shared a passion for Country music that needed to be garnered into their performances. The original concept was to form a band that could reproduce Marty Robbin's 'Trailblazing and Gunfighting Ballads' album in a live format, but before even a song had been learnt it became clear that the pair were drawn to a more Colloquial genre, albeit via different paths.
Driza had been travelling to Grenfell, Country NSW, several times a year to visit his Father-In-Law, Jack, who happened to be curator of the Guinea Pig race track. Through these visits, Driza rediscovered his love for Australian Folklore and Prose, Grenfell being the birthplace of poet Henry Lawson and home to Bushranger Ben Hall.
Fredo's love of Australian Country music had been ingrained predominantly by his father, who had been a mate (and sometimes Chauffer) of Slim Dusty, and so the sounds of Country music were constantly ringing in his ears growing up, and remained, then strengthened, with adulthood.
The pair needed an engine room which was quickly found with the inclusion of drummer, Mark 'Looch' Lewis, and bassist Jason Mills.
Looch and Driza had 1st worked together as founders of late eighties Sydney 'Detroit / Punk' outfit, Epileptic Pigmeez. Often collaborating in each others musical projects over the years that followed, Looch was drawn by the challenge of the genre and a desire to inject a rock ethic into the structure of the folk songs.
Jason had cut his teeth in numerous local punk / alternative bands before joining up with Looch in the quirky, indie cabaret act, Hooray For Everything. Both men had music in their blood, their fathers performing in popular '60s Australian bands Clapham Junction, and Tony Summers and the Echoes, so the desire to perform something uniquely Australian was an enticing proposition.
Gallery guitarist Clayton 'Cyclone' Sanders, then later Damien Carroll, assisted the HYS in their developmental stages but their musical paths lead them into other directions. It was during this period that the band were joined on stage by Crystal 'Dusty Diamonte' Lonnergan. Dusty had been working the bar, putting herself through uni, at the Warrenview Hotel, where the HYS held a monthly residency through 2005, often supported by the duet of Matt Galvin and Mark 'NaNa' Hyland.
With the departure of Carroll in 2006, Matt and NaNa were invited to join the band. Both men came with a rich history in the Sydney music scene, and an instant rapport for the sound the HYS were trying to create. Matt, with other projects on the boil, stepped away, which allowed NaNa to develop his style and truly cement his place within the band. The lineup was now in place to focus on shaping what would become the distinctive sound of the Handsome Young Strangers.
Over the next four years, the band carved out their style by combining their collective inspirations and applying those aspects to Traditional Australian Folk songs. Constantly taking these songs on the road was an essential element in the crafting of the music. In 2008 they were joined by Will Swan on accordion and tin whistle. Will had founded Melbourne band Catgut Mary, before returning to the Blue Mountains of NSW where he set to work on forming the Rumjacks. The inclusion of Will added yet another dimension to the overall sound, in keeping with such influential acts as Weddings Parties Anything and Roaring Jack. The end result is a finely balanced blend of original material, and traditional tunes that have been arranged to reflect the varied influences of the musicians.
The Handsome Young Strangers-the mission
Driza was becoming increasingly concerned with the number of young Australian musicians emulating a sound and culture that failed to reflect the history / roots of the performers and punters alike. Although supportive of all Australian music, we found it difficult to listen to young white suburban men from blue collar, middle class backgrounds attempting to portray themselves as poverty stricken, struggling, gangsters.
The Handsome Young Strangers set out to remind the live music audience that we have a rich, often bloody, heritage coloured with struggle and triumph to draw upon, and that much of it has been etched onto the pages of history through song. Flagship Bush bands had come and gone, and with the Bushwackers slowing down, it was time for a New Generation to step up and continue to spread the stories from our past and celebrate our unique culture.
The group deliberately aimed their sights at the indie music scene as this is where the message was most lost, and have earnt the respect of indie punters through a relentless touring schedule that has taken them to some of this countries more iconic venues such as the Annandale Hotel in Sydney, the Corner Hotel in Melbourne and the Grace Emily in Adelaide along with appearances at prestigious indie festivals including Peats Ridge and the Great Escape.
We have now expanded our target audience to include a more traditional, folk music loving fan base, receiving great accolades at the Illawarra Folk Festival and Snowy Mountains of Music Festival, and next plan to win over the Country Music industry and it's legion of supporters.
With decades of experience in the music scene, and a driving passion to re-establish an Australian identity; the band has now developed a harmonious balance between Folk Bush balladeers and Indie Rock veterans, and are eagerly looking forward to the future with National tours in the works and an album recorded and awaiting release.
Recently HYS have appeared at such festivals as: Great Escape Festival, Peats Ridge Festival,the inaugural Snowy Mountains of Music Festival and Illawarra Folk Festival, toured interstate 8 times and racked up coveted support slots with international acts such as Bob Log III (USA), Hayseed Dixie (USA), Hawksley Workman (CAN) & Joel Plaskett (CAN). On the local front they have also had the honour of supporting such great acts as: The Kill Devil Hills, The Gin Club, Mick Thomas & the Sure Thing, S C Trash, Custom Kings, The Go Set, The Re-Mains, John Schumann (Redgum) and Spurs For Jesus, as well as performing onstage with Roger Corbett from the Bushwackers (who gives the band two thumbs up !). In 2006 the band signed to independent label Code One (also home to Hawksley Workman & Joel Plaskett from Canada) and their debut EP 'Shane Warne' was released in Feb 2007 with significant airplay in Australia and England. Their debut album is scheduled for release in September 2009 with the first single "Melbourne Town" to be issued on June 4. BOOKINGS: (Geoff Trio) info@codeone.net.au EMAIL BAND: handsomeyoungstrangers@yahoo.com.au SHANE WARNE (A BRAND NEW AUSSIE LEGEND) EP NOW AVAILABLE! Click here to purchase online.
BOOKINGS: (Geoff Trio) info@codeone.net.au EMAIL BAND: handsomeyoungstrangers@yahoo.com.au
